Detecting cosmic rays using precision radio imaging. This project's aim is to identify the source of the highest-energy particles in nature, cosmic rays, and discover new physical processes at energies unreachable by the Large Hadron Collider.
It will do this by using the Murchison Widefield Array radio telescope to detect the sub-microsecond pulses from cosmic ray interactions in the Earth's atmosphere. The project's intended outcome is a sample of thousands of cosmic ray events, and a new tec ....Detecting cosmic rays using precision radio imaging. This project's aim is to identify the source of the highest-energy particles in nature, cosmic rays, and discover new physical processes at energies unreachable by the Large Hadron Collider.
It will do this by using the Murchison Widefield Array radio telescope to detect the sub-microsecond pulses from cosmic ray interactions in the Earth's atmosphere. The project's intended outcome is a sample of thousands of cosmic ray events, and a new technique to analyse the structure within them.
The anticipated benefits are the establishment of the Murchison Widefield Array as a world-leading instrument for astroparticle physics, new knowledge of high-energy astro and particle physics, and advances and training in fast signal processing methods.Read moreRead less
The evolution of mass and energy over the past 13 billion years. The universe has slowly transformed atomic material into a range of structures from planets, stars, galaxies, clusters and filaments. In the process the universe has generated energy at almost all wavelengths. This project will build a model to explain the evolution of mass, energy and structure in the universe and will test the model using the latest data.
How typical is our Local Galaxy Group? This project will uncover how unusual the Local Group is by comparing the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxy (known as M31) halos to similar mass systems in the local Universe. By using well understood galaxy groups created as part of the Galaxy And Mass Assembly project (GAMA), the study will be able to uncover the mass distribution of galaxies found in different mass groups. It will go further than any previous work by combining these robust groups with faint ....How typical is our Local Galaxy Group? This project will uncover how unusual the Local Group is by comparing the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxy (known as M31) halos to similar mass systems in the local Universe. By using well understood galaxy groups created as part of the Galaxy And Mass Assembly project (GAMA), the study will be able to uncover the mass distribution of galaxies found in different mass groups. It will go further than any previous work by combining these robust groups with fainter imaging data. The combination of both datasets will allow the determination of whether the Local Group is typical or unusual. Putting the Local Group into a cosmological context is vital since many future Galactic archaeology surveys assume that it is typical, and can meaningfully inform us about the wider universe.Read moreRead less
The influence of the dark-matter halo on galaxy evolution. This project aims to map the growth of the integrated stellar mass within galaxy structures over all time, and to explore the link between component growth and the mass of the dark matter halo. The project expects to provide a clear empirical record of galaxy growth, and a statement as to whether the changes seen are consistent with the predictions of numerical simulations.
Utilising artificial intelligence to elucidate the physics of galaxies. For decades astronomers have puzzled over the connection between the structure and evolution of galaxies and the role played by host environments. This project aims to resolve this problem by combining multi-wavelength observations, multi-component simulations, and pioneering data analysis using artificial intelligence. In particular, we target the nearby Fornax galaxy cluster as a laboratory for studying galaxy formation in ....Utilising artificial intelligence to elucidate the physics of galaxies. For decades astronomers have puzzled over the connection between the structure and evolution of galaxies and the role played by host environments. This project aims to resolve this problem by combining multi-wavelength observations, multi-component simulations, and pioneering data analysis using artificial intelligence. In particular, we target the nearby Fornax galaxy cluster as a laboratory for studying galaxy formation in dense environments. Using our novel machine learning techniques, we will elucidate the physical mechanisms that drive the rapid evolution of star formation, galactic nuclei, and gas and dust content within Fornax. Our predictions will benefit ongoing and future surveys at the national and international level. Read moreRead less
The Fundamental Physics of Galaxy Formation. The project plans to develop new insights into how galaxies form. Although galaxies appear to be complex systems, recent results have demonstrated the importance of fundamental physical quantities – angular momentum and gas fraction – in driving the appearance and basic properties of galaxies. The project plans to use a two-pronged theoretical and observational approach to incorporate these in cosmological models of galaxy formation and test key predi ....The Fundamental Physics of Galaxy Formation. The project plans to develop new insights into how galaxies form. Although galaxies appear to be complex systems, recent results have demonstrated the importance of fundamental physical quantities – angular momentum and gas fraction – in driving the appearance and basic properties of galaxies. The project plans to use a two-pronged theoretical and observational approach to incorporate these in cosmological models of galaxy formation and test key predictions against new generations of galaxy surveys. Australia has established a technological lead in the first large-scale systematic survey of galaxy angular momentum (the SAMI survey) and the project plans to test the evolutionary predictions by observing gas-rich high-redshift galaxies and local analogues using SAMI data.Read moreRead less
Why do galaxies stop forming stars? This project aims to use the most powerful radio and optical telescopes in the world to identify the mechanisms driving the quenching of star formation in the most massive structures in the Universe. This research expects to answer some of the fundamental questions identified by the international astronomy community regarding how galaxies form and evolve, how star formation proceeds and why nearly half of the galaxies in the local Universe have stopped forming ....Why do galaxies stop forming stars? This project aims to use the most powerful radio and optical telescopes in the world to identify the mechanisms driving the quenching of star formation in the most massive structures in the Universe. This research expects to answer some of the fundamental questions identified by the international astronomy community regarding how galaxies form and evolve, how star formation proceeds and why nearly half of the galaxies in the local Universe have stopped forming stars. It will forge strong links with international partners, strengthen Australian expertise in a critical area of astronomical research, offer an ideal platform for accelerating the training of students in STEM and contribute to public outreach work.Read moreRead less
How do galaxies in groups run out of gas? The observed properties of galaxies are known to depend on their surrounding local environment. However, astronomers are still struggling to understand to what extent galaxy evolution is shaped by nurture, and which are the dominant physical processes involved. The key to resolving this outstanding issue is to study the cold gas component, and its relation to star formation, in galaxies across a range of environments. This project will combine an unrival ....How do galaxies in groups run out of gas? The observed properties of galaxies are known to depend on their surrounding local environment. However, astronomers are still struggling to understand to what extent galaxy evolution is shaped by nurture, and which are the dominant physical processes involved. The key to resolving this outstanding issue is to study the cold gas component, and its relation to star formation, in galaxies across a range of environments. This project will combine an unrivalled data set, which includes the most sensitive measurements of atomic and molecular hydrogen gas currently available, with state-of-the-art numerical simulations with the aim of revealing the physical mechanisms responsible for transforming galaxies in the group environment.Read moreRead less
The Orbits and Interactions of Satellite Galaxies: A Fundamental Test of Cosmology. Recent studies of the satellite galaxies of the Milky Way and Andromeda have revealed that they orbit their host galaxies in narrow planes, significantly at odds with our understanding of how galaxies form. Using state-of-the-art supercomputer simulations, the project will investigate the predicted orbital histories of satellite galaxies in the standard cosmological model and in non-standard, yet physically drive ....The Orbits and Interactions of Satellite Galaxies: A Fundamental Test of Cosmology. Recent studies of the satellite galaxies of the Milky Way and Andromeda have revealed that they orbit their host galaxies in narrow planes, significantly at odds with our understanding of how galaxies form. Using state-of-the-art supercomputer simulations, the project will investigate the predicted orbital histories of satellite galaxies in the standard cosmological model and in non-standard, yet physically driven, alternatives. Combining these predictions with innovative statistical modelling, it will determine the conditions under which observed satellite properties can be reproduced in the standard cosmology and its non-standard alternatives. In this way, the project will reveal the potency of satellite galaxies as a fundamental test of cosmology.Read moreRead less
Observing the synthetic universe: revealing the dark cosmos with future telescopes. Strange dark forces shape the universe in which we live. The project will obtain synthetic observations of a suite of model universes, allowing us to develop the key strategies that drive observations with future telescopes. It will also provide a measure of the true physical properties of the dark matter and dark energy that fill our universe.