Experiments with Advanced Isolation Systems, Suspension and Test Masses Using ACIGA's High Optical Power Test Facility. This proposal will allow experimental verification of the performcane of of sapphire test masses and their associated isolation and suspension system in ACIGA's high optical power test facility at Gingin. The work will contribute to the worldwide effort to increase the sensitivity of laser interferometers to the level where known sources of gravitational waves can be detected ....Experiments with Advanced Isolation Systems, Suspension and Test Masses Using ACIGA's High Optical Power Test Facility. This proposal will allow experimental verification of the performcane of of sapphire test masses and their associated isolation and suspension system in ACIGA's high optical power test facility at Gingin. The work will contribute to the worldwide effort to increase the sensitivity of laser interferometers to the level where known sources of gravitational waves can be detected at a reasonable rate.Read moreRead less
Drivers and barriers to sustainability in residential and commercial buildings. In acknowledging that climate change is one of the greatest moral and economic challenges of our time, the federal Government is committed to Australia's internationally agreed target of limiting greenhouse gas emissions. In its efforts to achieve this, the Government is supporting various initiatives including the development of renewable energy technology. In Australia, buildings contribute almost one-quarter of ou ....Drivers and barriers to sustainability in residential and commercial buildings. In acknowledging that climate change is one of the greatest moral and economic challenges of our time, the federal Government is committed to Australia's internationally agreed target of limiting greenhouse gas emissions. In its efforts to achieve this, the Government is supporting various initiatives including the development of renewable energy technology. In Australia, buildings contribute almost one-quarter of our greenhouse gas emissions. This research will identify methods that assist in the nationwide uptake of sustainability practices, including the use of micro-generation technology, to help improve building performance and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.Read moreRead less
Sub-picosecond studies of matter using intense light from a Free Electron Laser. An Australian research group will use their new ultra-fast timing technology in combination with a new, extremely bright light source, the FERMI Free Electron Laser, Italy. FERMI makes picosecond wide light pulses - the timing technology measures times significantly shorter than a nanosecond. In combination, the way intense light effects the structure of atoms & molecules is studied, leading to an in-depth understa ....Sub-picosecond studies of matter using intense light from a Free Electron Laser. An Australian research group will use their new ultra-fast timing technology in combination with a new, extremely bright light source, the FERMI Free Electron Laser, Italy. FERMI makes picosecond wide light pulses - the timing technology measures times significantly shorter than a nanosecond. In combination, the way intense light effects the structure of atoms & molecules is studied, leading to an in-depth understanding of the processes involved. The new detector technology will be characterised using an electron recycling spectrometer, a new method for making electron beams of a particular energy by storing electrons in a racetrack orbit.Read moreRead less
Control of Instabilities in Advanced Gravitational Wave Detectors. Gravitational wave technology from UWA has already given rise to significant spin-offs including sapphire oscillators for radar applications and vibration isolators for airborne mineral exploration. This project will lead to techniques for increasing the sensitivity of already extraordinary sensitive instruments, and could have applications in many areas. The project will strengthen Australia's role in the world wide quest to det ....Control of Instabilities in Advanced Gravitational Wave Detectors. Gravitational wave technology from UWA has already given rise to significant spin-offs including sapphire oscillators for radar applications and vibration isolators for airborne mineral exploration. This project will lead to techniques for increasing the sensitivity of already extraordinary sensitive instruments, and could have applications in many areas. The project will strengthen Australia's role in the world wide quest to detect gravitational waves, which is one of the most significant and challenging human endeavours. The project will use the superb national research facility at Gingin. Its content contributes to the Eureka Prize winning Gravity Discovery Centre also located at the site, which is a major centre for science education.Read moreRead less
Analysis of two-phase effects in sloshing of liquids in marine tanks. One of the winners in the current greenhouse debate is natural gas, and the global market will see the need for transporting large volumes of LNG. Australia's North West Shelf is one of the largest offshore gas reserves in the world. The gas market is one of the biggest contributors for the country's economy. Australia leads the world in the use of tankers for transport of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). However, consistent re ....Analysis of two-phase effects in sloshing of liquids in marine tanks. One of the winners in the current greenhouse debate is natural gas, and the global market will see the need for transporting large volumes of LNG. Australia's North West Shelf is one of the largest offshore gas reserves in the world. The gas market is one of the biggest contributors for the country's economy. Australia leads the world in the use of tankers for transport of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). However, consistent research in LNG is lacking. This research is a fundamental inquiry into the physics of liquid sloshing and the importance of two-phase effects on sloshing. The research can provide answers that ensure safe operation and transport of LNG from Australia.Read moreRead less
Imaging of properties of coherent elastic light scattering from turbid biological media. Imaging with coherent, elastically-scattered light for visualisation of thick-tissue morphology in vivo, or of cells buried deep in a turbid medium, remains a major challenge. We adopt an alternative approach of imaging of properties of light scattering based on regarding cellular tissue as a spatially-varying refractive-index continuum which encodes scattered light. We propose new methodologies to infer t ....Imaging of properties of coherent elastic light scattering from turbid biological media. Imaging with coherent, elastically-scattered light for visualisation of thick-tissue morphology in vivo, or of cells buried deep in a turbid medium, remains a major challenge. We adopt an alternative approach of imaging of properties of light scattering based on regarding cellular tissue as a spatially-varying refractive-index continuum which encodes scattered light. We propose new methodologies to infer tissue state and morphology indirectly based on phase delay, speckle, and angle-resolved scattering. We will break new ground in correlating the structure and function of in situ epithelial tissue and cells to light scattering enabling, e.g., the detection of mitosis and apoptosis in cells buried in thick, turbid media, and of cancers and precancers in vivo.Read moreRead less
Advances in optical coherence tomography. We propose to continue our research into the biomedical imaging technique of optical coherence tomography by making substantial new advances in the key areas of ultra-broad bandwidth operation, coincident confocal gate scanning, and dispersion compensation. These advances are aimed at improving resolution to the 1-5 micron range, which should allow a breakthrough to sub-cellular in vivo imaging, making visible sample histology in situ, which is currentl ....Advances in optical coherence tomography. We propose to continue our research into the biomedical imaging technique of optical coherence tomography by making substantial new advances in the key areas of ultra-broad bandwidth operation, coincident confocal gate scanning, and dispersion compensation. These advances are aimed at improving resolution to the 1-5 micron range, which should allow a breakthrough to sub-cellular in vivo imaging, making visible sample histology in situ, which is currently not possible. We also plan to make advances in the key area of scanning delay line technology by employing acousto-optics in OCT for the first time. Acousto-optics conveys advantages in no-moving-parts, scan-speed and accuracy.Read moreRead less
Precision low energy experiments to search for new physics. This project aims to give experimental answers to long existing theoretical questions about the origins and nature of dark matter. Dark matter is a fundamental component of the universe, yet the nature of its composition is still unknown. There is growing evidence that dark matter is comprised of low mass and weakly interacting particles. By developing ultra-precise measurement tools and new techniques, this project aims to perform a st ....Precision low energy experiments to search for new physics. This project aims to give experimental answers to long existing theoretical questions about the origins and nature of dark matter. Dark matter is a fundamental component of the universe, yet the nature of its composition is still unknown. There is growing evidence that dark matter is comprised of low mass and weakly interacting particles. By developing ultra-precise measurement tools and new techniques, this project aims to perform a stringent and comprehensive new laboratory search for ultra-light dark matter particles, over likely mass ranges not yet searched. The knowledge gained will provide economic benefits through commercialisation and stimulation of new research and development, and to defence through applications in radar, communications and sensing.Read moreRead less
Novel Bioinformatics approaches for genetics and data linkage. The research project will involve creation of novel data and communications formats to fulfil the vital task of integrating the vast heterogeneous biological resources available. We will apply this new infrastructure to a large data linkage project. In parallel, we will undertake methodological research in informatics to design high throughput research methods and tools to analyse and visualise genetic data. These will be applied to ....Novel Bioinformatics approaches for genetics and data linkage. The research project will involve creation of novel data and communications formats to fulfil the vital task of integrating the vast heterogeneous biological resources available. We will apply this new infrastructure to a large data linkage project. In parallel, we will undertake methodological research in informatics to design high throughput research methods and tools to analyse and visualise genetic data. These will be applied to linkage disequilibrium mapping and haplotyping in human, animal and plant diseases. Improving informatics integration and designing novel methods and implementations of algorithms will be beneficial to local and international researchers in a range of fields.Read moreRead less
Redefining Temperature. The international system of units, which is at the basis of every accurate measurement, requires coherent definitions for its basic units (eg. metre, second, kelvin). Unfortunately, at the moment this is not so, and a global call has gone out to redefine every basic unit in terms of fundamental constants, which are by definition the same anywhere and anytime. This project will develop a new laser-based approach to measuring temperature which can be widely deployed and us ....Redefining Temperature. The international system of units, which is at the basis of every accurate measurement, requires coherent definitions for its basic units (eg. metre, second, kelvin). Unfortunately, at the moment this is not so, and a global call has gone out to redefine every basic unit in terms of fundamental constants, which are by definition the same anywhere and anytime. This project will develop a new laser-based approach to measuring temperature which can be widely deployed and uses fundamental principles for its operation: this can bring accuracy to thermometry in industry for the first time. These outcomes will generate high-level recognition for this Australian project and provide opportunities for high level research training.Read moreRead less