Weighing the Universe using fast radio bursts. Fast radio bursts are a newly-discovered astronomical phenomenon whose millisecond-timescale emission occurs at cosmological distances, rendering them exceptional probes of the matter that lies in intergalactic space. This project aims to measure the positions and obtain the distances to these bursts to make a direct measurement of the density of ordinary matter in the Universe, at least 50 per cent of which is believed to remain undetected in inter ....Weighing the Universe using fast radio bursts. Fast radio bursts are a newly-discovered astronomical phenomenon whose millisecond-timescale emission occurs at cosmological distances, rendering them exceptional probes of the matter that lies in intergalactic space. This project aims to measure the positions and obtain the distances to these bursts to make a direct measurement of the density of ordinary matter in the Universe, at least 50 per cent of which is believed to remain undetected in intergalactic space. This project will measure the distribution of this missing matter, and find how it has evolved throughout the history of the Universe. This will provide significant benefits, such as addressing two fundamental questions about our Universe: how much matter does it contain, and has a large fraction of it hitherto evaded detection in intergalactic space?Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100891
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$338,324.00
Summary
Probing cosmic transients through gravitational wave observations. This project aims to use recently discovered gravitational waves to discover what drives cataclysmic astrophysical events, how often they occur and their history. The first detection of gravitational waves has changed astronomy. This project will apply analysis and data mining to gravitational wave and gamma-ray burst data. The results are expected to reveal the connection between gamma ray bursts, gravitational wave sources and ....Probing cosmic transients through gravitational wave observations. This project aims to use recently discovered gravitational waves to discover what drives cataclysmic astrophysical events, how often they occur and their history. The first detection of gravitational waves has changed astronomy. This project will apply analysis and data mining to gravitational wave and gamma-ray burst data. The results are expected to reveal the connection between gamma ray bursts, gravitational wave sources and fast radio bursts, substantially advancing understanding of the Universe.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100437
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$338,774.00
Summary
Advanced technologies for next generation gravitational wave detectors. This project aims to investigate a novel scheme that uses signals present in interferometers to directly control and stabilise the shapes of mirrors to atomic scale precision. The discovery of gravitational waves from colliding black holes and neutron stars was made possible by the development of large-scale, high-laser-power interferometers. The project builds on experience with current detectors and aims to develop techniq ....Advanced technologies for next generation gravitational wave detectors. This project aims to investigate a novel scheme that uses signals present in interferometers to directly control and stabilise the shapes of mirrors to atomic scale precision. The discovery of gravitational waves from colliding black holes and neutron stars was made possible by the development of large-scale, high-laser-power interferometers. The project builds on experience with current detectors and aims to develop techniques that will provide the next leap in sensitivity by improving control of the quantum state of light. The project will also test a new technique called white light resonance, which has the revolutionary capability of increasing sensitivity over a broad frequency range. The project will help maintain Australia’s significant impact on the worldwide effort to harness gravitational waves.Read moreRead less
Enhancing gravitational wave detector sensitivity and bandwidth for astronomy. This project aims to create small optomechanical devices that amplify the signals in gravitational wave detectors, increasing their sensitivity, especially for higher frequency signals. Calibrated against the 2015 first detection of gravitational waves from black hole mergers, this technology could allow humanity to listen to black holes merging up to 30 times every day, while giving much greater sensitivity to signal ....Enhancing gravitational wave detector sensitivity and bandwidth for astronomy. This project aims to create small optomechanical devices that amplify the signals in gravitational wave detectors, increasing their sensitivity, especially for higher frequency signals. Calibrated against the 2015 first detection of gravitational waves from black hole mergers, this technology could allow humanity to listen to black holes merging up to 30 times every day, while giving much greater sensitivity to signals from smaller black holes and neutron stars. The new technology, which uses nano-scale suspended tiny mirrors controlled by laser light, is likely to have applications in making sensors and quantum devices for advanced instrumentation, improve mineral exploration and measure tiny electromagnetic signals.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE210100002
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,000,000.00
Summary
Australian Partnership in Advanced LIGO+: continuation. The aim of this project is, in collaboration with the USA and UK, to complete the installation and commissioning of the Advanced LIGO+ facilities in the USA in order to bring them to design sensitivity. These facilities expect to increase the event rate of gravitational wave signals by a factor of 125. This should lead to daily detections and the observation of new sources of gravitational waves. Given that only 5% of the universe is detect ....Australian Partnership in Advanced LIGO+: continuation. The aim of this project is, in collaboration with the USA and UK, to complete the installation and commissioning of the Advanced LIGO+ facilities in the USA in order to bring them to design sensitivity. These facilities expect to increase the event rate of gravitational wave signals by a factor of 125. This should lead to daily detections and the observation of new sources of gravitational waves. Given that only 5% of the universe is detectable by telescopes, the impact of gravitational wave detections on our understanding of the universe is inestimable. Australian partnership intends to enable our physicists and astronomers to be at the vanguard of this brand new field and inspire a new generation to study the physical sciences.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery. ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery. The mission of our Centre is to use gravitational waves to investigate the fundamental nature of relativistic gravity, ultra-dense matter, and cosmology. This will generate critical discoveries that cement Australia's leadership role in the gravitational wave mega-science instruments of the 2030s and 2040s. By bringing together a world-class team with broad and complementary expe ....ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery. ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery. The mission of our Centre is to use gravitational waves to investigate the fundamental nature of relativistic gravity, ultra-dense matter, and cosmology. This will generate critical discoveries that cement Australia's leadership role in the gravitational wave mega-science instruments of the 2030s and 2040s. By bringing together a world-class team with broad and complementary expertise we will develop core technologies for future detectors, discover new sources of gravitational waves, probe fundamental physics, and lay the foundations for an Australian gravitational wave observatory. Our discoveries will inspire Australia's youth to pursue high tech careers and position our staff and students to become leaders in both industry and academia.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery. This Centre aims to explore the historic first detections of gravitational waves to understand the extreme physics of black holes and warped spacetime, and inspire the next generation of Australian scientists and engineers. The next-generation gravity wave detectors will enable a thousand-fold increase in detection volume and result in the new gravitational wave discoveries, triggering a new era of gravitational wave astrophysics. Buil ....ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery. This Centre aims to explore the historic first detections of gravitational waves to understand the extreme physics of black holes and warped spacetime, and inspire the next generation of Australian scientists and engineers. The next-generation gravity wave detectors will enable a thousand-fold increase in detection volume and result in the new gravitational wave discoveries, triggering a new era of gravitational wave astrophysics. Building on decades of Australian investment in gravitational wave and pulsar science, this Centre will coalesce research activities into a focussed national programme whose discoveries are intended to experimentally validate Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity and educate the public about the wonders of Einstein's Universe.Read moreRead less