Atomic scale ion microscopy via laser cooling and correlated imaging. This project will develop next-generation focused ion beam microscopy and nanofabrication using a novel cold ion source based on photoionisation of a laser-cooled atom beam. The low temperature and complex internal state structure of the constituent atoms combine to allow generation of ions with unprecedented brightness and resolution. We will use three unique and innovative ideas: field ionisation of atoms in so-called 'excep ....Atomic scale ion microscopy via laser cooling and correlated imaging. This project will develop next-generation focused ion beam microscopy and nanofabrication using a novel cold ion source based on photoionisation of a laser-cooled atom beam. The low temperature and complex internal state structure of the constituent atoms combine to allow generation of ions with unprecedented brightness and resolution. We will use three unique and innovative ideas: field ionisation of atoms in so-called 'exceptional' states to reduce chromatic aberration; electron-ion correlations to enhance control of the ions at the nanoscale; and atom-atom interactions to isolate and manipulate individual ions. The new technology will enable advances in semiconductor nanofabrication and material characterisation.Read moreRead less
Tree-mediated methane fluxes: A new frontier in the global carbon cycle. Methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas. Recent evidence suggests that tree-mediated fluxes may be a significant, but overlooked source of methane to the atmosphere. This project aims to quantify the magnitude and drivers of tree-mediated methane fluxes from Australia’s dominant forest types. Innovatively, we will be using a novel combination of empirical field based measurements, gas tracer experiments, microbial ana ....Tree-mediated methane fluxes: A new frontier in the global carbon cycle. Methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas. Recent evidence suggests that tree-mediated fluxes may be a significant, but overlooked source of methane to the atmosphere. This project aims to quantify the magnitude and drivers of tree-mediated methane fluxes from Australia’s dominant forest types. Innovatively, we will be using a novel combination of empirical field based measurements, gas tracer experiments, microbial analysis and modelling methods. Expected outcomes are a mechanistic understanding of tree-mediated methane fluxes, helping to constrain regional, national and global methane budgets. The results of this study will help inform publicly funded greenhouse gas abatement strategies, ensuring a maximal return on investment.Read moreRead less
A Universal Power Law for Growth and Diversity of Dinosaur and Bird Beaks. Universal rules that govern how animals grow have tremendous power to explain the highly complex processes of growth and development. The project investigators have recently discovered a new rule of growth that controls how teeth, horns, claws and beaks are generated in animals. This project aims to use this new rule to examine the evolution and diversity of beaks in birds and dinosaurs. By combining 3D modelling, biomech ....A Universal Power Law for Growth and Diversity of Dinosaur and Bird Beaks. Universal rules that govern how animals grow have tremendous power to explain the highly complex processes of growth and development. The project investigators have recently discovered a new rule of growth that controls how teeth, horns, claws and beaks are generated in animals. This project aims to use this new rule to examine the evolution and diversity of beaks in birds and dinosaurs. By combining 3D modelling, biomechanics and genetic analysis of bird beak development with the study of dinosaur fossils, this project expects to reveal the underlying processes controlling the growth and evolution of beaks. The anticipated goal of this project is to show the power of new theoretical models to explain the diversity of life.Read moreRead less
Skin in the game: biomimetics, fitness and the springtail cuticle. This project aims to examine the relationship between cuticle (skin) properties, water balance, and fitness in springtails, key players in soil systems. Springtail cuticles are diverse, responsive, and extremely resistant to wetting by water, alcohol and other substances. Their Australian diversity has not been well explored for biomimetic new materials. This project expects to explore options for new applications in materials sc ....Skin in the game: biomimetics, fitness and the springtail cuticle. This project aims to examine the relationship between cuticle (skin) properties, water balance, and fitness in springtails, key players in soil systems. Springtail cuticles are diverse, responsive, and extremely resistant to wetting by water, alcohol and other substances. Their Australian diversity has not been well explored for biomimetic new materials. This project expects to explore options for new applications in materials science and engineering by generalising the cuticle structure-function relationship. Expected outcomes are new information to harness for industry the diversity of nature’s self-cleaning, water repellent surfaces. Significant benefits lie in potential new biomimetic manufacturing options.Read moreRead less
Tackling the computational bottleneck in precision particle physics. This project aims to deliver a breakthrough technique in theoretical-computational particle physics, with significant potential for high-precision applications. The project targets some of the most advanced and resource-intensive calculations in particle physics, which are widely used but currently limited by extremely high computational resource requirements. This project expects to develop a novel approach that will vastly re ....Tackling the computational bottleneck in precision particle physics. This project aims to deliver a breakthrough technique in theoretical-computational particle physics, with significant potential for high-precision applications. The project targets some of the most advanced and resource-intensive calculations in particle physics, which are widely used but currently limited by extremely high computational resource requirements. This project expects to develop a novel approach that will vastly reduce the computational complexity while at the same time improving their accuracy relative to the current global state of the art. Expected outcomes include the new methodology itself as well as a full-fledged and open-access simulation code based on it, which should be highly efficient.Read moreRead less
Electroweak phase transition: A cosmological window to new particle physics. The observed asymmetry between matter and antimatter in the visible universe arguably represents the major challenge to contemporary particle physics and cosmology. This project explores new theoretical, phenomenological and computational aspects of the electroweak phase transition and the generation of the cosmic matter-antimatter asymmetry in the early universe together with their links to new physics that may manifes ....Electroweak phase transition: A cosmological window to new particle physics. The observed asymmetry between matter and antimatter in the visible universe arguably represents the major challenge to contemporary particle physics and cosmology. This project explores new theoretical, phenomenological and computational aspects of the electroweak phase transition and the generation of the cosmic matter-antimatter asymmetry in the early universe together with their links to new physics that may manifest at present and future high-energy colliders and gravitational wave observatories. Read moreRead less
New Physics and the quark/lepton family replication puzzle. This project aims to investigate how new physics impacts on the puzzling threefold replication of the elementary particles known as quarks and leptons; these particles provide the foundations for the structure of atoms. This theory project seeks to do so in the context of a concentrated worldwide experimental program whose objective is to produce hugely more information about the mysterious replication. Expected outcomes include the con ....New Physics and the quark/lepton family replication puzzle. This project aims to investigate how new physics impacts on the puzzling threefold replication of the elementary particles known as quarks and leptons; these particles provide the foundations for the structure of atoms. This theory project seeks to do so in the context of a concentrated worldwide experimental program whose objective is to produce hugely more information about the mysterious replication. Expected outcomes include the construction of new theories that deepen our understanding of elementary particles and their interactions. This should provide significant benefits to intellectual culture and the training of early-career researchers as flexible problem solvers able to innovate in any context in industry or government service.Read moreRead less
Search for physics beyond the Standard Model in penguin decays. In the decays of subatomic particles, there is an increasing number of discrepancies between the theoretical expectations and the measurements. This project aims to confirm or refute the interpretation of these results as arising from phenomena not described by the Standard Model of Particle Physics. The project expects to generate new knowledge to clarify this question by making an innovative set of measurements that are designed t ....Search for physics beyond the Standard Model in penguin decays. In the decays of subatomic particles, there is an increasing number of discrepancies between the theoretical expectations and the measurements. This project aims to confirm or refute the interpretation of these results as arising from phenomena not described by the Standard Model of Particle Physics. The project expects to generate new knowledge to clarify this question by making an innovative set of measurements that are designed to minimise existing theoretical uncertainty. The expected outcomes are a deeper understanding of how the Universe works and an enhanced capability to collaborate internationally in Particle Physics. Significant benefits will be provided in terms of training in advanced computational methods.Read moreRead less
Optimising the search for the next discovery in particle physics. This project aims to uncover the new theory of particle physics that can simultaneously explain the Higgs mechanism, the presence of dark matter and the current abundance of matter over antimatter in our universe. This is not possible with current theories. This project aims to find viable theories using a wide range of data from particle astrophysics and collider experiments. With the resulting knowledge, this project aims to des ....Optimising the search for the next discovery in particle physics. This project aims to uncover the new theory of particle physics that can simultaneously explain the Higgs mechanism, the presence of dark matter and the current abundance of matter over antimatter in our universe. This is not possible with current theories. This project aims to find viable theories using a wide range of data from particle astrophysics and collider experiments. With the resulting knowledge, this project aims to design, optimise and implement better searches for new physics at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The new LHC results will be used to either determine the correct explanation for any new discoveries or alternatively to provide definitive limits on new theories. The results will be used to make high impact statements on the design of future facilities.Read moreRead less
Searching for new phenomena in semileptonic B decays with Belle II. This project aims to examine the mechanisms that explain the origin of the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe. Particle physics seeks to understand the fundamental constituents of matter and their interactions. This project will use the new Belle II detector at the SuperKEKB collider in Japan to address the origin of matter-antimatter asymmetry, and why fundamental matter particles have enormous mass differences across ....Searching for new phenomena in semileptonic B decays with Belle II. This project aims to examine the mechanisms that explain the origin of the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe. Particle physics seeks to understand the fundamental constituents of matter and their interactions. This project will use the new Belle II detector at the SuperKEKB collider in Japan to address the origin of matter-antimatter asymmetry, and why fundamental matter particles have enormous mass differences across the three generations. The project aims to develop new data mining techniques to fully exploit the data from the Belle II experiment, placing Australian researchers in a position to make a major discovery of new physics phenomena in order to complete the theory of the universe at the smallest scale.Read moreRead less