Global Gravitational Wave Astronomy. To listen to the universe with gravitational waves needs a global array of gravitational wave observatories, and one of these must be in the southern hemisphere - in Australia. By definitively answering outstanding questions about an Australian gravitational wave observatory - Where should it be? How sensitive? What astronomy will it aid? - we make the case for the international community to help build this observatory, investing hundreds of millions of dolla ....Global Gravitational Wave Astronomy. To listen to the universe with gravitational waves needs a global array of gravitational wave observatories, and one of these must be in the southern hemisphere - in Australia. By definitively answering outstanding questions about an Australian gravitational wave observatory - Where should it be? How sensitive? What astronomy will it aid? - we make the case for the international community to help build this observatory, investing hundreds of millions of dollars in rural Australia and keeping Australia on the cutting edge of all branches of astronomy. As a flagship client of advanced data GRID technologies, we will also shape the growth of Australian knowledge of, and infrastructure for, next-generation communications technologies.Read moreRead less
Specific-ion effects in non-aqueous solvents. A test for Hofmeister. A colloidal solution is a liquid that contains a finely dispersed material. The properties of these solutions are critical in many industrially important practices and in the everyday processes of life. Though not understood, it is observed that the type of salt in solution controls how the colloid behaves. Through a series of very careful experiments we seek to learn precisely how different salts influence the properties of a ....Specific-ion effects in non-aqueous solvents. A test for Hofmeister. A colloidal solution is a liquid that contains a finely dispersed material. The properties of these solutions are critical in many industrially important practices and in the everyday processes of life. Though not understood, it is observed that the type of salt in solution controls how the colloid behaves. Through a series of very careful experiments we seek to learn precisely how different salts influence the properties of a colloidal solution. This world-leading research will enable us to improve our fundamental understanding of colloids and thereby facilitate advances in topics as diverse as enzymatic action and minerals purification, ensuring Australia remains at the forefront of science in this field.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0560758
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$187,000.00
Summary
Dynamics at Interfaces: a facility for the characterisation of the dynamics of structural reorganisation and adsorption at interfaces. Controlling the flow, stability, and general performance of finely dispersed materials is important in a great number of industries from cosmetics to minerals purification. These properties are often controlled by the addition of material that forms a film at the interface between the dispersed material and the solvent. We seek to develop a facility that will ena ....Dynamics at Interfaces: a facility for the characterisation of the dynamics of structural reorganisation and adsorption at interfaces. Controlling the flow, stability, and general performance of finely dispersed materials is important in a great number of industries from cosmetics to minerals purification. These properties are often controlled by the addition of material that forms a film at the interface between the dispersed material and the solvent. We seek to develop a facility that will enable the properties of this film to be characterized, in particular the rate at which the film responds to mechanical and chemical changes. With this knowledge we hope to relate the nanoscopic properties of the adsorbed film to macroscopic properties of the dispersion and be able to tune the structure of the surface film, in order to control the bulk properties of complex fluids.Read moreRead less
Metaphotonics and metasurfaces for disruptive sensing technologies. This project aims to address a big challenge in nanophotonics by developing revolutionary methods for efficient chiral sensing of molecules without the need for spectrometry, frequency scanning, or moving mechanical parts, and to enhance chiroptical signals a hundredfold with the help of metasurface structures. Resonant metasurfaces are arrays of engineered dielectric nanoparticles with extraordinary characteristics, and they wo ....Metaphotonics and metasurfaces for disruptive sensing technologies. This project aims to address a big challenge in nanophotonics by developing revolutionary methods for efficient chiral sensing of molecules without the need for spectrometry, frequency scanning, or moving mechanical parts, and to enhance chiroptical signals a hundredfold with the help of metasurface structures. Resonant metasurfaces are arrays of engineered dielectric nanoparticles with extraordinary characteristics, and they would allow to overcome current limitations of chiral sensing analytical tools. Detecting chiral molecules in low concentrations is crucially important to many fields of biology, chemistry, and pharmacy, as well as to the food and cosmetics industries, constituting a market of tens of billions of dollars.Read moreRead less
Extreme wave events on the water surface. Giant waves observed in the ocean present a catastrophic threat to ships and offshore structures. Rogue waves in optical fibres, on the other hand, may help developing powerful light sources for long-distance telecommunications. This study of capillary rogue waves on the water surface will help to predict and control the probability of extreme waves.
Salt, Bubbles and Life; A study of ion specificity in colloid science. A colloidal solution is a liquid that contains a finely dispersed material. The properties of these solutions are critical in many industrially important practices and in the everyday processes of life. Though not understood, it is observed that the type of salt in solution controls how the colloid behaves. Through a series of very careful experiments we seek to learn precisely how different salts influence the properties of ....Salt, Bubbles and Life; A study of ion specificity in colloid science. A colloidal solution is a liquid that contains a finely dispersed material. The properties of these solutions are critical in many industrially important practices and in the everyday processes of life. Though not understood, it is observed that the type of salt in solution controls how the colloid behaves. Through a series of very careful experiments we seek to learn precisely how different salts influence the properties of a colloidal solution. This world-leading research will enable us to improve our fundamental understanding of colloids and thereby facilitate advances in topics as diverse as enzymatic action and minerals purification, ensuring Australia remains at the forefront of science in this field.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100742
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$315,000.00
Summary
Biofilms in two-dimensional turbulent flows:effects on Lagrangian transport. This project aims to investigate how surface biofilms affect flows at the ocean surface. Great stretches of the ocean surface are covered by an organic microlayer called biofilm. Flows at the ocean surface are a crucial part of climate machinery, and biofilms have profound, largely unexplored effects on these flows. There is no fundamental understanding of how biofilms affect fluid motion. This project aims to use labor ....Biofilms in two-dimensional turbulent flows:effects on Lagrangian transport. This project aims to investigate how surface biofilms affect flows at the ocean surface. Great stretches of the ocean surface are covered by an organic microlayer called biofilm. Flows at the ocean surface are a crucial part of climate machinery, and biofilms have profound, largely unexplored effects on these flows. There is no fundamental understanding of how biofilms affect fluid motion. This project aims to use laboratory models and new measurement techniques to study and quantify the impact of biofilms on turbulent transport. Understanding these effects is important in a time of climate change and this knowledge may also help address environmental issues related to spreading of pollutants and flow control at the ocean surface.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100364
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Understanding winds: energy transfer in rotating turbulent fluids. The Earth's rotation affects how large atmospheric winds and cyclones interact with each other and with the surface of our planet. This controls how the wind energy is distributed in the global atmosphere. By studying rotating turbulence in laboratory experiments, we can improve our understanding of atmospheric dynamics and make better predictions in meteorology, and atmospheric physics.
Molecules as probes of the interstellar medium. It is one of the greatest challenges in Nature is to remotely identify what is in space. Interstellar molecules are identified by their spectra, but many features in these spectra are unknown, implying that there are many more molecules in space than we know about. With a stronger understanding of space chemistry, we could predict what should be there and verify it in the lab. Conversely, identification of these features will provide the tools to u ....Molecules as probes of the interstellar medium. It is one of the greatest challenges in Nature is to remotely identify what is in space. Interstellar molecules are identified by their spectra, but many features in these spectra are unknown, implying that there are many more molecules in space than we know about. With a stronger understanding of space chemistry, we could predict what should be there and verify it in the lab. Conversely, identification of these features will provide the tools to understand interstellar chemistry. In this project we combine skills in spectroscopy and astronomy to make these molecules in the laboratory, measure their spectra and thereby identify unknown molecules in space.Read moreRead less
Limits to ocean surface temperature in future climates. This project aims to investigate whether ocean surface temperatures can increase beyond the 35 degree centigrade threshold for the survival of humans and many other mammal species. Climate models predict that ocean surface temperatures will exceed 35 degree centigrade in parts of the middle east and throughout much of South East Asia in as little as 50 years. This project will use a series of laboratory experiments to test whether parts of ....Limits to ocean surface temperature in future climates. This project aims to investigate whether ocean surface temperatures can increase beyond the 35 degree centigrade threshold for the survival of humans and many other mammal species. Climate models predict that ocean surface temperatures will exceed 35 degree centigrade in parts of the middle east and throughout much of South East Asia in as little as 50 years. This project will use a series of laboratory experiments to test whether parts of the ocean surface can be warmed beyond this limit under natural conditions. Expected outcomes of this project are a new understanding of what sets the maximum surface temperature of the ocean, thereby allowing us to determine whether coastal regions of the humid tropics and sub-tropics will remain habitable for humans and other mammal species in the near future.Read moreRead less