Introduction - UNSW Canberra · Resonance (NMR) spectrometer was awarded $108,000 for 2008. NMR spectroscopy is the central tool of experimental chemistry. It is used to determine

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IntroductionThe School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences (PEMS) at The University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy (UNSW@ADFA) is an important national and international centre for learning and research and is part of a prestigious Group of Eight university. This Research Report introduces our staff and graduate students, outlines their current projects, and overviews the School’s research programs.

Our staff, students and graduates work together in undergraduate and postgraduate programs that record high levels of satisfaction and employment, and in world-leading research, to help governments, businesses, communities and individuals meet the many challenges of working in the modern world.

The School’s activities in teaching and learning are organised around five undergraduate Program areas – Chemistry, Geography, Mathematics & Statistics, Oceanography and Physics - and in related graduate coursework and research degree programs. At the undergraduate level, PEMS offers BSc and BA degrees. At the graduate level, PEMS offers programs leading to MPhil, MSc, MA and PhD degrees.

The research work of PEMS staff and students is diverse and wide-ranging. Much of our research is conducted in partnership with National and State agencies, CSIRO, businesses, communities and landowners, ensuring its relevance and maximising the benefits of research outcomes. Within UNSW@ADFA, PEMS works closely with partner Schools and Centres to achieve synergies and efficiencies. There is a high degree of research collaboration between UNSW@ADFA and the main UNSW campus at Kensington.

If you’re interested in working with us at PEMS, in collaborative research or as a postgraduate, please contact us to discuss how we might progress our common interests. We look forward to working with you.

Brian G. Lees

Head of School School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences UNSW@ADFA

September 2009

ContentsBIOlOGICAl CHEMISTRy ...............................................................................02

CHEMICAl PHySICS AND PHySICAl CHEMISTRy ........................05

lASER SPECTROSCOPy ...................................................................................08

MOlECUlAR DESIGN AND REACTION MECHANISMS ..............12

ENvIRONMENTAl SySTEMS.........................................................................15

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SCIENCE................................................24

SOCIETy & SPACE ................................................................................................29

APPlIED AND INDUSTRIAl MATHEMATICS (AIM) ........................37

PHySICAl OCEANOGRAPHy .......................................................................47

ADvANCED MATERIAlS ..................................................................................57

ASTRONOMy & ASTROPHySICS ...............................................................69

lOWER ATMOSPHERE RESEARCH ...........................................................74

SCIENCE EDUCATION.......................................................................................78

Report co-ordinator: Julie Kesby, School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences, UNSW@ADFA

Design: Educational Technology Services, UNSW@ADFA

School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences - Research Report 09/10

Biological Chemistry

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This research primarily focuses on the interactions between transition metal complexes and DNA. This work aims at understanding the principles of DNA recognition, with the ultimate goal of being able to design compounds that can control gene expression - the next great target now that most of the human genome has been sequenced. We study the interactions of inert dinuclear ruthenium complexes with DNA and RNA. Dinuclear ruthenium complexes, rather than the more often studied mononuclear complexes, offer many advantages. Dinuclear complexes bind selectively at DNA and RNA non-duplex sites, e.g. bulges and hairpin-loops, where shape, size, functionality and charge govern selectivity and affinity.

In addition, we are also involved in the development of a new, and very promising, class of anti-cancer drug – multinuclear platinum complexes. We design and synthesise new complexes, determine their biological activity and examine their binding to DNA by NMR spectroscopy. In addition, we are exploring the possibility of reducing the toxicity and degradation by plasma proteins of multinuclear platinum complexes by encapsulating them in cucurbituril, an open-ended barrel shaped host molecule.

PhD student yunjie Zhao operating a flurometer, PEMS, UNSW@ADFA. After completing her thesis in 2009 yunjie has received a Research Publication Fellowship for a period of 3 months [Photo credit: K. Badek].

Members Academic Staff:Assoc. Prof. Grant Collins ([email protected]) BSc, PhD ANU, MRACI, CChem

Research Assistant:Dr Damian Buck ([email protected]) BSc, PhD ANU

Research Students:Najia Adnan - Research Topic - Analysis of DNA binding of pixantroneFangfei Li - Research Topic - Dinuclear ruthenium complexes as therapeutic agentsLinta Peter Chalissery - Research Topic - Supramolecular chemistryMichelle Pisani - Research Topic – Dinuclear ruthenium (II) complexes as DNA-binding drugsYunjie Zhao - Research Topic - Cucurbit[n]uril- a delivery host for anti-cancer drugs.

Research Collaborators:Prof. Richard Keene (James Cook University, Townsville)

Assoc. Prof. Janice Aldrich-Wright (University of Western Sydney)

Recent ResearchAssoc. Prof. Grant CollinsOver the last decade there has been considerable interest in DNA secondary structures that deviate from the well-known double helix. One example is a bulge structure in which there are regions of the duplex possessing one or more unpaired bases. These structural motifs are often associated with important biological functions: DNA bulge sites can be created during recombination between imperfectly homologous sequences, and are thought to play an important role in frame-shift mutagenesis. More recently, bulge sites have been shown to bind some DNA-repair proteins more tightly than duplex DNA and consequently are potential binding sites for therapeutic agents. Given their biological importance and potential as a target for novel drugs, there has been considerable research aimed at developing small molecules that can selectively target DNA bulge sites.

In collaboration with Prof. R. Keene (JCU) we have shown that non-intercalating, rigid, dinuclear ruthenium complexes associate weakly with the minor groove of duplex DNA; importantly however, these complexes demonstrate a much greater affinity for more open and/or flexible secondary structures such as bulge sites.

Multinuclear platinum complexes, developed by Farrell and coworkers, have shown considerable promise as anti-cancer agents. Unlike cisplatin, di- and trinuclear platinum complexes, where two or three platinum coordination centres are linked by diamine chains, form flexible long-range interstrand DNA adducts. It is from this novel DNA binding mode that multinuclear platinum complexes are thought to derive a different cytotoxic profile to cisplatin. Pre-clinical studies demonstrated that the multinuclear platinum complexes were considerably more active than cisplatin in a range of cell lines, and more importantly, maintained their activity in the corresponding cisplatin resistant cell lines. While multinuclear platinum complexes are highly cytotoxic, they have a


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relatively narrow therapeutic index. Phase I clinical trials indicated that the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) for the trinuclear complex BBR3464 was much lower than platinum drugs already in the clinic. Furthermore, most of the platinum drug binds thiol containing plasma proteins in the bloodstream, and is subsequently degraded to nonactive metabolites. Consequently, methods that can reduce the toxicity and/or decrease the binding of thiol containing proteins could improve the clinical utility of multinuclear platinum drugs. We have demonstrated that encapsulation of the multinuclear platinum complexes within the cavity of a cucurbituril overcomes the problems associated with plasma protein binding, and hence, may represent a new drug delivery technique for this class of anti-cancer compound.

Student ResearchAnalysis of DNA binding of Pixantrone

Najia Adnan ([email protected]) MastersField of Study: Biological Chemistry

The reversible DNA-binding of pixantrone and its activated reactive form should be identical, as the binding is due to the intercalculation of the non-reactive planar polycyclic aromatic part of the drug. Consequently, we propose to examine the binding of pixantrone to a range of small segments of DNA (oligonucleotides) by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. In order to compare the DNA-binding of pixantrone to other anthracyclines, initial NMR experiments will utilize a particular well-characterised oligonucleotide. Then, in conjunction with molecular modelling, a detailed picture of the reversible binding will be developed. In the second phase of the research, the reversible binding of pixantrone will be screened against a wide range of oligonucleotides that contain different base sequences and structures (such as base-bulges), using fluorescence intercalator displacement assays. Those sequences or structures that show the strongest pixantrone binding will then be used in subsequent NMR experiments.

Dinuclear ruthenium complexes as therapeutic agents

Fangfei Li ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Biological Chemistry

Fangfei li has just started her PhD and is currently looking at the binding of a dinuclear ruthenium complex with a segment of DNA that contains two bulge regions by NMR spectroscopy and molecular modelling.

Cucurbit[n]uril- a delivery host for anti-cancer drugs

Yunjie Zhao ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Biological Chemistry

Multinuclear platinum complexes and the organic drug albendazole offer real potential for the treatment of cancer. However, and as with many other anti-cancer agents, their clinical use is limited by pharmacological problems. The potential of a relatively new class of macrocyclic host molecules, called cucurbit[n]uril (Q[n]), to act as a delivery system for these drugs and overcome the clinical drawbacks has been investigated. In order to examine particular aspects of the cucubit[n]uril binding of the drugs, new multinuclear platinum complexes and

benzimidazole carbamate derivatives have been synthesized, and their biological activity compared to the parent compounds.

Dinuclear ruthenium (II) complexes as DNA-binding drugs

Michele Pisani ([email protected]) MastersField of Study: Biological Chemistry

Dinuclear ruthenium (II) complexes preferentially bind non-duplex DNA and RNA sites. Consequently, these compounds have significant potential as therapeutic agents. In this study the binding of the dinuclear ruthenium complexes to DNA/RNA and various drug delivery agents (dendrimers and cucurbiturils) is being examined.

Supramolecular chemistry

Linta Chalissery ([email protected]) MastersField of Study: Biological Chemistry

Developing analytical techniques for the purification of “cucurbiturils”, a molecular host and a drug delivery vehicle. Available methods to purify cucurbiturils are inefficient and time-consuming. We are developing a method based on column chromatography that is much easier to implement in large scale.

PhD Opportunities and ScholarshipsThere are PhD and Masters opportunities in all the research areas described above.

For further information contact: Assoc. Prof. Grant Collins ([email protected])

FacilitiesGrant Collins, Anthony Day, Mok Rahman and Lynne Wallace were successful in applying for a grant under the Major Equipment and Infrastructure Initiative (MREII). The Urgent upgrade of the console of the varian Unityplus 400 MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer was awarded $108,000 for 2008.

NMR spectroscopy is the central tool of experimental chemistry. It is used to determine the structure and shape of molecules, which, in turn, determine physical properties, and chemical and biological activity. NMR spectroscopy can also be used to follow reaction kinetics at the atomic level, establish the nature of interactions between two or more molecular species, and study diffusion of dissolved compounds.



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PublicationsIn PressBook - Chapter

Buck, D.P. & Collins, J.G., in press, NMR Studies of metallointercalator-DNA interactions, in Metallointercalators-Synthesis, Techniques to Probe their Interactions with Biomolecules, J.R. Aldrich-Wright (ed.), Springer.

Journal – Refereed

Pisani, M., Zhao, Y., Wallace, L., Woodward, C.E., Keene, R., Day, A.I. & Collins, G., 2009, Cucurbit[10]uril binding of dinuclear platinum(II) and ruthenium(II) complexes: Association/disassociation from seconds to hours; submitted in September, 2009.

Patent

Day, A., Collins, J.G., Morris, D., Pourgholami, M. & Zhao, Y., Cytotoxic benzimidazole carbamate derivatives and cucurbit[n]uril soluble formulations, patent pending, September, 2009.

2009 publicationsBook - Chapter

Smith, J.A., Collins, J.G. & Keene, F.R., 2009, Groove binding ruthenium(II) complexes as probes of DNA recognition, in, Metal Complexes - DNA interactions, N. Hadjiliadis & E. Sletten (eds), Wiley Publishing, Oxford, UK, pp. 319-346.

Journal - Refereed

Keene, F.R., Smith, J.A. & Collins, J.G., 2009, Metal complexes as structure-selective binding agents for nucleic acids, Coordination Chemistry Reviews, 253(15-16), 2021-2035, doi:10.1016/j.ccr.2009.01.004.

Pisani, M., Wheate, N.J., Keene, F.R., Aldrich-Wright, J.R. & Collins, J.G., 2009, Anionic PAMAM dendrimers as drug delivery vehicles for transition metal-based anticancer drugs, Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 103(3), 373-380, doi:10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2008.11.014.

Zhao, Y., Bali, M.S., Cullinane, C., Day, A.I. & Collins, J.G., 2009, Synthesis, cytotoxicity and cucurbituril binding of triamine linked dinuclear platinum complexes, Dalton Transactions, 26, 5190-5198, doi: 10.1039/b905112k.

2008 publicationsJournal - Refereed

Buck, D.P., Spillane, C., Collins, J.G. & Keene, F.R., 2008, Binding of a dinuclear ruthenium(II) complex to the TAR region of the HIv-AIDS viral RNA, Molecular Biosystems, 4(8), 851-854.

Buck, D.P., Abeysinghe, P.M., Cullinane, C., Collins, J.G. & Harding, M.M., 2008, Inclusion complexes of the antitumour metallocenes Cp2MCl2 (M = Mo, Ti) with cucurbit[n]urils, Dalton Transactions, 17, 2328-2334.

Zhao, Y., Buck, D.P., Morris, D.l., Pourgholami, M.H., Day, A.I. & Collins, J.G., 2008, Solubilisation and cytotoxicity of albendazole encapsulated in cucurbit[n]uril, Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry, 6, 4509-4515.

Conference- Abstract

Zhao, Y., Day, A.I., Buck, D., Bali, M. & Collins, G., 2008, Cucurbit[n]uril for drug delivery, 1st International Conference on Drug Design and Discovery, Dubai, UAE, February 2008.

Zhao, Y., Bali, M., Day, A.I. & Collins, G., 2008, Cucurbit[n]uril for drug delivery, Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association Conference, Canberra, December 2008.

Conference - Poster

Zhao, Y., Day, A.I., Buck, D., Bali, M. & Collins, G., 2008, Cucurbit[n]uril for drug delivery, 1st International Conference on Drug Design and Discovery, Dubai, UAE, February 2008.

Zhao, Y., Bali, M., Day, A.I., & Collins, G., 2008, Cucurbit[n]uril for drug delivery; Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association Conference, Canberra, December 2008.

GrantsExternal GrantsProf. Richard Keene from James Cook University & J.G. Collins, Development of new materials based on multi-nuclear ruthenium complexes, ARC Discovery Grant, 2009-2011: $320,000.

UNSW GrantsJ.G. Collins, The development of dinuclear ruthenium(II) complexes as therapeutic agents for the treatment of HIv-AIDS, Special Research Grant, 2008: $7,600.

J.G. Collins & A. Day, Structural modification of the benzimidazole carbamate anti-cancer drugs - Toward improving potency, UNSW@ADFA RTS Scholarship, 2009.

SeminarsAssoc. Prof. Grant Collins, Follow that Gene, Faculty Research Seminar, UNSW@ADFA, 9 September 2008.

ServiceAssoc. Prof. Grant Collins

• Referee for submitted publications for numerous journals, e.g. Chemical Communications, Dalton Transactions, Inorganic Chemistry, Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry.

• Referee for ARC Applications and research applications submitted to several international granting agencies

VisitorsCara Toscan, a chemistry honours student from the University of Western Sydney visited PEMS during August 2008. She worked in Grant Collins’ laboratory, studying the interaction of several potential anticancer platinum complexes with DNA by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Chemical Physics and Physical Chemistry

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Members Academic Staff:Assoc. Prof. Cliff Woodward ([email protected]) BSc, PhD Syd., Doc Lund.

Visiting Fellows:Assoc. Prof. Kenneth R. Harris ([email protected]) BSc PhD Adel., FRACI, CChem, MRSCAssoc. Prof. Dennis Isbister ([email protected]) BSc, PhD UNSWDr Lawrence A. Woolf BSc W.A., PhD N.E.

Research Collaborators:

With Assoc. Prof. C. Woodward

Dr T. Akesson (University of lund, Sweden)Dr J. Forsman (University of lund, Sweden)Prof. B. Jonsson (University of lund, Sweden)Dr M. Lund (Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic)Prof. S. Ranganathan (RMC Kingston Ontario Canada)Dr M. Ullner (University of lund, Sweden)Prof. A. Yethiraj (University of Wisconsin)

With Assoc. Prof. K. R. Harris

Ionic liquids

Dr Mitsuhiro. Kanakubo (NIAIST), Sendai, Japan) Dr Thomas Rüther (CSIRO Energy Technology, Melbourne)

Viscosity and diffusion standards

Prof. Josefa Fernández (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain)

International Association for Transport Properties

Dr Mitsuhiro Kanakubo (NIAIST), Sendai, Japan)

Current ResearchAssoc. Prof. Ken HarrisTransport properties of fluids and fluid mixtures; measurement of self-diffusion coefficients in dense fluids by high pressure spin echo NMR; viscosities of fluids at high pressure; transport processes and the structure of aqueous electrolyte, non-electrolyte solutions and ionic liquids.

Development of international standards for the viscosity of viscous liquids and liquids under high pressure, and for measurement of self-diffusion coefficients of viscous liquids.

Projects:

• Experimental investigation and theoretical interpretation of the transport properties of ionic liquids - in collaboration with Dr l.A. Woolf, Dr C.E. Woodward; Dr M. Kanakubo; Dr T. Rüther

• Thermodynamic scaling of the transport properties of fluids - in collaboration with Prof. J. Fernández

• High pressure viscosity standards - in collaboration with Dr l.A. Woolf; International Association for Transport Properties; Prof. J. Fernández

• Self-diffusion standards for viscous liquids - in collaboration with Dr M. Kanakubo

Assoc. Prof. Cliff Woodward• Density functional theory of liquids

I and Dr Jan Forsman have developed new density functional approaches for complex liquids. In particular polymer fluids and mixtures. Projects include modeling polymers and polymer nanoparticle mixtures, we are interested in studying symmetry breaking and surface phase transitions.

• Dynamic phase transitions in forced systems In this project I study non-equilibrium thermodynamics in systems undergoing forced diffusion/s. Bifurcation methods applied to nonlinear dynamical systems are used to uncover far from equilibrium phase transition.

• Electrostatics in biomolecular systemsI and Dr Mikael lund are developing new approaches to the modeling of electrostatic interactions in proteins and other biomolecules. New expansion methods are being developed to solve Poisson-Boltzmann problems in variable dielectric environments. We use these to study proteinprotein interactions for example.

• Polymers in random media I am beginning a study of polymers in random media, using a combination of non-replica density functional methods and computer simulations. Studies will include capillary phase transitions, and polymer localization as a function of pore size and polymer density.

• Simulation methods for complex fluids I and the lund Group have developed new simulation methods using novel asymmetric volume fluctuations to model macromolecules in pores and slits. Umbrella sampling methods are being developed to minimize bottlenecks in large systems.

Recent AchievementsAssoc. Prof. Ken HarrisTwo papers in the “Most-cited over the last 3 years” list for the Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data (Crossref, Sept 2009). The second of these is also listed as #18 in ISI’s Essential Science Indicators “Most-cited” list for Chemistry at UNSW (1 Sept 2009).

# 7 Harris, K.R., Woolf, l.A., Kanakubo, M., 2005, Temperature and pressure dependence of the viscosity of the ionic liquid 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium Hexafluorophosphate, Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data, 50(5), 1777-1782, doi: 10.1021/je050147b.

# 15 Harris, K.R., Kanakubo, M., Woolf, l. A., 2006,Temperature and pressure dependence of the viscosity of the ionic liquids 1-Methyl-3-octylimidazolium Hexafluorophosphate and 1-Methyl-3-octylimidazolium Tetrafluoroborate, Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data, 51(3), 1161-1167, doi: 10.1021/je060082s.


A third paper has been listed among the Top Twenty Most Downloaded Articles of the Journal of Chemical Physics for August 2009, the month in which it was published. It was also selected for inclusion in the American Institute of Physics Virtual Journal of Biological Physics Research (15 Aug. 2009).

Harris, K.R., 2009, The Fractional Stokes–Einstein equation: Application to Lennard-Jones, molecular, and ionic liquids. Journal of Chemical Physics, 131(5), 054503-1-054503-8, doi: 10.1063/1.3183951.

Invited lecturer for the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Priority Programme “Ionic liquids” Winterschool, 1-4 December 2009, hosted by the Universität Rostock in Warnemünde, Germany.

Cliff Woodward was invited to give a linne Seminar at the University of lund (Sweden) in February 2009. The title of his talk was: “Advances in Density Functional Theory for Complex Fluids”.

PhD Opportunities and ScholarshipsPhD and Masters by Research programs are available in some research areas outlined above.

For further information contact: Assoc. Prof. Cliff Woodward ([email protected])

Major Facilities• High-pressure modified 20 MHz Bruker NMR for self-

diffusion measurements in fluids

• High-pressure falling-body viscometer

• Anton Paar DMA 5000 vibrating-tube densimeter

PublicationsIn PressJournal - Refereed

Forsman, J. & Woodward, C.E., Qualitative failure of the Derjaguin approximation and fundamental flaws of the lorentz mixing rules, submitted to Langmuir.

lund, M., Jagoda-Cwiklik, B., Woodward, C.E., vlacha, P. & Jungwirth, P., Dielectric interpretation of speci_city of ion pairing in water, submitted to Physical Review Letters.

Karlstrom, G., linse, P. & Woodward, C.E., On the use of two-center potential correlations to determine ion-ion effective interaction in dipolar solvent, submitted to Journal of Chemical Physics.

Woodward, C.E. & Forsman, J., Interactions between surfaces in polydisperse semi-flexible polymer solutions, accepted by Macromolecules (September, 2009)

Woodward C.E. & Harris K.R., A lattice-hole theory for conductivity in ionic liquid mixtures: Application to ionic liquid/water mixtures, submitted to Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics.


Forsman, J. & Woodward, C.E., 2009, Colloidal interactions in thermal and athermal polymer solutions: The Derjaguin approximation, and exact results for mono- and polydisperse ideal chains, Journal of Chemical Physics, 131(4), 044903/1-044903/10, doi: 10.1063/1.3179684.

Harris, K. R., 2009, The fractional Stokes–Einstein equation: Application to lennard-Jones, molecular, and ionic liquids, Journal of Chemical Physics, 131(5), 054503/1-054503/8, doi: 10.1063/1.3183951.

Harris, K. R., 2009, Temperature and pressure dependence of the viscosities of 2-Ethylhexyl Benzoate, Bis(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate, 2,6,10,15,19,23-Hexamethyltetracosane (Squalane), and Diisodecyl Phthalate, Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data, 54(9), 2729-2738, doi: 10.1021/je900284z.

Harris, K.R. & Woolf, l.A., 2009, viscosity of water + tert-butyl alcohol (2-methyl-2-propanol) mixtures at low temperatures and high pressure, Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, 54(2), 581-588, doi: 10.1021/je800504n.

Woodward, C.E. & Forsman, J., 2009, Efficient solution of the self-consistent field theory for block copolymer fluids displaying Schulz-Flory polydispersity, Journal of Chemical Physics,130(24), 244703/1-244703/4,

Journal - Letter or note

Harris K.R. & Woolf, l.A., 2009, viscosity of water + tert-butyl alcohol (2-methyl-2-propanol) mixtures at low temperatures and high pressure (vol. 54, p. 581, 2009), Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, 54(6), 1961-1962, doi: 10.1021/je900297p.

Conference presentations

Comunas, M. J. P. , Pensado, A. S. , Paredes, X., Fernández, J. & Harris, K. R., 2009, The necessity of reference fluids for viscosity measurements of viscous fluids at high pressures, presented by Prof. J. Fernández at the 9th Meeting of the International Association for Transport Properties, Boulder, CO, USA, 21-22 June 2009, (talk).

Harris, K.R. 2009, Ion-ion velocity correlations in ionic liquids and the fractional Stokes-Einstein relation, presented at the 3rd Congress on Ionic Liquids, Cairns, Qld, 31 May-4 June 2009, (poster).


Caetano, F.J., Fareleira, J.M., Fröba, A.P., Harris, K.R., leipertz, A., Oliveria, C.M., Trusler, J.P. & Wakeham, W.A., 2008, An industrial reference fluid for moderately high viscosity, Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, 53(9), 2003-2011, doi: 10.1021/je800059n.

Harris, K.R., Kanakubo, M., Tsuchihashi, N., Ibuki, K. & Ueno, M., 2008, Effect of pressure on the transport properties of ionic liquids: 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium salts, Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 112(32), 9830-9840, doi: 10.1021/jp8021375.

lund, M., Jungwirth, P. & Woodward, C.E., 2008, Ion specific protein assembly and hydrophobic surface forces, Physical Review Letters, 100(25), 258105-1-258105-4, doi: 10.1103/PhysRevlett.100.258105.


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Turesson, M., Woodward, C.E., Akesson, T. & Forsman, J., 2008, Simulating equilibrium surface forces in polymer solutions using a canonical grid method, Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 112(32), 9802-9809, doi: 10.1021/jp8020529.

Turesson, M., Woodward, C.E., Akesson, T. & Forsman, J., 2008, Simulations of surface forces in polyelectrolyte solutions, Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 112(16), 5116-5125, doi: 10.1021/jp800632e.

Woodward, C.E. & Forsman, J., 2008, Density-functional theory for polymer fluids with molecular weight polydispersity, Physical Review Letters, 100(9), 098301-1-098301-4, doi: 10.1103/PhysRevlett.100.098301.

Woodward, C.E. & Forsman, J., 2008, Exact density functional theory for ideal polymer fluids with nearest neighbor bonding constraints, Journal of Chemical Physics, 129(5), 054902-1-054902-7, doi: 10.1063/1.2957491.


Harris, K.R., Kanakubo, M. & Woolf, l.A., 2008, Temperature and pressure dependence of the viscosity of the Ionic liquid 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium Tetrafluoroborate: viscosity and density relationships in ionic liquids, Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, 53(5), 1230, doi: 10.1021/je800236d.

Conference presentationsHarris, K.R., 2008, The fractional Stokes-Einstein equation: Its utility for liquids at high pressure, presented at the 8th Meeting of the International Association for Transport Properties, Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, Pau, France, 4 September 2008, (talk).

GrantsExternal GrantsK. Harris, Ionic liquid electrolytes for lithium batteries, CSIRO Energy Technology Research Support, 2008: $5,500.

Conference ParticipationKen Harris attended the 8th Annual Meeting of the International Association for Transport Properties at the Université de Pau and des Pays de l’Adour, Pau, France, on September 4 2008. His talk was entitled “The Fractional Stokes-Einstein equation: Its utility for liquids at high pressure”.

Ken Harris attended the 3rd Congress on Ionic Liquids at the Cairns Convention Centre from May 31-June 4 2009. His poster was entitled “Ion-Ion velocity Correlations in Ionic liquids and the Fractional Stokes-Einstein Relation”.

Cliff Woodward presented at the Inaugural Mölle Symposium in February 2009 (Mölle, Sweden). This was a small gathering of 25 invited international and Swedish researchers, organized by the linneus Centre of Excellence “Organizing Molecular Matter”, University of lund, Sweden. His talk was entitled “Theory of Polydispersed Polymer Solutions.”

VisitorsMikael Lund visited Cliff Woodward during 2008 to collaborate on research involving theoretical models for protein interaction.


Assoc. Prof. Kenneth Harris in his laboratory


Laser SpectroscopyElectronic transitions in solids are inhomogeneously broadened through the variation of local fields: each optical centre has a different local environment, even in well defined single crystals, due to imperfections and isotope distributions. The energy of an electronic transition depends on the local field, and thus varies over a range reflecting its distribution. Typical inhomogeneous widths of excitations in crystals are of the order of magnitude of 30 GHz (=1 cm-1) respectively, whereas the homogeneous width can approach the limit imposed by the excited state lifetime and be as narrow as 100 Hz (=3x10-9 cm-1) at liquid helium temperatures.

laser based techniques such as spectral hole-burning, fluorescence line narrowing and coherent transient spectroscopy, can overcome the inhomogeneous broadening and extremely narrow features can be measured. The main goal of the laser Spectroscopy research group is to apply laser based techniques to chemically interesting system, including X-ray storage phosphors, nanoparticles and transition metal ions at extreme dilutions. Besides of delivering valuable results for a better understanding of electronic structure in the solid state, the prevailing driving force behind these spectroscopic studies are the potential applications in data storage and signal processing. Although conventional semiconductor based electronics and magnetic storage are the dominating technologies today, the ever increasing demands for high capacity, high speed storage and processing warrants investigations into optical computing and optical data storage. We are convinced that conventional technologies will be superseded by all-optical technology over the next decades.

Zhiqiang liu, PhD student within the Australian Synchrotron, Melbourne.

Members Academic Staff:Assoc. Prof. Hans Riesen (Group leader) ([email protected]) Dr phil.-nat., lic. phil.-nat. (University of Berne, Switzerland)

Visiting Fellow:Captain Brendan Hayward

Research Assistant:Tracy Massil

Research Students:Zhiqiang Liu - Research Topic - Spectroscopy of Sm(III) activated X-ray storage phosphorsBaran Yildirim - Research Topic - Optical properties of transition metal ions in nanocrystalline wide-bandgap semiconductors

Current Honours Students:Rees Davies Phillip Russell

Recent Honours Student:Thomas Monks-Corrigan – Exploration of hyperfine interaction within manganese (Iv) doped corundum, 2007-2008.

Research Collaborators:Emeritus Prof. S. Campbell (PEMS, UNSW@ADFA) Prof. A. Hauser (University of Geneva, Switzerland ) Prof. G. Kearley (Braggs Institute, ANSTO)Prof. E. Krausz (The Australian National University, Canberra) Prof. N. B. Manson (The Australian National University, Canberra) Prof. M. Mizuno (Kanazawa University, Japan) Prof. A. D. Rae (Research School of Chemistry, The Australian National University) Prof. A. Rebane (Montanna State University, Bozeman, USA)Assoc. Prof. M. Stevens-Kalceff (School of Physics, UNSW, Sydney) Dr A. Szabo (National Research Council of Canada - originator of modern laser spectroscopy of the solid state including FlN and hole-burning spectroscopy)

Current ResearchHans Riesen and his team are interested in a wide range of problems, ranging from applied research, such as X-ray storage phosphors, to very fundamental problems such as coherent transients, and “slow and stopped light” in transition metal doped systems.

The group has currently three major thrusts:

• The full development of the samarium based X-ray storage phosphors which have a significant chance to replace current personal radiation monitoring systems worldwide. UNSW has a spin-off company, Dosimetry & Imaging Pty ltd, that commercializes this development. The technology can also be used for real time monitoring of doses administered in radiation therapy, and in medical imaging such as dental X-ray diagnostics and mammography. In particular for the latter, there is an urgent need to reduce X-ray dose.

• Optical and electronic properties of transition metal doped wide bandgap semiconductors are investigated by modern laser spectroscopy and a range of synchrotron based techniques such as XANES and XAFS. Some of the investigated materials have significant potential for applications in photovoltaic and electroluminescent devices.

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Laser Spectroscopy• We are continuing our quest in very high resolution laser

spectroscopy of transition metal ions in the solid state. In particular we are pursuing frequency-switched coherent transients and slow light effects in hole-burning media.

Research HighlightAssociate Professor Hans Riesen has had a study of spectral hole burning selected as an Editor’s Choice paper for publication in Chemical Physics Letters. The paper is titled ‘Transient spectral hole-burning studies of the R2 line in ruby’. The paper’s authors are Hans Riesen, Nicolas Riesen; Nathan Schubert and Alex Szabo. Nicolas Riesen was a visiting Fellow in the School of PEMS from December 2007 to January 2008; Nathan Schubert was a CDF student who graduated in 2008 from UNSW@ ADFA; and Alex Szabo is the originator of high resolution spectroscopy of the solid state.

Recent Achievements/Recent ResearchHans Riesen, Stewart Campbell and Dr Gordon Kearley (ANSTO) were awarded a total of 16 days of beamtime on two instruments at the Berlin Neutron Scattering Centre (BENSC). Their projects were entitled: “Spectral Hole-Burning - Neutron spin-echo studies of water flips in NaMgAl(oxalate)3·9H2O” and “Structure of NaMgAl(oxalate)3·9H2O - an extraordinary spectral hole-burning host”. Stewart and Gordon Kearley travelled to Berlin in October 2008 to conduct the experiments.

These experiments will shed light on an interesting phenomenon discovered in PEMS by Joe Hughes and Hans Riesen: partial deuteration of NaMgAl(oxalate)3·9H2O/Cr(III) yields a 1000-fold increase in the quantum efficiency of spectral hole-burning in an electronic transition of chromium(III).

Zhiqiang liu, PhD student operating the power X-ray diffraction beamline at the Australian Synchrotron, Melbourne.

PhD student Zhiqiang Liu, who is supervised by Hans Riesen, was selected to represent UNSW at the inaugural Australian Synchrotron Winter School. The inaugural Australian Synchrotron Science Winter

School held from the 13-16 July, 2009 is a comprehensive 4 day program which has been developed with the aim of building knowledge of synchrotron techniques and providing hands-on practical experience for young researchers. The programme held at the Australian Synchrotron allowed hands-on beamline experiments together with a structured set of lectures by leading experts in the field. Students were guided through the process of data collection by experienced beamline scientists, and learnt about sample mounting, data acquisition and interpretation of the results.

Hans Riesen, Tracy Massil and Zhiqiang Liu have also recently carried out some Powder X-ray Diffraction studies at the Australian Synchrotron in Melbourne. Access to beam time is awarded on a competitive basis. Hans and his co-workers were very impressed by both the quality of the facilities and their organisation.

Student ResearchOptical properties of transition metal ions in nanocrystalline wide-band gap semiconductors

Baran Yildirim ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Photonics

In general, the aim of the study is to understand the optical and electronic properties of transition metal ions in wide-band gap semiconductors as a function of crystallite size. We started to examine some optical properties of Co2+ ions in liGa5O8 nanocrystalline powders; there are both octahedral and tetrahedral sites in this lattice. It is assumed that the Co2+ ions can enter the crystal lattice in both sites during the combustion reaction. In order to validate this and understand the charge transfer mechanism, spectral hole-burning studies were performed in nano-powders and single crystals. The nanocrystals are to be examined in different hosts such as glasses and glass ceramics. Additionally, XANES (X-Ray Absorption Near Edge Structure) and XAFS (X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure) measurements are to be done at the Australian Synchroton in order to quantify the Co2+ ions in tetrahedral and octahedral sites. This material has some potential for photovoltaic applications; one of our motivations for this research project. We will continue conducting a systematic study of the optical properties of a range of transition metal ions incorporated into oxide nanocrystals.

Spectroscopy of Samarium(III) activated x-ray storage phosphors

Zhiqiang Liu ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Chemistry

My research is based on a recent invention of a highly efficient samarium(III) activated X-ray storage phosphor by Hans Riesen and his team. This phosphor has many applications in medical X-ray imaging and radiology, potentially reducing the harmful X-ray dose for patients. It can also be used in personal radiation monitoring. In contrast to current commercial X-ray storage phosphors, the samarium (III) activated phosphor allows an accumulative and repetitive readout of the X-ray exposure by very narrow f-f photoexcited luminescence. My project will mainly focus on detailed investigations of the storage mechanism of the samarium(III) activated phosphor by a range of modern techniques such as laser spectroscopy (spectral hole-burning and fluorescence line narrowing), scanning and transmission electron microscopy,

10 School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences - Research Report 09/10

synchrotron powder diffraction and X-ray absorption experiments. Conventional spectroscopy techniques such as fluorescence, reflection, and Raman and ESR will also be employed in the project. Ultimately, we hope to gain a full understanding of the storage mechanism which may enable the design of other samarium(III) activated materials with even higher storage efficiencies.

PhD Opportunities and ScholarshipsPossible PhD projects include:

• Systematic studies of dephasing processes and host-guest interactions in transition metal and rare earth compounds. In order to gain a better understanding of the dependence of dephasing processes on the structural properties of the guest and the host, the temperature dependence of the homogeneous linewidth of transition metal and rare earth complexes will be studied in a range of hosts

• Optically detected NMR in coordination compounds. This project has a significant potential to overcome the shortcomings of conventional NMR spectroscopy of coordination compounds with paramagnetic centres.

• Optimising the properties of novel X-rays storage phosphors. This project would take advantage of our recent discovery of a highly effective X-ray storage phosphor.

If you are interested in a PhD or Masters by Research in laser Spectroscopy:

Contact: Associate Professor Hans Riesen ([email protected])

Major FacilitiesState of the art laser lab that is fully functional. lab gear includes:

• Janis/Sumitomo SHI-4.5 closed-cycle refrigerator for optical work between 2.5 K and 300K.

• Janis liquid helium immersion cryostat with optical access.

• large frame Argon laser Spectra Physics Stabilite.

• State of the art spectrometers and interferometers (Spex and Burleigh Instruments).

• Temperature and current controlled diode lasers (various manufacturers).

• Wavemeter (Coherent).

• Several external cavity diode lasers.


Liu, Z., Massil, T. & Riesen, H., in press, Spectral hole-burning properties of Sm2+ ions generated by X-rays in BaFCl: Sm3+ nanocrystals, HBSM 2009, Physics Procedia.

Riesen, H., Badek, K. & Stevens-Kalceff, M., Correlation of inhomogeneous broadening with particle size probed by 2Eà4A2 luminescence in nanocrystalline ZnAl2O4/Co(II), submitted to Chemical Physics Letters.

Riesen, H., Szabo, A., in press, Probing hyperfine interactions in 53Cr(III) doped Al2O3 by spectral hole-burning in low magnetic fields, HBSM 2009, Physics Procedia.

Yildirim, B. & Riesen, H., in press, Spectral hole-burning properties of liGa5O8:Co2+ Nanocrystallites, HBSM 2009, Physics Procedia.


Riesen H., Riesen N., Schubert N. & Szabo A., 2009, Transient spectral hole-burning studies of the R2 line in ruby, Chemical Physics Letters, 475, 1-3, 10-14, doi:10.1016/j.cplett.2009.04.074.

Patent

Riesen, H., Massil, T. & Liu, Z., 2009, Core-Shell Nanophosphors for Radiation Storage and Methods, Australian Provisional Patent application.

Riesen, H. & Piper, K., Apparatus and Method for Detecting and Monitoring Radiation, 2009, International PCT Application, World Intellectual Property Organization, Publication No WO 2009/052568.

Conference –Paper

Neely, A., yesil, A., Riesen, H. & Odam, J., 2009, In-flight mapping of heating on a hypersonic nose cone, 16th AIAA/DLR/DGLR International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference, 19-22 October 2009, Bremen, Germany.

Conference - Poster

Liu, Z., Massil, T. & Riesen, H., 2009, Spectral hole-burning properties of Sm2+ ions generated by X-rays in BaFCl: Sm3+ nanocrystals, 10th International Meeting on Hole Burning, Single Molecule, and Related Spectroscopies: Science Applications, 22-27 June 2009, Palm Cove, Australia.

Riesen, H. & Szabo, A., 2009, Probing hyperfine interactions in 53Cr(III) doped Al2O3 by spectral hole-burning in low magnetic fields. 10th International Meeting on Hole Burning, Single Molecule, and Related Spectroscopies: Science Applications, 22-27 June 2009, Palm Cove, Australia.

Wright, J., Ujhazy, A., Riesen, H. & Dicey, B.B., 2009, Characterizing a new technology for external personnel dosimetry, 54th Annual Meeting of the Health Physics Society, 12-16 July 2009, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

Yildirim, B. & Riesen, H., 2009, Spectral hole-burning properties of liGa5O8:Co2+ Nanocrystallites, 10th International Meeting on Hole Burning, Single Molecule, and Related Spectroscopies: Science Applications, 22-27 June 2009, Palm Cove, Australia.


Riesen, H.A., 2008, On the 6A14T1 luminescence of Fe3+ in

disordered nanocrystalline liGa5O8 prepared by a combustion reaction, Chemical Physics Letters, 461(4-6), 218-221, doi:10.1016/j.cplett.2008.07.016.

Laser Spectroscopy

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Riesen, H.A. & Dubicki, l., 2008, Probing the R lines in Tris(acetylacetonato) Chromium(III) and Tris(3-bromo-acetylacetonato) Chromium(III) by luminescence and Excitation line Narrowing Spectroscopy, Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 112(41), 10287-10293, doi: 10.1021/jp805831a.

Riesen, H.A. & Rae, A.D., 2008, Revisiting the crystal structure and thermal properties of NaMgAl(oxalate)3 9H2O/Cr(III): An extraordinary spectral hole-burning material, Journal of the Royal Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions, 35, 4717-4722, doi: 10.1039/b802559b.

Patent

Riesen, H. & Piper, K., 2008, Apparatus and Method for Detecting and Monitoring Radiation, Australian Provisional Patent Application No AU2008905332.

GrantsExternal GrantsH. Riesen, Highly efficient X-ray storage phosphor for medical and scientific imaging, ARC Discovery Project, 2007-2009: $270,000.

A. Neely & H. Riesen, Thermal paints for hypersonic flight-tests, US Department of Airforce, Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development, 2009: $35,000.

H. Riesen, High resolution powder X-ray diffraction studies of X-ray storage phosphors based on core shell nanoparticles, Australian Synchrotron Access Program, 2009: $1,400.

S. Campbell, K. Kearley & H. Riesen, Spectral hole burning - Neutron spin-echo studies of water flips in NaMgA (oxalate)3. 9H2O, Structure of NaMgAl(oxalate)3. 9H2O - an extraordinary spectral hole-burning host, Access to Major Research Facilities Programme, 2008: $11,800.

UNSW GrantsH. Riesen, S. Campbell & W.G. Jackson, light-induced water flips in crystals: high density optical storage at the molecular level, UNSW Silverstar scheme, 2008: $20,000.

ServiceHans Riesen is acting on two editorial boards of international journals and regularly reviews articles for several journals of high international standing.

Hans was one of the organizers of HBSM 2009 in Palm Cove near Cairns, and acts as an editor of the conference proceedings that will appear in special issues of the Journal of Luminescence and Physics Procedia.

Hans is also the Research Coordinator of PEMS.

Laser Spectroscopy

Honours student Rees Davies working in the laboratory.


There are four areas of research under the umbrella of this title, which range across synthetic and mechanistic aspects of inorganic coordination chemistry and organic chemistry.

• Energetic materials - electrochemical studies toward environmental remediation.

• Macrocyles - synthetic organic, coordination chemistry and metallo-supramolecular chemistry.

• Supramolecular construction - molecular host-guest chemistry of cucurbit[n]uril and associated assembly processes and physical properties.

• An analysis of the reaction processes in the above areas, with a view toward mechanistic understanding and the implementation of synthetic techniques in molecular design.

MembersAcademic Staff:Dr Lynne Wallace ([email protected]) BSc Edin., PhD ANUDr Anthony Day ([email protected]) BSc, PhD ANUDr Mokhlesur Rahman ([email protected]) MSc Rajsh., Dipl Chem, Dr rer nat Regensburg, MRACI, CChem

Emeritus Professor:Emeritus Professor Greg Jackson BSc (Hons), PhD Melb., DSc UNSW, FRACI, CChem

Research Assistants:Dr Damian Buck (part time, Feb-Jul 2009) BSc PhD ANUDr T.D. Suja (part-time, Jul-Dec 2009) BSc, MSc Calicut, PhD Kerala

Visiting Fellow:CAPT Mark Bali (Sept 2009-Feb 2010)

Research Students:Kirsten Randle - Research Topic - Detection of peroxide based explosives.CAPT Mark Bali - Research Topic - Neutralisation of explosives (due to start a MSc in Feb 2010).Feng Wu - Research Topic - Development of new cucurbiturils and biomimetic catalytic processes.Fanfei Li is jointly supervised by A. Day and G. Collins (Biological Chemistry group) - Research Topic - Dinuclear ruthenium complexes as therapeutic agents.

Research Collaborators:Dr D. Armitt (DSTO, Weapons Systems Division)Assoc. Prof. G. Collins (PEMS, UNSW@ADFA)Assoc. Prof. C. Harb (SEIT, UNSW@ADFA)Dr P. Kirkbride (Australian Federal Police)Prof. C. Lennard (University of Canberra)Dr A. Provatas (DSTO Weapons Systems Division)Prof. T. Zhu (Key laboratory of Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry of Guizhou Province, University of Guizhou, Guiyang, PR China)

Current ResearchAspects of supramolecular chemistry utilizing cucurbit [n]uril

Dr Anthony Day - cross collaboration on some topics with Dr lynne Wallace and/or Assoc. Prof. Grant Collins

Development of new methods for explosives and contraband detection based on host-guest interactions

Dr Anthony Day, Dr Lynne Wallace, Kirsten Randle, Prof. Chris Lennard, Dr Paul Kirkbride

Electrochemical remediation processes for treatment of wastewater from explosives manufacturing

Molecular Design and Reaction Mechanisms

Dr lynne Wallace in her laboratory.

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Dr Lynne Wallace & Dr Anthony Day

NTO (nitrotriazolone) is a new insensitive explosive that may replace RDX, the current military standard, in some applications. Due to its high water solubility, the wastewater from its manufacture cannot be treated by conventional means. We have been investigating alternative remediation methods based on electrochemical treatment for NTO, which may also be applicable for other organic explosives. These electrochemical methods are more environmentally friendly, since no additional chemical loading is required, and the only input is electricity.

Organic power in organic packaging

Dr Anthony Day & Dr T.D. Suja

Synthesis and characterization of new high nitrogen compounds

Dr Lynne Wallace, Dr Anthony Day, Dr Arthur Provatas

Insensitive high explosives (IHEs) are an important area of research, due to the increased requirement for safer energetic materials in industrial and defence sectors. Azoxytriazolone (AZTO) is a new chemical species discovered by our research group, and preliminary results indicate it may possess potential as a new IHE. We are studying methods of synthesis of AZTO and other related compounds, and also investigating their solid-state and solution properties.

Synthesis and study of new iridium complexes for use in supramolecular and medicinal applications

Dr Lynne Wallace

Many molecular devices and pharmaceuticals contain components based on transition metals such as iridium or platinum. These transition metal complexes, consisting of organic units bonded to a central metal atom, can be structurally modified to fulfill different purposes. In this project, different synthetic approaches are used to prepare new iridium complexes, and these are studied, using a range of spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques, for their potential in light-activated molecular devices and to determine their interaction with biomolecules.

Synthesis, study and characterization of mono- and dinuclear cobalt complexes to isolate metallo rotaxanes (a mechanically interlocked metalo architectures)

Dr Mokhlesur Rahman, Dr Anthony Day

Rotaxanes are of interest for their potential use as molecular switch, nano-shuttles, molecular electronics and molecular muscles. Transition metal complexes as stoppers also offer the possibility for synthesis of metallo polyrotaxane. Moreover, having a transition metal within this supramolecular architecture furnishes it with specific photonic, electric and magnetic properties.

Recent AchievementsCAPT Mark Bali is the recipient of the Chief of Defence Force Scholarship for 2010. The prestigious Chief of Defence Force Scholarship is awarded annually to one officer in the ADF for postgraduate research in a field that has strong military relevance.

CAPT Bali is due to start an MSc in Feb 2010 (A. Day and L. Wallace are his supervisors & Dr D Armitt (DSTO) is co-supervisor). Mark has just been appointed as a visiting Fellow in the meantime (covering the period from Sept 2009-Feb 2010). His research topic will be “Neutralisation of Explosives”.

Kirsten Randle was winner of the best oral research presentation at UNSW@ADFA Research Day 2008.

Student ResearchDetection of peroxide based explosives

Kirsten Randle ([email protected]) PhD Field of Study: Forensic Science/Counter Terrorism

Improvised explosive devices created from peroxide containing materials have increasingly been utilised in recent years by a number of terrorist organizations, particularly in Israel, as well as in the UK and the USA. Peroxide-based explosives can be easily “home-made” using inexpensive, readily available starting materials which can be obtained in most hardware stores. My aim is to develop a sensitive and reliable field test for the detection of these peroxide based explosives and others as Tri-Acetone Tri-Peroxide (TATP) and HexaMethylene Triperoxide Diamine (HMTD). This research focuses on the development of an enhanced visual detection kit using sensitive metal catalysts in conjunction with the ABTS + radical cation and organic colour changing reagent Syringaldazine (SyAZ) in addition to the family of molecules know as cucurbit[n]uril (n=6-10), which have the potential to enhance visual detection.

Development of new cucurbiturils and biomimetic catalytic processes

Feng Wu ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Chemistry

PhD Opportunities and ScholarshipsIf you are interested in a PhD or Masters by Research in molecular design and reaction mechanisms:

Contact: Dr Lynne Wallace ([email protected])Dr Anthony Day ([email protected])Dr Mokhlesur Rahman ([email protected])

Major Facilities• NMR spectrometer

• HPlC

• GC-MS

• FTIR spectrometer

• Uv-vis spectrometers

• Potentiostats



PublicationsIn PressConference – Full Paper, non refereed

Underwood, C., Wall, C., Day, A., Provatas, A. & Wallace, L., 2009, Electrolytic treatment of nitroazole solutions in the synthesis of new high-nitrogen compounds, PARARI 2009 (9th Australian Explosives Ordnance Symposium), 10-12 Nov 2009, Adelaide, Australia, accepted.


Wallace, L., Cronin, M.P., Day, A.I. & Buck, D.P., 2009, Electrochemical method applicable to treatment of wastewater from Nitrotriazolone production, Environmental Science and Technology, 43(6), 1993-1998, doi: 10.1021/es8028878.


limei, Z., Jiannan, Z., yunqian, Z., Zhu, Q., Xue, S., Tao, Z., Zhang, J., Xin, Z., Wei, Z., long, l. & Day, A.I., 2008, Opposing substitution in cucurbit[6]urils forms ellipsoid cavities: the symmetrical dicyclohexanocucurbit[6]uril is no exception highlighted by inclusion and exclusion complexes, Supramolecular Chemistry, 20(8), 709-716, doi: 10.1080/10610270701747602.

Ni, X., lin, J., Zheng, y., Wu, W., Zhang, y.B., Xue, S., Zhu, Q., Tao, Z. & Day, A.I., 2008, Supramolecular bracelets and interlocking rings elaborated through the interrelationship of neighboring chemical environments of alkyl-substitution on cucurbit[5]uril, Crystal Growth and Design, 8(9), 3446-3450, doi: 10.1021/cg800451z.

Zhao, Y., Buck, D.P., Morris, D.l., Pourgholami, M.H., Day, A.I. & Collins, J.G., 2008, Solubilisation and cytotoxicity of albendazole encapsulated in cucurbit[n]uril, Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry, 6(24), 4509-4515, doi: 10.1039/b813759e.

Conference ParticipationConference PresentationsNi, X.-l., lin, J.-X., Zheng, y.-y., Wu, W,-S., Zhang, y.-Q., Xue, S.-F., Zhu, Q.-J., Zhu, T. & Day, A., 2009, Partially substituted cucurbit[n]uril to new supramolecular forms, International Symposium on Macrocyclic & Supramolecular Chemistry, 21-25 June 2009, Maastricht, Netherlands.

Zhao, Y., Pisani, M., Wallace, L., Collins, J.G., & Day, A., 2009, New supramolecular forms to partially substituted cucurbit[n]uril, 1st International Conference on Cucurbituril, 10-11 July 2009, Pohang, Republic of Korea.

Randle, K., Day, A., Wallace, L., Kirkbride, P. & lennard, C., 2008, Cucurbituril enhanced detection of peroxide-based explosives, Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society (ANZFSS) Symposium, 6-9 October 2008, Melbourne, Australia – oral presentation.

Randle, K., Day, A.I., Wallace, L., Kirkbride, P. & lennard, C., 2008, Detection of peroxide-based explosives, Australian Energetic Materials Symposium: Abstracts, December 2008, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia – oral presentation.

Underwood, C., Day, A.I. & Wallace, L., 2008, Electrosynthetic routes to new high-nitrogen compounds based on triazoles and triazolones, Australian Energetic Materials Symposium: Abstracts, December 2008, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia. Slide presentation available at: http://www.flinders.edu.au/shadomx/apps/fms/fmsdownload.cfm?file_uuid=B26F92D6-E4C5-3F41-996C-17D3526381B2&siteName=science_engineering

GrantsUNSW GrantsA. Day, Organic power in organic packaging, Early Career Researcher Grant, UNSW@ADFA, 2009: $36,436.

L. Wallace & A. Day, Environmentally friendly methods for the synthesis of novel high-nitrogen compounds and remediation of wastewater from explosives manufacture, Defence Related Research Funding Scheme (DRR), 2009:$15,380.

A. Day, Curcurbit[n]uril as an Artificial Muscle Component, Special Research Grant, UNSW@ADFA, 2008.

A. Day, Advanced Forms of Cucurbit[n]uril, Rector’s Startup Grant, UNSW@ADFA, 2008.

L. Wallace & A. Day, Further investigations on azoxytriazolone (AZTO), a promising new energetic molecule discovered at UNSW@ADFA, Defence-Related Research Funding Scheme (DRR), 2008.

VisitorsCAPT Mark Bali, Australian Army officer is a visiting Fellow to PEMS (Sept 2009-Feb 2010). He is currently affiliated with the School of Military Engineering in NSW.

Ruby Oun, University of Strathclyde, Scotland visited during 2009 and was hosted by Anthony Day.

Kunihiko Katsuragawa, a Practicum Student visited from mid 2008-January 2009. Kunihiko worked on a project supervised by Anthony Day on “The interaction of organosulfur compounds in the host-guest chemistry of cucurbiturils”. He was an exchange student in PEMS under the terms of the Cooperative Agreement for Scholastic Exchange between UNSW@ADFA and the Faculty of Engineering at Toyama University.

Professor Tao Zhu, a visitor and collaborator of Anthony Day spent the month of April 2008 in PEMS.


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Recent PhD student Andrew Hughes inspecting the gully erosion from the granitic-based headwaters of the Fitzroy River. Andrew completed his thesis “An assessment of recent changes in catchment sediment sources and sinks, central Queensland, Australia” during 2009.

The Environmental Systems Research Group within PEMS seeks to advance scientific understanding of landscape systems and the practical application of this knowledge. It broadly, although not exclusively, encompasses the work of physical geographers within the School of PEMS. Although staff interests vary widely, particular research strengths of the group involve:

• Biogeography, wildlife ecology and ecosystem modelling

• Environmental change in arid and semi-arid Australia

• Evolution of coastal beaches, barriers and islands

• Floodplain storage and modelling

• Fluvial geomorphology, including sediment transport in bedload rivers, hydraulic geometry

• Modelling of overlandflow, erosion and sediment delivery

• Policy advice in relation to environmental hazards, pollution, catchment problems.

Environmental Systems

Members Academic Staff:Prof. Brian Lees ([email protected]) BA, PhD Syd.Assoc. Prof. Stuart Pearson ([email protected]) BA (Hons), DipEd, PhD UNSW (commenced July 2009)Dr David Paull ([email protected]) MA Adel., PhD UNSWDr Jiashu Shen ([email protected]) BSc East China, PhD W’gongAssoc. Prof. Jacky Croke (resigned from UNSW@ADFA in 2008)Dr Ingrid Takken (resigned from UNSW@ADFA in 2008)

Emeritus Professor:Emeritus Prof. Roger McLean ([email protected]) MA N.Z., PhD McGill

Visiting Fellow:Dr Andrew Claridge ([email protected]) BSc, PhD ANU

Research Associate:Dr Chris Thompson ([email protected]) PhD UNSW@ADFA (project transferred to ANU in 2009).


Nationally endangered southern brown bandicoot visiting a truffle oil bait station in East Gippsland.

Research Students:Dylan Horne - Research Topic - The development of the Princess Charlotte Bay chenier plain. Vijai Joseph - Research Topic - Sea level rise and human vulnerability: Developing a systems approach and perspective.Haijing Shi - Research Topic – The effect of climate change on Mountain Pygmy-possum.Elspeth Rae - Research Topic - Climatic changes as the cause behind cessation in beach progradation throughout the late Holocene.Peter Walsh - Research Topic - Hydrological connectivity in managed forests (project transferred to ANU in 2009).

Recent Graduate Students: Andrew Hughes - An assessment of recent changes in catchment sediment sources and sinks, central Queensland, Australia, PhD thesis 2009.Dr Takeshi Kawakami - Speciation and chromosomal rearrangements in the Australian Morabine Grasshopper Vandiemenella viatica species group, PhD thesis 2008.


Coastal Research

Dr R. Brander (BEES, UNSW)Assoc. Prof. P. Cowell (University of Sydney)Assoc. Prof. P. Kench & Dr Peter Hosking (University of Auckland)Prof. N. Mimura (Ibaraki University, Japan)Dr S. Nicol (Geoscience Australia – formerly University of Auckland)Dr L. Nurse (University of the West Indies, Barbados)Dr S. Smithers & Assoc. Prof. Kevin Parnell (James Cook University)

Prof. C. Woodroffe (University of Wollongong)Assoc. Prof. Poh Poh Wong (National University of Singapore)

Soil Erosion and Sediment Delivery Research

Dr K. Amos (Post-doctoral fellow, PEMS, UNSW@ADFA until August 2007) Dr S. Barry (PEMS, UNSW@ADFA)Dr L. Gladkis (PEMS, UNSW@ADFA)Dr H. Timmers (PEMS, UNSW@ADFA)Dr M. Bourke (Planetary Science Institute, Arizona, USA)Dr L. Bracken (University of Durham, UK)Dr P. Hairsine (CSIRO land and Water) Dr P. Lane (University of Melbourne)Prof. M. Kirkby (University of leeds, UK)Assoc. Prof. P. Owens (University of Northern British Columbia, Canada)Dr G. Sheridan (University of Melbourne)Dr B. Wimple (University of vermont, USA)

External collaborators – ARC Linkage partners:

Department of Territory and Municipal Services; Parks, Conservation and lands Branch Forests NSW Eurobodalla Shire Council NSW Dept of Environment and Climate Change; Environment Protection and Regulation Division (ACT)NSW Dept of Environment and Climate Change; Parks and Wildlife Division Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment


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Genetics and Molecular Ecology

Mr T. Kawakami (PEMS, UNSW@ADFA)Mr M. Adams (Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Museum)Prof. R. Butlin (University of Sheffield)Dr S. Cooper (Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Museum and Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, University of Adelaide)Dr P. Johnston (Macquarie University)

Wildlife Research

Dr M. Rees (PEMS, UNSW@ADFA)Dr A. Claridge (NSW Dept of Environment and Climate Change, DECC)Dr S. Carthew (Adelaide University)Ms K. Long (Department for Environment and Heritage, DEH)Dr D. Mills (DECC)Ms J. Packer (Adelaide University)

Current Research

Infrared digital cameras and olfactory attractants for monitoring wildlife

Dr David Paull & Dr Andrew Claridge

This project aims to develop a humane and cost-effective method for detecting rare and threatened wildlife. In biogeography, one great problem lies in obtaining reliable field data on the distribution of animals that are of conservation concern. In south-eastern Australia this is particularly the case for small mammals such as bandicoots and rat kangaroos. Traditional methods used to detect these species are trapping and hair tubing, which are distressing to the captured individuals, costly in terms of labour, or simply ineffective when populations exist in low density. Therefore, alternative approaches are needed. The aim of our research is to determine whether automated digital surveillance cameras are a viable option for detecting small mammals in south-eastern Australia. The methodology involves deploying digital infrared cameras across large areas of habitat in south-eastern Australia to determine the distribution of species of small mammals such as the southern brown bandicoot. We use small quantities of scent attractant, for example truffle oil, in front of each camera to encourage animals to enter the field of view and ‘pose’ while photographs are automatically taken. This research is greatly improving the tool kit we currently have for detecting elusive animals in the wild.

Funded by an ADFA Special Research Grant, David Paull and visiting fellow Andrew Claridge (NSW Dept of Environment and Climate Change) have been investigating the use of infrared surveillance cameras and olfactory attractants for detecting rare and endangered mammals. Traditional wildlife survey methods have normally relied on cage traps and baits like peanut butter, but the results have never been good. It is surprising that practically no research has been conducted on optimal bait types for detecting rare species. Media reports have highlighted David and Andrew’s exciting results with black truffle oil, which has attracted a range of threatened fauna including the nationally endangered southern brown bandicoot. ‘Bush truffles’ are an important part of the bandicoot’s natural diet, so perhaps it is not too surprising that the famous French Black Truffle (Tuber melanosporum ) also captures their attention. Truffle oil can

be obtained readily from quality delicatessens, whereas bush truffles are hard to find in useable quantities, even for experienced wildlife researchers. David and Andrew are now in close discussion with the Australian Truffle Growers Association with the aim of developing further research collaborations.

The southern brown bandicoot in south-eastern Australia: Its distribution, habitat use and conservation

Dr David Paull, Dr Andrew Claridge, Dr Michael Rees

The objective of this long-term project is to locate and map all remaining populations of the southern brown bandicoot Isoodon obesulus in south eastern Australia. Commencing in 1986, extensive field investigations for this rare marsupial have been ongoing in South Australia, victoria and New South Wales, with much of the historical distribution already having been surveyed. At sites where the species has been found, detailed habitat descriptions are made of vegetation, soils, climate and topography. This information is compiled as a baseline against which future changes to the species’ distribution and habitat can be measured. The data are also used for predictive spatial modeling using Geographical Information Systems to uncover new areas of potential habitat and estimate the extent of the species’ former distribution circa 1788. The research has been playing a vital role in the development of conservation plans. One outcome of the work to date has been a successful nomination by the principal investigator to have the species listed as Endangered under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

(a)

(b)

Habitat suitability models for the southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus) in (a) 1788 and (b) 1988. The index (1-10) is based on suitability of climate, geology and vegetation for the species.



Assoc. Prof. Stuart Pearson, uses plant and animal fossil preserved in stick-nest rat middens and weather signals recorded in tree rings to record evidence of environmental change in arid and semi-arid Australia. He currently is a collaborator with Dr Michael Bunce (Murdoch University) using fossil DNA to uncover ancient population changes and with Dr Quan Hua and Prof. David Bowman on cross-dating tree rings from Callitris pines using the tree ring counts and changing carbon isotope concentrations in the rings caused by atmospheric bomb testing.

Stuart, in his previous role as a research investor for the government agency land & Water Australia, provided research leadership and support on issues such as Stewardship, Citizen Science, Periurban Issues, Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, Pesticides risk on the Reef and Resilience. He has an ongoing interest in achieving the transition of research into action. He is also drawing on his experience in monitoring and evaluation to coauthor a paper on the triple bottom line analysis of impact of investing in research in natural resource management. Tracking research impact and learning how to improve the outcomes of science investment is fundamental to environmental science’s multidisciplinary and integrated approach to significant issues.

Long-term coastal monitoring project

Jiashu Shen and Emeritus Professor Roger McLean

A long-term coastal monitoring project on beach morphology, sediment transport and underground water level at Moruya, NSW has been carried out in the last three decades. Foredune, beach and surfzone profile surveys have provided the landform change and sand volume variation along this sandy coastline since 1972. This data have been analysed together with the climate, wave, sea level and underground water level data and the preliminary results shows coastal accretion and erosion are closely related to the wave regime, sea level and underground water level fluctuation, and rainfall along this part of the coast. This research will help us to understand the coastal processes which are responsible for modifying the coastal landforms.

Dr Jiashu Shen and Jack Doyle conducting a beach survey at Moruya in June-July 2007. The seaward scarp was cut by high waves during those months, the vegetated scarp behind is a relic of the 1996 erosional event, and that in the extreme right is the result of the 1974 May-June storms, which were the most devastating along the NSW coast in the last 50 years.

Recent AchievementsAndrew Claridge (PEMS visitor and colleague of Dave Paull) “recently played a leading role in one of Australia’s biggest temperature forest fire research programs, studying the recovery of native plants and animals after fire in Ben Boyd National Park on the NSW southeast coast. last winter, parks staff conducted a prescribed burn across 1900 ha of the park, after a 12-year research program led by Claridge showed populations of southern brown bandicoots, long-nosed bandicoots and long-nosed potoroos were in decline.” A survey showed that a loss of habitat contributed to the decline in population numbers. The understory plants such as banksias, hakeas and acacias need fire to regenerate. Claridge spent months of careful planning to map and design the prescribed burn which, if well managed, “can be used successfully to regenerate habitat and revive declining populations”.

Roger McLean attended the IPCC scoping meeting on Extreme Events and Disasters: Managing the Risks which was held in Oslo, Norway. IPCC Working Group II (Impacts, vulnerability and Adaptation) organized the meeting and the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority provided significant support as well as the venue.

Seventy countries and fifteen observer organizations such as the International Red Cross nominated about 375 experts as meeting participants, including 115 nominated experts from developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The three communities whose expertise was needed to scope a possible Special Report: climate scientists, experts on the impacts of climate change and adaptation policies to address extreme events and extreme impacts, and experts on disaster risk reduction. These communities are reflected in the four Australians who attended the meeting: Acting Director of the Bureau of Meteorology (Neville Smith); Director-General of Emergency Management Australia (Tony Pearce); climate scientist (Neville Nicholls, Monash University) and Roger McLean (UNSW@ADFA).

Only fifteen presentations were given at the meeting. Roger McLean’s presentation was titled: Impacts of Weather, Climate and Sea level-Related Extremes on Coastal Systems and Low-Lying Islands, and dealt primarily with reporting our research results from the atoll island states of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and Tuvalu in the Pacific.

One of the several drill sites on reefs in the Maldives, that resulted in a paper published in “Geology” and a new Holocene sea level history for the central Indian Ocean. Kench, P., Smithers, S., McLean, R.F., Nichol S., 2009, Holocene reef growth in the Maldives: Evidence of a mid-Holocene sea-level highstand in the central Indian Ocean, Geology, 37(5), 455-458, doi: 10.1130/G25590A.1.


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Research AwardThe Institute of Australian Geographers (IAG) will honour Professor Emeritus Roger Fairburn McLean with the award of Distinguished Fellowship of the Institute of Australian Geographers for 2009. Professor Emeritus Mclean is a Physical Geographer with an international reputation for his work on the geomorphology of coastlines and coral reefs. The award is to be presented at the Institute of Australian Geographers Conference to be held in Cairns, 28 September-1 October 2009.

UNSW@ADFA student and Professor Emeritus Roger Mclean in the field, Kosciuskzo National Park.

Student ResearchAn assessment of recent changes in catchment sediment sources and sinks, central Queensland, Australia.

Andrew Hughes ([email protected])Field of Study: Geography (Fluvial Geomorphology)

Spatial and temporal information on catchment sediment sources and sinks can provide an improved understanding of catchment response to human-induced disturbances. This information is essential for the implementation of well-targeted catchment-management decisions. This study investigated the nature and timing of catchment response to human activities by examining changes in sediment sources and sinks in a dry-tropical subcatchment of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) catchment area, in northeastern Australia. Changes in catchment sediment sources, both in terms of spatial provenance and erosion type, were determined using sediment tracing techniques. Optically stimulated luminescence and caesium-137 dating were used to determine pre-and post- European settlement (ca. 1850) alluvial sedimentation rates. The spatially distributed erosion/sediment yield model SedNet was applied, both with generic input parameters and locally-derived data. Outputs were evaluated against available empirically-derived data.

Andrew Hughes using the school’s RTK GPS to survey channel cross-sections within the Fitzroy River Basin, central Queensland.

Climatic changes as the cause behind cessation in beach progradation throughout the late Holocene

Elspeth Rae ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Coastal Geomorphology

Previous studies have shown several breaks in progradation along Bengello Beach ridge plain, southeast NSW. Using ground penetrating radar, thermoluminescent dating, and detailed sedimentary, topographic, and vegetation surveys, the cause of these breaks is being investigated. To validate methods, the results for the Holocene sequence are cross-referenced with time-series topographic survey data of the present day beach, dating back to the early 1970s. Preliminary results indicate climatic shifts analogous to those recently proposed across Eastern Australia.



PhD student Ellie Rae accompanying year 1 Geography students during the High Country Field Trip, Kosciuszko National Park, NSW.

The development of the Princess Charlotte Bay chenier plain

Dylan Horne ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Coastal Geomorphology

Chenier plains record changes in the mode of coastal progradation between periods of mudflat progradation, and periods of beach ridge formation. There are potentially a number of environmental force(s) responsible for controlling these changes. A history of chenier research worldwide has led to a great understanding of these force(s) in some settings. In Australia however, despite a long history of chenier research the causes of these changes are still not well understood. Several conflicting theories have been proposed in the past to explain the evolution of a chenier plain in Princess Charlotte Bay on the eastern coast of northern Queensland, Australia. These include climate fluctuations, variations in shellfish populations, and storm activity. Since these were introduced, both methods and understanding of Holocene environmental processes have been improved. Improvements to methods include the replacement of radiocarbon dating with thermoluminescence techniques. Improvements to knowledge include a new body of research regarding the existence of (minor) sea level oscillations following the (major) transgression that occurred ~6000 B.P. These have allowed a reexamination of the mode of evolution of the Princess Charlotte Bay chenier plain. Some cheniers in the bay appear to have formed up to ~400K B.P., meaning the plain may have recorded changes occurring over several glacial cycles. Although the dating error associated with such old cheniers would be too large to link to known processes, a Holocene sequence is being examined and appears to be linked to sea level oscillations.

The effect of climate change on Mountain Pygmy-possum

Haijing Shi ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Biogeography

My research focuses on a study of the microclimate and thermal properties of a range of the boulderfield habitats that support the endangered Mountain Pygmy-possum. Boulderfield sites across the range of Mountain pygmy-possum distribution will be monitored. The data loggers will be positioned in various areas of the habitat to collect thermal data from below the boulders at standardized depths, and one to be positioned above the general area of habitat to monitor air temperature. A camera recorder placed at each site will record the presence and depth of snow.

This study proposes to investigate: (1) the thermal properties of boulderfield habitats in relation to aspect, elevation and snow cover that support the endangered Mountain Pygmy-possum; (2) the snow cover and snow duration, to what extent, bring thermal stress to Mountain Pygmy-possum and (3) predicting range shifts in Mountain Pygmy-possum distributions and identification of refugia with ongoing climate change.

Sea level rise and human vulnerability: Developing a systems approach and perspective

Vijai Joseph ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Geography

Across the globe, the water level of the sea was on the rise last century. This research aims at assessing the vulnerability of different occupational groups such as traditional fishermen, brackish pond farmers and industrial labourers to the phenomenon of sea level rise, taking tidal floods as a proxy for the impending hazard. This research tries to holistically analyze the livelihood-Environment Systems of these occupational groups and the mutual interplay between factors in this system that influence the vulnerability of the people to sea level rise through a System Dynamics approach. The comprehensive understanding of the nature of the livelihood-Environment Systems of these groups will be helpful to model the system behaviour determining the vulnerability status of these groups in different socio-economic scenarios. This kind of comprehensive understanding of the livelihood-Environment Systems and the interplay of the influential factors will help planners to plug holes in the system in order to adopt an efficient adaptive capacity improvement mechanism for the people to combat disasters like sea level rise. The whole exercise is contextualized on the coastal inundation model developed for different sea level rise scenarios using Geo-information tools and integration of this model with the System Dynamics model, which depicts vulnerability, is also part of the research aims.

PhD Opportunities and ScholarshipsThere are several opportunities available for postgraduate research within the Environmental Systems Research group.

For further information about postgraduate research within the Environmental Systems Research group contact: Prof. Brian Lees ([email protected])Assoc. Prof. Stuart Pearson ([email protected])Dr David Paull ([email protected])Dr Jiashu Shen ([email protected])


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Major FacilitiesThe School is well equipped with facilities to undertake remote area field work including 4WD trailers, water storage tanks, UvF radios, ATv quad bike. We possess mechanically operated drilling units for sedimentological sampling including fixtures for Optically Stimulated luminescence (OSl) dating.

laboratories are equipped with routine sediment analyzer equipment for particle size determination, organic matter, and pollen analysis. We also avail of facilities in Civil Engineering which include a large flume suitable for sediment transport modelling and calibration of bedload transport measurement devices. The School is equipped with several water quality, sediment transport flumes and data loggers and specialised equipment and modifications are catered for by the mechanical and electronic workshop facilities.

The School also possesses a Thales T Real Time Kinematic (RTK) Differential Global Positioning System which is used in field work to obtain digital terrain data to cm accuracy. We are also equipped with a full suite of surveying (total Station) and hand-held GPS devices. This equipment complements the extensive range of GIS and remote sensing software packages available in the School including ENvI, Definiens, ERDAS Imagine, and ArcGIS.


Rae, E., in press, Coastal erosion and deposition, in Encyclopedia of Geography, B. Warf (ed), SAGE, California.

Hughes, A.O., Croke, J.C., Pietsch, T. & Olley, J.M., in press, Changes in the rates of floodplain and in-channel bench accretion in response to catchment disturbance, central Queensland, Australia, Geomorphology, doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2009.07.016.


Amos, K.J., Croke, J.C., Timmers, H., Thompson, C. & Owens, P.N., 2009, The application of caesium-137 measurements to investigate floodplain deposition in a large semi-arid catchment in Queensland, Australia: A low-fallout environment, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 34(4), 515-529, doi: 10.1002/esp.1749.

Claridge, A.W., Trappe, J.M. & Hansen, K., 2009, Do fungi have a role as soil stabilizers and remediators after forest fire?, Forest Ecology and Management, 257(3), 1063-1069, doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2008.11.011.

Hughes, A.O., Olley, J.M., Croke, J.C. & McKergow, l.A., 2009, Sediment source changes over the last 250 years in a dry-tropical catchment, central Queensland, Australia, Geomorphology, 104(3-4), 262-275, doi: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2008.09.003.

Hughes, A.O., Olley, J.M., Croke, J.C. & Webster, I. 2009, Determining floodplain sedimentation rates using 137Cs in a low fallout, subsurface erosion dominated environment, central Queensland, Australia, Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 100(10), 858-865, doi 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2009.06.011.

Kawakami, T., Butlin, R.K., Adams, M., Paull, D.J. & Cooper, S.J.B., 2009, Genetic analysis of a chromosomal hybrid zone in the Australian morabine grasshoppers (Vandiemenella, viatica species group), Evolution, 63(1), 139-152, doi:10.1111/j.1558-5646.2008.00526.x.

Kawakami, T., Butlin, R.K., Adams, M., Saint, K.M., Paull, D.J. & Cooper, S.J.B., 2009, Re-examination of a proposed case of stasipatric speciation: phylogeography of the Australian morabine grasshoppers (Vandiemenella viatica species group), Molecular Ecology, 18(16), 3429-3442, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2009.04277.x.

Kench, P., Smithers, S., McLean, R.F. & Nichol S., 2009, Holocene reef growth in the Maldives: Evidence of a mid-Holocene sea-level highstand in the central Indian Ocean, Geology, 37(5), 455-458, doi: 10.1130/G25590A.1.

Robinson, T. & Paull, D., 2009, Comparative evaluation of suburban bushland as foraging habitat for the Glossy Black Cockatoo, Corella, 33, 7-12.

Journal – Letter or note

McLean R., 2009, Book Review: The Geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef: Development, Diversity and Change, D. Hopley, S.G. Smithers & K.E. Parnell, Geographical Research, 47(1), 87-89, doi: 10.1111/j.1745-5871.2008.00566.x.

Conference - Poster

Packer, J., Carthew, S. & Paull, D., 2009, The effect of an exotic weed (Rubus sp.) on habitat use by small mammals in South Australia, 10th INTECOL (10th International Congress of Ecology), hosted by the Ecological Society of Australia in partnership with the New Zealand Ecological Society, 16-21 August 2009, Brisbane, Australia.

Thesis

Hughes, A., 2009, An assessment of recent changes in catchment sediment sources and sinks, central Queensland, Australia, School of Physical, Environmental & Mathematical Sciences, Australian Defence Force Academy, UNSW, PhD Thesis.


Mimura, N., Nurse, l., McLean, R.F., Agard, J., Briguglio, l., lefale, P., Payet, R. & Sem, G., 2008, Small islands, in Climate Change 2007 - Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Working Group II Contribution to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, M.l. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P. van der linden, C.E. Hanson (eds), Cambridge University Press, UK, pp. 687-716.

Nicholls, R.J., Wong, P.P., Burkett, v., Codignotto, J., Hay, J., McLean, R.F., Ragoonaden, S. & Woodroffe, C.D., 2008, Coastal systems and low-lying areas, in Climate Change 2007 - Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Working Group II Contribution to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, M.l. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P. van der linden, C.E. Hanson (eds), Cambridge University Press, UK. pp. 315-356.

Paull, D.J., 2008, Revisions and introductions to Order Peramelemorphia: Bandicoots and Bilbies, p. 169; Superfamily Perameloidia, pp. 169-171; Family Chaeropodidae: Pig-footed Bandicoot, p. 172; Family Peramelidae: Typical Bandicoots, p. 174; Subfamily Echymiperinae, p. 174; Subfamily Peramelinae, p. 176; Family Thylacomidae: Bilbies, p. 191, in Mammals of Australia, 3rd Edition, S. van Dyke & R. Strahan (eds), Reed New Holland Publishing, Sydney, ISBN: 9781877069253.



Paull, D.J., 2008, Southern Brown Bandicoot, in Mammals of Australia, 3rd Edition, pp. 180-182, S. van Dyke & R. Strahan (eds), Reed New Holland Publishing, Sydney, ISBN: 9781877069253.

Spencer, T., Stoddart, D.R. & McLean, R.F., 2008, Coral reefs, in The History of the Study of Landforms, T.P. Burt, R.J. Chorley, D. Brunsden, N.J. Cox, A.S. Goudie (eds), The Geological Society, london, pp. 863-922.

Journal - Refereed

Amos, K.J., Croke, J.C., Hughes, A.O., Chapman, J.S., Takken, I. & lymburner, l., 2008, A catchment-scale assessment of anabranching in the 143 000 km2 Fitzroy River catchment, north-eastern Australia, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 33(8), 1222-1241, doi: 10.1002/esp.1609.

Claridge, A.W. & Hunt, R., 2008, Evaluating the role of the dingo as a trophic regulator: Additional practical suggestions, Ecological Management & Restoration, 9(2), 116-119, doi: 10.1111/j.1442-8903.2008.00402.x.

Claridge, A.W., Tennant, P., Chick, R. & Barry, S.C., 2008, Factors influencing the occurrence of small ground-dwelling mammals in southeastern mainland Australia, Journal of Mammalogy, 89(4), 916-923, doi: 10.1644/07-MAMM-A-209.1.

Corney, R.K., Peakall, J., Parsons, D.R., Elliott, l., Best, J., Thomas, R., Keevil, G.M., Ingham, D.B. & Amos, K.J., 2008, Reply to discussion of Imran et al. on “The orientation of helical flow in curved channels” by Corney et al., Sedimentology, 53, 249-257, Sedimentology, 55(1), 241-247, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3091.2007.00925.x.

Kench, P., Nichol, S., Smithers, S.G., McLean, R.F. & Brander, R., 2008, Tsunami as agents of geomorphic change in mid-ocean reef islands, Geomorphology, 95(3-4), 361-383, doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.06.012.

Takken, I., Croke, J.C. & lane, P., 2008, A methodology to assess the delivery of road runoff in forestry environments, Hydrological Processes, 22(2), 254-264, doi: 10.1002/hyp.6581.

Takken, I., Croke, J.C. & lane, P., 2008, Thresholds for channel initiation at road drain outlets, Catena, 75(3), 257-267, doi:10.1016/j.catena.2008.07.001.

Thompson, C.J., Croke, J.C. & Takken, I., 2008, A catchment-scale model of mountain stream channel morphologies in southeast Australia, Geomorphology, 95(3-4), 119-144, doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.05.015.

Thompson, C.J. & Croke, J.C., 2008, Channel flow competence and sediment transport in upland streams in southeast Australia, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 33(3), 329-352, doi: 10.1002/esp.1558.

Trappe, J.M., Bougher, N.l., Castellano, M.A., Claridge, A.W., Gates, G.M., lebel, T. & Ratkowsky, D.A., 2008, A preliminary census of the macrofungi of Mt Wellington Tasmania - the sequestrate species, Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania, 142(2), 85-95.

Trappe, J.M., Claridge, A.W., Arora, D. & Smit, W.A., 2008, Desert truffles of the African Kalahari: Ecology, ethnomycology, taxonomy, Economic Botany, 62(3), 521-529, doi: 10.1007/s12231-008-9027-6.

Conference - Full paper refereed

Croke, J.C., Purvis-Smith, D., Thompson, C.J. & lymburner, l., 2008, The effect of local-scale valley constrictions on flood inundation and catchment-scale sediment delivery in the Fitzroy River Basin, Australia, Sediment Dynamics in Changing Environments; 2008 Symposium of the International Commission on Continental Erosion (ICCE), Christchurch, New Zealand, J. Schmidt, T. Cochrane, C. Phillips, S. Elliott, T. Davies & l. Basher (eds), IAHS Publ. 325, IAHS Press, Wallingford, UK, pp. 200-207.

Hughes, A.O., Olley, J.M., Croke, J.C. & McKergow, l.A., 2008, Sediment sources in a dry-tropical catchment: central Queensland, Australia. Sediment Dynamics in Changing Environments; 2008 Symposium of the International Commission on Continental Erosion (ICCE), Christchurch, New Zealand, J. Schmidt, T. Cochrane, C. Phillips, S. Elliott, T. Davies & l. Basher (eds), IAHS Publ. 325, IAHS Press, Wallingford, UK, pp. 351-358.

Thompson, C.J., Takken, I. & Croke, J.C., 2008, Hydrological and sedimentological connectivity of unsealed roads, Sediment Dynamics in Changing Environments; 2008 Symposium of the International Commission on Continental Erosion (ICCE), Christchurch, New Zealand, J. Schmidt, T. Cochrane, C. Phillips, S. Elliott, T. Davies & l. Basher (eds), IAHS Publ. 325, IAHS Press, Wallingford, UK, pp. 524-531.

Conference - Abstract

Horne, D., 2008, Chenier Plain formation in Princess Charlotte Bay, Australia, Proceedings of Association of American Geographers 2008 Annual Meeting, April 15-19, Boston, MA, USA, Abstract available at: http://communicate.aag.org/eseries/aag_org/program/AbstractDetail.cfm?AbstractID=15919.

Rae, E., 2008, Modelling beach ridge responses to small sea level fluctuations, Proceedings of Association of American Geographers 2008 Annual Meeting, April 15-19, Boston, MA, USA, Abstract available at: http://communicate.aag.org/eseries/aag_org/program/AbstractDetail.cfm?AbstractID=17151.

Conference - Poster

Packer, J., Carthew, S., long, K. & Paull, D., 2008, Adapting to altered landscapes: the effect of blackberry on population persistence of the endangered Southern Brown Bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus obesulus), Ecological Society of Australia, 1-5 December 2008, Sydney.

Thesis

Kawakami, Takeshi, 2008, Speciation and chromosomal rearrangements in the Australian Morabine Grasshopper Vandiemenella viatica species group, School of Physical, Environmental & Mathematical Sciences, Australian Defence Force Academy, UNSW, PhD Thesis, Available at: http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/38716.


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GrantsExternal GrantsJ. Croke, M. Kirkby, P. Owens, I. Takken, K. Fryirs, & R. Bartley, Modelling catchment connectivity for water quality protection, Australian Research Council Discovery project, DP0878020, 2008: $146,000; 2009: $188,000; 2010: $146,000.

I. Takken, J. Croke, P. lane, G. Sheridan, & A. Webb, Developing a decision support system for the management of road runoff for water quality protection, ARC linkage Grant, lP0881993, Total $290,000, 2008: $110,000; 2009: $100,000; 2010, $80,000.

UNSW GrantsD. Paull, Indirect methods in wildlife research. A question of detection: are infrared cameras better than hair-tunnels for monitoring cryptic animals?, Early Career Researcher Grant, UNSW@ADFA, 2009: $31,250.

J. Croke, I. Takken, & C. Thompson, Modelling catchment connectivity for water quality protection, UNSW@ADFA, Silverstar Award, 2008: $20,000.

D. Paull, Infrared digital surveillance cameras and olfactory attractants for monitoring endangered species, UNSW@ADFA Special Research Grant, 2008: $3,720.

Conference ParticipationAndrew Hughes

• ICCE IAHS International Symposium on Sediment Dynamics in Changing Environments, 1-5 December 2008, Christchurch, New Zealand.

David Paull

• Mapping truffles in Australia, 2009 Conference of the Institute of Australian Geographers, 28 September-1 October 2009, Cairns, Australia.

ServiceAssoc. Prof. Stuart Pearson

• Co-convener of the Australian Association for Environmental Education Conference to be held 26-30 September 2010 in Canberra.

Emeritus Prof. Roger McLean

• Member, Technical Advisory Group, South Pacific Sea level and Climate Monitoring Project (For AusAID), 2004-2009.


PhD students Ellie Rae and Dylan Horne in the field.


Geographic Information Science is the study of the fundamental principles of geographic information and what makes geographic information different from other types of information. It is an interdisciplinary field, composed of researchers from geography, information science, cognitive psychology, mathematics, engineering, surveying, computer science, statistics and philosophy. Its focus is on theoretical advances in the handling, representation and communication of geographic information rather than on individual applications of geographic technologies (e.g., GPS, GIS and Remote Sensing). Within PEMS, our focus is on the representation and communication of geographic information, although several individuals in School of Engineering and Information Technology (SEIT) work on problems of data handling. Research in our group includes topics ranging from radar remote sensing of large mining projects in the Asia Pacific Region to evaluating the effects of data quality and error propagation on spatial analysis to understanding perceptual and cognitive factors that influence whether or not map readers see moving clusters in animated maps.

This image shows the infrared light from the eye-tracker that is being bounced off my eyes to detect where I am looking.

This image shows an introduction screen from the test instrument that we use to investigate visual cluster detection.

MembersAcademic Staff:Dr Amy Griffin ([email protected]) BA (Hons) Macalester College, MSc, PhD Pens, GrCrt UNSWProf. Brian Lees ([email protected]) BA PhD Syd.Dr David Paull ([email protected]) MA Adel., PhD UNSW

Visiting Fellows:Assoc. Prof. Zhongming Wen ([email protected]) PhD CASDr Robert J. Williams ([email protected])

Research Students:Bahaa Eldin Aly Abdel Alim Abdel Hamid – Research Topic – Multi-agent spatial modeling of Equine Influenza.Jin (Tracy) Cui - Research Topic - Classifying urban green space distribution: Analyzing spatial relationship of human-natural process by integrating remote sensing and socioeconomic data.Thomas Grice - Research Topic - A case study on the impact of geospatial uncertainty on dynamic decision making during the Aceh Tsunami response in 2005/06.Shibani Mishra - Research Topic - Developing a spatial database and GIS application for natural resource assessment and management for sustainable development in coastal Orissa, India.

Recent Graduate Student:Bambang Hendro Trisasongko - Research Topic - Monitoring a mine-influenced environment in Indonesia through radar polarimetry, Masters Thesis, 2008.


Cartographic Representation and Geographic Information Science

Prof. Hussein Abbass (SEIT, UNSW@ADFA)Dr A. Banos (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, laboratoire Image et ville, Universite louis-Pasteur)T. Bhowmick (GeovISTA Center, Penn State University)Dr P. Durr (CSIRO)Prof. S. Fabrikant (University of Zurich)Ms B. Kluhsmann (Penn State University)Prof. E. Lengerich (Penn State University)Prof. A. MacEachren (GeovISTA Center, Penn State University)Dr A. Robinson (GeovISTA Center, Penn State University)

Remote Sensing and Environmental Monitoring

Assoc. Prof. Glenn Banks (Massey University, New Zealand)Dr C. Ballard (ANU)Prof. D. Gillieson (JCU)

Geographic Information Science and Artificial Intelligence

Dr B. McKay (UNSW@ADFA)Dr S. Yin (UNSW@ADFA)

Geographic Information Science

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Current ResearchClusters on the move (with Sara Fabrikant):

Dr Amy L. GriffinOne of my current research projects is investigating the process of visual cluster detection in animated and static maps. In this research, we are examining the effectiveness and efficiency of different visual representations for seeing clusters that move through space and over time. We do this through experimental work with map readers, using methods such as behavioral analysis and eye-tracking. We have also explored the use of signal detection theory for describing map readers’ success rates in correctly identifying moving clusters. In late 2007, I collected eye-movement data while working with Sara Fabrikant at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. We have also recently acquired an eye-tracker in the School of PEMS at UNSW-ADFA.

‘Are Google and Web 2.0 making us stupid?’: Spatial information synthesis in a data-rich age

Dr Amy L. Griffin (with Anthony Robinson)The Internet has changed the way many people work. Instead of having too little information, our problem is now sorting through, evaluating the reliability of and integrating a surplus of information into a coherent understanding of ‘the big picture’. Many professions, including intelligence analysis, emergency response and policy development require workers to integrate spatial information to solve important problems. Our research examines the impact of interactive digital technologies on how well we integrate geographic information and will produce guidelines for developing computer tools and strategies that information workers can use to more accurately and efficiently bring together information from multiple sources and formats.

This research aims to understand whether and how using interactive digital spatial technologies alters our thinking habits and capacities. Specifically, we investigate spatial information synthesis – the integration of spatial information from multiple, messy sources to develop a coherent story about a problem. This information integration task (synthesis) - the ability to see ‘the big picture’ - is important in professions as diverse as emergency response, intelligence analysis and policy development and its results are often the basis for important decisions. Knowledge of the effects of technology on our thinking habits will enable the development of more effective computer tools and training materials to better support this capability.

Geographical analysis and environmental modelling; Geocomputation; Coastal geomorphology; the application of geographical analysis and environmental modelling, GISc and remote sensing to managing global change

Professor Brian LeesProfessor Lees and his students maintain an active research program focused on aspects of Global Change.

The first phase was the construction of a database of geomorphic evidence for past climate change across northern Australia. Most of this information has been published. A comprehensive review and re-assessment of this work is in preparation together with a reassessment of the implications of chenier dates in Northern Australia.

The second phase arose from the initial International Global-Biosphere Program (IGBP) meetings where it was clear that a great number of scientists from other disciplines were placing an unwarranted reliance on remote sensing to detect global change.

Prof. lees set up a research program to improve the reliability of change detection techniques. This led to work in adapting inductive and data driven modelling techniques to the predictive mapping of land cover and land degradation. Prof. lees and his students, have built up comprehensive GIS databases based on a range of field sites. These have been used to test, and refine, the use of inductive learning, and other artificial intelligence techniques such as neural networks and genetic algorithms, for environmental management. We have been very successful. Some of this work has been published, but some is currently in preparation, including new work on the impacts of DEM error, and on the rescaling of SRTM data.

Prof. lees set up a major database to test, refine, and develop these techniques at Kioloa field station (www.geography.anu.edu.au/associated/pathfinder/index.html). This was subsequently adopted as one of the 60 or so NASA lANDSAT PATHFINDER GlCTS PROJECT sites. This was NASA’s main high resolution, long-term, land cover change detection project. NASA was seeking very high quality, high-resolution, data-rich sites for this project and it was a triumph to be one of the final selections. There were only four of these sites identified in Australia and the Kioloa site is the only one to have been completed. Through NIES and NASDA Prof. lees has received a considerable amount of support, and Japanese and NASA data for this site. The research activity of Prof. lees continues to be the development of tools to carry out integrated analysis of these data.

The third phase of research has been recently developed through the active encouragement of Professors Barry Garner and Ron Horvath. They encouraged thinking about, and application of some of the analytical skills and techniques I had developed to social geographic problems. This has led to encouragement of several PhD candidates, a human geographer, an ecologist and a geomorphologist, to consider tackling such problems.

In concert with established social researchers, such as Chris Devery and Jerry Ratcliffe, and the NSW Police, we have started applying geographical analysis to crime and disorder. Several papers have been submitted on the topic. This integration of quite diverse strands of geographic thought is proving very productive and several more projects are under consideration.

Predicting truffle growing areas in Australia

Dr David PaullThe Australian Black Truffle industry is a young and burgeoning enterprise. First established in Tasmania in the 1990s, productive truffle orchards or truffières are currently found in WA, SA, vic and NSW, with immature plantings also in SA and Qld. In these truffières, the fungus Tuber melanosporum is inoculated onto the roots of host trees, including oaks and hazelnuts. Maturation of Australian truffles occurs in winter, which is the Northern Hemisphere off-season, thus creating an export niche to high demand markets in Europe and Asia. This study aims to map existing Australian truffières, characterise their physical geography and predict the distribution of land that may be suitable for future production. To date no rigorous attempt has been made to identify the places best suited for truffles and their host trees but it is generally recognised they grow well in free draining soils where summers are hot and winters are cold. Other factors that determine success of truffières include access to water for irrigation



and proximity to air freight for export. Based on an understanding of the ecological requirements of truffle and host, this study integrates spatial datasets of climate, soil and infrastructure to predict where the industry may expand.

Suitability of climate for growing Black Truffles in Australia.

Recent AchievementsBrian Lees has been invited to take part in the prestigious European Commission’s Erasmus Mundus Scheme. This scholarship is funded by the European Union and provides for a one month visit to the GEM Consortium (GEM - Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation for Environmental Modelling and Management) members between September 2009 and March 2011. The Erasmus Mundus Scheme (2009-2013) is a program encouraging cooperation and communication in higher education and aims to enhance the quality of European higher education and to promote dialogue and understanding between people and cultures through cooperation with Third Countries.

Student ResearchA case study on the impact of geospatial uncertainty on dynamic decision making during the Aceh Tsunami response in 2005/06

Thomas Grice ([email protected]) MPhil (started 03/2009)Field of Study: Geographic Information Science

Classifying urban green space distribution: Analyzing spatial relationship of human-natural process by integrating remote sensing and socioeconomic data

Jin Cui ([email protected]) MScField of Study: Geographic Information Science

Research over the past two decades has highlighted the many benefits of urban green space brought to human beings. The spatial

distribution of urban green space is influenced by human activities and social economic development through time. Cities can be seen as sustainable ecosystems, but the connection between urban green space, socioeconomic and biophysical factors in varying combinations, and quality of life is not comprehensively understood. The focus of the project is to use GIS and remote sensing to investigate how these factors interact in space and time.

Developing a spatial database and GIS application for natural resource assessment and management for sustainable development in coastal Orissa, India

Shibani Mishra ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Geographic Information Systems

This research focuses on developing a public participation GIS for the sustainable management of fisheries resources in Orissa, India. Currently, the fisheries resources at Chilika lake are threatened by over-exploitation and environmental pollution. Barriers to the sustainable development of this area include a lack of updated environmental information and the lack of a method whereby residents of the region can participate in making decisions that affect the lake’s resource base. This research involves developing a public participation GIS that will both be a repository of current environmental information and provide a forum through which village members can cooperatively work to develop a management strategy that will satisfy the needs of village members without destroying the resource base.

Multi-agent spatial modeling of Equine Influenza

Bahaa Eldin Aly Abdel Alim Abdel Hamid ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Geographic Information Science

This research aims at designing and developing an integrated modeling framework for studying the dynamics of spread of infectious diseases. The framework incorporates several modeling approaches ranging from the classical system of differential equations to the more sophisticated and spatially explicit Cellular Automata and Agent Based approaches. It should be able to handle different data availability situations as they arise in the different stages of a disease outbreak. It can be used to study the behavior of various hypothetical disease spread scenarios and test the outcomes of various prevention, containment and eradication strategies that can be directed to a potential outbreak before making any real investment in a certain strategy.

PhD Opportunities and ScholarshipsIf you are interested in a PhD or Masters by research in Geographic Information Science:

Contact: Prof. Brian Lees ([email protected])Dr Amy Griffin ([email protected])Dr David Paull ([email protected])


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Major Facilities• ENvI, Definiens and ERDAS Imagine remote sensing

packages, ArcGIS software.

• Eye tracking laboratory with Tobii eye-tracker

PublicationsIn PressJournal – Letter or note

Griffin, A.L., Book Review: Map Use, Reading and Analysis, Sixth Edition, Kimerling, A.J., Buckley, A.R., Muehrcke, P.C. & Muehrcke, J.O., ESRI Press, Redlands, Journal of Spatial Science.

Conference - Full paper (Non-refereed)

Abdel Hamid, B.E. & Griffin, A.L., Durr, P., Disease outbreak dynamics: modeling and simulation for complex realities, European Conference on Complex Systems, 2009 (ECCS’09).

Griffin, A.L., 2009, Analyzing sequential data from geovisualization user interfaces, Proceedings of the International Cartographic Conference, Santiago, Chile, 15-20 November 2009, (no page numbers).


Griffin, A.L. & Bell, S., 2009, Applications of signal detection theory to geographic information science, Cartographica, 44(3), 145-158.

Simmonds, F., Wang, X.H. & Lees, B.G., 2009, Comment on ‘Marine GIS: Identification of mesoscale oceanic thermal fronts’, International Journal of Geographic Information Science, 23(3), 369-373, doi: 10.1080/13658810701851404.

Journal – Letter or note

Lees, B.G., 2009, Recent trends in IJGISc (editorial), International Journal of Geographical Information Science, 23(1), 1-6, doi: 10.1080/13658810802628594.

Fisher P. & Lees, B., 2009, Peter Alan Burrough in memoriam, International Journal of Geographic Information Science, 23(4), 551, 10.1080/13658810902885292.

Other refereed contribution – editor of journal issues

Lees, B.G. (ed.), 2009, International Journal of Geographical Information Science, 23(1-2).

Book - Chapter

Griffin A.L., 2009, Color mapping, in International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, volume 2, R. Kitchin & N. Thrift (Eds), Oxford, Elsevier, pp. 195-201.

Griffin A.L., 2009, Information graphics, in International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, volume 5, R. Kitchin & N. Thrift (Eds), Oxford, Elsevier, pp. 459-468.

Roddick, J. R & Lees, B.G., 2009, Spatio-temporal data mining paradigms and methodologies, in Geographic Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery, Second Edition, H.J. Miller & J. Han (eds), Chapman & Hall/CRC, Boca Raton, pp. 27-44.

2008 publicationsBook - Edited

Zhou, Q., Lees, B.G. & Tang, G., 2008, Advances in Digital Terrain Analysis, Springer-verlag, Germany.

Book - Chapter

Griffin, A.L., 2008, visual variables, in Encyclopedia of Geographic Information Science, K. Kemp (Ed), Thousand Oaks, CA, SAGE Publications. pp. 506-509.

Jupp, D.l., Lees, B.G., Rui, l. & Suiping, F., 2008, The application of 3S technology to Plank Road research and development of spatial information systems in the Qinling and Daba Mountains: I. Geographical, geological and historical background, in The Collected Papers of the International Symposium on Historical Research of Plank Roads and Applications of 3S Technology, San Xi People’s Education Publisher, China, pp. 6-55.

Jupp, D.l., Lees, B.G., Rui, l. & Suiping, F., 2008, The application of 3S technology to Plank Road research and development of spatial information systems in the Qinling and Daba Mountains: II. 3S Technology and the Australia-China project, in The Collected Papers of the International Symposium on Historical Research of Plank Roads and Application of 3S Technology, Shan Xi People’s Education Publisher, China, pp. 55-77.

Lees, B.G., 2008, Progress in digital terrain analysis, in Advances in Digital Terrain Analysis, Q. Zhou, B.G. lees, & G. Tang, (eds), Springer-verlag, Germany, pp. 461-462.

Lees, B.G., 2008, Remote sensing, in The Handbook of Geographic Information Science, J.P. Wilson, A.S. Fotheringham (eds), Blackwell Publishing, US, pp. 49-60.

Lees, B.G., 2008, The language and grammar of maps, in The Collected Papers of the International Symposium on Historical Research of Plank Roads and Applications of 3S Technology, Shan Xi People’s Education Publisher, China, pp. 175-203.

Lees, B.G., Huang, Z.F., van Niel, K. & laffan, S.W., 2008, The impact of DEM Error on predictive vegetation mapping, in Advances in Digital Terrain Analysis, Q. Zhou, B.G. lees, & G. Tang, (eds), Springer-verlag, Germany, pp. 349-362.

Zhou, Q., Lees, B.G. & Tang, G., 2008, Advances in digital terrain analysis: the TADTM Initiative’, in Advances in Digital Terrain Analysis, eds, Springer-verlag, Germany, pp. 3-10.

Journal - Refereed

Bhowmick, T., Griffin, A.L., MacEachren, A.M., Kluhsman, B.C. & lengerich, E.J., 2008, Informing geospatial toolset design: Understanding the process of cancer data exploration and analysis, Health & Place, 14(3), 576-607, doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2007.10.009.


Lees, B.G., 2008, Just another node..., International Journal of Geographical Information Science, 22(1), 1-3.

Conference – Full Paper (Non-refereed)

Griffin, A.L., 2008, Applying sequence alignment for analyzing user interactions with geovisualizations, Autocarto 2008, 8-10 September 2008, Shepherdstown, Wv.



Thesis

Trisasongko, Bambang, 2008, Monitoring a mine-influenced environment in Indonesia through radar polarimetry, School of Physical, Environmental & Mathematical Sciences, Australian Defence Force Academy, UNSW, Masters Thesis, Available at: http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/39747.

GrantsExternal GrantsA. Griffin, Scholarship top-up for Bahaa Abdel Hamid, CSIRO, 2009: $7,000.

UNSW GrantsA. Griffin (with H. Abbass, M. Barlow, S. Alam & M. Copeland, co-CIs), Eye tracking laboratory, UNSW Major Equipment and Infrastructure Investment Scheme(MREII), 2009: $76,000.

A. Griffin, Multi-agent spatial modeling of equine influenza, DSARC Scholarship 2007-2010: $60,000.

Conference ParticipationGriffin, A.L., Signal detection theory and its potential application to geographic visualization, Association of American Geographers 2008 Annual Meeting, 15-19 April 2008, Boston, MA, USA.

Griffin, A.L., Applying sequence alignment for analyzing user interactions with geovisualizations, Autocarto 2008, 8-10 September 2008, Shepherdstown, Wv.

Griffin, A.L., Signal detection theory as a method for understanding map-driven decision-making under conditions of uncertainty, NACIS XXVII, 8-11 October 2008, Missoula, MT.

Griffin, A.L. & Fabrikant, S., Clusters on the move: Why animations are better for cluster detection, GIScience 2008, 23-26 September 2008, Park City, UT.

Griffin, A.L., Analyzing sequential data from geovisualization user interactions, Association of American Geographers 2009 Annual Meeting, 22-27 March 2009, las vegas, Nv, USA.

Griffin, A.L., Analyzing sequential data from geovisualization user interfaces, International Cartographic Conference, 15-20 November 2009, Santiago, Chile.

Hamid, B.E.A.A.A., European Conference on Complex Systems, 2009 (ECCS’09), 21-25 September 2009, University of Warwick, UK.

Lees, B., laffan, S., Jupp, D. & yang, Q., The effects of re-scaling terrain variables, Association of American Geographers 2008 Annual Meeting, 15-19 April 2008, Boston, MA, USA.

Mishra, S., Encroachment: A threat to resource sustainability in Chilika lake, India, 2009 Conference of the Institute of Australian Geographers, 28 September-1 October 2009, Cairns, Australia.

MembershipsDr Amy Griffin

• Member, North American Cartographic Information Society

• Member, Australian and New Zealand Map Society Inc.

• Member, Canadian Cartography Association

• Member, British Cartographic Society

• Corresponding member, International Cartography Association Commission on Geovisualization

ServiceDr Amy Griffin

• Editorial Board Member, Cartographic Perspectives

• Editorial Board Member, Cartographica

• Board of Directors, North American Cartographic Information Society

• Business Manager, Australian and New Zealand Map Society Inc.

• Secretary, GIScience Study Group, Institute of Australian Geographers

Prof. Brian Lees

• Appointed as a Special Invited Professor, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation (ISWC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, yanling.

• Appointed as an Adjunct Professor in the State Key laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information Systems (lREIS), Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing.

• Member of the Academic Consultative Committee, Key laboratory of virtual Geographic Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Ministry of Education, China.

• Chairman of the International Geographical Union Commission on Geographical Information Science.

• Member of the Australian Academy of Science National Committee for Geography.

• Editor in Chief, International Journal of Geographic Information Science.

• Editorial board of GEOINFORMATICA.

VisitorsDr A. Robinson, GeovISTA Center, Penn State University was hosted by Amy Griffin.

Assoc. Prof. Zhongming Wen is being hosted by Brian Lees for most of 2009. Dr Wen’s special research interest is in spatial ecology.


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The central theme of Society and Space is that the physical and built environments interact with society in complex ways. Sometimes it is necessary to examine issues at various scales of analysis to understand this interaction. PEMS supports one of the few combined physical and human geography groups in the country. This places the School of PEMS in a unique position to continue a close dialogue between physical and human elements of the environment in order to address important social and environmental problems.

These problems include:

• Urban design and transport efficiency and sustainability

• Effective speeds of different transport modes

• The links between sport and health

• The links between transport and health

• The importance of ‘region’ to the wine industry

• Globalisation and its effects on local communities

• Strategies of resistance to globalization

• The geographies of children’s play in school grounds

• Urban and peri-urban agriculture for food security, job creation and post-conflict reconstruction (South Africa, Zambia, Sierra leone)

• The threat of squatter resettlement on informal sector livelihoods (Fiji)

• land tenure insecurity and community-based agriculture (South Africa)

• Economic openness, cultural obligations and the emerging landless (Samoa)

• ‘liveable’ cities and child-friendly environments

• Implications of peak oil for liveable cities and child-friendly environments

• Mapping and understanding the drivers of human health and disease

• The geography and cultures of institutions (including the military and the academy

Members Academic Staff:Dr Amy Griffin ([email protected]) MSc, PhD PensDr Scott Sharpe ([email protected]) BSc (Hons), PhD Macq.Dr Alec Thornton ([email protected]) MA, PhD Sussex UKDr Paul Tranter ([email protected]) BA (Hons), PhD N’cle (NSW)

Visiting Fellows:Mr Jack Doyle BSc McG., MA ANUMr Terry Birtles BA Dip Ed UQ., MA Syd, Dip Crim Camb, Dip Internat. law ANUDr Murray May BSc (Hons) UQ, Dip Ed Tas, M Ed CCAE, PhD UWS

Research Students:Annabel Beckenham - Research Topic - Cultural geography of cyberspace.Hao Duan - Research Topic - Peak oil and temporary migration.Justin McEvoy - Research Topic - Geographical factors affecting the successful development of rezoned urban land.Daminda Solangaarachchi - Research Topic – Bushfire risk assessment at the urban-bush interface in metropolitan Australia: An integrated modelling approach.Stephen Smith - Research Topic - A dynamic electorate? Analysing the geography of minor parties at Australian state and federal elections 1997-2006.

Current Honours Students:Benson Chian - Research Topic - letting their feet do the talking: Geographies of youth in the Kanga Cup.Luke Powter - Research Topic - Community orientated transport innovation for healthy cities.

Research Collaborators:Dr A. Banos (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, laboratoire Image et ville, Universite louis-Pasteur) Assoc. Prof. Glenn Banks (Massey University, New Zealand)Dr C. Banwell (National Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health, Australian National University) Prof. Tony Binns (Ron lister Chair of Geography, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand) Prof. D. Broom (National Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health, Australian National University)Prof. A. Bundy (University of Sydney) Dr J. Connor (School of Business, UNSW@ADFA)Mr M. Doherty (CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems)Dr J. Dixon (National Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health, Australian National University) Dr M. Duffy (University of Melbourne)Ms M. Esler (Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, The Australian Government)Prof. B. Fagan (Macquarie University, Sydney) Assoc. Prof. John Glover (University of Adelaide)Dr Bob Hall (School of Humanities and Social Sciences, UNSW@ADFA) Assoc. Prof. Alastair Greig (School of Social Sciences, Australian National University)Dr Godfrey Hampwaye (lecturer Geography, University of Zambia, lusaka, Zambia) Dr M. Hendityo (Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Jakarta, Indonesia) Dr Gijsbert Hoogendoorn (lecturer Geography, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa)Dr M. Hynes (School of Social Sciences, Australian National University) Prof. N. Ilmi Idrus (University of Hasannudin, Makassar, Indonesia)Dr Maria Kerslake (Dean of Faculty of Arts, National University of Samoa, Apia, Samoa) Dr R. Korda (Australian Centre for Economic Research on Health, Australian National University)

Society & Space


Dr M. Lowes (Department of Communication, University of Ottawa)Dr Kenny Lynch (Senior lecturer, Department of Natural and Social Sciences, University of Gloucestershire. Cheltenham, United Kingdom) Assoc. Prof. Etienne Nel (Economic Geographer, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand)Dr Roy Maconachie (lecturer, University of Bath, United Kingdom)Prof. Lochner Marais (Centre for Development Support, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa) Dr M. May (visiting Fellow, UNSW@ADFA)Assoc. Prof. G. Naughton (Australian Catholic University)Dr F. Paoloucci, (Australian Centre for Economic Research on Health, Australian National University)Dr A. Ross (School of Humanities and Social Sciences, UNSW@ADFA)Ms M. Shipley (Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, The Australian Government)Dr L. Strazdins (National Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health, Australian National University)Dr Paul Tengbe (Head of Geography, Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra leone. Freetown, Sierra leone)Dr J. Warn (School of Business, UNSW@ADFA) Dr S. Wyver (Macquarie University, Sydney)

Child collecting water, Freetown (2008), Sierra leone (Photo credit: A. Thornton).

Current ResearchDr Amy GriffinWhile the majority of Amy’s research interests fall under the purview of the Geographic Information Science research group, she also actively undertakes research related to sport and space, the health implications of humans’ interactions with the natural, built and social environments, and a spatiotemporal analysis of Australia’s involvement in the vietnam War.

Her current research projects include the following:

The muscle trade

Dr Amy Griffin (with Dr James Connor)This project is examining transfers of allegiance (i.e., nationality change) of international track and field athletes competing at IAAF-sanctioned events, such as the World Championships, the Olympics and World Cup events. While international athlete migration has been studied extensively for sports such as association football, relatively little is known about either migration patterns or the drivers of migration for other sports.

Time scarcity: Another health inequity?

Dr Amy Griffin (with Dr lyndall Strazdins, Professor Dorothy Broom, Dr Cathy Banwell, Dr Jane Dixon, Dr Rosemary Korda, Dr Francesco Paoloucci, Australian National University; Associate Professor John Glover, University of Adelaide; and Ms Megan Shipley, Ms Marian Esler, FAHCSIA)This project seeks to develop a measure of time scarcity that can be used along with other measures of disadvantage, such as income scarcity, to examine the potential effects of policy decisions and their impacts on human health. We seek to describe time (and space-time) as a health resource that can have substantial impacts on individuals’ and families’ abilities to undertake healthy behaviours (as well as avoid unhealthy behaviours).

Understanding low intensity conflict

Dr Amy Griffin (with Dr Bob Hall and Dr Andrew Ross)This project is undertaking a fine-grained spatial and temporal analysis of Australia’s involvement in the vietnam war. In it, we seek to provide a clear understanding of low-intensity conflict (e.g., guerilla wars), using the vietnam war as a model. We are trying to answer questions such as the extent to which interactions between Australian and vietnamese troops clustered along rivers, tracks, at certain times of the day, and the extent to which the war unfolded in a series of temporal phases that are commonly used to organize discussions of the war.

Dr Scott Sharpe

The geography of humour and the role of humour in social change

Dr Scott SharpeHumour can serve the function as a sort of breaching experiment, showing cultural and societal norms in the very act of transgressing them. This project explores the potential of humour for producing, maintaining and transgressing social norms. looking at humour from a spatial perspective offers insight into the way

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humour functions from its challenge to reason and rationality to its use of displacement and incongruity. In conjunction with Dr Maria Hynes (ANU), this project re-theorizes humour to emphasize its affective and ethical dimensions, rather than its ideological and moral ones.

The relationship between space, thought, perception

Dr Scott SharpeThis project examines the relationship of space, thought and perception. Centering on presumptions concerning the academy’s relation to the ‘world’, this project theorises space as an enfolding of thought and matter. Such a theorization allows a rethinking of the relationship of micro- to macro-perceptions, the relationship of the unconscious to consciousness, and the relationship of surface to depth. The project examines issues such as the new possibilities for fieldwork in light of critiques of representation, and the relationship of thought to social action.

The geography of sport

Dr Scott SharpeThis project examines the role of economy, affect and sport and the extension of traditional landscapes of sport by multi-national sportswear corporations. Conducting a semiotic analysis of sportswear advertisements and examining brand positioning in major sporting tournaments and events, the project explores the role that affective drivers have on fans, sub-cultures and wider society.

Dr Paul TranterMany of Paul’s research interests have had an important element of social relevance. He has applied geographical concepts and methodologies to the study of such topics as: pathological events (e.g. accidents, depression); residential privacy; tenant participation in public housing; transport provision in disadvantaged areas; children’s road safety and independent mobility; local authority attitudes and policies towards sustainable transport; the health implications and messages associated with motorsport; possible links between motorsport and illegal street racing; and children’s use of school grounds for environmental learning.

Paul’s current research projects include the following:

Peak oil and children

Dr Paul Tranter (with Dr Scott Sharpe) This project investigates how the challenge of peak oil might provide opportunities for making cities more child friendly. Currently children’s access to many spaces in cities is premised upon and restricted by the availability of cheap oil. From being restricted to designated play spaces to being transported to activities in private motor vehicles, cheap oil features prominently in the lives and opportunities of children. However, what the likely changes to children’s lives and opportunities when the global production of oil reaches a peak, and then declines?

Popping the bubble-wrap: unleashing the power of play

Dr Paul Tranter (with Professor Anita Bundy, Dr Shirley Wyver and Assoc. Professor Geraldine Naughton).This project aims to promote active, social and creative play amongst children in a primary school, by introducing a range of

loose materials into the school ground. This research has important implications for childhood obesity, bullying and mental ill health, all of which are serious childhood problems that are notoriously difficult to treat. Our research is developing and testing the effectiveness of a pilot intervention to promote active outdoor play.

Slowing down in the community: Reducing the speeding behaviour of motorists through cultural change

Dr Paul Tranter (with Dr James Warn and Dr Murray May)This project, funded by an NRMA ACT Road Safety Trust grant, seeks to develop a holistic model in order to reframe the way in which the wider community and policymakers perceive road safety. Our research is developing holistic, social-ecological model of reconnecting road safety with communities that value quality of life and slower ways of being. For example, improving road safety through reduction in the volume and speed of motorized traffic is integrally related to enhancing health and fitness, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and improving neighbourhood planning and community cohesion. In this regard, community-based travel behaviour change initiatives are reserving much greater attention in the road safety area. As well as these changes at the personal and community scale, there is a need for policy changes to urban and transport planning that address the broader issues of sustainability in an era of climate change and peak oil.

Dr Alec ThorntonDr Alec Thornton is a lecturer in Geography in the School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences (PEMS). Alec was previously a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Poverty, Inequality and Development (PID) Research Cluster in the Division of Humanities, University of Otago, NZ. He has a PhD in Development Studies (2006) from the University of Sussex, UK, and a MA in Rural Development (2002 Sussex, UK).

Institutional capacity building in Africa

Dr Alec ThorntonThis research intends to improve the capability of research institutes in Zambia and South Africa to inform public policy for poverty alleviation. The wide spread and informal practice of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) among the urban poor will be explored through key informant interview and household questionnaire surveys in selected sites in South Africa and Zambia. Through collaboration with colleagues at the University of the Free State (SA) and the University of Zambia (UNZA), the main outcome of this research is:

• To develop the capacity of these research institutions to carry out base-line research at the community level and

• To specifically enable them to work in the area of UPA and advise local and national governments about the potential of UPA to address poverty, unemployment and food insecurity issues.

The role of the church in development in Samoa

Dr Alec ThorntonThis research seeks to explore relationships between social change and social patterns in Samoa. This research is premised on the idea that increasing economic hardships in Samoa are challenging traditional practices, such as financial and material reciprocity

Society & Space


amongst the aiga (extended family) and the Church. People are opting out of these customary practices and, as a result, find themselves alienated from the familial benefits of these practices, such as the distribution of land resources and remittance income. This research will conduct key informant interviews with spiritual leaders from various religious denominations and household questionnaire surveys in known low-income areas in and around Apia, the Samoan capital city. In doing so, this research seeks to reveal the extent of which relationships and attitudes in Samoan society are changing, with regards to the needs of the church and the needs of the people.

The impact of economic openness on small-scale industries in Samoa.

Dr Alec Thornton Increasing vulnerabilities due to natural disasters and reliance on remittance income in Samoa have inspired grassroots movements to form associations of food and cash crop producers, using locally-sourced raw materials and labour, as a means to offset environmental and economic uncertainty. In parallel, these uncertainties underpin the Samoan government’s plans to expand into global trade. However, the potential impact of economic openness on the sustainability of small-scale agricultural initiatives has not been investigated. This research will explore how systemic changes in the local economy affect the economic viability and sustainable management of the ‘commons’ by small-scale, community-based industries (CBIs) in Samoa. These issues will be pursued through a combination of theoretical exploration and data collection of the causal linkages between systematic macro-economic reform and micro-level responses and the effects of trade liberalization on strategic decision making of CBIs.

Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Dr Alec Thornton

This research, in collaboration with Fourah Bay College (FBC, University of Sierra leone), explores the role of urban agriculture as a post-conflict reconstruction strategy among the urban poor in Freetown, Sierra leone’s capital city. During the decade-long civil war (1991-2001), rural inhabitants fled their burning villages for refuge in Freetown. For many rural-urban migrants, food production in the city was a necessary survival strategy. However, the role of urban food production also provided a vital lifeline for city dwellers, in terms of food supply, particularly during the rebel embargo. This research collaboration seeks to build the capacity of the Geography Department at FBC to carry out baseline research in the area of UPA. Through a combination of UA-producer questionnaires and key informant interviews, this research seeks to facilitate the establishment of a formal UPA policy for post-conflict reconstruction and ensure the availability of a fresh and affordable local food supply.

Squatter resident (2006), Suva, Fiji (Photo credit: A. Thornton).

Children showing Alec Thornton their home garden (2005), lusaka, Zambia.

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Recent Achievements Dr Alec Thornton has been offered a fully-funded 3-year Honorary Research Fellowship at the University of Witwatersrand at Johannesburg, South Africa. From 2010, Alec will carry out research with colleagues in the School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, as well as contribute lectures on topics in development geography.

Student ResearchA dynamic electorate? Analysing the geography of minor parties at Australian state and federal elections, 1997-2006

Stephen Smith ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Electoral Geography

My doctoral research aims to investigate and explain the electoral geography of minor parties through assessing their changing electoral performances, presence and participation in Australian electoral settings at state and federal elections held between 1997 and 2006. To achieve this aim, six minor parties have been investigated: Australians Against Further Immigration, Australian Democrats, Family First, the Greens, One Nation and Unity. Exploring spatial and temporal variations in minor party electoral performances and their implications for the continued participation and presence of minor parties have also been of interest for this research. This has been exemplified through candidate standings, constituency formation and political engagements undertaken by these parties across electoral settings. This thesis is intended on highlighting challenges that are faced by minor parties as political participants in regards to their respective electoral prospects in a contemporary electoral setting.

Bushfire risk assessment at the urban-bush interface in metropolitan Australia: An integrated modelling approach

Daminda Solangaarachchi ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Geography

In many parts of Australia there has been growth in the population at the urban-rural interface. This population growth is a result of people choosing an idyllic lifestyle to live at the rural-urban interface, or un-affordability of housing within urban areas for those who earn a low income. The environment which draws people to these locations is fire prone and there is a potential threat to lives and property. Although there have been many unforgettable bushfire events with significant impacts, the lack of a risk assessment framework has been the primary limitation to quantitative risk assessment. It is clear that a systematic approach to assess bushfire risk while combining hazard occurrence, social/physical vulnerability and community resilience is required to determine activities of the disaster managers at all phases of the disaster management cycle i.e. pre-event, during the event, post-event. This will help to determine how scarce resources should be utilized in a more effective manner to minimize the impact of the event. Furthermore, it will help to identify the locations of the communities which need assistance in advance. This will also help to make a proper evacuation plan by prioritizing areas when a mass evacuation is required. This research will develop a

conceptual model of risk that provides a holistic perspective on natural hazards risk assessment with reference to bushfires. It will incorporate hazard, social vulnerability, physical vulnerability, and the resilience of the urban bush interface.

Cyberspaces: A cultural geography of online communication

Annabel Beckenham ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Cyberspace Research Topic: Cultural geography of cyberspace

Cyberspace is a field which belies traditional notions of space bound communities, but which enables the development of social groupings which have, among other things, distinctive territories and citizenries, recognisable pasts, variegated futures and complex interrelationships with space bound groups. The thesis examines the development of social navigation points in three major social network sites; Facebook, Second Life and Myspace.

Geographical factors affecting the successful development of rezoned urban land

Justin McEvoy ([email protected]) MPhil (started 03/2009)Field of Study: Geography

Peak oil and temporary migration

Hao Duan ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Human Geography

This project explores the relationship between travel costs and lives of temporary migrant workers, in light of higher travel cost associated with peak oil. Peak oil describes the possible future of oil scarcity, where demand for oil outstrips our capacity to produce it. Peak oil may have a significant influence on fuel prices and directly affects the migrant workers’ travelling costs. Temporary migrants are likely to change their behaviours in the context of peak oil. long-distance commuters, who are regarded as an important group of temporary migrants, are studied on their adaptive behaviours, their relationships with family members, communities, businesses, and governments. The study expects to help authorities cope with likely impacts of peak oil on long-distance commuters.

PhD Opportunities and ScholarshipsIf you are interested in postgraduate studies within the Space and Society Group

Contact:Dr Paul Tranter ([email protected])Dr Amy Griffin ([email protected])Dr Scott Sharpe ([email protected])Dr Alec Thornton ([email protected])

Society & Space


PublicationsIn PressBook

Thornton, A., Beyond the Metropolis: Urban Agriculture in South Africa, Edwin Mellen Press (under contract with Edwin Mellen Press, UK).

Book - Chapter

Whitzman, C., Romero, v., Tranter, P., Curtis, C., Duncan, M. & Burke, M., in press, From battery-reared to free range children: The links between children’s independent mobility, active transport, physical activity and obesity, in Preventing Childhood Obesity: Evidence, Policy, and Practice, E. Waters, Boyd Swinburn, Ricardo Uauy, Jaap Seidell (eds), Wiley Blackwell.

Journal - Refereed

Hynes, M. & Sharpe, S., forthcoming, Affected with joy: Evaluating the mass actions of the anti-globalisation movement, Borderlands.

Thornton, A., Kerslake, M. & Binns, T., 2010, Alienation and obligation: The role of kinship and religion on the emergence of landlessness in Samoa, Asia-Pacific Viewpoint, in press.

Journal – Letter or Note

Thornton, A., in press, Book Review: Sustainable land Management in the Tropics: Explaining the Miracle, Kees Burger and Fred Zaal (eds), Surrey, Ashgate, Singapore, Journal of Tropical Geography, submitted 2009.


Bundy, A., Tranter, P.J., Naughton, G., Wyver, S. & luckett, T., 2009, Playfulness: Interactions between play contexts and child development, Children Families & Communities: Contexts and consequences (3rd edition), J. Bowes, R. Grace (eds), Oxford University Press, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 76-87.

Journal - Refereed

Bundy, A., luckett, T., Tranter, P.J., Naughton, G., Wyver, S., Ragen, J.A. & Spies, G., 2009, The risk that there is ‘no risk’: A simple, innovative intervention to increase children’s activity levels, International Journal of Early Years Education, 17(1), 33-45, doi: 10.1080/09669760802699878.

Thornton, A.C., 2009, Garden of Eden?: The impact of resettlement on squatters’ ‘agri-hoods’ in Fiji, Development in Practice, 19(7), 884-894, doi: 10.1080/09614520903122311.

Thornton, A.C., 2009, Pastures of plenty?: land rights and community-based agriculture in Peddie, a former homeland town in South Africa, Applied Geography, 29(1), 12-20, doi:10.1016/j.apgeog.2008.06.001.

Tranter, P.J. & lowes, M., 2009, life in the fast lane: Environmental, economic and public health outcomes of motorsport spectacles in Australia, Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 33(2), 150-168, doi: 10.1177/0193723509334171.

Conference – Full paper refereed

Connor, J.M. & Griffin, A.L., 2009, The muscle trade: International track and field athlete mobility, colonialism and development, Proceedings of The Australian Sociological Association Conference, The Australian National University, December 2009.

Hynes, M., Sharpe, S. & Greig, A., 2009, Seeming true in the social sciences: Reflections on an academic hoax, Proceedings of The Australian Sociological Association Conference, The Australian National University, December 2009.

Conference – Abstract

Beckenham, A. & Schaap, R. 2009, The network fetish: Commodifying the user, Communication, Creativity and Global Citizenship, ANZCA 2009 Conference, 8-10 July 2009, Queensland University of Technology, Creative Industries Precinct.

2008 publicationsBook - Edited

Thornton, A.C. & McGregor, A. (eds) 2008, Southern Perspectives: Proceedings of the 5th Biennial Conference of the Aotearoa New Zealand International Development Studies Network (DevNet), Dunedin, 3-5 November 2006, University of Otago, Dunedin, ISBN: 978-0-473-13832-5.

Book - Chapter

Thornton, A., 2008, Mixing methods and methodologies in urban agriculture research: A case study of South Africa, in Thornton, A.C. and McGregor, A. (eds), Southern Perspectives: Proceedings of the 5th Biennial Conference of the Aotearoa New Zealand International Development Studies Network (DevNet), Dunedin, 3-5 November 2006, University of Otago, Dunedin.

Journal - Refereed

Bundy, A., luckett, T., Naughton, G., Tranter, P.J., Wyver, S., Ragen, J., Singleton, E. & Spies, G., 2008, Playful interaction: Occupational therapy for all children on the school playground, American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62(5), 522-527.

Hynes, M.H., Sharpe, S.Q. & Greg, A., 2008, Chasing democracy: Dissent, humour and APEC, Social Alternatives, 27(1), 34-38.

May, M., Tranter, P.J. & Warn, J.R., 2008, Towards a holistic framework for road safety in Australia, Journal of Transport Geography, 16(6), 395-405, doi:10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2008.04.004.

Thornton, A.C., 2008, Beyond the metropolis: Small town case studies of urban and peri-urban agriculture in South Africa, Urban Forum, 19(3), 243-262, doi: 10.1007/s12132-008-9036-7.

Tranter, P.J. & Sharpe, S., 2008, Escaping monstropolis: Child-friendly cities, peak oil and Monsters, Inc.’, Children’s Geographies, 6(3), 295-308, doi: 10.1080/14733280802184021.

Tranter, P.J. & Malone, K., 2008, Out of bounds: insights from Australian children to support sustainable cities, Encounter: Education for Meaning and Social Justice, 21(4), 20-26.

Tranter, P.J. & Warn, J.R., 2008, Relationships between interest in motor racing and driver attitudes and behaviour amongst mature drivers: An Australian case study, Accident Analysis and Prevention, 40(5), 1683-1689, doi:10.1016/j.aap.2008.06.003.

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Williams, C.P., 2008, Female transnational migration, religion and subjectivity: The case of Indonesian domestic workers, Asia Pacific Viewpoint, 49(3), 344-353, doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8373.2008.00382.x.

Journal - Non refereed

Tranter, P.J., 2008, How to save time and money: Using the walking school bus to increase your “effective speed”, World Transport Policy & Practice, 14(1), 56-63.


Tranter, P.J., 2008, The journey to school: walking toward a future, World Transport Policy & Practice, 14(1), 3-5.

Conference -Full Paper Refereed

Beckenham, A., 2008, Face off online: Pedagogy and engagement in social network sites, Engaging communities : Proceedings of the 2008 annual international conference of the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Inc (HERDSA), 1-4 July 2008, Rotorua, New Zealand, M. Barrow & K. Sutherland (eds), HERDSA, Milperra, N.S.W.

Abstract available at: http://conference.herdsa.org.au/2008/pdfs/HERDSAProgramme_v8.pdf.


Smith, S., 2008, A new electoral barometer? Exploring the electoral geography of the Greens in Australian cities, Institute of Australian Geographers Conference, University of Tasmania, Hobart, 30 June-2 July 2008.

GrantsExternal GrantsA. Bundy, G.A. Naughton, P.J. Tranter, S.R. Wyver, l.A. Baur, W.E. Schiller & A. Bauman, Popping the bubblewrap: Unleashing the power of play, ARC Discovery, 2009-2011: $399k.

A. Bundy, G.A. Naughton, P.J. Tranter, S.R. Wyver, l.A. Baur & W.E. Schiller, Cluster randomised controlled trial of an innovative intervention to increase children’s physical activity, NHMRC Grant, 2009-2011: $486k.

A. Griffin & M. Doherty, Social-ecological intersections: A spatial approach to understanding bushfire risk and community capacity for resilience and adaptation in the Sydney metropolitan area, DSARC Scholarship/CSIRO, 2009-2010: $64,881.

A.C. Thornton with academics from the University of Otago (New Zealand), University of the Free State (South Africa), and the University of Zambia (lusaka, Zambia), Investigation of the current nature and future potential of urban and peri-urban agriculture to help meet the Millennium Development Goals in South Africa and Zambia, Global Development Network-UNDP, 2009-2010, USD $126,000.

A.C. Thornton with academics from University of Otago, and National University of Samoa, Cyclones, cash crops and capitalism: Can small-scale agri-industries survive economic openness in Samoa?, Oceania Development Network, 2008-2010, USD $6,000.

A.C. Thornton with academics from Otago University and National University of Samoa, Alienation and obligation: Exploring the role of the church and kinship in the emergence of landlessness in Samoa, University of Otago Research Grant (NZ), 2008-2009, NZ $12,000.

A.C. Thornton with academics from Sierra leone, UK and NZ Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DelPHE), Urban and Peri-Urban agriculture and food security in post-conflict Sierra leone, Grant (DfID/British Council, UK), 2008-2010, GBP 90 000 (ca. AUD $200,000).

Conference ParticipationDr Amy Griffin

• Using GIS to identify errors in an historical database, 14th International Conference of Historical Geographers, 23-27 August 2009, Kyoto, Japan.

• The muscle trade: International track and field athlete mobility, colonialism and development. Annual Conference of The Australian Sociological Association, 1-4 December 2009, Canberra.

Dr Alec Thornton

• Institutional capacity building for urban agriculture in Southern Africa, 3rd European Conference on African Studies (ECAS), 4-7 June 2009, leipzig, Germany.

• Kinship & church obligations and the emergence of landlessness in Samoa, 31st International Geographical Congress, 12-15 August 2008, Tunis, Tunisia.

• The church and development in Samoa, New Zealand Geographical Society 24th Conference 2008, 2-5 July 2008, University of victoria at Wellington.

Dr Paul Tranter

Dr Paul Tranter has given several keynote addresses and invited presentations on his research on child friendly cities and on effective speed. Some recent examples include:

• Invited speaker on Peak oil and child friendly environments at the Population, Peak Oil and Climate Change, National Conference, 14-15 March 2008.

• Invited Speaker at the Switch to Green Climate Change Expo and Conference, Canberra, 4 April 2008, on the theme of Creating sustainable cities through child friendly perspectives.

• Expert Speaker for Danish Embassy’s Dreams on Wheels Exhibition, 22 May 2008, Commonwealth Place, Canberra, with a presentation: How fast are you really going? The “effective speed” of cyclists.

• Invited speaker at the Sustainable City Fora, Australian Institute of Architects, Canberra, on Creating Child Friendly cities in a design brief for a sustainable city, 13 June 2008.

• Guest speaker at Department of Transport (Victoria) forum on Children’s Travel and Independent Mobility in a Changing World, 18 June 2008, Melbourne.

• Guest speaker at Australian Institute of Urban Studies Seminar Series, 20 August 2008, Town Hall House, Sydney, on the topic: A monster problem or child’s play? Peak oil and child-friendly cities.

• Keynote Address Home, school and the spaces in between, Child Friendly Cities Symposium, October 2008 University of Wollongong, titled: A monster problem or child’s play: Child friendly cities as a response to peak oil.

Society & Space


ServiceDr Alec Thornton - Co-Convenor, Asia-Pacific Seminar Series at UNSW, Canberra.

MembershipsDr Amy Griffin

• Member, American Association of Geographers.

• Member, Institute of Australian Geographers.

Dr Scott Sharpe


Dr Alec Thornton

• Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

• Member, Aotearoa New Zealand International Development Studies Network.

• Member, Global Development Network.

• Member, International Geographer’s Union.

• Member, Oceania Development Network.

• Member, Poverty, Inequality and Development Research Cluster.

From left to Right: Dr Scott Sharpe and Dr Paul Tranter are collaborators on a project investigating how the challenge of peak oil might provide opportunities for making cities more child-friendly.

Dr Paul Tranter


• Member, Editorial Board for the Journal: World Transport Policy and Practice (1995-present).

• Member, Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA).

Children’s sense of place is enhanced by close contact with their physical environment,and the opportunity to manipulate their environment. Here children play in their own “store” in a forest.

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The AIM Research Group focuses on using Applied Mathematics and Statistics to investigate a diverse range of real world problems. The emphasis is on actual real-life situations and an interaction with industry with the aim of producing real solutions.

The key steps to our research endeavours are the analysis of real world problems; the formulation of the problem in mathematical terms; the use of that formulation to provide an understanding of the nature of the problems and how they may be solved; and the communication of the outcomes to both the originators of the problems and the wider applied mathematics research community.

Group members call on the vast range of mathematical and statistical techniques supplemented with the application of extensive modern computing methods. The range of techniques and the mathematical thinking skills that experience develops results in an extraordinarily flexible and powerful approach that can be adapted to a huge set of different practical problems as illustrated by the list of projects.

The interdisciplinary nature of the work and the constraints imposed by dealing with genuine practical problems make this a challenging and rewarding area for research. The importance and value of the work is recognised by the success of the group members in obtaining grants and willingness of industry to offer financial support.

PhD student Jennifer Hollis in a field of lupin at the site of the Tripod Fire in Washington, USA. While in USA Jennifer explored woody fuel consumption equations from Consume 3.0, and how the Fuel Characteristic Classification System could be adapted for Australia.

Members Academic Staff: Assoc. Prof. Harvinder Sidhu, Director AIM ([email protected]) BSc Qld, DipEd S’pore, PhD QldAssoc. Prof. Rodney Weber ([email protected]) BSc Melb., PhD Tas.Dr Joanne Chapman ([email protected]) BSc PhD LancasterDr Zlatko Jovanoski ([email protected]) BSc Mon, PhD UNSWDr Peter McIntyre ([email protected]) BSc, PhD ANUDr Ben O’Neill ([email protected]) BActS(Hons) llB llM PhD ANUDr Leesa Sidhu ([email protected]) BSc(Hons), DipEd, MEdSt Qld, PhD UNSWDr Isaac Towers ([email protected]) BSc Otago, PhD UNSW@ADFA

Emeritus Professor:Emeritus Prof. Colin Pask ([email protected]) BSc Lond. PhD UNSW

Research Associate: Dr Jason Sharples ([email protected]) PhD Uni of Canberra

Visiting Fellows:Dr Wendy Anderson ([email protected]) BSc Lond., MSc Dund., PhD UNSWDr Steven Barry ([email protected]) BSc Adel., PhD UNSWAssoc. Prof. Ted Catchpole ([email protected]) BSc Lond., MSc Kent, PhD Dund.Assoc. Prof. Geoffry Mercer ([email protected]) BSc PhD Adel.

Research Students:Ms Roslyn Hickson - Research Topic - Critical times of multilayer diffusion.Ms Jennifer Hollis - Research Topic - Coarse woody fuel availability and consumption in Australian forest fires.Mr Thiansiri Luangwilai - Research Topic - Mathematical modelling of self-heating in compost piles.Mr Richard Pennifold - Research Topic - Dynamical systems behaviour of the forced Bonhoeffer van der pol equations.Mr Philip Zylstra - Research Topic - Forest flammability - modeling and managing a complex system.

Recent Graduate Student:Dr Brendan Pippen - Research Topic -Fuel moisture and fuel dynamics in woodland and heathland vegetation of the Sydney Basin, PhD 2008.

Current Honours Student:Adam Burgess

Research Collaborators:Prof. A. Adesina (University of NSW) Dr B. Barnes (Dept of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry)

Applied and Industrial Mathematics (AIM)


Dr L. Chambers (Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre, Melbourne)Prof. X.D. Chen (Monash University) Dr D. Cole (University of Kent, England) Prof. T. Coulson (Imperial College, london) Dr M. Cruz (Ensis, yarralumla, ACT) Dr P. Dann (Phillip Island Nature Park) Dr R. Day (University of Melbourne)Prof. J. Dold (Manchester University, UK) Dr P. Ellis (Ensis, yarralumla, ACT) Dr A. Forster (Plant Protection Chemistry, NZ) Mr J. Gould (Ensis, yarralumla, ACT)Dr V. Gubernov (P.N. lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences) Prof. R. Henderson (University of Newcastle, Newcastle -upon Tyne, UK) Mr D. Houston (Department of Conservation, New Zealand) Dr E. Johannesen (Institute of Marine Research, Norway) Dr K. King, Postdoctoral Fellow (The Australian National University and Bushfire CRC) Prof. S. Konar (Birla Institute of Technology, India) Ms R. Luscome (University of Melbourne) Prof. T. Marchant (University of Wollongong) Dr D. Marlow (DSTO) Dr S. Matthews (Ensis, yarralumla, ACT) Dr C. Meathrel (la Trobe University Wodonga) Dr L. McCaw (Department of Environment and Conservation, WA) Prof. B. J. T. Morgan (University of Kent England)Dr M. Nelson (University of Wollongong) Mr B. Robertson (la Trobe University, Wodonga) Dr J. Sexton (Geoscience Australia) Dr K. Stokes (CSIRO, Entomology, Canberra) Prof. G. Wake (Massey University, NZ) Dr J. Zabkiewicz (Plant Protection Chemistry, NZ)

Areas of ResearchBayesian statistics

Ben O’NeillTopics covers a range of areas such as the philosophy and foundations of Bayesian statistics, exchangeability and Bayesian modeling, computation problems in Bayesian analysis, informative sampling problems and robustness testing for Bayesian analysis.

Bushfire modelling

Rod Weber, Jason Sharples, Joanne Chapman, Karen King, Wendy Anderson, Phil Zylstra, Geoff Mercer

• Fireline growth

• Spread rates

• Meteorology in the high country and its effects on fire spread

• Impacts of fire on vegetation

• Spread and patterns in discontinuous fuels

• Effects of prescribed burning

Modelling of many aspects of bushfires from the growth of the fireline, fuel dependent spread rates, impacts on live vegetation, determining damage criteria and effects of prescribed burning. Members of the group are actively involved with the Bushfire CRC.

Combustion theory

Harvi Sidhu, Geoff Mercer, Rod Weber, Vladimir Gubernov, Isaac Towers, Jason Sharples

• Combustion waves

• Stability

• Initiation

• Multistep reactions

• Evans function analysis

• Chemical reactors

• Models of composting

• Polymers

Investigation of combustion waves in both solid and gaseous fuels using a broad variety of both numerical and analytic approaches. This work ranges over new combustion wave solutions for chain branching models, stability analysis using Evans function methods, critical initial conditions for combustion to take place and the effects of ambient temperature and heat losses on combustion waves. Others aspects related to combustion studied include chemical reactors (batch and continual flow), models of industrial composting, landfill and waste water treatment.

Defence applications

Geoff Mercer, Harvi Sidhu, Steve Barry• Minimising detection by enemy radar

• Safest routes through minefields

• Dynamic route changes in real time to minimise risk

• Optimal route for aerial surveillance of ships

• Effects of classification range and turning radius on optimal routes

• Travelling salesman problem applied to aerial surveillance

Different aspect of travel through a risk environment are studied. Determining the minimal detection route through an area under radar surveillance using differential equation based models. This has application to Unmanned Air vehicle (UAv) deployment and design issues. Calculation of the safest route through a minefield when information on the location of the mines is only discovered once travel is underway. Solutions must be able to be calculated in real time. Many aspects of the aerial surveillance of maritime regions including use of a modified dynamic travelling salesman problem to determine the visiting order of detected but as yet unclassified ships and aspects of the airplanes capabilities such as turning radius. This is joint work with DSTO Air Operations Division.


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Design of large area mode fibres

Isaac Towers & Zlatko JovanoskiSingle-moded optical fibres are preferred for optical communication and for high power applications. The small core of a conventional single-mode fibre leads to high power densities and gives rise to significant unwanted nonlinear optical effects. Nonlinear effects in a fibre can distort the pulses at high bit rate and can produce crosstalk among the closely spaced wavelengths. However, the use of large-core conventional fibres to overcome nonlinear effects is not advisable as the large number of modes in such a fibre reduces the data transfer rate in an optical communication system and affects the beam quality in fibre lasers. It is therefore preferred to use a fibre with a large core yet supporting a single guided mode. The goal of this project is to investigate designs for optical fibres which maximise mode area but allow only a single mode to propagate a meaningful distance.

Dynamical systems

Harvi Sidhu, Geoff Mercer, Richard Pennifold, Zlatko Jovanoski

• Analysing chaotic behaviour

• Dynamics in ecology

• Spread of diseases

• Estuary behaviour

• Forced systems

We utilize methods and techniques from nonlinear dynamics theory such as bifurcation and singularity theories to investigate complex real-world phenomena such as population interactions in ecology, spread of diseases, dynamics of shallow estuaries under drought conditions and forced systems. We also investigate new methods to quantify chaotic behaviour in dynamical systems.

Frailty modelling

Joanne Chapman with Prof. Robin HendersonRandom errors and unmeasurable association within clusters cannot be assumed Normally distributed and ignored in survival analysis as in other areas. The frailty term is introduced to represent these unknowns. A typical assumption is that the frailty variable follows a gamma distribution. Models which extend existing models and allow for the possibility of negative correlation within clusters (as often seen in animal litters) are being developed.

Industrial process modelling

Geoff Mercer, Harvi Sidhu, Steve Barry• Wool scouring

• Porous filtering

• Wastewater treatment

• Compost

• Bioreactors

• Bloom in chocolate

• Submarine battery charging

• Wine fermentation

Many different industrial processes are studied with in the research group. These research areas have often been initiated by members attendance at the annual Mathematics in Industry Study Group.

Mathematics in Industry Study Group

Geoff Mercer, Harvi Sidhu, Steve Barry, Rod Weber, Roslyn Hickson, Richard PennifoldMembers of the AIMRG are actively involved in the annual Mathematics in Industry Study Group (MISG). They have, and continue to, moderate many problems at the MISG. This provides a rich source of new and exciting research areas of direct relevance to industry.

Modelling extreme temperature effects on living tissue

Geoff Mercer, Harvi Sidhu, Steve Barry• Skin burns

• Models of skin burns subject to fire exposure

• Automotive airbags

• Design of firefighter clothing to minimise skin burn

• The effect of cold water on a swimmers core temperature

• Modelling hypothermia

• Wart freezing

Human skin and subcutaneous tissue is a complex organ designed to efficiently cope with a wide range of temperatures and conditions. However, at extremely high temperatures, such as exposures during fires or explosions, the skin is unable to transport the heat away fast enough and burns occur. Similarly, at cold temperatures, the skin is unable to insulate properly causing long term heat loss and hypothermia. We look at various models of heat transfer through the skin and subcutanious tissue to better understand this behaviour.

Numerical schemes for parabolic partial differential equations

Isaac Towers

This research project is to develop and implement numerical schemes which solve multi-dimensional partial differential equations (PDE). By using an appropriate set of orthogonal basis functions the goal is to create a spectral method which allows for boundary conditions at infinity while maintaining the speed of an explicit time-marching approach. Operator splitting, integrating factors and the so-called explicit exponential methods are being investigated.

Numerical schemes for simulating optical beam propagation

Isaac TowersTo compliment theoretical investigations of nonlinear optical beams we develop numerical schemes to efficiently study beam propagation. A variety of techniques are being investigated to provide fast and accurate simulations.



Plant and disease spread

Steve Barry, Geoff Mercer, Harvi Sidhu, Roslyn Hickson• Models of weed spread

• Intervention strategies

• Seed banks

• Flood events

There are several current models to simulate the spreading of weeds (or any population) in the environment, involving reaction-diffusion equations, integro-difference equations, cellular automata systems, SIR ordinary differential equation, stochastic differential equations, among others. We are currently developing PlANTSIM, a Matlab based package, which allows users to simulate and compare numerous population spread simulation models in either real or artificial situations. A key feature is the Graphical User Interface which allows users to manipulate the complex parameter data sets involved in real simulations. PlANTSIM allows the user to overlay, visualise and manipulate parameter data on satellite imagery, and then run a collection of different simulation routines, with output automatically visualised in a variety of formats with key results summarised and graphed in generated laTeX and pdf files.

Additional work is being done on formulating new models for weed spread, particularly along river systems. This is being applied to the spread of lippia in the Murray-Darling system.

Statistical Ecology

In order to ensure the survival of animal populations it is essential to be able to estimate mortality rates in the wild. Two ways of doing this are from the recovery of bands from animals found dead, and from mark-recapture experiments. Models involving survival, recapture and recovery probabilities as unknown parameters, are developed and fitted.

The following projects are currently being undertaken in this area:

Effect of banding on juvenile Little Penguins Eudyptula minor

Leesa Sidhu and Ted CatchpoleThis work is being conducted in collaboration with researchers from the Phillip Island Nature Park. For more than 50 years, researchers have been marking penguins with flipper bands. Studies of Adélie Penguins and King Penguins have shown that banded penguins have lower survival rates than unbanded birds, and that they use more energy than unbanded birds when swimming. Our earlier work in this area was the first to study the effect of banding on little Penguins. We showed that banding had a detrimental effect on the survival of adult penguins, with banded birds having an annual survival probability 6% lower than unbanded birds. While the effect of banding on juvenile little Penguins is currently unknown, it is likely that banding significantly reduces the survival of young birds, particularly in their first year of life, and that our existing estimates of first-year survival underestimate the true survival probability for unbanded birds. A study examining the effects of banding on juvenile little Penguins is currently underway on Phillip Island. The main aim of this project is to analyse the data from the Phillip Island study, in order to obtain estimates for survival for banded and unbanded juvenile little Penguins, and for band loss in penguin chicks. The Department of the Environment and Heritage will use the results of this project, together with those from our earlier work, to determine whether banding of little Penguins will be allowed to continue in Australia.

Analysis of recovery/recapture data for Pacific Gulls Larus pacificus

Leesa Sidhu and Ted CatchpoleThis work is being conducted in collaboration with researchers from la Trobe University. The Pacific Gull is the only large gull occurring naturally in Australia. There is evidence that its population size is falling, its range contracting, and that it could become extinct. While earlier studies of Pacific Gulls have focused on their biology, there are no existing survival estimates for these birds. This study will be the first to produce age- and time-varying survival estimates for these birds, by analysing a long-term mark-recapture-recovery dataset. Such a study is crucial to improve our understanding of these birds, and to ensure the survival of this species.

Analysis of recovery/recapture data for Short-tailed Shearwaters Puffinus tenuirostris

Leesa Sidhu and Ted CatchpoleThis work is being conducted in collaboration with researchers from la Trobe University. Short-tailed Shearwaters have been studied continuously on Fisher Island, Tasmania since 1946, making it one of the longest continuous studies of any wildlife population in the world. Although life-history data have been collected sporadically over this time period, a detailed mark-recapture-recovery analysis has not yet been conducted. This study will produce age- and time-varying survival estimates for Short-tailed Shearwaters, and examine the effect of individual covariates such as egg size on first year survival.

Comparing first year survival for Little Penguins Eudyptula minor in Phillip Island, Australia and Oamaru, New Zealand

Leesa Sidhu and Ted CatchpoleThis work is being conducted in collaboration with researchers from the Phillip Island Nature Park , the Department of Conservation, New Zealand and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway. While the Phillip Island study has been underway for almost 40 years, the New Zealand study consists of six years of data. Here we estimate and compare the survival of penguins in these two locations and determine to what extent the conclusions of covariate dependence of survival can be extended from Phillip Island to another penguin colony.

Stefan problems with two moving boundaries - modelling swelling processes

Steve Barry, Geoff Mercer, Harvi Sidhu• Cooking of whole grains

• Swelling of polymer implants in drug delivery

• Exact and asymptotic solutions of Stefan problems

• Swelling of grease layers on wool fibres

During the cooking of whole grains, or the swelling of grease, water diffuses into the outside of the grain causing the outer boundary to swell. This creates a partially swollen region which expands inwards and outwards over time. This then leads to a diffusion problem where the two boundaries defining the diffusive region move (a Stefan problem). We consider modelling this process and finding exact, numerical and asymptotic solutions to the system.


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Vision processes in humans and insects

Peter McIntyre and Colin Pask

Student ResearchCritical times of multilayer diffusion

Roslyn Hickson ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Applied Mathematics

Diffusion through multiple layers has applications to a wide range of areas in heat and mass transport. An important aspect of multilayer diffusion is the `critical time’, which is a measure of how long the diffusive process takes.

This project involves using an exact solution for multilayer diffusion to demonstrate the limitations of traditional averaging methods, which only work for a large number of layers or in the steady state. This solution is used to find a better approximation for a particular definition of critical time. The work is then extended to reaction diffusion models, with application to invasive plant spread.

Coarse woody fuel availability and consumption in Australian forest fires

Jennifer Hollis ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Statistics

After the passage of a fire front it is the larger, coarse woody fuels (>6mm diameter) that once ignited by fire, that will greatly influence: total energy output; convection column development; fire behaviour; greenhouse gas emissions; air quality; damage to biotic elements; soil heating; habitat quality; suppression/mop-up difficulty; and potential for re-ignition.

The focus of this research is the determination of proportion of woody fuel consumed and rate of consumption as functions of fire intensity; season; fuel type; and fuel condition in Australian forests. The research also includes testing current empirical and physics-based models of woody fuel consumption and the development of a fuel consumption model suitable for Australian eucalypt forests.

The outcomes of this research will assist the better management woody fuels. The Australian Woody Fuel Consumption Model developed can be incorporated into fire management decision support systems assisting fire and land management agencies to better predict the total fuel consumed in prescribed fires and wildfires and enhance planning for expected fire behaviour, smoke and greenhouse gas emissions and associated fire impact.

Dynamical systems behaviour of the Forced Bonhoeffer Van der pol equations

Richard Pennifold ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Applied Mathematics

The forced Bonhoffer van der Pol equations provide a description of how nerve impulses travel down the axon of a squid nerve cell under external stimuli. Previous work used bifurcation diagrams and lyapunov exponents to explore the dynamics of this system. In our study we use continuation methods to clarify the bifurcations of the periodic orbits which had previously been ambiguous. We have developed numerical tools, such as the shooting and Galerkin

methods. We also use the recent 0-1 test for chaos and conclude that this test offers a number of advantages over the lyapunov exponent test. We have also used analytical and semi-analytical methods to determine approximate solutions to the system. We will also analyse the coupled Bonhoffer van der Pol system. The key point of our study is to develop an array of methods (both numerical and analytical) to enable accurate investigations into forced systems.

Forest flammability - modeling and managing a complex system

Philip Zylstra ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Forest fire behaviour

The intent of the project is to develop a complex systems model of fire behaviour which can demonstrate quantitatively the role of different fuel strata, species, dimensions and individual weather parameters in fire behaviour, allowing for more effective management of forest flammability.

Mathematics modeling of self-heating in compost piles

Thiansiri Luangwilai ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Applied Mathematics

The phenomenon of spontaneous ignition due to internal heating in bulk solids such as coal, grain, hay, wool wastes, etc., can be described by thermal explosion theory. In such models heat release is usually represented by a single Arrhenius reaction and combustion is initiated when heat-loss is unable to balance the heat generated by the internal heating of the bulk material. However in industrial processes involving large volumes of bulk organic materials there are in fact two sources of heat-generation: a low-temperature process involving the growth and respiration of micro-organisms, such as aerobic mould-fungi and bacteria, and a high-temperature process due to oxidation of cellulosic materials. Examples of processes where biological heating is important include large-scale composting operations, the storage of industrial waste fuel, such as municipal solid waste, and landfills. In these examples, self-heating due to biological activity is considered desirable, for example in composting. Elevated temperatures of the order 70-90 degree Celsius may be found within a few months or even a few days. Although it has been recognised for over twenty years that biological heating may be an indispensable prelude to self-ignition, very little information is available regarding the mechanism of fires when biological self-heating is involved, despite fires occurring at landfills worldwide. In my PhD program I intend to extend the basic models to include more realistic features such as oxygen consumption, advection through the compost pile, as well as the inclusion of moisture. I will analyse these in both one- and two-dimensional geometries. We believe that the results of my PhD will be one of the first, comprehensive mathematical studies to explain the self-heating process in industrial size compost piles

PhD Opportunities and ScholarshipsIf you require any further information, are interested in collaborative research with members of the group, or looking at a potential PhD or research Masters topic then please contact: Assoc. Prof. Harvinder Sidhu ([email protected])



Topics are not limited to those shown in our research areas, and we are open to new areas of research in applied mathematics that are of interest to you and us. Email us and we will discuss any proposals you might have and possible available funding.


Hickson, R.I., Barry, S.I. & Mercer, G.N., in press, Critical times in multilayer diffusion. Part 1: Exact solutions, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, accepted.

Hickson, R.I., Barry, S.I. & Mercer, G.N., in press, Critical times in multilayer diffusion. Part 2: Approximate solutions, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, accepted.

Jovanoski, Z. & Towers, I., in press, Domain wall stability, ANZIAM Journal (E), accepted.

Mahmud, M., Safinski, T.,Nelson, M., Sidhu, H.S., Adesina, A., 2009, Kinetic analysis of oleic acid esterification using lipase as catalyst in a microaqueous environment, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, accepted July 2009.

Oslington, P. & Towers, I., in press, Pushing economies - and students - outside the factor price equalisation zone, Journal of Economic Education.

Oslington, P. & Towers, I., in press, Trade and migration in a world without factor price equalisation, Review of International Economics.

Sharples, J.J., in press, An overview of mountain meteorological effects relevant to fire behaviour and bushfire risk, International Journal of Wildland Fire.


Luangwilai, T., Sidhu, H., Nelson, M. & Chen, X., 2009, Biological self-heating of compost piles with air flow, Chemeca 2009, 27-30 September 2009, Burswood Entertainment Complex, Perth, Australia, accepted. Abstract available at: http://www.chemeca2009.com/abstract/5.asp

Conference - Poster

Hollis, J., 2009, Woody fuel consumption and carbon in the changing climate of Australia, accepted for Meeting Expectations, AFAC/CRC Conference, 22-24 September 2009, Gold Coast, Queensland.

Zylstra, P., 2009, The forest flammability model, accepted for Meeting Expectations, AFAC/CRC Conference, 22-24 September 2009, Gold Coast, Queensland.


Gubernov, v., Kolobov, A.v., Polezhaev, A.A., Sidhu, H.S. & Mercer, G.N., 2009, Pulsating instabilities of combustion waves in a chain-branching reaction model, International Journal on Bifurcation and Chaos, 19(3), 873-887, doi: 10.1142/S0218127409023354.

Hickson, R.I., Barry, S.I. & Mercer, G.N., 2009, Exact and numerical solutions for effective diffusivity and time lag through multiple layers, ANZIAM J. (E), 50, C682-C695.

Nelson, M.I. & Sidhu, H.S. 2009, Analysis of the activated sludge model (number 1), Applied Mathematics Letters, 22(5), 629-635, doi: 10.1016/j.aml.2008.05.003.

Nelson, M.I. & Sidhu, H.S., 2009, Analysis of a chemostat model with variable yield coefficient: Tessier kinetics, Journal of Mathematical Chemistry, 46(2), 303-321, doi: 10.1007/s10910-008-9463-7.

O’Neill, B., 2009, Exchangeability, correlation and Bayes’ effect, International Statistical Review, 77(2), 241-250, doi:10.1111/j.1751-5823.2008.00059.x.

Rowe, M.P., Sidhu, H.S. & Mercer, G.N. 2009, Military aviation application for a springs and masses safest path determining model, Journal of Battlefield Technology,12(1), 27-32.

Sharples, J.J., McRae, R., Weber, R.O. & Gill, A.M., 2009, A simple index for assessing fire danger rating, Environmental Modelling & Software, 24(6), 764-774, doi:10.1016/j.envsoft.2008.11.004.

Sharples, J.J., McRae, R., Weber, R.O. & Gill, A.M., 2009, A simple index for assessing fuel moisture content, Environmental Modelling & Software, 24(5), 637-646, doi:10.1016/j.envsoft.2008.10.012.

Sidhu, H.S., Gubernov, v.v., Kolobov, A.v., Polezhaev, A.A., Mercer, G.N. & Sharples, J.J., 2009, Oscillatory combustion waves in a chain branching model, ANZIAM J. (E), 50, C1017-C1032.

Sidhu, H.S., Watt, S.D. & Nelson, M.I., 2009, Performance comparison between a two-reactor cascade and a single reactor in an activated slude wastewater treatment process, International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 3 (3/4), 214-225.


Sharples, J.J., Gubernov, v.v., Sidhu, H.S., Towers, I.N., Kolobov, A.v. & Polezhaev, A.A., 2009, Behaviour of combustion waves in one-step and two-step models, Proceedings of the 18th IMACS World Congress and MODSIM09, 13-17 July, Cairns, pp. 4453-4459.

Sharples, J.J., Mills, G.A., McRae, R.H.D. & Weber, R.O., 2009, Fire danger anomalies associated with foehn-like winds in southeastern Australia, Proceedings of the 18th IMACS World Congress and MODSIM09, 13-17 July, Cairns, pp. 268-274.

Sharples, J.J., McRae, R.H.D. & Weber, R.O. 2009, An empirical probabilistic study of wind directions in complex terrain, Proceedings of the 18th IMACS World Congress and MODSIM09, 13-17 July, Cairns, pp. 4446-4452.

Sharples, J.J., Weber, R.O., McRae, R.H.D. & Gill, A.M., 2009, A simple method for assessing fuel moisture content and fire danger rating, Proceedings of the 18th IMACS World Congress and MODSIM09, 13-17 July, Cairns, pp. 275-281.

Weber, R.O., Dold, J.W. & Zinoviev, A., 2009, Including suppression effectiveness in fireline growth models, Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland Bushfire 2006 Conference Special Edition, 115, pp. 45-49.

Whiten, B., Fulford, G., Hickson, R.I. & Pritchard, G., 2009, The response of power systems to autonomous ``Grid Friendly Devices’’, Proceedings of the 2008 Mathematics in Industry Study Group, T.R. Marchant, M. Edwards, G.N. Mercer (eds), pp. 81-101.


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Hollis, J. & McCaw, W.l., 2009, Woody fuel consumption and carbon in the changing climate of Australia, presented at, Institute of Foresters Australia Conference, 6-10 September 2009, Caloundra, Queensland, Australia.


Dovers, S., Hutchison, M., lindenmayer, D., Manning, A., Mills, F., Perkins, P., Sharples, J.J. & White, I., 2008, Uncertainty, complexity and the environment, in Uncertainty and Risk; Multidisciplinary Perspectives, G. Bammer, M. Smithson (eds), Earthscan, UK, pp. 245-260.

Nelson, M.I., Chen, X.D. & Sidhu, H.S., 2008, Reducing the emission of pollutants in industrial wastewater through the use of membrane bioreactors, in Aspects of Mathematical Modelling, R.J. Hosking, E. venturino (eds), Birkhauser, Basel, pp. 95-107.

Journal - Refereed

Ahmed, M.S., Kayali, O.A. & Anderson, W.R., 2008, Chloride penetration in binary and ternary blended cement concretes as measured by two different rapid methods, Cement and Concrete Composites, 30(7), 576-582, doi:10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2008.02.005.

Amos, K.J., Croke, J.C., Hughes, A.O., Chapman, J., Takken, I. & lymburner, l., 2008, A catchment-scale assessment of anabranching in the143,000 km2 Fitzroy River catchment, north-eastern Australia, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 33(8), 1222-1241, doi: 10.1002/esp.1609.

Barry, S.I. & Caunce, J.F., 2008, Exact and numerical solutions to a Stefan problem with two moving boundaries, Applied Mathematical Modelling, 32(1), 83-98, doi:10.1016/j.apm.2006.11.004.

Barry, S.I., Hickson, R. & Stokes, K., 2008, Modelling lippia spread down flooding river systems, ANZIAM J. (E.), 49, C359-C375.

Barry, S.I. & Sweatman, W.l., 2008, Modelling heat transfer in steel coils, ANZIAM J. (E.), 50, 668-681.

Barry, S.I. & Brown, S., 2008, Modelling parasite density in ruminants, ANZIAM J. (E.), 50, 696-712.

Barry, S.I., 2008, Temperature driven air flow through wine corks, ANZIAM J. (E.), 50, C444-C458.

Caunce, J.F., Barry, S.I. & Mercer, G.N., 2008, A spatially dependent model for washing wool, Applied Mathematical Modelling, 32(4), 389-404, doi:10.1016/j.apm.2006.12.010.

Catchpole, E.A., Morgan, B.J. & Tavecchia, G., 2008, A new method for analysing discrete life history data with missing covariate values, Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series B - Statistical Methodology, 70(2), 445-460, doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9868.2007.00644.x.

Gubernov, v., Sidhu, H.S. & Mercer, G.N., 2008, Combustion waves in a model with chain branching reaction and their stability, Combustion Theory and Modelling, 12(3), 407-431, doi: 10.1080/13647830701716948.

Gubernov, v., Sidhu, H.S., Mercer, G.N., Kolobov, A. & Polezhaev, A., 2008, The effect of lewis number variation on combustion waves in a model with chain-branching reaction, Journal of Mathematical Chemistry, 44(3), 816-830, doi: 10.1007/s10910-008-9363-x.

Hennessy, K., Whetton, P., Walsh, K., Smith, I.N., Bathols, J.M., Hutchinson, M. & Sharples, J.J., 2008, Climate change effects on snow conditions in mainland Australia and adaptation at ski resorts through snowmaking, Climate Research, 35(3), 255-270.

Hickson, R., Barry, S.I. & Stokes, K., 2008, Comparison of weed spread models, ANZIAM J. (E.), 49, C324-C340.

Hickson, R., Barry, S.I. & Mercer, G.N., 2008, Exact and numerical solutions for effective diffusivity and time lage through multiple layers, ANZIAM J. (E.), 50, 682-695.

Jovanoski, Z., Ansari, N.A., Towers, I.N. & Sammut, R.A., 2008, Exact domain-wall solitons, Physics Letters A, 372(5), 610-612, doi:10.1016/j.physleta.2007.07.068.

King, K.J., Bradstock, R., Carey, G.J., Chapman, J.S. & Marsden-Smedley, J.B., 2008, The relative importance of fine-scale fuel mosaics on reducing fire risk in south-west Tasmania, Australia, International Journal of Wildland Fire, 17(3), 421-430, doi: 10.1071/WF07052.

Mercer, G.N., Barry, S.I., Marlow, D.O. & Kilby, P., 2008, Investigating the effect of detection and classification range and aircraft dynamics on a simplified maritime surveillance scenario, ANZIAM J. (E.), 49, C475-C492.

Mercer, G.N. & Sidhu, H.S., 2008, Mathematical modelling of the effect of fire exposure on a new type of protective clothing, ANZIAM J. (E.), 49, C289-C305.

Nelson, M.I., Balakrishnan, E., Sidhu, H.S. & Chen, X., 2008, A fundamental analysis of continuous flow bioreactor models and membrane reactor models to process industrial wastewaters, Chemical Engineering Journal, 140(1-3), 521-528, doi:10.1016/j.cej.2007.11.035.

Pennifold, R.M., Sidhu, H.S. & Mercer, G.N., 2008, Investigation of the forced Bonhoeffer van der Pol equations via continuation and other methods, ANZIAM J. (E.), 49, C626-C641.

Plucinski, M.P. & Anderson, W.R., 2008, laboratory determination of factors influencing successful point ignition in the litter layer of shrubland vegetation, International Journal of Wildland Fire, 17(5), 628-637, doi: 10.1071/WF07046.

Sharples, J.J., 2008, Review of formal methodologies for wind-slope correction of wildfire rate of spread, International Journal of Wildland Fire, 17(2), 179-193, doi: 10.1071/WF06156.

Towers, I. & Jovanoski, Z., 2008, Application of rational Chebyshev polynomials to optical problems, ANZIAM Journal, 50, C60-C74.


Hollis J., Whitford K., Robinson R. & Danti S., 2008, Down but not out: Discovering the significance of dead wood, Landscope 24(2), 10–16.



Kilby, P., Tobin, P., luscombe, R., Barry, S.I. & Hickson, R., 2008, DSTO, The maritime surveillance problem, Proceedings of the 2007 Mathematics and Statistics in Industry Study Group, T.R. Marchant, M. Edwards, and G.N. Mercer (eds), pp. 32-56, Available at:http://www.uow.edu.au/content/groups/public/@web/@inf/@math/documents/doc/uow040974.pdf

Mahmud, M.S., Ryan, J.W., Cooper, C., Safinski, T., Nelson, M.I., Sidhu, H.S. & Adesina, A.A., 2008, Kinetic analysis of oleic acid esterification using lipolytic enzyme as catalyst, Proc. 36th Australasian Chem. Eng. Conf. (CD-ROM), CHEMECA 2008, Newcastle, Australia, pp. 1382-1392.

Mercer, G.N. & Sidhu, H.S., 2008, Investigating the effectiveness of phase change materials as a new type of protective clothing for firefighters, Proc. 36th Australasian Chem. Eng. Conf. (CD-ROM), CHEMECA 2008, Newcastle, Australia, pp. 1968-1978.

Nelson, M.I., Sidhu, H.S. & Adesina, A.A., 2008, An operational model for a well-stirred membrane bioreactor: reactor performance analysis, Proc. 36th Australasian Chem. Eng. Conf. (CD-ROM), CHEMECA 2008, Newcastle, Australia, pp. 1565-1574.

Nelson, M.I., Sidhu, H.S. & Chen, X.D., 2008, The passage of food through animal stomachs: a chemical reactor engineering approach, Proc. 36th Australasian Chem. Eng. Conf. (CD-ROM), CHEMECA 2008, Newcastle, Australia, pp. 533-542.

Sidhu, H.S., Gubernov, v., Mercer, G.N., Kolobov, A. & Polezhaev, A., 2008, Investigation of a nonadiabatic two-step chain branching reaction model, Proc. 36th Australasian Chem. Eng. Conf. (CD-ROM), CHEMECA 2008, Newcastle, Australia, pp. 1958-1967.

Sidhu, H.S., Kavanagh, J., Watt, S.D. & Nelson, M.I., 2008, Performance evaluation of ethanol production through continuous fermentation, Proc. 36th Australasian Chem. Eng. Conf. (CD-ROM), CHEMECA 2008, Newcastle, Australia, pp. 590-599.

Stokes, K.E., Barry, S.I., Hickson, R. & Cunningham, S.A. 2008, Future spread of lippia in the Murray-Darling Basin under climate change, 16th Australian Weeds Conference Proceedings, Brisbane, Queensland Weeds Society, 44-46.


Mahmud, M.S., Ryan, J.W., Safinski, T., Sidhu, H.S., Nelson, M.I. & Adesina, A.A., 2008, Biodiesel synthesis via lipase-catalyzed esterification of oleic acid with ethanol, The 14th International Congress on Catalysis, 13-18 July 2008, Seoul, Korea.

Conference – Poster

Hollis J.J., Anderson W.R., Chapman J., Gould J.S., Matthews S. & McCaw W.l. 2008, Behind the flaming zone: Woody fuel consumption in Australian forest fires, Fire, Environment & Society, The International Bushfire Research Conference of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre incorporating the 15th Annual AFAC Conference, 1-3 September 2008, Adelaide, Australia.

Hollis J.J., Anderson W.R., Chapman J., Gould J.S., Matthews S. & McCaw W.l. 2008, Behind the flaming zone: Woody fuel consumption in Australian forest fires, presented at UNSW@ADFA Research Day 2008.

McRae, R.H.D., Sharples, J.J. & Weber, R.O., 2008, HighFire Risk: Fire crew watch-outs arising from our research, Fire, Environment & Society, The International Bushfire Research Conference of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre incorporating the 15th Annual AFAC Conference, 1-3 September 2008, Adelaide, Australia.

McRae, R.H.D., Sharples, J.J. & Weber, R.O., 2008, HighFire Risk: The role of rugged landscapes, Fire, Environment & Society, The International Bushfire Research Conference of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre incorporating the 15th Annual AFAC Conference, 1-3 September 2008, Adelaide, Australia.

McRae, R.H.D., Sharples, J.J. & Weber, R.O., 2008, HighFire Risk: The thermal belt in Australia, Fire, Environment & Society, The International Bushfire Research Conference of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre incorporating the 15th Annual AFAC Conference, 1-3 September 2008, Adelaide, Australia.

McRae, R.H.D., Sharples, J.J. & Weber, R.O., 2008, HighFire Risk: violent pyro-convection – an international study, Fire, Environment & Society, The International Bushfire Research Conference of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre incorporating the 15th Annual AFAC Conference, 1-3 September 2008, Adelaide, Australia.

Sharples, J.J., Weber, R.O. & McRae, R.H.D., 2008, HighFire Risk: Analysis of lee-slope eddies, Fire, Environment & Society, The International Bushfire Research Conference of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre incorporating the 15th Annual AFAC Conference, 1-3 September 2008, Adelaide, Australia.

Sharples, J.J., Weber, R.O., McRae, R.H.D. & Gill, A.M., 2008, HighFire Risk: A simple approach for assessing fuel moisture content and fire danger rating, Fire, Environment & Society, The International Bushfire Research Conference of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre incorporating the 15th Annual AFAC Conference, 1-3 September 2008, Adelaide, Australia.

Sharples, J.J., Weber, R.O., McRae, R.H.D. & Mills, G.A., 2008, HighFire Risk: Weather anomalies in the high-country I: Nocturnal low-level jets, Fire, Environment & Society, The International Bushfire Research Conference of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre incorporating the 15th Annual AFAC Conference, 1-3 September 2008, Adelaide, Australia.

Sharples, J.J., Weber, R.O., McRae, R.H.D. & Mills, G.A., 2008, HighFire Risk: Weather anomalies in the high-country II: Subsidence Inversions, Fire, Environment & Society, The International Bushfire Research Conference of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre incorporating the 15th Annual AFAC Conference, 1-3 September 2008, Adelaide, Australia.

Zylstra, P., 2008, live fuels and forest flammability, Fire, Environment & Society, The International Bushfire Research Conference of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre incorporating the 15th Annual AFAC Conference, 1-3 September 2008, Adelaide, Australia.

Zylstra, P., 2008, Perceptions and evidence of pre-European fire in the Australian Alps, Fire, Environment & Society, The International Bushfire Research Conference of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre incorporating the 15th Annual AFAC Conference, 1-3 September 2008, Adelaide, Australia.

Thesis

Pippen, Brendan Gerard, 2008, Fuel moisture and fuel dynamics in woodland and heathland vegetation of the Sydney Basin, School of Physical, Environmental & Mathematical Sciences, Australian Defence Force Academy, UNSW, PhD Thesis, Available at: http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/38697.


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GrantsExternal GrantsH.S. Sidhu, G.N. Mercer & R.O. Weber, Analysing instabilities in complex combustion models for different geometrical configurations ARC Discovery Project, $301,118 (2008: $90,000, 2009: $90,000, 2010: $90,000, 2011: $31,118).

Bushfire CRC, HighFire 2006 to 2008, $225,000.

UNSW GrantsB. O’Neill, New Staff Start-Up Grant for 2009: $7,480.

G.N. Mercer, Benchmarking optimum route planning methods for airborne maritime surveillance operations, Defence-Related Research Funding Scheme Grants, 2008: $3,445.

L.A. Sidhu, Analysis of recovery/recapture data for Pacific Gulls, Early Career Researcher Grant, 2008: $12,324.

L.A. Sidhu, Effect of banding on juvenile little Penguins, Start-up Grant, 2008: $9,970.

H.S. Sidhu & A.A. Adesina, Process intensification for autothermal generation of hydrogen from light hydrocarbons by periodic composition forcing, UNSW Silverstar Award for their ARC project 2008: ($10,000 each).

J.R. Taylor, H.S. Sidhu & R.J. Hughes, Investigation of uncertainties in bathymetric retrievals using a semi-analytic method, Defence-Related Research Funding Scheme, 2008: $18,627.

Conference ParticipationFrom 28 January-1 February 4 2008 Geoff Mercer, Steve Barry, Zlatko Jovanoski and Roslyn Hickson attended the annual Mathematics in Industry Study Group (MISG).

Geoff Mercer, Harvi Sidhu, Steve Barry, Rod Weber and Roslyn Hickson attended the annual Australian and New Zealand Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ANZIAM) Conference in Katoomba from 4-7 February 2008.

PhD student Roslyn Hickson was awarded funding to attend both the Graduate Industrial Mathematics Modelling Camp and the Industrial Problem-Solving Workshop (IPSW) at University of Regina, Canada from 9-20 June 2008. For the IPSW she worked with a small group on a local area positioning problem from Accutrak. Accutrak research, design and develop accurate steering systems for agriculture. This particular problem involves determining the location of a tractor relative to beacons which have been placed around a field. The beacons communicate with the tractor receiver via a particular frequency with a known wavelength. Accutrak’s system cannot determine the integer number of wavelengths from the beacons to the receiver, however it can detect the fractional component of the wavelength. To find the position of the tractor the fractional components from at least 3 beacons are used to set up a system of nonlinear equations. This system is not trivial to solve, but the real complexity comes from the variety of sources of errors within the system. GPS is not sufficiently accurate for this task, as its reliable accuracy is only ±10 metres for moving objects.

At the Australian Statistical Conference in Melbourne in 30 June-3 July 2008, 41 early career statisticians contested the EJG Pitman Prize for the most outstanding talk by a student or recent statistics

graduate. Leesa Sidhu, with her talk entitled “little Penguins: to band or not to band?”, was one of four early career statisticians who received an honourable mention for presentations that achieved a very high standard.

A poster by Geoff Mercer, Winston Sweatman (Massey University, NZ) and Alison Forster (Plant Protection Chemistry, NZ) won the best poster (out of 73 posters) at the 15th Biennial Conference of the European Consortium for Mathematics in Industry 30 June-4 July 2008 in london

Accutrak group photo taken at the Industrial Problem-Working Workshop, University of Regina, Canada. Back row (left to right): Ewout van den Berg, David Clark, Neville Fowkes, Nathan Shaw. Front row: Roslyn Hickson, Melanie Roberts, Edward Doolittle.

At the 14th Biennial Computational Techniques and Applications Conference held at ANU (13-16 July 2008), 5 academic staff members from PEMS (Zlatko Jovanoski, Isaac Towers, Steve Barry, Geoff Mercer and Harvi Sidhu), 2 PhD students (Roslyn Hickson and Richard Pennifold) and a CDF student (Martin Rowe) presented a total of 10 talks. Geoff and Harvi were also on the organizing committee of this important national conference.

The 2008 joint NSW/ACT Australian and New Zealand Applied and Industrial Mathematics branch mini-meeting was held at Batemans Bay 21-22 November 2008. The organising committee for the minimeeting comprised Dr M.I. Nelson (Uni Wollongong) and Harvi Sidhu (UNSW@ADFA, PEMS). The meeting had a strong PEMS delegation giving a wide variety of talks from ethanol production, compost modelling, bush fire modelling, analysing the effects of diffusion in multilayer media and wastewater modelling. Everyone agreed that our students Thiansiri and Roslyn gave excellent talks. Roslyn was specially singled out with a highly commended award.

Geoff Mercer and Harvi Sidhu attended the 7th Australia and New Zealand Mathematics Convention at University of Canterbury, Christchurch from 8-12 December 2008. Harvi was the invited speaker for the “Applied dynamical systems in engineering and the physical sciences” session. His talk was titled “Classical and pulsating combustion waves in a chain-branching reaction model”. Geoff, gave a talk titled “Determining a safe path through a dynamic threat environment in real time”. Part of this work was undertaken



by a CDF student, Martin Rowe, that Geoff and Harvi supervised this year. DSTO are currently interested with the algorithms that the group have devised for real-time calculations.

Roslyn Hickson attended the Maths in Industry Study Group (MISG) in Wollongong, held from 27-31 January 2009. She was the student moderator for the ‘Coil Slumping Problem’ sponsored by Bluescope Steel. Bluescope Steel manufactures, stores and transports steel strip coils. The current limiting step of this production, from an economic perspective, is the unpredictable ‘coil slumping’ which occurs when the coil cannot hold up its own mass and maintain the integrity of its cylindrical shape. Even minor slumping is an issue, and the cost of an individual coil is such that even the loss of one coil in a thousand is unacceptable. There was much lively debate over an appropriate approach to the problem, making for an exciting and interesting week.

Roslyn Hickson gave a presentation at the ANZIAM Applied Mathematics Conference held in Caloundra from 1-5 February 2009. From a field of 41 talks competing for the highly sought after T.M. Cherry student prize, Roslyn was awarded an honourable mention. At the conference Roslyn was also elected as a representative on the ANZIAM Executive Committee.

Roslyn Hickson attended the European Study Group with Industry on 30 March-3 April 2009 in Southampton, England. She mostly worked on a decontamination problem, with applications such as cleaning railway rolling stock, removal of traffic film from road vehicles, and graffiti removal. She also worked on an electric arc problem, with application to circuit breakers. There were approximately 80 delegates at the conference.

The following week she attended the British Applied Mathematics Colloquium on 6-9 April 2009 in Nottingham, where she presented her work titled “Critical times of multilayer diffusion”.

Jennifer Hollis spent the month of July 2009 with the Fire and Environmental Research Applications (FERA) team based in Seattle, Washington at the Pacific Wildland Fire Sciences laboratory (PWFSl). She met with Dr Roger Ottmar, a research forester with FERA and spent time in the office and field discussing woody fuel consumption equations from Consume 3.0, collaborating on a manuscript and discussing how the Fuel Characteristic Classification System could be adapted for Australia. On July 10th 2009 she presented a seminar at the Pacific Wildland Fire Sciences laboratory on woody fuel consumption in Australian forest fires, and on July 31st 2009 met with Dr Mark Finney at the Missoula Fire lab in Montana to discuss potential application of the Burnup model for predicting woody fuel consumption. From 6-10 September 2009 she attended the Institute of Foresters Australia Conference in Caloundra, Queensland and presented a conference paper and poster on “Woody fuel consumption and carbon in the changing climate of Australia”.

VisitorsMark Nelson, an applied mathematician from the University of Wollongong, spent a significant part of his SSP in PEMS (2008) with Harvi Sidhu, and other members of the Applied and Industrial Mathematics group working on various chemical/biochemical engineering problems, including optimising ethanol production through continuous fermentation, modelling of heat generation from composting, ignition of coal piles and modelling the passage of food down the human/animal gut.

In early 2008, Leesa Sidhu and Ted Catchpole were visited by Mr Bruce Robertson, a biologist studying Pacific Gulls. The aim of the visit was to discuss the details of the data collection and the biology of these birds, to enable leesa and Ted to analyse the mark-recapture-recovery data.

Leesa Sidhu and Ted Catchpole hosted a visitor, Dr Peter Dann, from 2-4 February 2009. Peter (also known as the “Penguin Man”) is the Research Manager of the Phillip Island Nature Park. The purpose of the visit was to continue their study of the effect of banding on the survival of adult and juvenile little Penguins. The results of these analyses will be used by the Department of Environment and Heritage to determine whether banding of little Penguins will be allowed to continue in Australia

Dr Vladimir Gubernov visited PEMS from 3 March-1 April 2009. vladimir is from the P.N. lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences and his visit was funded by the Rector’s visiting Fellowship scheme. During his visit, he worked closely with Harvi Sidhu and Jason Sharples to investigate instabilities in multi-step combustions models. vladimir is well known in the mathematical combustion modelling community for his expertise in using intricate mathematical methods to illuminate complex behaviour. later this year, Jason will visit vladimir at his institution in Moscow.

Prof. Swapan Konar from the Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, India was funded as a visiting Fellow to PEMS. He visited PEMS during 15 May-15 July 2009 and worked with Isaac Towers and Zlatko Jovanoski in the area of optical solitons.


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looking back from the bridge of Research vessel Ice Breaker (RvIB) Nathaniel B. Palmer as it travels through the Straits of Magellan.

Members Academic Staff:Dr Andrew Kiss ([email protected]) BSc (Hons), PhD ANUDr Robin Robertson ([email protected]) PhD Oregon State University. Adjunct Assoc. Research Scientist: lamont-Doherty Earth Obs. Columbia Univ. & Adjunct Scientist: UNSW Climate Change Research Centre.Dr Xiao Hua Wang ([email protected]) BSc Shandong, PhD James Cook

Research Students:Vihang Bhatt - Research Topic - Modelling dynamics of the East Australian Current and the Subtropical Mode Water off the East Coast of Australia.Donghui Jiang - Research Topic - An operational circulation and ecology forecast system for Jervis Bay, NSW.Li Li - Research Topic - Coastal mud dynamics and their ecological-socio-economic impact.Zhaosu Meng - Research Topic -The effects of climate change in the East Asia Monsoon Region.Dehai Song - Research Topic - Modelling of the yellow Sea circulation and sediment transport dynamics.Darrell Terry – Research Topic - Effects of ice shelf melting on Southern Ocean water formation.Robert Woodham - Research Topic - Ensemble methods in oceanic modelling. Wen Wu - Research Topic - Application of the ISO 14031 Environmental Performance Evaluation to the Australian Defence Force Environmental Management System.Fan Zhang - Research Topic - Estimate the social economic benefits of ocean observing system.

Current Honours Students:Scott BaxterDanica Ellicott


Coastal oceanography and environment management

Prof. X. Bao (Ocean University of China, Qingdao)Dr D-S. Byun (National Oceanographic Research Institute, Korea)Dr L. Oey (Princeton University, USA)Prof. N. Pinardi (Bologna University, Italy)Prof. D. Wu (Ocean University of China, Qingdao)Prof. L. Zhao (Ocean University of China, Qingdao)

Internal tides and tidal effects on ice shelves and sea ice

Prof. N. Bindoff (Univ. of Tasmania)Dr A. Ffield (Earth and Space Research, Grandview, Ny, USA)Prof. A. Gordon (lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, Ny, USA)Dr Petra Heil (Australian Antarctic Division, Hobart, Australia)Dr H. Hellmer (Alfred Wegener Institute fuer Polar und Meeresforshcung, Bremerhaven, Germany)

Physical Oceanography


Dr S. Jacobs (lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, Ny, USA)Dr Jason Middleton (SIMS-Univ. of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia)Dr F. Nitsche (lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, Ny, USA)Dr M. Roughan (SIMS-Univ. of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia)Dr A. Schiller (CSIRO, Marine Research, Hobart, Australia)Dr J. Sprintall (Scripps Institute of Oceanography, la Jolla, CA, USA)Prof. B. Tremblay (McGill University, Montreal, Canada)Dr S. Wijffels (CSIRO, Marine Research, Hobart, Australia)Dr X. Yuan (lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, Ny, USA)

Ocean modelling

Dr O. Alves (CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, CAWCR)Dr M. Baird (UNSW)Dr G. Brassington (CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, CAWCR)Dr D. Griffin (CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, CMAR)Dr A. Hogg (ANU)Dr A. Maharaj (Macquarie University)Prof. D. Marshall (Oxford)Prof. J. Middleton (SIMS-UNSW)Dr P. Oke (CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, CMAR)Dr M. Roughan (SIMS-UNSW)Assoc. Prof. I. Suthers (SIMS-UNSW)Dr S. Williams (USIMS-U.Syd)

Current ResearchDr Andrew Kiss

Nonlinear dynamics of ocean currents

Dr Andrew KissComputer models of ocean circulation typically feature western boundary currents (WBCs, such as the Gulf Stream and East Australian Current) which separate much further downstream than in reality, producing large errors in ocean/atmosphere heat fluxes and therefore in water properties. Attempts to rectify this problem have been hampered by a lack of theoretical understanding of the dynamics responsible for separation. I am using high-resolution ocean models to investigate whether the separation mechanism I discovered in idealised models (Kiss, 2002) also applies in a more realistic setting. A related aspect of this work also involves collaboration with Dr M. Roughan and H. McDonald (UNSW). The insights gained from this research may lead to improved accuracy in ocean and climate models.

I am also studying the extent to which variability in realistic WBCs is determined by wind forcing, internal instabilities, or nonlinear interactions between the two, following on from previous work with idealised models (Kiss, 2007). This may provide insights into the origins of the pronounced variability seen in the East Australian Current.

Ensemble methods in ocean modeling

Dr Andrew Kiss collaborative project with PhD student Robert Woodham, Dr Gary Brassington and Dr Oscar AlvesThe Bluelink ocean forecasting system has recently become operational, providing three-dimensional forecasts of ocean currents and temperature analogous to those produced by numerical weather forecasting. Robert’s PhD project is an investigation of the growth of forecast errors in the SHOC and OFAM components of the Bluelink system. Model sensitivity is being characterized by constructing ensembles of runs whose initial conditions are perturbed by simulated errors consistent with observational uncertainties, and using the divergent evolution of these runs to better understand the processes that limit the accuracy of long-term ocean forecasts. Error growth in OFAM has also been investigated and compared with persistence forecasts and climatology.

Exploring hydrography and fluorescence in the EAC, its eddy field and in the Tasman Front

Dr Andrew KissI am an investigator in an Integrated Marine Observing System autonomous gliders project “Exploring hydrography and fluorescence in the EAC, its eddy field and in the Tasman Front” for deployments of the Slocum Glider and Sea Glider in the Tasman Sea. Other investigators include: I. Suthers (SIMS-UNSW); M. Baird (UNSW); D. Griffin (CMAR); M. Roughan (SIMS-UNSW); A. Maharaj (Macquarie U); R. Robertson (ADFA-UNSW); P. Oke (CMAR); J. Middleton (SIMS-UNSW); S. Williams (SIMS-U.Syd). This project has a budget of about $1.3 million over 18 months (mostly ship time and in-kind salary).

A CTD being lowered into the water. A rosette of gray Niskin bottles is visible inside white frame.


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Dr Robin Robertson standing on sea ice near the Thwaites Ice Tongue with RvIB Nathanial B. Palmer in the background.

Dr Robin RobertsonIn general, Dr Robin Robertson investigates tides and their effects on circulation and mixing. She is particularly interested in internal tides and waves, which are tides or waves occurring below the surface of the ocean at density layers within the ocean. Most of her research involves numerical modeling using the Regional Ocean Model System (ROMS). However, she tries to participate in at least one research cruise every other year in order to stay in touch with the real world and to gain access to observational data for realistic simulations and model performance evaluation.

Internal Tides and Mixing in the Antarctic Seas

Dr Robin RobertsonInternal tides and the mixing they generate play a major role in climate in the Antarctic Seas, influencing sea ice, melting of the ice shelves, the heat flux from the ocean to the atmosphere, bottom water formation, etc. These factors affect the global thermohaline circulation and global climate. Dr Robin Robertson has been investigating tides, tidal currents, and tidal impacts for several Antarctic Seas: the Weddell, Ross, and Amundsen Seas. She is collaborating with Drs Craig Stevens and Mike Williams of National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand for the Ross Sea and McMurdo Sound and they have recently received a Marsden Grant for this work. She went to the Pine Island Glacier, Amundsen Sea in Antarctica in 2009 with Stan Jacobs of lamont-

Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University to observe the changes in the Amundsen Sea associated with the rapid melting of the Pine Island Glacier. She is modeling the tidal circulation under the Pine Island Glacier and in the Amundsen Sea with honours student Scott Baxter and this work is being continued by PhD student Darrell Terry. The effects of tides on sea ice are being investigated with Dr Petra Heil of the Australian Antarctic Division.

Internal Tides and Mixing in the Indonesian Seas

Dr Robin RobertsonThe Indonesian Seas are the only low-latitude connection between the Pacific and Indian Oceans and the surface return flow of the global thermohaline circulation. As Pacific waters pass through the Indonesian Seas, they are mixed by the “Indonesian Mixmaster”. Tides have been observed to be one of the primary mixing mechanisms. Dr Robin Robertson has simulated the internal tides for the Indonesian Seas. The model results replicated the sparse observations in the region and filled in the picture of tidal fields between the observations. This work is continuing in collaboration with Drs Susan Wijffels and Andreas Schiller of CSIRO and Dr Janet Sprintall of Scripps Institute of Oceanography with the goal of including the mean currents in the simulations with the tides and determining an algorithm to include tidal mixing into larger scale models such as Bluelink or the global climate models.



Internal Tides and Mixing off Eastern Australia

Dr Robin RobertsonThe Eastern Australian Current (EAC) interacts with the chain of seamounts, including Taupo, causing upwelling and mixing. Prof. Jason Middleton and Dr Moniya Roughan of UNSW and Dr John Wilkins of Rutgers are investigating the interactions of the EAC with the seamounts. Dr Robin Robertson is simulating the interactions of the internal tides with the seamounts, focusing on tidal effects. She is also participating in research cruise with Drs Middleton and Roughan to investigate mixing around the seamounts on lord Howe Rise off Eastern Australia.

Vertical Mixing in Ocean Models

Dr Robin RobertsonBefore accepting the model results for mixing, Dr Robin Robertson has investigated the performance of nine different vertical mixing parameterizations in the Regional Ocean Model System (ROMS). The goal was to identify differences in performance and select the best performer for subsequent model simulations. As part of his PhD work, Darrell Terry expanded this work as his introduction to modelling with ROMS.

Dr Hua Wang

Oceanic nepheloid layers and their role in coastal oceanography

Dr Hua WangNepheloid layers in the oceans, formed through sediment resuspension events by waves and currents on the continental shelf, ‘shut down’ the bottom boundary layer processes and reduce mixing and hence transport of sediments and other materials. This project will develop and implement new numerical models to investigate the dynamic features of such layers including their highly nonlinear behaviours of resuspension hysteresis. The impact of such layers in determining coastal ocean and ecosystem dynamics and in transporting sediments from the rivers into the outer shelves of the marginal seas will be investigated. This project covers the coastal oceans such as Jervis Bay, NSW, the Adriatic Sea, Italy, the southwestern coast of Korea and East China and yellow Seas. The outcome of the project will result in new knowledge on the roles that resuspended sediments played in flow dynamics and the primary biomass production in the turbid coastal ecosystem environments.

IMOS (Integrated Marine Observing System) NSW node – Jervis Bay mooring

Dr Hua WangUNSW@ADFA researchers have investigated the oceanography of Jervis Bay and its adjacent shelf since 1988 spurred by the interest of Defence. In this proposal, we aim to construct and deploy a pair of moorings at a site off Jervis Bay to extend this data set. The primary purposes of the moorings are to provide real-time observational capability and obtain longer records to be used for on-going oceanographic and climate studies at UNSW@ADFA. All observations will be incorporated into IMOS (Integrated Marine Observing System) and BlueNet. Our mooring complements NSW-IMOS’ planned observational infrastructure.

Coastal environment management - Comparative study of marine protected areas in Australian and China

Dr Hua WangThe project aims to compare the legislative frameworks, management characteristics and impact of the ecosystems of the marine protected areas in Australia and in China. It is widely known that China has a growing interest in developing marine protected areas and management plans in its coastal zones whilst Australia has a well developed integrated coastal management system. This study will be a comparative analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of coastal environmental management systems in two countries. It is hoped that the present work can assist and enhance management of the marine protected areas both in Australia and in China.

Managing Australian Defence Force activities in marine protected areas - The environmental management of Jervis Bay and Shoalwater Bay Training Areas

Dr Hua WangThis project aims to study coastal management issues of Australia Defence Force (ADF) activities in Australian Marine Protected Areas, by analysing the Environmental Management Systems of Jervis Bay and Shoalwater Bay training areas. The research has important significance to the sustainable development of ADF training activities, ecology, environment, economy and society. At the completion of this project, we hope to provide experiences and lessons learnt from managing these two training areas in an environmentally sustainable manner; and to assist management of ADF training activities in other regions.

Student ResearchAn operational circulation and ecology forecast system for Jervis Bay, NSW

Donghui Jiang ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Oceanography

In recent years, Jervis Bay, NSW, has increasingly been used by the RAN and DSTO as a trials area for equipment testing (e.g. Unmanned Autonomous Underwater vehicles with US Navy). In evaluation of the results of these trials, it became apparent that supporting environmental data for the bay was not available, or was insufficient for the trials. Furthermore, there exists very few 3-dimensional circulation modelling studies for the region. An exception is the study by Wang and Symonds (1999) that has a specific research interest of winter surface cooling.

This project aims:• To develop a Jervis Bay ecosystem database of relevant

environmental parameters encompassing the planned measurements and historical data.

• To develop a high resolution 3-dimensional hydrodynamic Jervis Bay circulation model coupled with a sediment and an ecosystem model.

• To calibrate/validate Jervis Bay circulation and ecosystem model with in-situ measurements.


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Development of an environmental database together with operational circulation and ecology forecast models for Jervis Bay will enable more robust estimations of performance of technically complex developmental and Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) systems.

From 27-29 July 2009, Donghui Jiang and Colin Symons conducted a field trip to Jervis Bay for deploying the PEMS new ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) and SBE 39 (Sea-Bird Electronics) Temperature Recorder at the site (S 35 04.600’ E 150 50.868’) in 70 m water depth off Jervis Bay. This is the UNSW@ADFA Ocean Reference Station in Jervis Bay and IMOS (Integrated Marine Observing System) NSW node-Jervis Bay mooring which has been maintained by Hua Wang (UNSW@ADFA).

Application of the ISO 14031 Environmental Performance Evaluation to the Australian Defence Force Environmental Management System

Wen Wu ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Oceanography

Environmental management of military activities is of growing global concern by defence forces. As one of the largest landholders in Australia, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is increasingly concerned with sustainable environmental management. Environmental management tools are employed to manage environmental performance, and the Environmental Management System (EMS) is used widely by the ADF. This project focuses on the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) as a research example to examine environmental management activities by the ADF. SWBTA is one of the most significant military training areas in Australia. With its maritime part within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) and the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA), and abutting Queensland’s State Marine Parks, it is an important region with high environmental, ecological and heritage values. Therefore, it is difficult and complex to manage Defence activities in such an environmentally sensitive Marine Protected Area.

On the basis of reviewing the Environmental Management System (EMS), this project will focus on how the ADF EMS operates during military training, and how effective the Defence EMS is in minimizing environmental impacts and improving environmental performance in SWBTA. To sufficiently measure the Defence EMS effectiveness, the study will use the ISO 14031 Environmental Performance Evaluation (EPE) to develop a systematic environmental performance indicator framework by selecting a suite of environmental performance indicators (EPIs) specific to SWBTA. This framework will combine the EMS and the EPE through the EPIs. It can be used for identifying gaps between the ISO 14001 requirements and the Defence EMS steps, evaluating the ADF environmental performance, and examining whether the EMS is effective. This study will further the knowledge of Defence environmental management practice, especially in a marine environment. It is expected to form systematic evaluation outcomes on SWBTA and provide stakeholders and environmental managers with references on day- to-day environmental management activities in this area, and other military sites in the future.

Coastal mud dynamics and their ecological-socio-economic impact

Li Li ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Oceanography

Over the past 50 years both the large river catchments and coasts have been greatly modified by extensive human activities including dams and irrigation, land reclamation, and port construction. These rapid developments have altered both the flux of terrestrial materials to the sea, and their transport processes in the coastal ocean, resulting in distinct physical, chemical, and biological responses in the marine environment in the coastal oceans. Huanghe (yellow River), Changjiang (yangtze River) in China and Burdekin and Fitzroy Rivers in Queensland have been illustrative examples of such modifications, and the environmental issues have presented challenges to the social and economical development. This project aims: (1) to model sediment dynamics of muddy coasts and estuaries; (2) to examine the role of estuarine and coastal mud in preventing toxic/non-toxic algae blooms and sequestering nutrients and pollutants in turbid estuaries and coastal waters; and (3) to evaluate its socio-economic impact.



Sea ice in the Amundsen Sea.

Effects of ice shelf melting on Southern Ocean water formation

Darrell Terry ([email protected]) PhD (started Session 2 2009)Field of Study: Oceanography

One of the big unknowns in climate change is Antarctic ice shelf stability. The latest International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report projects a ~0.5 m sea level rise by 2099. However contributions of melting Antarctic ice were excluded, since they are poorly understood. Collapse of the ice shelves could increase sea level by 1-7 m, with the Amundsen Sea ice shelves alone contributing 1.5 m. Consequently, there is a growing contingent of scientists who believe that the IPCC report underestimates sea level rise by a factor of 2 or more. Due to the large quantity of freshwater tied up in Antarctic ice, rapid deglaciation resulting from ice shelf collapse not only increases sea level, but also freshens the waters of the Antarctic seas and Southern Ocean. This freshening impacts the thermohaline circulation, which in turn affects global climate and influences weather patterns. The Amundsen Sea ice shelves are melting rapidly, roughly 100 times faster than others in the Antarctic. Their rapid melting is believed to be driven by the ocean, with tides a primary mechanism for injecting warm water into the cavity under the ice shelves and inducing turbulent mixing through internal waves. Turbulent mixing influences both the melt rate and the spread of the resultant fresher water. The Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW), which supplies the heat for this process, has been observed

to be warming in recent decades. As the CDW warms, melting and mixing will accelerate.

This project will simulate the dynamics of ocean circulation in the Amundsen Sea using ROMS (Regional Ocean Model System), a well-developed ocean model. The primary goal is to determine amount of heat transferred from the ocean into the ice shelf and the associated melting both for present conditions and for warming CDW. The resulting changes in the salinity and temperature over the continental shelf will also be evaluated. The Amundsen Sea has been chosen as a study site, not only due to its rapid melting, but also due to the observational data available from a recent research expedition that Dr Robertson participated in. This data along with Quikscat satellite data will be used for model verification. The work in the Amundsen Sea extends a present honours student’s project. It is applicable to other Antarctic Seas, such as the Ross Sea, which is being investigated in collaboration with Mike Williams of NIWA (National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research) in New Zealand. Dr Robertson is currently collaborating with NIWA providing modeling expertise and results and they provide observational data in return. The outcomes of this project will not only provide estimates of the heat fluxes into the ice shelves in the Amundsen Seas, but also a systematic way of evaluating the ocean’s contribution to ice shelf melting. This is a key step in addressing the “poorly understood” ice shelf processes for future IPCC evaluations of climate change.

Ensemble methods in oceanic modelling

Robert Woodham ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Ocean modelling

This research project seeks to investigate the predictability of oceanic models, using a limited area model of the ocean, as well as ocean observational and forecast data from the BlUElink ocean forecasting system. The limited area model has been used to investigate a domain in the vicinity of Perth, and error growth in this domain has been studied by perturbing sea surface temperatures (SST), using Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOFs). This enables the Jacobian matrix to be approximated with a relatively small number of model runs, and the most significant error patterns to be identified. More recently, data from the BlUElink system has been used to compute the average error growths, for a domain in the Tasman Sea, of three forecasting strategies: persistence, climatology and deterministic forecasts. This study indicates that SST is less predictable than Sea Surface Height (SSH), but surprisingly, the BlUElink system seems better able to predict SST than SSH. The latency of assimilated observations is identified as a major source of error in the deterministic forecasts. Furthermore, predictability is found to be highly flow-dependent, making the a priori selection of forecasting strategy problematic.

Estimate the social economic benefits of ocean observing system

Fan Zhang ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Oceanography

The aim of my research are first to explore the relationship between NSW ocean observing system and potential benefit related sectors, then evaluate the social economic benefits that different users and public agencies could get from the information provided by NSW ocean observing system, and finally conduct the cost benefit analysis of NSW ocean observing system. For the beneficiaries analysis, I will focus on three related sectors: commercial fishery, tourism and natural hazard prediction.


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Modelling dynamics of the East Australian Current and the subtropical mode water off the east coast of Australia

Vihang Bhatt ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Oceanography

The East Australian Current (EAC) is the weakest and one of the most complex western boundary current. The complexity of the EAC not only generates special interest in numerical investigation of its seasonal variability under the influence of the atmospheric and oceanic forcing but also its influence on the water mass of the oceanic basin. Recent advances in the high performance computing (HPC) using parallel cluster computers have enabled oceanographers to resolve this problem up to a certain degree. Working in this direction, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) setup global ocean general circulation model with special emphasis on Australian region on a parallel cluster computer under the Bluelink Reanalysis (BRAN) program. As a cross verification of BRAN data, high resolution ocean reanalysis from the OFES model (The Earth Simulator) has also been used. In this project, the high resolution data obtained from the BRAN and OFES has been used to meet the following objectives

• Investigate seasonal circulation on the East Australian Coast and the role of topographic and baroclinc forcing (JEBAR)

• Study the role of the East Australian current in heat balance in the region

• Examine the mode water formation in the East Australian coast and its seasonal and inter-annual variability

• Study model initialization errors using diagnostic and prognostic ocean model

• Investigate the role of thermohaline source and sinks in the diagnostic ocean circulation.

Modelling of the Yellow Sea circulation and sediment transport dynamics

Dehai Song ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Oceanography

This project aims to develop and implement nested high-resolution models to study the inter-annual variability of the circulation and sediment transport dynamics in the yellow and East China Sea (yECS). The circulation models will be coupled with waves and tides, and incorporate data assimilation techniques. We will explore the major processes of the yellow and East China Sea inter-annual variability in temperature, salinity and the circulation patterns, using the state-of-the-art data analysis methods including the EOF analysis. Additionally, the remote sensing and the in-situ data will be used to calibrate/validate the numerical model results. The sediment transport model will be based on Wang (2002) and Wang and Pinardi (2002) and be coupled to the yellow Sea Circulation Model to simulate the sediment transport dynamics of the region. A particular focus of the sediment dynamics will be on the fate of the particulate matter discharged from the major rivers such as yellow and yangtze Rivers and their cross-shelf transport mechanisms.

The effects of climate change in the East Asia Monsoon Region

Zhaosu Meng ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Climate/Economics

PhD Opportunities and ScholarshipsPotential PhD students are invited to discuss possible projects involving large-scale ocean dynamics or internal tides/waves.

All Australian 1st class Honours BSc graduates are eligible for a scholarship from ADFA.

Contact:Dr Andrew Kiss ([email protected])Dr Robin Robertson ([email protected])Dr Hua Wang ([email protected])

Pine Island Glacier (PIG). This glacier is melting the fastest in the Antarctic, 10 x faster than the others.

Major FacilitiesThe school supports field based oceanographic research with a range of instruments for in-situ measurements and access to small research vessels for inshore work. There is access to the Australian National University Supercomputer Facility.


Ellicott, D.J. & Robertson, R., in press, Antarctic bathymetry compilations: Which is the most accurate?, resubmitted to Geochemistry, Geophysics, and Geosystems (G3,) September 2009.

Jacobs, G.A., Woodham, R., Jourdan, D. & Braithwaite, J., in press, GODAE applications useful to navies throughout the world, to be published in the September 2009 issue of Oceanography magazine.



Robertson, R., in press, Interactions between tides and other frequencies in the Indonesian Seas, submitted to Journal of Physical Oceanography, July 2009.

Robertson, R. & Ffield, A., in press, Tidal currents and mixing at the INSTANT mooring locations, invited submission to a special issue (Indonesian throughflow and instant program), Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans, Sept 2009.

Wen, W., Wang, X.H., Paull, P. & Kesby, J., in press, Defence force activities in marine protected areas: Environmental management of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Queensland, Australia, submitted to Chinese Journal of Oceanography and Limology (in English, SCI-E), accepted subject to revision.

Woodham, R., Kiss, A., Alves, O. & Brassington, G., submitted, Selecting forecast strategies for the East Australian Current, in preparation for Deep Sea Research vol 2 – special edition on the East Australian Current.

looking aft of the 2nd deck on the RvIB Nathanial B. Palmer (also called the Natty B) at icebergs and brash ice.

Book - Chapter

Robertson, R., in press, Are the deep waters of the Weddell Sea still warming?, accepted April 2009 for Chapter 13 in Climate Alert: Climate Change Monitoring and Strategy, y. you & A. Henderson-Sellers (eds), Sydney University Press, forthcoming December 2009.

you, y., Rossby, T., Zenk, W., Gordon, A., Ilahude, A.G., Suginohara, N., Davis, R., Hu, D., Susanto, D., Richardson, P.l., villanoy, C., liu, C.-T., Kim, K., Molcard, R., Fukasawa, M., Pandoe, W.W., Baker, D.J., Koga, M., Qu, T., Fine, R., Gabric, A., Robertson, R., Masumoto, y. & Riser, S., in press, PACSWIN: A new international ocean climate program in the Indonesian seas and adjacent regions, accepted April 2009 for Chapter 15 in Climate Alert: Climate Change Monitoring and Strategy, y. you & A. Henderson-Sellers (eds), Sydney University Press, forthcoming December 2009.


Wang, X.H., li, l., Bao, X. & Zhao, l., 2009, Economic cost of an algae bloom cleanup in China’s 2008 Olympic sailing venue, Eos Trans. AGU, 90(28), 238–239, doi:10.1029/2009EO280002.

Simmonds, F., Wang, X.H. & Lees, B.G., 2009, Comment on ‘Marine GIS: Identification of mesoscale oceanic thermal fronts’, International Journal of Geographic Information Science, 23(3), 369-373, doi: 10.1080/13658810701851404.

Song, D., Bao, X., Wang, X.H. & Wu, W., 2009, The optimization algorithm for the pathfinder sea surface temperature in the East China Seas, Ocean Science Journal, 44(1), 11-19, doi: 10.1007/s12601-009-0002-7.

Conference paper

Robertson, R., 2009, Tidal effects on circulation and mixing in the Ombai Strait region, 9th International Conference on Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography, 9-13 February 2009, Melbourne, Australia. Available at: http://www.bom.gov.au/events/9icshmo/manuscripts/M1530_Robertson.pdf


Robertson, R., 2009, Tidal effects on circulation and mixing in the Ombai Strait region, World Ocean Conference, 12-14 May 2009, Manado, Indonesia.

Robertson, R., 2009, vertical mixing in ROMS, ROMS/TOMS Asia-Pacific Workshop, 31 March-2 April 2009, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Sydney, Australia.

Robertson, R., 2009, yo-yo and the PIG, New Zealand Physical Oceanography Workshop, March 2009, Wellington, New Zealand.

Robertson, R., 2009, Tidal effects on circulation and mixing in the Ombai Strait region, 9th International Conference on Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography, 9-13 February 2009, Melbourne, Australia.

Wen, W., Wang, X. H., Kesby J. & Paull, D., 2009, Australian Defence Force activities in marine protected areas: Environmental management of Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Australian Marine Sciences Association 46th Annual Conference, Adelaide, 5-9 July 2009, AMSA 2009: Program and Abstract Handbook, p. 247, Australian Marine Sciences Association, Kilkivan, Qld. ISBN: 9780958718530.


Ffield, A. & Robertson, R.A., 2008, Temperature finestructure in the Indonesian Seas, Journal of Geophysical Research, 113, C09009-1-C09009-19, doi: 10.1029/2006JC003864.

Qiao, l., Bao, X., Wu, Dl. & Wang, X.H., 2008, Numerical study of generation of the tidal shear front off the yellow River mouth, Continental Shelf Research, 28(14), 1782-1790, doi:10.1016/j.csr.2008.04.007.

Robertson, R.A. & Ffield, A., 2008, Baroclinic tides in the Indonesian Seas: Tidal fields and comparisons to observations, Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 113(C7), 7031, doi:10.1029/2007JC004677.


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Zhao, l., Zhang, y., Wang, X.H. & Lees, B.G., 2008, lesson from Australian marine parks for promoting the income of our fisher folk, Fisheries Economy Research, 2, 51-55, in Chinese.

Zhao, l., Wang, X.H. & Lees, B.G., 2008, Managing Australian defence force activities in marine protected areas: Using Jervis Bay as a case study, Ocean Economics Review of China, 2(1), 45-58.


you, y., Rossby, T., Zenk, W., Gordon, A., Ilahude, A.G., Suginohara, N., Davis, R., Hu, D., Susanto, D. Richardson, P.l., villanoy, C., liu, C.-T., Kim, K., Molcard, R., Fukasawa, M., Pandoe, W.W., Baker, D.J., Koga, M., Qu, T., Fine, R., Gabric, A., Robertson, R., Masumoto, y. & Riser, S., 2008, PACSWIN: A new international ocean climate program in the Indonesian seas and adjacent regions, CLIVAR Exchanges, 13(2), 30-31.

Conference – Abstract

Robertson, R., 2008, The Indonesian “Mixmaster”, tides, and climate, Climate Change Monitoring and Strategy Workshop, 12 December 2008, Sydney University, Sydney Australia.

Robertson, R., 2008, Are the deep waters of the Weddell Sea still warming?, Climate Change Monitoring and Strategy Workshop, 12 December 2008, Sydney University, Sydney Australia.

Robertson, R., 2008, Baroclinic tides in the Indonesian Seas, INSTANT Meeting, 28-30 May 2008, Palisades, Ny, USA.

GrantsExternal GrantsA. E. Kiss (principal investigator), Nonlinear dynamics of ocean currents, Australian Partnership for Advanced Computing Merit Allocation Scheme competitive grant n68, allocated 20,000 supercomputer CPU hours for 2008 (nominal value $10,000) and 13,000 CPU hours for 2009 (nominal value $6,500).

R. Robertson, Tidal effects on the ice concentration and lead fraction over the continental shelf and slope off Wilkes land, Australian Antarctic Division, 2007-2009: $4,800.

H. Wang, Thermistor string mooring in Jervis Bay, CSIRO/IMOS, 2009: $44,561.

H. Wang, Enhancement of an Ocean Reference Station off Jervis Bay, NSW, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, 2008-2010: $29,340.

H. Wang, Jervis Bay ocean forecast and management system, DSTO, 2008: $36,000.

H. Wang, Scientific visit to Korea, Australian Academy of Science, 2008: $3,000.

UNSW GrantR. Robertson & H. Sidhu, Melting of Antarctic ice shelves by ocean processes: Will tides and warming deep waters cause sea level rise to double?, UNSW@ADFA RTS Scholarship, 2009.

H. Wang, UNSW@ADFA DSARC Scholarship, 2008-2010: $21,207 p.a.

Conference/Seminar/Workshop ParticipationDr Andrew Kiss

• EAC Separation, short presentation at NSW-IMOS Community Meeting, 5th August 2008, Sydney Institute for Marine Science.

• Western boundary current dynamics, short seminar for ACT-AMOS, 15 September 2008, ANU.

• Western boundary current separation dynamics, 9th International Conference on Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography, February 2009, Melbourne.

• The role of the cyclonic sublayer in western boundary current separation, 9 June 2009, seminar at RSES, ANU.

Dr Robin Robertson

• Tidal effects on circulation and mixing in the Ombai Strait region, World Ocean Conference, 12-14 May 2009, Manado, Indonesia.

• Amundsen Ice Shelf collapse: Is it likely to affect Australia?, Faculty Research Seminar, UNSW@ADFA, 8 April 2008.

• vertical mixing from ROMS, ROMS/TOMS Asia-Pacific Workshop, 31 March-2 April 2009, Sydney, Australia.

• Tidal effects on circulation and mixing in the Ombai Strait region, 9th International Conference on Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography, 9-13 February 2009, Melbourne, Australia.

• The Indonesian “Mixmaster”, tides, and climate, Climate Change Monitoring and Strategy Workshop, 12 December 2008, Sydney University, Sydney, Australia.

• Are the deep waters of the Weddell Sea still warming?, Climate Change Monitoring and Strategy Workshop, 12 December 2008, Sydney University, Sydney, Australia.

• Baroclinic tides in the Indonesian Seas, INSTANT Meeting, 28-30 May 2008, Palisades, Ny, USA.

• local and surface intensification of tidal currents and mixing in the Indonesian Seas, AGU Ocean Sciences Meeting, 24-29 February 2008, Orlando, Fl, USA.

• Tides in the Amundsen Sea and under its ice shelf, Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (AMOS) Meeting, 28 January-1 February 2008, Geelong, victoria, Australia.

Dr Hua Wang

• Wang, X.H. (Invited paper), Sediment transport modeling, Session Chair, 3rd Italy-China DESTINY Workshop, 27 February-1 March 2009, Beijing, China.

• Wang, X.H. (Invited paper), A three-dimensional, wave-current coupled, sediment transport model for POM, International Workshop on Modeling the Ocean: Dynamics, Syntheses and Predictions, 23-26 February 2009, Taipei, Taiwan.



• Qiao, l., Wu, D.X., Bao X.W. & Wang, X.H., Circulation and sediment transport due to winter storms in the Bohai Sea and yellow Sea, International Workshop on Modeling the Ocean: Dynamics, Syntheses and Predictions, 23-26 February 2009, Taipei, Taiwan.

• Song, D.H., Bao, X.W. Wang, X.H. & Wu, W., A study on the tides in Qingzhou Bay based on FvCOM, International Workshop on Modeling the Ocean: Dynamics, Syntheses and Predictions, 23-26 February 2009, Taipei, Taiwan.

• Bhatt, v., Wang X.H. & Morrison, J. Seasonal variability of the East Australian Current: The role of JEBAR. International Workshop on Modeling the Ocean: Dynamics, Syntheses and Predictions, 23-26 February 2009, Taipei, Taiwan.

Robert Woodham attended a workshop on ensemble prediction and data assimilation, at the Bureau of Meteorology, in February 2009.

Fan Zhang attended the NSW-IMOS Community Meeting on both 10 November 2008 and on 30 April 2009.

ServiceDr Andrew Kiss

• Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (ACT committee member since 2005).

• Member of Organising Committee for the 2010 Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society National Conference.

Dr Robin Robertson

• National Treasurer for Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (AMOS).

• ACT Council member for AMOS since 2007.

Dr Hua Wang

• Member of Executive Committee of the Academic Board 2008-present.

• Coordinator for Ocean University of China CSC Scholarship students.

VisitorsAssociate Professor Adam Sobel of Columbia University in the City of New york, visited Robin Robertson of PEMS in June 2008 and presented a seminar on the Indian Ocean Dipole.

Dr Houije Wang, Associate Professor in Marine Geosciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao visited PEMS as a Rector Funded visiting Fellow from 20 July 2008-21 October 2008. During this time he collaborated with Hua Wang on intertidal variability in sediment transport in the Huanghe River (yellow River) estuary.

Qun Liang an engineer from Guangxi Oceanic Administration, Nanning, China, specializing in marine protected area and integrated coastal management systems visited PEMS as a visiting Fellow from 9 March 2008-8 March 2009. He worked with Hua Wang on a project entitled ‘A comparative study of the marine protected areas in Australia and China’. Qun liang has participated and organized several marine environment management protection projects funded by various funding agencies in China. Qun liang was supported by the China Guangxi Province Overseas visiting Fellowship Scheme.

Emperor Penguins, Antarctica, January 2009.


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Pictured is Banchachit Saensunon who submitted his PhD thesis on 31st August 2009. He has now received a Research Publication Fellowship for a period of 3 months from 3 September 2009.

Visiting Fellows:Dr Vernon Edge BSc PhD DipEd Lond. DipAdmin Canb., ARCS, DICAssoc. Prof. Dennis Isbister ([email protected]) BSc, PhD UNSW

Research Associates: Dr Laura Gladkis ([email protected]) BSc Argentina, PhD ANU

UNSW-ANSTO Research Fellow:Dr Jianli Wang ([email protected]) BSc Shandong University, China, MSc, PhD Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Jianli is based at UNSW@ADFA as a joint Research Fellow with the Bragg Institute, ANSTO. Jianli applies neutron scattering in his research with Bragg colleagues.

Research Fellow:Dr Libu Koshy Alexander ([email protected]) BSc Kerala University, MSc Cochin University of Science and Technology, PhD IIT Bombaylibu will be working at UNSW@ADFA for at least 2 years on the Magnetic Resonance Program of the Centre for Quantum Computer Technology.

The Advanced Materials group is actively engaged in the investigation of the properties and behaviour of materials with topics as diverse as:

• the phosphorus-in-silicon system as a potential basis for spin-based quantum computing

• fundamental properties of rare earth based intermetallics and compounds

• characterization of III-v semiconductors

• monitoring wear in prosthetic joints

• phase analysis of ore refining processes

• sediment transport in river basins and local forests.

In most instances, atomic or nuclear probes are used to study the microscopic properties of the materials involved or their spectroscopic “fingerprints” are used to identify and quantify the amounts of materials and phases present.

The key nuclear probe techniques employed include Mössbauer spectroscopy (57Fe as well as rare earth resonances such as 169Tm, 161Dy) and the very low temperature techniques of Nuclear Orientation (NO) and Nuclear magnetic Resonance on Oriented Nuclei (NMRON). Perturbed angular correlation (PAC) measurements are conducted in collaboration with Prof. Aidan Byrne of the ANU, who was closely associated with the development of the joint radioisotope implanter that is sited here at ADFA. Where radioactive nuclei are employed, they are either diffused into the specimens or implanted using the radioisotope implanter. Sometimes they are activated in situ via neutron irradiation at the lucas Heights reactor facility. The process of ion implantation is of interest in its own right and is investigated using our School’s radioisotope implanter as well as in collaboration with researchers at other facilities.

The in-house atomic probe technique is that of pulsed and swept-field electron spin resonance (ESR). Although this facility was designed specifically for the quantum computing project, it opens up exciting new possibilities for the study of other dilute magnetic systems.

These microscopic techniques are used in combination with x-ray and neutron powder diffraction, inelastic neutron scattering, specific heat, and bulk DC magnetisation and AC susceptibility measurements.

Members Academic Staff: Dr Wayne Hutchison ([email protected]) BSc, PhD UNSW, MAIP, MvSA Assoc. Prof. Glen Stewart ([email protected]) BSc, PhD, DipEd. Monash, FAIPDr Heiko Timmers ([email protected]) BSc Münster, MSc Munich, PhD ANU

Emeritus Professor: Emeritus Prof. Stewart Campbell ([email protected]) BSc Aberd., MSc Salf., PhD Monash, CPhys, FlnstP, FAIP

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Research Students: Yanyan Liu - Research Topic - Nano-scale modification and characterisation of polymer surfaces (started 1 September 2009).Anwaar Malik - Research Topic - Atomic-scale modifications of carbon clusters and nanotubes by ion irradiation. Sarah Rittner - Research Topic - Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) dating of sediments from Pleistocene desert environments.Banchachit Saensunon - Research Topic - A study of the crystal field interaction for two rare earth intermetallic series.Hazar Salama - Research Topic - Structural and magnetic properties of heavy rare earth manganites.Jake Warner - Research Topic - Tracing wear debris pathways from joint prostheses using radioisotopes.

Recent Graduate Student:Nakorn Suwuntanasarn - Research Topic - Magnetic resonance studies of issues critical to solid state quantum computer, PhD Thesis, 2008.

Research Collaborators:Dr M. Avdeev (Bragg Institute, ANSTO, lucas Heights, Sydney) Dr A. Balogh (Technische Universitaet Darmstadt and the Institute for Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe)Dr L. Willems van Beveren (UNSW)Prof. G. Bowden (University of Southampton, UK) Prof. M. Brandt (Walter Schottky Institute, Technical University Munich)Dr R. Bramley (Research School of Chemistry, ANU) Prof. E. Brück (Technical University Delft, The Netherlands) Dr S. Butcher (Macquarie University)Prof. A. Byrne (Department of Nuclear Physics, ANU)) Prof. J. M. Cadogan (University of Manitoba, Canada) Dr M. Dasgupta (Department of Nuclear Physics, ANU)Prof. S. X. Dou (Institute of Superconductor and Electronic Materials, University of Wollongong)Prof. R. Elliman (Electronic Materials Engineering, ANU)Dr J. Fernandez-Niello (Tandar laboratory Buenos Aires, Argentina)Prof. Y. Garcia (the Université catholique de louvain)Dr E. Gauja (UNSW)Dr M. Ghafari (Technische Universitaet Darmstadt and the Institute for Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe)Dr D. Goossens (Research School of Chemistry, ANU) Dr P. Gubbens (T. U. Delft, The Netherlands)Prof. P. Guetlich (Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany)Dr M. Hofmann (FRM-II, Technische Universität München, Germany)Prof. M. R. Ibarra (Departmento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain)Dr S. J. Kennedy (Bragg Institute, ANSTO, lucas Heights, Sydney)Prof. D. Hinde (Department of Nuclear Physics, ANU)Prof. M. James (Bragg Institute, ANSTO, lucas Heights, Sydney) Prof. K. Becker (University of Braunschweig, Germany)

Dr C. Marquina (Departmento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain)Dr J. McCallum (University of Melbourne)Prof. K. Mori (University of Toyama, Japan)Assoc. Prof. K. (Hiko) Nishimura (University of Toyama, Japan) Prof. S. Ohya (University of Niigata, Japan) Prof. H. O’Neill (RSES, ANU)Dr R. Pax (Downer EDI, Mining, Mineral Technologies, Queensland)Prof. S. Prawer (University of Melbourne)Prof. D. Ryan (McGill University, Canada)Assoc. Prof. P. Smith (Trauma and Orthopaedic Research Unit at Canberra Hospital)Dr J. Scarvell (Trauma and Orthopaedic Research Unit at Canberra Hospital) Prof. Dr V. Sepelak (The Institute for Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe, Germany Dr S. Shrestha (UNSW)Dr P. Spizzirri (University of Melbourne)Mr N. Stavrias (University of Melbourne)Dr A. Studer (Bragg Institute, ANSTO, lucas Heights, Sydney)Dr O. Tegus (Technical University Delft, The Netherlands) Prof. R. Vianden (Bonn University Germany)Assoc. Prof. T. J. White (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore)Dr H. Whitlow (University of lund, Sweden)Dr M. Wintrebert-Fouquet (Macquarie University)Prof. R. Withers (ANU)Prof. G. H. Wu (Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing)Prof. Y. Yishikawa (University of Toyama, Japan)Dr D. H. Yu (Bragg Institute, ANSTO, lucas Heights, Sydney)Dr W-D. Zeitz (Hahn-Meitner-Institut Berlin)Dr R. Zeng (Institute of Superconductor and Electronic Materials, University of Wollongong)

Current ResearchCharacterization of III-V semiconductors with ion beam analysis and radioisotope probes

Dr Heiko Timmers, with Dr S. Shrestha, Dr S. Butcher, Dr M. Wintrebert- Fouquet, Prof. A. Byrne, Prof. R. Vianden & Dr W. ZeitzThe increasing demand for wireless communications systems requires faster transistor operating speeds. For many applications, high power, high temperature operation is also needed. The fundamental physical properties of the group III-nitrides GaN and InN suggest that they should outperform Si, and also GaAs, in high-frequency applications. InN is expected to provide the highest operating frequencies while still at high power. In collaboration with Macquarie University in Sydney and others the growth of GaN and InN films is developed to achieve quality material for commercial applications. High precision analysis of the film composition is achieved using Elastic Recoil Detection (ERD) analysis. In addition, in order to study the role of defects and to test

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important processing steps, radioisotopes are implanted into GaN and InN. The subsequent decay of these probes is then observed with Perturbed Angular Correlation (PAC) spectroscopy.

Elastic recoil detection analysis of materials

Dr Heiko Timmers with Prof. R. Elliman Elastic Recoil Detection (ERD) analysis is an ion beam analysis technique which enables the quantitative compositional depth profiling of materials and thin films. In contrast to Rutherford backscattering (RBS) spectrometry, with ERD analysis an individual depth-profile can be resolved for each chemical element. With very heavy ion projectile beams the sensitivity can be extended to span the periodic table. In order to improve the efficacy of ERD analysis, new design concepts for gas-ionisation detectors have been built and tested.

Fusion dynamics and scattering

Dr Heiko Timmers with Dr M. Dasgupta & Prof. D. Hinde The relative motion of two nuclei colliding at energies spanning the Coulomb barrier is coupled to other degrees of freedom of this binary system with the consequence that the binary system encounters a distribution of potential barriers rather than a single barrier. While barrier distributions can be probed in fusion experiments, it has been shown in this work that some information about the barrier distribution may also be obtained with measurements of quasi-elastic and elastic scattering. Experiments on the system 40Ca+96Zr suggest that multi-neutron transfer may play an important role in the fusion of heavy systems, as has long been postulated. Quasi-elastic scattering measurements are performed to test this postulate. The results are relevant to the laboratory synthesis of super heavy elements.

Magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effects

Emeritus Professor Stewart J. Campbell and Dr Jianli WangThe overall aim of this project is to investigate the magnetic and structural properties of a wide range of materials using techniques such as magnetization, Mössbauer spectroscopy and neutron diffraction. These projects are undertaken in collaboration with colleagues from Australia, Germany, Belgium and China. A particular emphasis is the search for suitable materials that exhibit giant magnetocaloric effects associated with field-induced and temperature-induced first order magnetic phase transitions. Current materials under investigation include:

• MnFeP12-xAsx –based compounds which offer pronounced magnetocaloric effects around room temperature.

• RMn2Ge2-xSix compounds. A giant magnetocaloric effect has been observed around TC(Nd) = 36 K for NdMn2Ge0.4Si1.6. This pronounced effect is associated with the field-induced first order phase transition from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic state due to the appearance of Nd magnetic ordering. Other properties of interest include the co-existence of antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic states with R = Pr and valence transitions with R = yb, Eu.

• RNi2Mn (R=Tb, Dy, Ho, Er). Continuing interest focuses on resolving the crystal structure of these recently synthesized compounds and analyses of the magnetocaloric and critical exponent behaviour at the magnetic phase transitions (e.g. TC=147±2 K for TbNi2Mn).

• R2Fe17-xMnx. An invar-like effect evident around room temperature accounts for the non- monotonic composition dependence of the lattice parameters at room temperature in R2Fe17-xMnx compared with other R2Fe17-xMx systems (M=Al, Ga, Si) and the related R2Co17-xMnx series.

• Ni-Mn-Ga-type alloys exhibit enhanced shape memory effects on doping with small amounts of Co. In order to fully understand and exploit this promising behaviour, we aim to determine the magnetovolume effect at the phase transition temperature Tm and derive the magnetic contribution to thermal expansion. We are also exploring the relationship between magnetic state and nearest Mn neighboring distance in this continuing project.

Magnetic resonance program

Dr Wayne Hutchison, Dr Libu Alexander with Prof. Martin Brandt, Dr Jeff McCallum, Dr Greg Milford, Prof. Steven Prawer, Dr Paul Spizzirri & Dr Laurens Willems van Beveren The broad aim of this program is the use of magnetic resonance, directly, for measurements on spin systems which have application as spin based quantum computers (QC). The technique is also applied to investigations of the principal materials and fabrication processes. The emphasis is on electron spin resonance (ESR) studies of the phosphorus-in-silicon (Si:P) system:

Pulsed ESR for coherence time measurements

One of the attractions of a spin based quantum computer is the prospect of long coherence times. In this project, pulsed ESR is applied to ensembles of phosphorus spins in silicon to explore this experimentally. The spin coherence time is expected to increase with reduction in temperature and of the concentration of both the phosphorus donors and host 29Si isotope (non-zero nuclear spin). A pulsed ESR system has been developed that can operate in conjunction with an electro-magnet down to 4 K, or with a dilution refrigerator and superconducting solenoid magnet down to millikelvin (mK) temperatures.

Swept field ESR measurements

Conventional (swept field) ESR is also used to investigate large area Si:P implants (ensembles) produced via implantation of P+ and molecular P2

+ at the University of Melbourne. Focus continues on examination of various preparation methods with a view to maximise donor activation, as viewed by ESR, and to minimise unwanted charge traps, which are mostly associated with the implantation process itself. Poor donor activation has been observed when using low energy implantation into substrates with surface oxides and this is a non-trivial issue to resolve. So far there is a strong indication that donor electrons are being poached by traps when the donors are placed near to the surface (i.e. the donors are effectively compensated by interfacial traps). There are many approaches to improve the yield of low energy implants and ESR can be applied as a diagnostic.

Mechanochemical methods and nanostructured materials

Emeritus Professor Stewart J. Campbell and Dr Jianli WangStewart Campbell has had a long involvement with projects that investigate the phases and reaction processes of mechanochemically treated materials that exhibit novel physical

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properties. Most recently, this work has addressed iron oxides in collaboration with researchers at the Australian National University and, in particular, the structural and magnetic properties of nanoscale spinel ferrites (e.g. ZnFe2O4; MgFe2O4; NiFe2O4) in collaboration with the University of Braunschweig , Germany.

Mössbauer spectroscopy as a tool for monitoring ore refining processes

Assoc. Prof. Glen Stewart with Dr Randolph PaxWork in collaboration with Dr Randolph Pax of Downer EDI Mining, Mineral Technologies, exploits the phase analysis capability of 57Fe-Mössbauer spectroscopy, in combination with x-ray powder diffraction, for investigating minerals and mineral refining processes. Recent investigations included the reduction stage in the production of synthetic rutile from mineral sands and the processing of local porphyry Cu/Au deposits.

Nature and influence of the crystal field interaction at the rare earth site in intermetallic compounds

Assoc. Prof. Glen Stewart, Banchachit Saensunon & Dr Wayne Hutchison with Dr Paul Gubbens, Assoc. Prof. Hiko Nishimura & Prof. Dominic RyanBanchachit Saensunon’s thesis work is directed at the influence of the crystal field interaction in rare earth intermetallic compounds. The first part of this project extends a systematic investigation of the crystal field interaction for the isostructural series RT2Si2 (R = rare earth, T = Cu, Ni, Co, Fe) to include T = Mn and Cr. The nature of the crystal field interaction in intermetallic compounds is complicated by the presence of itinerant electrons and the purpose of his investigation is to compare how the methods of Mössbauer spectroscopy and inelastic neutron scattering cope with this. The second part of the thesis project is being conducted in collaboration with Wayne Hutchison and Hiko Nishimura and looks at the crystal field origins of intriguing magnetic behaviour of the intermetallic series RNiAl4.

Radioisotope tracing of sediment transport

Dr Heiko Timmers & Dr Wayne Hutchison with Assoc. Prof. Jacky Croke, Dr Chris Thompson & Dr J. Fernandez-Niello Sediment transport along rivers and creeks is an important environmental issue. In this work we have established measurement facilities in the School to quantify sediment transport using the radioisotopes Cs-137, Pb-210 and Be-7. Experiments in progress are relevant to the Fitzroy river basin and local ACT forest management.

Rare isotopes as tracers of prosthesis debris

Dr Heiko Timmers & Dr Laura Gladkis with Assoc. Prof. P. Smith, Dr J. Scarvell & Dr J. Fernandez-Niello.The incidence of knee replacement surgery in Australia (~ 30,000 per year) is rising annually by about 10%. The established bearing material for knee prostheses is ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) which is superior to any other. However, particulate wear debris delaminating from the UHMWPE component causes an inflammatory reaction that breaks down the bone, unfastens the prosthesis and can result in severe pain. Due to increasing life expectancy, many patients need several surgical interventions over their lifetime. Knee replacement surgery costs typically $15,000, imposing a high annual burden of half a billion dollars on the Australian health budget. In this project, we

measure the dynamics of wear debris shedding from UHMWPE in knee prostheses with the unprecedented accuracy of rare isotope tracing and accelerator mass spectrometry.

Structural and magnetic properties of rare earth multiferroic manganites

Assoc. Prof. Glen Stewart & Hazar Salama with Prof. Hugh O’Neill, Assoc. Prof. Hiko Nishimura & Prof. Dominic RyanSo-called multi-ferroic compounds are of interest to researchers because they exhibit both ferroelectric order (spontaneous electric polarization accompanied by structural distortion) and antiferromagnetism (an ordered magnet structure with zero net magnetization). The interplay between the two effects could possibly be exploited in future magnetic storage devices. As part of her PhD project, Hazar Salama has used 57Fe- and 170yb-Mössbauer spectroscopy to investigate the local magnetic moments and crystal field interactions in both the hexagonal and orthorhombic phases of ytterbium manganite (ybMnO3). In the case of orthorhombic ybMnO3, an intriguing hysteresis effect has been observed in the temperature region immediately below its antiferromagnetic transition. This work has most recently been extended to the two phases of TmMnO3 employing 169Tm-Mössbauer spectroscopy.

Recent Research Highlights and Achievements

Dr Heiko Timmers at the Helmholtz-Institute for Radiation Physics in Bonn, Germany.

As part of a Bonn-ANU-PEMS collaboration, funded through a DAAD/ARC grant, from 1-17 July 2008, Heiko carried out experimental work on III-v semiconductors and wear studies on polymers using radioisotope probes. The picture shows a rotating-wheel wear apparatus, designed and built by the PEMS Mechanical Workshop, in operation at Bonn. The apparatus is loaded with a

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UHMW polyethylene sample prepared with the radioisotope probe Indium-111 at the Bonn radioisotope implanter. The study has shown that over 95% of the polyethylene wear debris is adsorbed onto the actuating wheel and only a small fraction is released to the lubricant.

Banchachit Saensunon and Glen Stewart met up with Paul Gubbens (a regular guest at the School of PEMS) at the Berlin Neutron Scattering Centre (BENSC) from 12-16 May 2008 to record inelastic neutron scattering measurements for two intermetallic compounds. The data formed a substantial part of Banchachit’s PhD thesis. After the measurements were completed, Banchachit continued on to the Delft Technical University where he met up with Paul Gubbens to discuss planned 166Er-Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements and presented a departmental seminar. The image below, with Banchachit standing on top of the “NEAT” time-of-flight neutron spectrometer in the BENSC neutron guide hall, shows just how large the instrument is. The large curved panel conceals an array of several hundred neutron detectors.

In addition to carrying out neutron scattering experiments on the high intensity (Wombat) and high resolution (Echidna) neutron diffractometers at OPAl, ANSTO, Stewart Campbell and Jianli Wang undertook a series of research projects using neutron instruments at the BENSC reactor, Berlin (October 2008) and the FRM-II reactor in Munich (May 2009). The particular projects involved Magnetic Phase Transitions in PrMn2Ge2-xSix and Magnetic Structures and Magnetovolume Effects in Ni-Mn-Co-Ga Shape Memory Alloys. Stewart extended his visit to Berlin to carry out neutron polarization analysis experiments at the Ill reactor, Grenoble France in November 2009. The Ill experiments on a series of nanostructured ZnFe2O4 materials were undertaken with Dr Shane Kennedy, ANSTO and Dr Michael Hofmann, Technical University Munich.

Jianli Wang regularly visits the Bragg Institute, ANSTO and the Institute of Superconductor and Electronic Materials, University of Wollongong to perform detailed characterization of magnetic and transport properties. Their 14 T and 9 T PPMS, 5 T SQUID and differential scanning calorimetry facilities (which together cover the temperature range 1.5 K to 700 K), extend significantly the ranges available at UNSW@ADFA for measurements of physical properties.

Emeritus Professor Stewart Campbell and Dr Jianli Wang changing the sample on the GEM diffractometer, ISIS. ISIS is a world leading pulsed neutron muon source. It is situated at the Rutherford Appleton laboratory Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.

Muon spin relaxation studies of iron(II) spin crossover complexes

Emeritus Professor Stewart J. CampbellIron (II) spin crossover materials that exhibit a change from high-spin (S = 2) to low spin (S = 0) offer considerable potential for applications in the emerging fields of molecular electronics and nanotechnologies. A productive series of investigations of these compounds in collaboration with the Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet, Mainz and the Université Catholique de louvain, Belgium has culminated in a review article published in Inorganica Chimica Acta.

Spin coherence studies using the low temperature, pulsed, electron spin resonance facility

Dr Wayne Hutchison & Dr Libu Alexander Measurements of spin coherence in phosphorus doped silicon are important in the context of quantum computing applications. Our pulsed ESR system, used in conjunction with a dilution refrigerator, is used to make such measurements down to millikelvin temperatures. Recently, using an isotopically enriched 28Si host together with low donor concentrations, coherence times in excess of 100 ms have been observed.

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Student ResearchA study of the crystal field interaction for two rare earth intermetallic series

Banchachit Saensunon ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Physics

The interplay between the crystal and magnetic exchange interaction in rare earth intermetallic is responsible for a range of subtle magnetic structure and bulk behaviour. In this project the RT2Si2 (R=rare earth, T=Transition metal) and RNiAl4 series are investigated using 169Tm Mössbauer spectroscopy and inelastic neutron scattering (INS). The INS measurements were conducted at the Berlin Neutron Scattering Centre, Germany. All of the specimens are prepared at UNSW@ADFA using an argon arc furnace and they are first characterized using x-ray powder diffraction, specific heat, and magnetization measurements.

Atomic-scale modifications of carbon clusters and nanotubes by ion irradiation

Anwaar Malik ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Physics

Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) dating of sediments from Pleistocene desert environments

Sarah Rittner ([email protected])Transferred from being a Practicum student to PhD student commencing 24 August 2009.

Field of Study: Physics/Geography

Nano-scale modification and characterisation of polymer surfaces

Yanyan Liu ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Physics

Structural and magnetic properties of heavy rare earth manganites

Hazar Salama ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Advanced Materials

The multi-ferroic properties of the heavy rare earth manganites, with the composition RMn03, are currently under intense scrutiny. These materials are both ferromagnetic and ferroelectric in the same phase, resulting in higher-order magnetoelectric effects and complex phase diagrams at low temperature. Hazar’s PhD project examines the transition of RMn03 R=yb, Tm from the orthorhombic perovskite (o) to the hexagonal (h) phase by high pressure synthesis, the structure and magnetic interactions of both orthorhombic (o) and hexagonal (h) phases and how this affects their magnetic properties. The techniques of 169Tm-, 170yb- and 57Fe- Mössbauer spectroscopy are used to investigate the local magnetic moments and crystal field interactions. The Mössbauer spectroscopy investigations are complemented by magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements.

Tracing wear debris pathways from joint prostheses using radioisotopes

Jake Warner ([email protected]) PhDField of Study: Physics

With over 600, 000 annual total knee replacement operations performed worldwide, the popular choice for the articulating component has been ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) due to its very low wear rate. However, polyethylene wear particles from knee and hip prostheses can cause harmful immunological responses, leading to bone resorption and potential loosening of the prosthesis. Due to this aseptic loosening of the prosthesis, revision surgery is required, assuming greater cost and risk for the patient. In order to investigate this wear process, commercial knee simulators are used to actuate against the prosthesis, producing wear debris from the UHMWPE surface. The UHMWPE has been labelled with radioisotope tracers, allowing the tracing of debris pathways. This tracing method will hopefully lead to a better understanding of the tribology of the knee prosthesis and the debris exchange processes, as well as the accumulation of wear debris at various locations in the joint system.

Research AgreementsAcademic exchange between UNSW@ADFA, School of PEMS and the University of Toyama, Graduate School of Science and Engineering. Prof. Katsuhiko Nishimura from the University of Toyama is a regular visitor to UNSW@ADFA. His long standing collaborative research work with Dr Wayne Hutchison and the Advanced Materials Group was the basis of an agreement for Academic exchange between UNSW@ADFA, School of PEMS and the University of Toyama, Graduate School of Science and Engineering. The agreement was instigated some 5 years ago and was recently renewed.

Joint agreement between UNSW and ANSTO. Dr Jianli Wang’s position as Bragg- UNSW@ADFA Research Fellow (initially for a 3 year term) is part of this joint agreement. The Bragg Institute, ANSTO is responsible for neutron scattering at Australia’s research reactor, OPAl, and aims to be an international leader in neutron beam and X-ray science. Jianli works with colleagues here in PEMS and at the Bragg Institute on developmental and theoretical aspects of modern condensed matter science, particularly magnetism.

PhD Opportunities and ScholarshipsIf you require any further information, are interested in collaborative research with members of the group, or looking at a potential PhD or Research Masters topic then please contact: Dr Wayne Hutchison ([email protected])

Wayne Hutchison manages the Magnetic Resonance Program of the Centre for Quantum Computer Technology (see http://www.qcaustralia.org/organisational.php)

Dr Heiko Timmers ([email protected])

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One of the two new Perturbed Angular Correlation Spectrometers at UNSW@ADFA produces first results. From left to right: Mr Jake Warner (PhD student), Dr Wolf-Dietrich Zeitz (visitor to PEMS), Dr laura Gladkis, Dr Heiko Timmers. In front: Dr William Kemp.

Major Facilities• Radioisotope implanter (negative ion, 50-150 kev).

• Two 3He-4He dilution refrigerators (base temperatures of 6 mK) used as low temperature platforms for: nuclear magnetic resonance on oriented nuclei (NMRON); low temperature nuclear orientation (lTNO); pulsed electron spin resonance (ESR); source and absorber geometry Mössbauer spectroscopy.

• Suite of four 57Fe- and two 169Tm-Mössbauer spectrometers (three cryostats 2-300 K; furnaces 300-720 K).

• Pulsed and conventional electron spin resonance (ESR) facilities.

• Sample preparation laboratory (argon arc furnace, tube furnaces, basic glass-blowing facilities, diamond saws & spark cutting, polishing, fume cupboards, hydrogen loading apparatus).

• X-ray diffractometers, vibrating sample magnetometer (0-1 T, 8-300 K) and AC magnetic susceptometer (2-300 K).

• Radioisotope handling laboratory.

• Two new Perturbed Angular Correlation spectrometers at UNSW@ADFA.

In 2008-2009, the impressive suite of research apparatus located at PEMS was augmented through the donation of two spectrometers for perturbed angular correlation (PAC) research by the Hahn-Meitner Institute in Berlin. The gift was facilitated by Dr Wolf-Dietrich Zeitz. The spectrometers complement in particular the radioisotope implanter, which is the ideal preparation tool for PAC.

The method suits research into magnetic and semiconductor materials. During a five months visiting Fellowship, which has just ended, Dr Zeitz installed the PAC spectrometers and introduced his PEMS colleagues to their possibilities. The quick installation time was made possible through the effective support of the PEMS workshops. Moreover, as in a previous sojourn, Dr Zeitz proved to be a sought-after mentor of postgraduate students and postdocs contributing to tribology (the science and technology of interacting surfaces in relative motion, including the study of friction, lubrication, and wear) work on polyethylene, knee prosthesis wear research and magnetism in nickel. The PAC spectrometers play a particular role in collaborative work on the semiconductors GaN and ZnO which aims to contribute to the development of spintronics (the study of magnetic and electric fields produced by electron spin). This international collaboration involves apart from UNSW@ADFA researchers, scientists and facilities at the University of Bonn and the Australian National University.

PublicationsIn PressConference - Full paper refereed

Wang, J.L., Campbell, S.J., Studer, A.J., Kennedy, S.J., Zeng R. & Dou, S.X., in press, Magnetic properties of Ho2Fe17-xMnx – influence of Mn substitution, Proceedings of the International Conference on Magnetism, ICM2009, 26-31 July 2009, Karlsruhe, Germany, Journal of Physics, Conference Series.

2009 publicationsJournal – Refereed

Gladkis, L.G., li, R.W., Scarvell, J.M., Smith, P.N., Timmers, H., 2009, Exploration of the size, shape and abundance of UHMWPE wear particles using atomic force microscopy, Wear, 267(1-4), 632-638, doi:10.1016/j.wear.2008.11.024.

Advanced Materials


li, l., Nishimura, K. & Hutchison, W.D., 2009, Magnetic properties and large inverse magnetocaloric effect in single crystal TbNiAl4, Solid State Communications, 149(23-24), 932-936, doi:10.1016/j.ssc.2009.03.032.

Saensunon, B., Stewart, G.A. & Nishimura, K., 2009, Crystal field interaction at the Tm3+ site in TmCr2Si2, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 476(1-2), 49-53, doi:10.1016/j.jallcom.2008.09.158.

Saensunon, B., Nishimura, K., voyer, C., Ryan, D.H., Hutchison, W.D. & Stewart, G.A., 2009, Magnetic ground state at the ytterbium site in ybNiAl4, Journal of Applied Physics, 105(7), 07E123-1-07E123-3,doi: 10.1063/1.3067526.

Saensunon, B., Stewart, G.A., Gubbens, P.C., Hutchison, W.D. & Buchsteiner, A., 2009, The crystal field interaction at the rare earth site in ErNiAl4, Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 21(12), 124215 (4pp.), doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/21/12/124215.

Salama, H.A. & Stewart, G.A., 2009, Exchange-induced Tm magnetism in multiferroich-TmMn03, Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 21(38), 386001 (5pp.), doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/21/38/386001.

Salama, H.A., voyer, C., Ryan, D.H. & Stewart, G.A., 2009, Magnetic order of the rare earth sublattice in h-ybMnO3, Journal of Applied Physics, 105(7), 07E110-07E110-3, doi: 10.1063/1.3068011.

Schiemer, J., Withers, R., Noren, l., liu, y., Bourgeois l. & Stewart, G.A., 2009, A detailed phase analysis and crystal structure investigation of Bi1-xCaxFeO3-x/2 perovskite-related solid solution phase and selected property measurements thereof, Chemistry of Materials, 21(18), 4223-4232, doi: 10.1021/cm901757h.

Wang, J.L., Campbell, S.J., Studer, A.J., Avdeev, M., Zeng, R. & Dou, S.X., 2009, Magnetic phase transitions in Pr1-xluxMn2Ge2 compounds, Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 21(12) 124217-1-124217-11, doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/21/12/124217.

Wang, J.L., Campbell, S.J., Zeng, R., Poh, C.K., Dou, S.X. & Kennedy, S.J., 2009, Re-entrant Ferromagnet PrMn2Ge0.8Si1.2 - magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect, Journal of Applied Physics, 105(7), 07A909-1-07A909-3, doi: 10.1063/1.3059610.

Zeng, R., lu, l., li, W.X., Kim, J.H., Shi, D.Q., liu, H.K., Dou, S.X., Wang, J.L., Campbell, S.J., Wang, Z., li, y., Zhu, M.y., & Feng C.Q., 2009, Magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect of (Mn1-xNix)3Sn2 (x= 0 to 0.5) compounds, Journal of Applied Physics, 105(7), 07A935-1-07A935-3, doi: 10.1063/1.3062953.

Zeng, R., Dou, S.X., lu, l., li, W. X., Poh, C.K., Kim, J.H., Horvat, J., Shi, D.Q., Wang, J.L., Munroe, P., Wang, X.F., Zheng, R.K., Ringer, S.P., Rindfleisch M., and Tomsic, M., 2009, Stress/Strain induced flux pining in highly dense MgB2 bulks, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, 19(3/3), 2722-2725, doi: 10.1109/TASC.2009.2019577.


li, l., Nishimura, K. & Hutchison, W.D., 2009, large inverse magnetocaloric effect in single crystal TbNiAl4, Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 150, 042113 (4pp.), doi: 10.1088/1742-6596/150/4/042113.

Malik, A., 2009, Carbon cluster output of cesium-sputtering ion sources with modified cathode geometries, Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ANZIP Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, 4-6 February, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga 2009, Available at: http://www.aip.org.au/wagga2009/TP22_Malik.pdf.

Malik, A., Belay, K., llwellyn, D., Hutchison, W.D. & Elliman, R., 2009, Ion beam assisted formation of magnetic nano-particles, Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ANZIP Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, 4-6 February, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga 2009, Available at: http://www.aip.org.au/wagga2009/WP19_Malik.pdf.

Saensunon, B., Nishimura, K. & Stewart, G.A., 2009, The magnetic ground state of the Tm3+ site in TmMn2Si2 , Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ANZIP Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, 4-6 February, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga 2009, Available at: http://www.aip.org.au/wagga2009/TP29_Saensunon.pdf.

Salama, H.A. & Stewart, G.A., 2009, Influence of Fe on the magnetic properties of h-yb(Mn1-xFex)O3, Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ANZIP Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, 4-6 February, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga 2009, Available at: http://www.aip.org.au/wagga2009/WP26_Salama.pdf.

Soo, l.y.S., Hutchison, W.D., Tajiri, y. & Nishimura, K., 2009, Exploring the magnetic anisotropy of (Pr0.5Nd0.5)1-xGdxNi, Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ANZIP Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, 4-6 February, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga 2009, Available at: http://www.aip.org.au/wagga2009/TP13_Soo.pdf.


Bulatovic, N., Hutchison, W.D., Spizzirri, P.G. & McCallum, J.C., 2009, Methods for improving the activation levels of near surface implanted phosphorus donors in silicon, oral presentation, Handbook of the 33rd Annual ANZIP Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, 4-6 February, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia.

Campbell, S.J. & Wang, J.L., 2009, Critical magnetic behaviour and magnetocaloric effect in PrMn2Ge2-based materials, 2nd FRM II User Meeting, 25 May 2009, Garching, Germany, p. 66.

Gladkis, L.G., li, R.W., Scarvell, J.M., Smith, P.N., Timmers, H., 2009, Exploration of the size, shape and abundance of UHMWPE wear particles using atomic force microscopy, Proceedings of International Wear of Materials Conference, las vegas, USA, 19-23 April 2009.

Kennedy, S.J., Campbell S.J., Hoffmann, M., Deen, P., Becker, K.D., Fabian, M., Sepelak, v., 2009, Insight to the magnetic character of Zinc Ferrite nanoparticles from neutron polarisation analysis, Book of Abstracts for PNSXM2009, Polarized Neutrons and Synchrotron X-rays for Magnetism, 2-5 August 2009, Bonn, Germany.

Saensunon, B., Stewart, G.A., Gubbens, P.C., Hutchison, W.D. & Buchsteiner, A., 2009, The crystal field interaction at the rare earth site in ErNiAl4, Handbook of the Symposium on Neutron Scattering and Magnetism (on the occasion of the 70th birthday of Dr Trevor Hicks), lucas Heights, Australia, p. 12.

Salama, H.A. & Stewart, G.A., 2009, Exchange-induced Tm magnetism in multiferroic h-TmMnO3, Handbook of the 33rd Annual Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, 4-6 February, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia, p. 27, Best Poster Award.

Salama, H.A. & Stewart, G.A., 2009, Modelling the temperature dependence of the local 4b-site Tm moment in hexagonal phase TmMnO3, Handbook of the Symposium on Neutron Scattering and Magnetism (on the occasion of the 70th birthday of Dr Trevor Hicks), lucas Heights, Australia, p. 20.

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Salama, H.A. & Stewart, G.A., 2009, A 169Tm-Mössbauer spectroscopy investigation of orthorhombic phase TmMnO3, Handbook of the International Conference on the Applications of the Mössbauer Effect, vienna, Austria, p. T09-57.

Studer, A.J., Hutchison, W.D., Goossens, D.J. & Nishimura, K., 2009, The magnetic Wombat: Single crystal and powder studies of the RNiAl4 system, Handbook of the Symposium on Neutron Scattering and Magnetism (on the occasion of the 70th birthday of Dr Trevor Hicks), lucas Heights, Australia, p. 23.

Studer, A.J., Hutchison, W.D., Goossens D.J. & Nishimura, K., 2009, Magnetic structures in the RNiAl4 system: Illustrating the Wombat high speed neutron diffractometer at OPAl, 26th Biennial Conference of the Society of Crystallographers In Australia and New Zealand, Crystal26, Barossa valley, South Australia, 14-17 April 2009.

Wang, J.L., Campbell, S.J., Hofmann, M., Kennedy, S.J., Zeng, R. & Dou, S.X., 2009, Magnetocaloric effect and phase transitions in PrMn2Ge2-xSix, Handbook of the 33rd Annual Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, 4-6 February, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia, p. TP15.

Wang, J.L., Campbell, S.J., Studer, A.J., Kennedy, S.J., Zeng, R. & Dou, S.X., 2009, Magnetic structures and magneto-volume effects in Ho2Fe17-xMnx, Handbook of the 33rd Annual Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, 4-6 February, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia, p. WP16.

Wang, J.L., Campbell, S.J., Studer, A.J., Kennedy, S.J. & Zeng, R., 2009, Magnetic properties of Ho2Fe17-xMnx – influence of Mn substitution, Handbook of the International Conference on Magnetism, 26-31 July 2009, Karlsruhe, Germany, p. 88.

Wang, J.L., Campbell, S.J., Studer, A.J., Zeng R. & Dou, S.X., 2009, Structural and magnetic properties of Ho2Fe17-xMnx, Handbook of the AINSE Symposium on Neutron Scattering and Magnetism (on the occasion of the 70th birthday of Dr Trevor Hicks), 20 April 2009, lucas Heights, Australia, p. 21.

Wang, J.L., Campbell, S.J., Tegus, O., Brück, E. & Dou, S.X., 2009, Magnetic phase transition in MnFeP0.5As0.4Si0.1, Handbook of the International Conference on the Applications of the Mössbauer Effect, 19-25 July 2009, vienna, Austria, p. 325.

Warner, J., Gladkis, L.G., Smith, P.N., Scarvell, J.M., Timmers, H., 2009, New techniques for quantifying and tracing prosthetic wear, ACT Young Investigators Forum, The Australian Society for Medical Research, 2nd June 2009, The Canberra Hospital, Canberra, Australia.

Invited talks

Campbell, S.J. & Wang, J.L., 2009, (Invited Talk), The magnetism of rare earth intermetallic compounds – a platform for designed magnetocaloric materials, International Workshop on Electronic Materials and their Applications; Institute for Superconductivity and Electronic Materials, University of Wollongong, Australia.

Campbell, S.J. & Wang, J.L., 2009, (Invited Talk), Rare earth compounds – magnetocaloric effect and magnetostructural coupling, Handbook of the AINSE Symposium on Neutron Scattering and Magnetism (on the occasion of the 70th birthday of Dr Trevor Hicks), 20 April 2009, lucas Heights, Australia, p. 8.


Garcia, y., Campbell, S.J., lord, J.S. & Gutlich, P., 2008, Muon spin relaxation studies of iron(II) spin crossover complexes, Inorganica Chimica Acta, 361(12-13), 3577-3585, doi:10.1016/j.ica.2008.03.034.

Hutchison, W.D., Chaplin, D.H. & Nishimura, K., 2008, low temperature nuclear orientation observations of severe neutron activation damage in (160Tb)TbNiAl4, Hyperfine Interactions, 177(1-3), 39-43, doi: 10.1007/s10751-008-9619-7.

li, l., Nishimura, K., Hutchison, W.D. & Mori, K., 2008, large magnetocaloric effect in la2/3Ca1/3Mn1-xSixO3 (x=0.05-0.20) manganites, Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 41(17), 175002-1-175002-4, doi: 10.1088/0022-3727/41/17/175002.

low, H.R., Phonthammachai, N., Maignan, A., Stewart, G.A., Bastow, T.J., Ma, l.l. & White, T.J., 2008, The crystal chemistry of ferric oxyhydroxyapatite, Inorganic Chemistry, 47(24), 11774-11782, doi: 10.1021/ic801491t.

Saensunon, B., Stewart, G.A. & Pax, R.A., 2008, A combined 57Fe-Mossbauer and X-ray diffraction study of the ilmenite reduction process in a commercial rotary kiln, International Journal of Mineral Processing, 86, 26-32, doi:10.1016/j.minpro.2007.10.004.

Salama, H.A., Stewart, G.A., Ryan, D.H., Elouneg-Jamroz, M. & Edge, A.V.J., 2008, A Mossbauer spectroscopy investigation of h-ybMnO3, Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 20(25), 1-7, doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/20/25/255213.

Suwuntanasarn, N., Hutchison, W.D., Milford, G.N. & Bramley, R., 2008, Novel pulsed electron spin resonance system and studies of phosphorus in natural silicon, Hyperfine Interactions, 180(1-3), 25-28, doi: 10.1007/s10751-008-9682-0.

Tajiri, y., Nishimura, K., li, l. & Hutchison, W.D., 2008, Exploring the antiferromagnetic coupling of Pr and Gd in Pr1-xGdxNi single crystals, Solid State Communications, 148(9-10), 365-368, doi: 10.1016/j.ssc.2008.09.042.

Wang, J., Campbell, S.J., Studer, A.J., Avdeev, M., Hofmann, M., Hoelzel, M. & Dou, S.X., 2008, Magnetic structures and phase transitions in PrMn2-xFexGe2 (x=1.0-1.6) – neutron diffraction and 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, Journal of Applied Physics, 104(10), 103911-103911-12, doi: 10.1063/1.3021096.

Zeitz, W., Dogra, R., Byrne, A.P., Shrestha, S.K., Edge, A. & Timmers, H., 2008, Magnetism of isolated cadmium atoms in vacancy-associated sites in nickel, Physical Review B, 78(1), 1-7, doi: 10.1103/PhysRevB.78.014406.


Bulatovic, N., Hutchison, W.D., Spizzirri, P.G., McCallum, J.C., Stavrias, N. & Prawer, S., 2008, A study of the activation of ion implanted phosphorus donors in silicon using ESR, Proceedings of Wagga 2008: The 32nd Annual Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, M.B Cortie (ed.), Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia. Available at: http://www.aip.org.au/wagga2008/02_Bulatovic.pdf

Hutchison, W.D., Saensunon, B., Ahlefeldt, R. & Stewart, G.A., 2008, Magnetic ordering temperatures across the RNiAl4 series, Proceedings of Wagga 2008: The 32nd Annual Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, M.B. Cortie (ed.), Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia. Available at: http://www.aip.org.au/wagga2008/10_Hutchison.pdf

Advanced Materials


Saensunon, B., Nishimura, K. & Stewart, G.A., 2008, lattice specific heat for the intermetallic series RCr2Si2 (R=rare earth), Proceedings of Wagga 2008: The 32nd Annual Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, M.B. Cortie (ed.), Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia. Available at: http://www.aip.org.au/wagga2008/23_Saensunon.pdf

Salama, H.A., Mclean, N.S., Moyle, N.B. & Stewart, G.A., 2008, Refinement of the structural phase diagram for calcium-doped RMnO3 (R=rare earth), Proceedings of Wagga 2008: The 32nd Annual Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, M.B. Cortie (ed.), Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia. Available at: http://www.aip.org.au/wagga2008/24_Salama.pdf


Garcia, y., Campbell, S.J., lord, J.S. & Gutlich, P., 2008, Dynamics of mononuclear Fe(II) spin crossover complexes - muon studies, Abstract Book: 11th International Conference on Muon Spin Rotation, Relaxation, and Resonance (muSR2008), Kenji M. Kojima (ed.), Tsukuba, Japan, p. 83.

Gladkis, L.G., Timmers, H., li, R.W., Scarvell, J. & Smith, P., 2008, Characterization of wear debris generated with a constant force knee simulator, AOA 68th Annual Scientific Meeting Abstracts, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, p. 32.

Gladkis, L.G., li, R.W., Scarvell, J., Timmers, H. & Smith, P., 2008, Direct characterisation of the size, shape and abundance of UHMWPE wear particles using atomic force microscopy, Proceedings of the Australian Health and Medical Research Congress 2008, Brisbane, Australia, p. 303.

Gladkis, L.G., Timmers, H., li, R.W., Scarvell, J. & Smith, P., 2008, Implantation of radioisotope tracers into knee joint materials, Australian Orthopaedic Association; ACT Branch-Annual Scientific Meeting, The Canberra Hospital, Australia.

Hutchison, W.D., Goossens, D.J., Studer, A.J., Avdeev, M., Saensunon B. & Stewart, G.A., 2008, A recent low temperature measurement at OPAl - magnetic structure of ErNiAl4, Conference Handbook: 7th AINSE/ANBUG Neutron Scattering Symposium, AANSS 2008, D. Riley et al. (eds), lucas Heights, Australia, 8-10 December 2008, p. 7.

Saensunon, B. & Stewart, G.A., 2008, Crystal field interaction at the Tm site in TmCr2Si2, Conference Handbook of the 32nd ANZIP Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, 29 January-1 February 2008, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia, p. 70.

Salama, H.A., Stewart, G.A., Nishimura, K., Scott, D. & O’Neill, H., 2008, A Mossbauer investigation of o-ybMnO3, Conference Handbook of the 32nd ANZIP Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, 29 January-1 February 2008, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia, p. 72.

Suwuntanasarn, N., Hutchison, W.D. & Milford, G.N., 2008, low temperature x-band probe heads for decoherence time studies in semiconductors, Conference Handbook of the 32nd ANZIP Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, 29 January-1 February 2008, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia.

Wang, J., Campbell, S.J., Tegus, O., Brück, E. & Dou, S.X., 2008, Critical magnetic behaviour of MnFeP0.5As0.4Si0.1, in Conference Handbook of the 32nd ANZIP Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, 29 January-1 February 2008, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia, p. 89.

Wang, J., Campbell, S.J., Studer, AJ. & Avdeev, M., 2008, Multiple magnetic phases in Pr0.8lu0.2Mn2Ge2 - insight from Wombat, Conference Handbook: 7th AINSE/ANBUG Neutron Scattering Symposium, AANSS 2008, D. Riley et al. (eds), lucas Heights, Australia, 8-10 December 2008, p. 51.

Wang, J., Campbell, S.J., Hofmann, M., Radaelli, P.G. & Kockelmann, W., 2008, Pr1-xyxMn2Ge2 - magnetic structures and magnetovolume effects, Conference Handbook: 7th AINSE/ANBUG Neutron Scattering Symposium, D. Riley et al. (eds), lucas Heights, Australia, 8-10 December 2008, p. 8.

Thesis

Suwuntanasarn, Nakorn, 2008, Magnetic resonance studies of issues critical to solid state quantum computer, School of Physical, Environmental & Mathematical Sciences, Australian Defence Force Academy, UNSW, PhD Thesis, Available at: http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/40263.

Dr Wayne Hutchison with PhD graduate Nakorn Suwantanasarn and ‘Queenie’ at UNSW@ADFA Graduation, December 2008 (Photo credit: K. Badek).

GrantsExternal GrantsS.J. Campbell, Insight to novel spin crossover compounds by MuSR, ANSTO, 2008: $9,429.

S.J. Campbell, G. Kearley, H. Riesen, Structure of NaMgAl(oxalate)3.9H20 and neutron spin-echo studies of water flips.; Magnetic nanoclusters in Zinc Ferrites, ANSTO, 2008: $11,890.

G.A. Stewart, Determination of crystal field parameters for the intermetallic compound ErCr2Si2, ANSTO, 2009: $3,400.

J. Wang & S.J. Campbell, Magnetic structures and magnetovolume effects in Ni-Mn-Co-Ga shape memory alloys, ANSTO, 2009: $8,918.

R.G. Clark, G.J. Milburn, A.S. Dzurak, D.N. Jamieson, A.G.. White, M. Simmons, T. lehmann, H. Rubinstein-Dunlop, S. Prawer, l. Hollenberg, T. Ralph, J.C. McCallum, C. Pakes, H. Wiseman, G.R. Pryde, J. Twamley, I. Shparlinsky, D.R. MacKenzie, E.H. Huntington, W.D. Hutchison, D. Pulford, G. Klimeck, B.C. Saunders, R. Sharp, Centre for Quantum Computer Technology, ARC COE (renewal) 2008-2010: $10.1M ($270,000 to WDH UNSW@ADFA).

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R.G. Clark, G.J. Milburn, A.S. Dzurak, M.y. Simmons, A.R. Hamilton, S. Prawer, D.N. Jamieson, l.C. Hollenberg, J.C. McCallum, C.I. Pakes, H. Rubinsztein-Dunlop, T.C. Ralph, A.G. White, B.C. Sanders, H. Wiseman, D.R. McKenzie, E.H. Huntington, W.D. Hutchison , D. Pulford, R.J. Hughes, P.C. Hammel, B.E. Kane, W.J. Munro & R. Sharp, Centre for Quantum Computer Technology, ARC COE, 2003-2008: $14.2M ($425,000 to WDH UNSW@ADFA).

D. Mather, S.J. Campbell and 12 co-investigators, Access for Australian researchers to advanced neutron-beam techniques, ARC linkage, lIEF, Australian Research Council, 2008-2012: $1,000,000.

G.A. Stewart, A Mössbauer investigation of the hexagonal and orthorhombic phases of TmMnO3, AINSE, 2008: $4,000.

H. Timmers, L.G. Gladkis, Dr J.M. Scarvell (University of Canberra) & A/Prof. P.N. Smith (Canberra Hospital), Rare isotopes as tracers of prosthesis debris, ARC linkage Grant, $324,000, (2008: $108,000; 2009: $108,000; 2010: $108,000).

J. Wang & S.J. Campbell, Magnetic transitions and magnetovolume effects in Pr1-xyxMn2Ge2, ANSTO, 2008: $3,985.

UNSW GrantsS.J. Campbell, J. Wang & S.J. Kennedy, The magnetocaloric effect – combining physics and functional materials, UNSW@ADFA Silverstar Award, 2009: $20,000.

L.G. Gladkis & H. Timmers, Bioactivity of polyethylene wear particles, Bruce Milthorpe (UNSW Eng), 2009: $30,000.

I. Petersen, E. Huntington, C. Harb, G. Milford & W.D. Hutchison, Network analyzer, UNSW Major Research Equipment and Infrastructure Scheme (MREIS), 2009: $67,000.

H. Timmers, Dilute magnetic GaN for radiation-hard spintronics memory in strategic defence systems, DSARC Scholarship/BlUEGlASS ltd, 2009: $64, 881.

S.J. Campbell, Access for Australian researchers to advanced neutron-beam techniques, UNSW Capital Grants Scheme, (UNSW + PEMS; $15,200 + $4,050)

H. Riesen, S.J. Campbell & G. Jackson, light-induced water flips in crystals: High density optical storage at the molecular level, UNSW@ADFA Silverstar Award, 2008: $20,000.

Conference ParticipationMembers of the Advanced Materials research group attended the 32nd Annual Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, 2008 at Wagga Wagga. The PEMS troupe, made up of Rose Ahlefeldt, Natasa Bulatovic, Stewart Campbell, Wayne Hutchison, Hazar Salama, Glen Stewart and Jianli Wang, contributed eight poster presentations and submitted four 4-page manuscripts for on-line publication (www.aip.org.au/content/publications). Although Banchachit Saensunon was unable to make it back from Thailand in time to attend, he still managed to win a prize for a poster.

Stewart Campbell and Jianli Wang presented a poster and a talk at AANSS2008, the AINSE ANBUG Neutron Scattering Symposium which was held at lucas Heights, Sydney from 8 to 10 December 2008.

Banchachit Saensunon attended the Australian Research Network for Advanced Materials 2008 Annual Workshop held at Deakin University 15-18 December 2008 and presented a poster and short presentation “Crystal field interaction at the Tm3+ site in TmCr2Si2”.

In February 2009, eight members of the Advanced Materials Research Group participated in the 33rd Annual Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting at Wagga Wagga. They were Natasa Bulatovic, Stewart Campbell, Wayne Hutchison, Anwaar Malik, Hazar Salama, Banchachit Saensunon, Glen Stewart and Jianli Wang. Both Banchachit and Hazar were awarded prizes for the best student posters in their respective poster sessions.

Jianli Wang and Hazar Salama at the Symposium on Neutron Scattering and Magnetism on the occasion of the 70th birthday of Dr Trevor Hicks, 25th March 2009.

PhD student Hazar Salama was awarded a prize for the best student poster in her poster session.

Advanced Materials


Jianli Wang and Stewart Campbell attended an International Workshop on “Electronic Materials and their Applications” at the University of Wollongong from 19-20 March 2009. While at the workshop, Jianli also took the opportunity to carry out magnetic measurements on some of our new sets of magnetic materials. Access to these sophisticated items of equipment, which operate over wide ranges of temperature (1.5-350 K) and magnetic field (0-14 T) is made available to us through our participation in two ARC lIEF grants with the University of Wollongong.

In March 2009 four members of the School’s Advanced Materials research group (Stewart Campbell, Hazar Salama, Glen Stewart and Jianli Wang) travelled to lucas Heights to attend a special AINSE Symposium on Neutron Scattering and Magnetism. The Symposium coincided with the publication of a special Festschrift issue of the Journal of Physics; Condensed Matter (volume 21, Number 12, 25th March, 2009) to mark the occasion of the 70th birthday of Dr Trevor Hicks.

Stewart Campbell, Glen Stewart and Jianli Wang attended ICAME2009, the International Conference on Applications of the Mössbauer Effect, vienna, 20-24 July 2009. Glen Stewart presented an invited talk entitled “Characterisation of the crystal field interaction in rare earth intermetallics using Mössbauer spectroscopy“. In addition to attending several IBAME Board meetings, Stewart co-chaired a session on Solid State Physics at ICAME2009.

Stewart Campbell and Jianli Wang attended ICM2009, the International Conference on Magnetism, Karlsruhe, Germany, 26-31 July 2009. They presented a poster based on their refereed paper entitled “Magnetic properties of Ho2Fe17-xMnx – influence of Mn substitution”. Stewart co-chaired a session on Magnetocaloric Effects at ICM2009. Stewart then travelled to the satellite conference PNSXM2009 in Bonn, 2-5 August 2009, where together with co-worker Shane Kennedy, ANSTO, he presented a poster on neutron polarisation investigations of ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles.

Stewart Campbell and Jianli Wang attended the Scoping Workshop on New Guides, Instruments and Sample-Environment Apparatus at OPAl, ANSTO, 27-28 August 2009.

ServiceStewart Campbell - Australian representative on IBAME, the International Board on Applications of the Mössbauer Effect; Meeting Chair of the Instrument Advisory Team for Pelican, the new neutron polarization analysis, time-of-flight Instrument at OPAl, ANSTO.

Wayne Hutchison

• Executive committee member of the ACT Branch Australian Institute of Physics since 2000.

• Member of the International Advisory Committee for the Conference on Hyperfine Interactions and is also a member of the 2010 Program Committee.

VisitorsDr Jorge Fernandez Niello from the National University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, visited Laura Gladkis and Heiko Timmers.

Dr Wolf Dietrich Zeitz from Hahn-Meitner Institut, Berlin was a Funded visiting Fellow to PEMS, 1st September 2008-28th February 2009. He collaborated with Heiko Timmers and Laura Gladkis and other members of the Advanced Materials Research Group (in research using the Radioisotope Implanter Facility) as well as sharing his radioisotope expertise with others in PEMS.

Heiko Timmers hosted Patrick Kessler, from the University of Bonn from 14 April-10 May 2009.

Wayne Hutchison hosted Phil Bruen (a work experience student) 1-5 September 2009.

Stewart Campbell and Jianli Wang hosted several short-term visitors for seminar presentations and research discussions: 2008 - Profs Horst Hahn and Michael Lowenhaupt from Germany; Drs Shane Kennedy, Frank Klose and Karl Whittle, ANSTO; Dr John Stride, UNSW; Drs Zbigniew Stachurski and Ying Chen, the Australian National University; Prof. Sean Cadogan from Canada and Dr Dennis Mather, AINSE. visitors so far in 2009 include: Prof. Edie Sevick and Dr Genmiao Wang, ANU; Prof. Tom Johansen, Norway; Prof. Sean Cadogan, Canada.

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The Astronomy & Astrophysics group contributes across a wide range of research areas, principally in stellar astronomy, aimed at the characterisation of stellar populations, study of the formation and evolution of stars and stellar systems, and investigation of the physical properties and chemistry of their circumstellar environments. There is a strong emphasis on a multi-wavelength approach to our research, with ground-based optical, IR and radio observations merged with satellite-based optical, IR and high-energy (Uv, gamma- and X-ray) observations and balloon-based X-ray data, to understand the objects and phenomenon that we observe in an astrophysical sense.

Members of the Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Group with the 30-cm teaching telescope of the School of PEMS. Pictured from l to R (back row): Assoc. Prof. Ravi Sood, Dr Robert Smith (front row) Dr Steve James, Dr Chris Wright, Assoc. Prof. Warrick lawson [Photo credit: K. Badek].

Members Academic Staff: Assoc. Prof. Warrick Lawson ([email protected]) BSc, MSc, PhD Cant.Assoc. Prof. Ravi Sood ([email protected]) BSc, PhD Lond., DIC, MIAU, FASA, FAIPDr Garry Robinson ([email protected]) BSc, PhD Melb., ARMITDr Robert Smith ([email protected]) BSc, PhD Melb., FASA, MIAU

ARC Research Fellow: Dr Chris Wright ([email protected]) BSc Melb., PhD UNSW

Research Students: Flying Officer Cosimo Panetta - Research Topic - Star formation in dark clouds.

Recent Graduate Students: Dr Sean Adam Farrell - Research Topic - The multi-coloured universe of 2S 0114+650

Recent Honours Students:Michael Varga - Research Topic - Future RADIAC capability for the Australian Defence ForcePaul Andrews - Research Topic - Infrared signatures of aircraft: a theoretical approach to the infrared signature of the Boeing 737-700

Research Collaborators:Prof. M. Bessell (Australian National University)Dr T. Bourke (Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, USA)Dr J. Bouwman (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg, Germany)Prof. M. Burton (UNSW)Dr S. Charnley (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, U.S.A.)Prof. G. Clayton (louisiana State University, USA)Dr L. Crause (South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa)Prof. E. van Dishoeck (leiden University, The Netherlands)Dr S. Farrell (University of leicester, UK)Prof. E. Feigelson (Pennsylvania State University, USA)Dr T. Fujiyoshi (Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, National Institute of Natural Sciences, Hilo, Hawaii, U.S.A.).Dr A. Glasse (United Kingdom Astrophysical Technology Centre, Edinburgh)Prof. T. R. Ireland (Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University)Dr D. Lommen (leiden University, The Netherlands)Dr A-R. Lyo (Korea Astronomical Observatory, Korea)Dr S. Maddison (Swinburne University)Dr M. M. Maldoni (Geoscience Australia, Canberra, Australia)Prof. R. K. Manchanda (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India)Prof. H. Misawa (Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan)Dr E. Moraux (Observatoire de Grenoble, France)Dr Y. Pendleton (NASA Ames Research Center, Space Sciences Division, Mountainview, U.S.A.)Dr S. Rodgers (NASA Ames Research Center, Space Sciences Division, Mountainview, U.S.A.)Dr R. Siebenmorgen (European Southern Observatory, Germany)Dr M. Sterzik (European Southern Observatory, Chile)Dr B. Stecklum (Thuringer landessternwarte, Tautenburg, Germany)Dr Y. Unruh (Imperial College london, UK)

Astronomy & Astrophysics


Current ResearchOur current research can be categorised into several broad themes:

High-energy astrophysics

Ravi Sood, Warrick LawsonContact: Ravi Sood

Satellite observations of X-ray accreting binary systems, and young magnetically-active T Tauri stars in star-forming regions, are obtained using current space observatories, e.g. Chandra or XMM/Newton, or from satellite data archives, e.g. ROSAT, ROSSI, etc. Ground-based observations are made using radio and optical/IR telescopes located in Australia (Coonabarabran and Narrabri) and overseas (la Silla, Chile or Sutherland, South Africa) to complement the X-ray data. Some observations are made as part of coordinated campaigns with other ground- and space observatories to determine the nature of the X-ray sources over a range of wavelengths, or their behaviour over an interval of time.

Star Formation

Warrick Lawson, Robert Smith, Garry Robinson, Chris Wright Contact: Warrick Lawson

We study the chemistry of star formation environments, both interstellar and circumstellar, and investigate the influence of moderating effects such as Uv photon radiation fields and stellar winds, principally by obtaining near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy of young stellar objects using ground-based telescopes and infrared space observatories. This work is complemented by laboratory studies of interstellar dust and ice analogues and numerical modeling. We study the properties of the stellar populations of star formation regions, e.g. magnetic activity in young stars and brown dwarfs, the prevalence of inner dust disks and the timescale of their dissipation or inclusion into proto-planetary grains, and the angular momentum history and dynamical state of young stellar clusters. This research is supported by data obtained with current space missions such as Chandra and the Spitzer Space Telescope.

Recent AchievementsOptical Telescope to monitor IO-Jupiter from Alice Springs

A collaborative programme between Ravi Sood and Prof. Hiroaki Misawa of the Planetary Plasma and Atmospheric Research Center, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, started in 2007 to observe the volcanic eruptions on Io, one of the moons of Jupiter, to investigate the effects that these eruptions will have on the ionosphere of Jupiter. Io is somewhat smaller than our Earth, and is the most active volcanic body in the whole Solar System.

The observations are carried out via an optical telescope specifically designed and built at Tohoku University for the project. The telescope is installed at the Balloon launching Station, Alice Springs. The site has been chosen because of the good viewing conditions available there. The telescope dome and some of the control systems were installed in early 2008. The telescope optical system was installed and commissioned during the period 3-16 June 2008.

The telescope has a 30 cm mirror, a CCD detector cooled to -75oC, and is configured as a Schmidt-Cassegrain (F10) system. It is equipped with very narrow band filters to cut out human made background light. The light transmitted by these filters will allow us to monitor sulphur ions (1 nm wide filter) and sodium atoms (2 nm wide filter) released from Io. The observations will last a period of up to five years.

Rob Smith and Chris Wright were allocated observing time on the Spitzer Space telescope in the most recent (5th) cycle of observations in February 2008 to investigate the ice and dust surrounding the Class I protostar, GGD30IR. The actual observations were, however, scheduled for the morning of May 14 2009. The observations were successfully obtained, but 24 hours later Spitzer ran out of superfluid helium and the cryogenic part of its mission ended, after 5 years and 9 months of operations.

Rob Smith and Chris Wright discovered a silhouette envelope around the Class I protostar, GGD30IR using mid-infrared data from the Spitzer Space Telescope GlIMPSE legacy programme. Silhouette envelopes are not often seen. Normally protostellar envelopes are investigated by millimeter/submillimetre observations but the Spitzer data provide the opportunity to investigate this envelope in the mid-infrared. Because the mid-infrared probes lower density material, this provides a rare opportunity to investigate the tenuous outer regions of the envelope. The figure below shows a Spitzer image of this envelope, silhouetted against 8 micron background emission.

8 micron (infrared) image of the protostar GGD30IR (Smith & Wright 2009, MNRAS, in press). The very bright source in the centre is the protostar and the dark areas on either side are the dusty envelope of the protostar silhouetted against the background emission. The image is taken from archival data from the GlIMPSE legacy Programme and was obtained with the Infrared Array Camera on the Spitzer Space Telescope which is operated by the Jet Propulsion laboratory, California Institute of Technology under a contract with NASA.

Rob Smith and Chris Wright, in collaboration with Steve Charnley and Martin Cordiner of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center were allocated observing time on the Mopra Telescope near Coonabarabran as part of an astrochemistry project to search for anions and carbon chains in southern-hemisphere radio sources.


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Warrick Lawson, in collaboration with colleagues at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg, Germany, has completed several studies of the prevalence and nature of protoplanetary disks in nearby young stellar populations, based on observations made with NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. The host stars of these disks have ages ranging from 1 to 15 million years. Amongst the low-mass stars in these populations, the disks are dominated by so-called ‘transitional disks’, which have largely evacuated inner disk regions and conventional circumstellar outer disks. The prevalence of these types of disks suggests that they do not occupy an evolutionary disk state, but may be the common disk geometry around low-mass young stars. Observations of protoplanetary disks offers a fascinating insight into conditions in the young solar nebula that resulted in the formation of our solar system. An example is the 8 million year old star RECX 5 in the ή Chamaeleontis star cluster discovered at UNSW@ADFA in 1999. The disk chemistry is remarkably abundant in the crystalline silicate forsterite. The Spitzer spectrum of the RECX 5 is almost identical to that of the pristine solar system comet Hale-Bopp, suggesting that conditions 4.5 billion years ago in the young Sun’s disk must have been very similar to that of the present day conditions is the disk of RECX 5.

Student ResearchCurrent student research programs are:

• Star formation in dark clouds

• Dust grain growth in the disks around young stars.

C.M. Wright co-supervised a successful PhD project by Dave lommen, who graduated in 2009 at leiden University in The Netherlands. Dave’s thesis was entitled “The first steps of planet formation: Studying grain growth with millimeter interferometers”. The quality and impact of Dave’s thesis research was recognized with a subsequent offer of a prestigious Bolton Fellowship at the Australia Telescope National Facility.

PhD Opportunities and ScholarshipsThe Astronomy & Astrophysics group has ongoing PhD opportunities in the area of star formation.

Contact: Assoc. Prof. Warrick Lawson ([email protected])

Major Facilities• Unix computing facilities for data reduction and analysis

• Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometers

• vibration testing facility

Assoc. Prof. Warrick lawson with the satellite dish used for Physics 3 astronomy projects in the School of PEMS. [Photo credit: K. Badek]

Major External Facilities• Anglo-Australian Observatory

• Australia Telescope Compact Array

• Chandra X-ray Observatory

• European Southern Observatory

• Gemini Observatory

• Hubble Space Telescope

• NANTEN2 millimetre telescope

• Mopra radio telescope

• South African Astronomical Observatory

• Spitzer Space Telescope

• very large Array radio telescope



PublicationsIn PressJournal – Refereed

Lawson, W.A., lyo, A-R. & Bessell, M.S., in press, The age rank of the nearest pre-main-sequence groups, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Skelly M.B., Unruh, y.C., Barnes, J.R., Lawson, W.A., Donati, J.-F. & Collier Cameron, A., in press, Doppler images and chromospheric variability of TWA 17, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Smith, R.G. & Wright, C.M., in press, A silhouette envelope around GGD30IR detected by Spitzer, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.


Hussain, G.A.J., Collier Cameron, A., Jardine, M.M., Dunstone, N., velez, J.R., Stempels, H.C., Donati, J.-F., Semel, M., Aulanier, G., Harries, T., Bouvier, J., Dougados, C., Ferreira, J., Carter, B.D. & Lawson, W.A., 2009, Surface magnetic fields on two accreting T Tauri stars: Cv Cha and CR Cha, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 398, 189-200, doi:. 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.14881.x.

Lawson, W.A. & Crause, l.A., 2009, Rotational and candidate-eclipsing-binary light curves for pre-main-sequence stars in the Chamaeleon I star-forming cloud, Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, 26(1), 31-36, doi:10.1071/AS08018.

lommen, D., Maddison, S.T., Wright, C.M., van Dishoeck, E.F., Wilner, D.J. & Bourke, T.l., 2009, large grains in discs around young stars: ATCA observations of WW Chamaeleontis, RU lupi, and CS Chamaeleontis, Astronomy & Astrophysics, 495(3), 869-879, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361:200810999.

Meeus, G., Juhasz, A., Henning, T., Bouwman, J., Chen, C.W., Lawson, W.A., Apai, D., Pascucci, I. & Sicilia-Aguilar, A., 2009, MBM 12: young protoplanetary discs at high galactic latitude, Astronomy & Astrophysics, 497(2), 379-392, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/200811490.

Revnivtsev, M.G., Kniazev, A.y., Sazonov, S.y., Burenin, R.A., Tekola, A., Buckley, D.A., Pretorius, M.l., Menzies, J. & Lawson, W.A., 2009, Optical identification of the source IGR J08390-4833 from the INTEGRAl all-sky survey, Astronomy Letters, 35(1), 33-38, doi: 10.1134/S1063773709010046.

Sicilia-Aguilar, A., Bouwman, J., Juhász, A., Henning, Th., Roccatagliata, v., Lawson, W.A., Acke, B, Feigelson, E.D., Tielens, A.G.G.M., Decin, l. & Meeus, G., 2009, The long-lived disks in the h Chamaeleontis cluster, Astrophysical Journal, 701(2), 1188-1203, doi: 10.1088/0004-637X/701/2/1188.

Towers, I. & Robinson, G., 2009, A model for multiple isothermal circumstellar dust shells, Physica Scripta, 80(1), 15901 (10 pp.), doi: 10.1088/0031-8949/80/01/015901.

Conference – Talk/Abstract

Wright, C.M., 2009, Resolving structure in the HD100546 disk – Signatures of planet building?, contributed talk and abstract at the IAU XXVII General Assembly, Special Session 7, Young Stars, Brown Dwarfs, and Protoplanetary Disks, 11-14 August 2009, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.


Farrell, S.A., Sood, R.K., O’Neill, P. & Dieters, S., 2008, A detailed study of 2S 0114+650 with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 389(2), 608-628, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13588.x.

Getman, K.v., Feigelson, E.D., Lawson, W.A., Broos, P.S. & Garmire, G.P., 2008, The stellar population and origin of the mysterious high-latitude star-forming cloud CG 12, The Astrophysical Journal, 673, 331–353, doi: 10.1086/524004.

lyo, A.R., Lawson, W.A. & Bessell, M.S., 2008, Spectrophotometric properties of pre-main-sequence stars: The epsilon Chamaeleontis cluster, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 389(3), 1461-1469.

Maldoni, M.M., Ireland, T.R. & Robinson, G., 2008, IRAS 22036+5306: An Al2O3 oxide-dominated post-AGB star, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 386(4), 2290-2296.

Manchanda, R.K., Sood, R.K., Grey, D. & Isbister, D.J., 2008, Transport and recombination of electrons in a high pressure proportional counter using different gas mixtures, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, 595(3), 605-615, doi: 10.1016/j.nima.2008.08.021.

Skelly, M.B., Unruh, y.C., Collier Cameron, A., Barnes, J.R., Donati, J., Lawson, W.A. & Carter, B.D., 2008, Doppler images and chromospheric variability of TWA 6, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 385(2), 708-718.


Brandl, B.R., lenzen, R., Pantin, E., Glasse, A.C., Blommaert, J., venema, l., Molster, F., Siebenmorgen, R., Boehnhardt, H., van Dishoeck, E., van der Werf, P., Henning, T., Brandner, W., lagage, P.O., Moore, T.J.T., Baes, M., Waelkens, C., Wright, C., Käufl, H.U., Kendrew, S., Stuik, R. & Jolissaint, l., 2008, METIS - the mid-infrared E-ElT imager and spectrograph, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy II: Proceedings of SPIE Vol 7014, I.S Mclean, M.M Casali (eds), Marseile, France, Bellingham, Washington USA, pp. 70141N-1-70141N-15.

Wright, C.M., Siebenmorgen, R., Stecklum, B., Sterzik, M. & Kaeufl, H., 2008, A mid-infrared polarization capability for the ElT - art. no. 701429, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy II, Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 7014, I.S Mclean, M.M Casali (eds), Marseille, France, Bellingham, Washington USA, pp. 1429-1-1429-13.

GrantsExternal GrantsW.A. Lawson, Australian Academy of Science Academic Exchange Program, 2008: $6,700.

UNSW GrantsW.A. Lawson, Angular momentum and planet-forming disk evolution in young stars: The epsilon Cha group, Special Research Grants, 2008: $7,420.


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Conference & Seminar ParticipationConferencesW.A. Lawson attended the conference Cool Stars 15 hosted by the University of St Andrews, Scotland, 21-25 July 2008.

C.M. Wright attended the IAU XXVII General Assembly, Special Session 7, Young Stars, Brown Dwarfs, and Protoplanetary Disks, 11-14 August 2009, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

C.M. Wright attended the ATNF Astrofest 2008, 3-4 December 2008, Sydney, Australia.

C.M. Wright attended the conference Cosmic Dust – Near and Far, 8-12 September 2008, Heidelberg, Germany.

SeminarsW.A. Lawson, The nearest young stellar populations as astrophysical tests for disk and stellar evolution, 10 February 2009, Imperial College london,

W.A. Lawson, The nearest young stellar groups as tests for disk and stellar evolution, 21 May 2009, South African Astronomical Observatory.

R. Sood, Studying binary stars with x-ray vision, Faculty Research Seminar, 1 July 2008, UNSW@ADFA.

C.M. Wright, Infrared and millimetre wave observations of planet-forming disks around young stars, seminar at Thuringer landessternwarte, 18 September 2008, Tautenburg, Germany.

C.M. Wright, Infrared and millimetre wave observations of planet-forming disks around young stars, 15 September 2008, seminar at leiden University, The Netherlands.

C.M. Wright, Infrared and millimetre wave observations of planet-forming disks around young stars, 15 August 2008, seminar at UNSW@ADFA.

ServiceW.A. Lawson, local Promotions Committee, Astronomy and Earth Sciences Panel, Australian National University.

In 2009 C.M. Wright was invited to sit on an external review board for assessing an upgrade to the vISIR (vlT Imager and Spectrometer for the Mid-Infrared) instrument on the European Southern Observatory’s very large Telescope (vlT). One of the upgrade options is the installation of a polarimetry capability, an area in which Wright has particular expertise.

C.M. Wright contributed to several discussion fora in 2008/2009 concerning the future operations and science priorities of the Australia Telescope National Facility.

C.M. Wright was invited to be a member of the CanariCam Science Team, which has 300 hours of guaranteed time on the 10.4 Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). CanariCam is a thermal IR imager and spectrograph with the unique capability to detect polarized radiation. The GTC itself is currently the largest optical/IR telescope in the world.

C.M. Wright is part of the overall science consortium of a multi-country proposal for a thermal infrared instrument on a future European Extremely large Telescope (ElT). The instrument has been given the name METIS, standing for Mid-Infrared ElT Imager and Spectrograph.

VisitorsRavi Manchanda visited Ravi Sood and the high energy astrophysics group and presented a seminar on 29 February 2008 about the ‘Wonderful world of dead stars’.

Dave Lommen, leiden University visited PEMS from 16-25 July 2008, and worked with Chris Wright on data from the Australia Telescope Compact Array.

A group photo of PhD student Dave lommen (centre right) and his examiners in the courtyard of the Academiegebouw, leiden University, The Netherlands. Co-supervisor Dr Chris Wright from PEMS is at centre left.



The lower atmosphere research group is active in the following two broad areas:

1. Radar Entomology and Insect Migration (Alistair Drake)

• The development of Insect Monitoring Radar (IMR) technology and of procedures for interpreting IMR observation data. Recent research has focused on extracting as much information as possible from the echo signals in order to discriminate between different target types (locusts, moths, bugs, etc.), and on developing summaries and representations of the IMR data that can be produced routinely and that are readily assimilated by users in pest-management (especially locust-control) organizations. Effort is now being redirected to modifications of the radar design aimed at extending its applicability and increasing the confidence with which targets can be identified, and to laboratory measurements of target radar characters to facilitate interpretation of the radar data. In addition to work with the School’s own IMRs, assistance is being given to two Chinese research groups currently establishing IMR capabilities.

• Improving understanding of locust migration in inland eastern Australia, and increasing the confidence with which locust migrations can be detected and forecast. This work draws on archival IMR datasets extending over several seasons, as well as continuing observations, and is being conducted in collaboration with entomologists and forecasters at the Australian Plague locust Commission. The datasets are also being explored for more general insights into insect migratory activity and its relation to weather, climate, and geography.

2. Monitoring the atmospheric boundary layer (Barbara Burns, David Low, John Taylor)

• The development of ground-based systems for acoustic and electromagnetic remote sensing of the atmospheric boundary layer and the utilization of these systems for understanding the mean and turbulent structure of the atmospheric boundary layer. A major focus is on the interaction between the boundary layer and mesoscale meteorological phenomena such as fronts, local wind systems and gravity waves. These problems are being approached in observational and modelling studies.

• Investigation of the initiation and subsequent organization of convection, and the propagation of convective lines, via a “complex systems” approach.

• The algorithmic extraction of useful parameters (temperature, moisture, turbulence, etc) from atmospheric echoes: the process of modelling what contributes to electromagnetic and acoustic echoes from the atmosphere, and separating the individual contributions from each other.

• Instrumental comparisons: how different sensors see the same parcel of air in different ways. In particular, how turbulence is seen by different instruments.

• Investigation of algorithms for extracting water depth from hyperspectral imagery of coastal waters.

Application of error analysis and sensitivity studies to determine error bars in algorithm extractions.

Members Academic Staff:Dr David Low ([email protected]) BSc, PhD Adelaide, MAIP, MAMOS, MAGUDr John Taylor ([email protected]) BSc, PhD ANU, MAIP, MAGU

Visiting Fellow:Dr Alistair Drake ([email protected]) BA (Hons), DPhil, Oxford, GradCertHEd, UNSW, MAIP

Research Associate:Dr Barbara Burns (part time) ([email protected]) BSc Wisconsin, PhD Cornell (USA)

Visiting Research Associate:Haikou Wang BSc, MSc Nanjing Agricultural University, PhD UNSW. Currently with the Australian Plague locust Commission, Canberra.

Research Student:Kenn Batt - Research Topic - The observation and modelling of the summer-time easterly over the ACT.

Recent Graduate Student: Haikou Wang - Research Topic - Evaluation of insect monitoring radar technology for monitoring locust migrations in inland Eastern Australia, PhD Thesis, 2008.

Recent Honours Student:Jamie Moogan – Research Topic – An investigation into fog clearance forecasting, 2008.

Research Collaborators:T. Deveson (Australian Plague locust Commission, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Canberra)Dr R. Hughes (Maritime Operations Division, DSTO)Prof. M. Reeder (Centre for Dynamical Meteorology and Oceanography, Monash University)Dr D. Reynolds (University of Greenwich, Chatham, UK and Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK)Assoc. Prof. H. Sidhu (PEMS, UNSW@ADFA)Dr M. Steinbauer (laTrobe University, Melbourne)

Current ResearchRadar entomology and insect migration

Alistair Drake, Haikou WangThe Insect Monitoring Radar at Bourke operated throughout 2008, with observations being accessed daily during the locust season by scientists at the Australian Plague locust Commission and used by them to develop forecasts of the locust situation and to plan survey patrols. The observations were also incorporated into the long-term dataset of seasonal insect movements for this site, and some improvements were made to the data-processing and analysis software. In late December 2008 the Bourke unit

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was damaged by a windstorm. Most of its components were subsequently brought back to Canberra for repair (or replacement) and testing, and it is expected that the unit will be running again before the end of the year. At the same time, procurement and construction proceeded for an upgrade to incorporate current microcomputer technology and digital rather than analogue signal processing. As well as allowing existing units to be maintained in operation for several more years, the new design will make construction of additional units, if the need arises, relatively straightforward.

Alistair Drake has been drafting a monograph, co-authored with D.R. Reynolds (University of Greenwich, Chatham, UK), on radar entomology. He spent time with Dr Reynolds in Britain in both 2008 and 2009. While there he participated in a workshop on “drift” (of animals migrating in atmospheric and oceanic flows) at Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK.

Atmospheric boundary layer research

John Taylor, David Low, Barbara BurnsDuring 2008/2009 we ran two field experiments:

• Through May, June, July and August 2008 meteorological data was collected continuously from a High Frequency (HF) sodar, radio acoustic sounding system (RASS), ultrasonic anemometer and Automatic Weather Station (AWS) at the School of PEMS field site. In addition, during the morning, a digital camera automatically recorded images for visibility monitoring. This data set was used for Jamie Moogan’s Honours project on fog clearance modeling and for a model verification study of the meteorological component of the CSIRO atmospheric model TAPM (The Air Pollution Model).

• Starting in December 2008 and running through to the end of April 2009 we collected meteorological data from a sodar and an AWS located at the Molonglo Radio Telescope (University of Sydney), near Hoskinstown, NSW. Over the same period, data was also collected from a HF sodar and AWS at the School’s field site. This experiment was a major component of Kenn Batt’s PhD. Project on summertime easterly wind changes in the ACT region.

A sequence of images showing the clearance of a thick fog on the morning of 29th May 2009. Images times: 8:18, 8:24, 8:30, and 8:36 am EST. The images were captured by the visibility monitoring system at the PEMS field site and used in Jamie Moogan’s Honour’s project.



Research Achievements/Recent ResearchAlistair Drake and his insect monitoring radar equipment (IMRs), located at Bourke and Targomindah, were featured in an article reported by ABC News on 16 October 2008 (see http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/16/2392414.htm). Another article mentioning Alistair’s research appeared in the Herald Sun on 22 October 2008.

Student ResearchEvaluation of insect monitoring radar technology for monitoring locust migrations in inland Eastern Australia

Haikou Wang, PhD Thesis, 2008Abstract:

To evaluate the utility of insect monitoring radar (IMR) technology for long-term monitoring of insect migration, a mini-network of two IMR units in Bourke, NSW, and Thargomindah, Qld, and a base-station server in Canberra, ACT, was set up in eastern Australia. The IMR operated automatically every night under the control of a personal computer that also conducted data acquisition and processing. Digitisation of radar signals, their analysis (delimitation of echoes from background noise and adjoining echoes, followed by extraction of estimates for each target’s speed, displacement direction, body alignment, radar cross-section, and wingbeat frequency and modulation pattern), and generation of observation summaries were implemented as a fully automated procedure. Wingbeat frequency was found to be retrievable from the IMR’s rotary-beam signals, and this allowed each individual target to be characterised by its wingbeat as well as its size and shape. By drawing on ancillary information from the Australian Plague locust Commission’s database of field survey and light trap records, the echo characters indicative of Australian plague locust, Chortoicetes terminifera (Walker), were identified. Using these, about 140 nights with detectable plague locust migrations were identified for the Bourke IMR site during 1998-2001 and 31 nights for Thargomindah during 1999-2000. Analysis of these nights confirmed that C. terminifera migrates in association with disturbed weather, especially tropical troughs, in eastern Australia. Trajectory simulation based on IMR-derived displacement directions and flight speeds allowed the identification of population movements likely to reach favourable habitats and thus to develop rapidly and possibly cause a plague. The outbreak during 1999-2001 most likely originated from the southeastern agricultural belt after migrations and multiplications over several generations. The IMR observations demonstrated that C. terminifera migrates over long distances with the wind at night and indicated that it may have an orientation behaviour that prevents it from being taken too far into the arid inland, a trait that could be highly adaptive in this environment. The two IMRs were operational for more than 85% of scheduled time during the study period and provided a wealth of information of potential value for locust management and migration research.

PhD Opportunities and ScholarshipsIf you are interested in a PhD or Masters by Research with the lower Atmosphere Research group:

Contact: Dr Alistair Drake ([email protected]) Radar entomology, and its application to insect migration. Dr David Low ([email protected])Dr John Taylor ([email protected])Atmospheric boundary layer research.

Major Facilities• Insect Monitoring Radars installed at Bourke (NSW) and

Thargomindah (Qld), and a mobile IMR.

• Atmospheric boundary layer research: medium and high frequency sodars, radio acoustic sounding system, boundary layer electromagnetic wind profiler, ultrasonic anemometer, meteorological mast, located at the School’s field site in Campbell, ACT.

• laboratory space in PEMS Sth (vibration lab GO8, Remote Sensing lab G07) with instrumentation for RF and acoustic instrument development (including RF spectrum and scalar analyser, frequency synthesizer and peak power meter).

Publications2008 publicationsConference - Proceedings unrefereed

Carmody, D., Dekker, A. & Taylor, J., 2008, Deriving bathymetry from multispectral and hyperspectral imagery, Proceedings 14th

Australian Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Conference, Darwin, NT, Australia.


Wang, H. & Drake, V.A., 2008, Estimation of insect migration trajectories with flight parameters measured by insect monitoring radar, Abstracts CD and Author’s List, XXIII International Congress of Entomology, Durban, South Africa.

Wang, H., Drake, V.A. & Deveson, E.D., 2008, The 1999-2001 Australian plague locust outbreak in eastern Australia from the perspective of insect monitoring radar, Abstracts CD and Author’s List, XXIII International Congress of Entomology, Durban, South Africa.

Theses

Wang, Haikou, 2008, Evaluation of insect monitoring radar technology for monitoring locust migrations in inland Eastern Australia, School of Physical, Environmental & Mathematical Sciences, Australian Defence Force Academy, UNSW, PhD Thesis, Available at: http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/38923.


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GrantsUNSW GrantJ.R. Taylor, H.S. Sidhu & R.J. Hughes, Investigation of uncertainties in bathymetric retrievals using a semi-analytic method, Defence-Related Research Funding Scheme, 2008: $18,627.

Conference ParticipationAlistair Drake participated in a workshop on “drift” at Rothamsted Research, UK in 2009 and will attend an APEC-sponsored workshop on migratory insect pests in Suwon, S. Korea, in October.

VisitorsThe School was awarded one UNSW@ADFA Summer Scholarship for summer 08/09. This was held by Annette Hirsch (from the ANU) who worked with John Taylor through December 2008 and January 2009 on modelling of winter time meteorological conditions in the ACT region. Annette’s project is the basis for on-going work in this area.



Members Academic Staff:Dr Joanne Chapman ([email protected]) BSc PhD LancasterDr Amy Griffin ([email protected]) MSc, PhD PensDr Zlatko Jovanoski ([email protected]) BSc Mon, PhD UNSWDr David Low ([email protected]) BSc, PhD Adelaide, MAIP, MAMOS, MAGUDr Peter McIntyre ([email protected]) BSc, PhD ANUAssoc. Prof. Stuart Pearson ([email protected]) BA (Hons), DipEd, PhD UNSW (commenced July 2009)Dr Garry Robinson ([email protected]) BSc, PhD Melb., ARMITAssoc. Prof. Harvinder Sidhu ([email protected]) BSc Qld, DipEd S’pore, PhD QldDr Leesa Sidhu ([email protected]) BSc, DipEd, MEdSt Qld, PhD UNSW

Emeritus Professor:Emeritus Prof. Colin Pask ([email protected]) BSc Lond., PhD UNSW

Visiting Fellows:Dr Steven Barry ([email protected]) BSc Adelaide, PhD UNSWAssoc. Prof. Ted Catchpole ([email protected]) BSc Lond., MSc Kent, PhD Dund.

Research Officer:Ms Julie Kesby ([email protected]) BSc (Hons) UNE, Grad Dip lib Canberra C.A.E.

Research Collaborators:Prof. B. Bednarz (Texas A&M University, USA)Mr J. Boxall (Dalhousie University, Canada)Prof. M. Bradford (University of Manchester, UK)Assoc. Prof. L. Chalmers (University of Waikato, NZ)Dr D. France (University of Chester, UK)Prof. R. Henderson (University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK)Dr C. Jocoy (California State University at long Beach, USA)Dr Y. Liu (National Institute of Education, Singapore)Assoc. Prof. S. Klymchuk (Auckland University of Technology, NZ)Assoc. Prof. R. Scheyvens (Massey University, NZ)

Current ResearchInvesting in research in natural resource management

Stuart PearsonStuart Pearson, in his previous role as a research investor for the government agency land & Water Australia, provided research leadership and support on issues such as citizen science; periurban issues; endocrine disrupting chemicals; and resilience. He has an ongoing interest in achieving the transition of research into action.

Science Education

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Science EducationDrawing on his experience in monitoring and evaluation for the government agency land & Water Australia, he is coauthoring a paper on the triple bottom line analysis of impact of investing in research in natural resource management. Tracking research impact and learning how to improve the outcomes of science investment is very important and forms a key part of science education.

Stuart Pearson is co-convener of the Australian Association for Environmental Education Conference to be held 26-30 September 2010 in Canberra. This is a substantial green science because the Australian Association for Environmental Education is the premier professional association for those who work in the research and delivery of environmental or sustainability education. Its membership provides connection between government, education sectors and industry groups. Strong support from Department of the Environment, Water Heritage and the Arts, Australian National University, Canberra Institute of Technology and the ACT Government ensures this will be a landmark conference.

Modelling activities (Mathematics/Science) for school students in Years 9-12

Dr Peter McIntyreMany high-school textbooks are lacking in applications of Mathematics to problems that might interest students. This CD provides a wide range of such activities, based on the use of graphics calculators.

Physics education

Dr David LowCollation and evaluation of good practice in Physics service teaching. What makes for “good” service teaching? Are there common factors? Is it material, presentation, personnel, …? How important is continuity? Do student attitudes override staff attitudes? Do students think they get value from the physics component of their service teaching? Does a student’s attitude change over the course of their degree? Do graduates (graduands) look back on the physics service teaching with appreciation or horror? Why? What are staff attitudes towards service teaching?

Predicting university performance

Dr Joanne Chapman with Dr Steven BarryUniversity admissions in Australia are dictated primarily by entrance ranking scores (TER) based on all courses taken in secondary school. However, these are unreliable indicators of ability to do mathematically-based university courses. Differences in mathematical curricula between Australian states also complicate admissions for students moving interstate, especially with 19 or more different mathematical courses being offered in high schools across Australia. Our research compares student TER and performance in a diagnostic test, against their university grade at the end of one semester to find a better predictor than simple TER measures. Our research also looks at the difference in performance of students with the same level of ability in different courses.

Recent ResearchAcademic performance of officer cadets

Dr Steven Barry, Dr Joanne Chapman & Dr Peter McIntyreWe investigate how the state of origin and educational achievements in year 12 of officer cadets predict their academic performance at UNSW@ADFA.

E-learning for geography’s teaching and learning spaces

Julie Kesby with Dr Kenneth Lynch, Prof. Bob Bednarz, James Boxall, Assoc. Prof. Lex Chalmers, Dr Derek FranceThis project emanates from an (INlT) International Network for learning & Teaching Geography in Higher Education workshop held in Brisbane in 2006. Discussion by group participants at the workshop and via online media post the workshop led to the development of a paper which was published in early 2008 in the Journal of Geography in Higher Education examining e-learning technologies, best practices, and the versatility in the use of e-learning approaches available to teachers and learners of geography.

Environmental education delivery in secondary school and impact on universities

Stuart PearsonPearson, S., Honeywood, S. & Mitch O’Toole, M., 2005, Not yet learning for sustainability: the challenge of environmental education in a university, International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 14(3), 173–186.

This paper was nominated for the Biennial Award for Promoting Excellence in Teaching and learning 2007 in Journal of Geography in Higher Education 32(2), 161–166, May 2008. Although the paper did not win the award the judges commented that, “The paper by Pearson et al. (2005) provides a useful case study in considering how environmental education is delivered in Australia in secondary schools and how that impacts upon universities. It deals with an innovative and relevant subject and helps readers to understand how management policies can influence the learning experiences of students in unexpected ways.”

The international judging panel from Europe, North America, Australia, Asia and Africa also recognized the basis of scholarship, rigour of approach, originality, potential influence on practitioners and overall contribution to promotion of excellence in teaching and learning geography.

A follow-up paper is in development.

Misconceptions in tertiary science and engineering mathematics

Dr Zlatko Jovanoski, Assoc. Prof. Harvinder Sidhu & Dr Peter McIntyreWe investigate misconceptions at higher undergraduate levels, both in Science and Engineering Mathematics courses. This research provides us with some general insights into student learning, and our results may have general implications for pedagogical practice.


Popular mathematics writing

Emeritus Prof. Colin PaskThis work looks at the trends in writing about using mathematics in magazines and books aimed at the non-expert reader. There are also links to the evolution of mathematics-teaching methods and relevant new results in cognitive science.

The reflective student

Dr Amy GriffinThis scholarship of teaching and learning research aims to develop and evaluate pedagogical methods through which we can encourage students to reflect more deeply upon what they are learning. In 2006, I worked on an international, comparative analysis of active learning pedagogies, which was published in early 2008 in the Journal of Geography in Higher Education.


lynch, K., Bednarz, B., Boxall, J., Chalmers, l., France, D. & Kesby, J., in press, E-learning for geography’s teaching and learning spaces, in Active Learning and Student Engagement: International Perspectives and Practices in Geography in Higher Education, Mick Healey, Eric Pawson, Michael Solem (eds), Routledge, ISBN: 978-0-415-56492-2.

Scheyvens, R., Griffin, A.L., Jocoy, C., liu, y. & Bradford, M., in press, Experimenting with active learning: Dispelling the myths that perpetuate resistance, in Active Learning and Student Engagement: International Perspectives and Practices in Geography in Higher Education, Mick Healey, Eric Pawson, Michael Solem (eds), Routledge, ISBN: 978-0-415-56492-2.

CD-ROM

McIntyre, P., CD of mathematics/science activities for secondary schools.

Journal - Refereed

Hickson, R.I., Barry, S.I. & Sidhu, H.S., in press, Critical times in one and two layered diffusion, Australian Journal of Engineering Education, accepted.

Jovanoski, Z. & Robinson, G., in press, Ship stability and parametric rolling, Australian Journal of Engineering Education, accepted.

Conference – Full paper refereed

Low, D.J., in press, Student perceptions of lecture approaches in first-year engineering physics, Proceedings of the 2009 UniServe Science Conference, Sydney, Australia, 1st-2nd October 2009.


Robinson, G., Towers, I.N. & Jovanoski, Z., 2009, Isothermal circumstellar dust shell model for teaching, International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 40(6), 795-808, doi: 10.1080/00207390902825302.


lynch, K., Bednarz, B., Boxall, J., Chalmers, l., France, D. & Kesby, J., 2008, E-learning for geography’s teaching and learning spaces, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 32(1), 135-149, doi: 10.1080/03098260701731694.

Scheyvens, R., Griffin, A.L., Jocoy, C., liu, y. & Bradford, M., 2008, Experimenting with active learning: Dispelling the myths that perpetuate resistance, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 32(1), 51-69, doi: 10.1080/03098260701731496.

Sharma, M., Pollard, J., Mendez, A., Mills, D.R., O`Byrne, J., Scott, D., Hagon, S., Gribble, J., Kirkup, l., livett, M., Low, D., Merchant, A., Rayner, A., Swan, G., Zadnik, M. & Zealey, W., 2008, What does a physics undergraduate education give you? A perspective from Australian physics, European Journal of Physics, 29(1), 59-72, doi:10.1088/0143-0807/29/1/006.


Mendez, A., Pollard, J., Sharma, M.D., Mills, D.R., Gribble, S.J., Hagon, S., Kirkup, l., livett, M. & Low, D.J., Merchant, A., O’Byrne, J., Rayner, A., Swan, G., Zadnik, M. & Zealey, W., 2008, Australian physics bachelors and honours graduates in industry: Where are they? How well prepared are they?, Australian Physics, 45(1), 21-24.

Report

Schofield N., Chudleigh P., Simpson S. & Pearson S., 2008, land & Water Australia’s Portfolio Return on Investment & Evaluation Case Studies, land & Water Australia, Canberra. Available at: http://lwa.gov.au/products/ec071442

GrantsUNSW GrantsD. Low & J. Connor, Personal response systems: Enabling and enhancing the ‘interactive classroom’ for large classes, UNSW@ADFA learning and Teaching Performance Grant, 2008: $11,916.

Conference Participation & ServiceJulie Kesby - Secretary (Web) Institute of Australian Geographers.

Stuart Pearson - Co-convener of the Australian Association for Environmental Education Conference to be held 26-30 September 2010 in Canberra.

Science Education

Documents

Introduction - UNSW Canberra · Resonance (NMR) spectrometer was awarded $108,000 for 2008. NMR spectroscopy is the central tool of experimental chemistry. It is used to determine