Australia's Major National Research Facilities - Australian Academy ...

X-Series Expansion tubes combine the free piston driver technique with the expansion tube concept of cascading shock tunnels to
achieve superorbital velocities. The primary purpose of these facilities is to create the high speeds encountered by interplanetary reentry
vehicles during aero braking. This is a field where design uncertainty factors of 450% are encountered, and experimental data is
sparse. Flight up to simulated speeds of 14.5 km/s (52000 km/hr) have been achieved. Appropriate mixtures of test gas are used to
simulate the atmospheres of various planets and moons. These facilities have also been shown to be useful for scramjet testing at lower
speeds, due to their very high total pressure simulation capability.
Drummond shock tunnel is a small shock tunnel with a fixed driver in which initiation of a shot is made by piercing the primary
diaphragm. It is presently being used to investigate contoured nozzle design for larger facilities. The test section has good optical
access with four 100 mm diameter quartz windows.
The Laser Diagnostics is working on the development and application of advanced measurement techniques to high enthalpy flows,
flames and plumes. The aim is to characterise such flows by the use of non-intrusive laser-based methods. Two tunable pulsed dyelaser
systems and an intensified camera are available for spectroscopic applications while a pulsed Nd:YAG laser is used for
interferometric methods. A number of techniques are being used for flow visualisation and for measurement of conditions such as
velocity, density and temperature.
(V) Participation in international projects
European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN)
Collaboration is shaped by a Memorandum of Understanding between the Australian Centre for High Energy Physics and CERN, for
the ATLAS project. Experiments include the origin of mass, the origin of asymmetry between particles and antiparticles, and the
masses of neutrinos.
Japanese National Physics Laboratory (KEK)
Collaboration with KEK is involves similar experimental approaches to that for CERN.
Psychology
We believe that this will be possible, in consultation with HODSPA and other bodies.
Radio Science Yes, and that will be covered by the national Radio Science plan to be produced in next 12 months.
Can the likely personnel requirements of the discipline be determined over the timeframe identified for the planning process?
Astronomy
Biomedical
Sciences
Chemistry
Yes, that is one of the aims of the Decadal Plan.
Again this would be a big task and we are not sure where we would start with it. In summary this assessment would not be possible
without having a comprehensive knowledge of the funding available in the various sectors comprising the constituency of the NCBS
and some input from relevant institutions.
Yes, providing it is done in conjunction with other bodies. The anticipated RACI/NCC review during 2004/05 is likely to cover this
item.
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