The Australian Government's Innovation Report

The experiment design included observations for both
testing and running a variety of models. The measurement
platforms included two high-tech weather radar
systems, four cloud radars, three laser radars, lightning
detection and many other surface-based observations
as well as aircraft measurements of aerosols, water
content and ice crystals inside the clouds. The team
launched over 1000 weather balloons during the intensive
observing period. It involved a range of low, mid and
high altitude research aircraft from Europe, Australia
and the US. Australia’s National Facility for Marine
Research, Research Vessel Southern Surveyor, operated
as a floating laboratory in the Timor Sea. Participants
came from a range of research agencies, universities,
and meteorological services across the globe. The team
included students from Australia and around the
world and retired weather observers led the balloon
teams at remote sites.
The campaign resulted in one of the most complete
sets of data ever collected describing tropical convection
and cloud properties, which will enhance weather and
climate prediction models and be a core research
resource for many years.
NASA’s Proteus high-altitude aircraft was one of the research aircraft which
flew missions during the Tropical Warm Pool International Cloud
Experiment campaign. (Photo credit: NASA).
Protecting Australia from invasive
diseases and pests
Agricultural pests and diseases: Agricultural pests
and diseases are an increasingly significant challenge
for Australia and the region. ACIAR has secured mutual
gains with regional countries to enhance the protection
of Australia and neighbouring countries from invasive
pests and diseases.
Recent research outputs have delivered improved
diagnostic techniques across a range of crops and animal
species, disease resistant crop breeding and improved
control mechanisms. Such achievements are directly
beneficial to Australia’s quarantine protection processes
while also assisting developing countries to
compete in the biosecurity arena with both trade and
human health benefits.
Student volunteers prepare to release a weather balloon at Mt Bundy
station on the Adelaide River, Northern Territory as part of the regular 3-
hourly release program during the Tropical Warm Pool International
Cloud Experiment campaign.
An external review of the Animal Health programme
was completed in 2006 and an action plan with emphasis
on trans-boundary diseases, zoonotic diseases and
endemic production impediments has been agreed.
Current projects that serve to protect Australia from
invasive diseases and pests include a study on the
biology, damage levels and control of red-banded mango
caterpillar in Papua New Guinea and Australia, and a
project on improved farming systems for managing
soil borne pathogens of ginger in Fiji and Australia.
Research Vessel Southern Surveyor
Photo credits: BMRC
Chapter 3 - National research priorities 115