Acoustic and electromagnetic wind profilers
There is an integrated boundary layer profiling facility consisting of 1875 Hz and 5000 Hz acoustic wind profilers for high resolution, mean wind and turbulence measurements in the lower 500 m of the boundary layer and a 1275 MHz electromagnetic wind profiler for the upper 1500 m. Radio acoustic temperature sounding is also under development.
Infra-red spectrometers
There are two Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometers, Nicolet models 740 and 20F. These operate over the wavelength range 1.11 to 500 microns (9,000 to 20 cm-1) at a maximum resolution of 0.24 cm-1 and are used primarily for Laboratory Astrophysics studies of interstellar and circumstellar dust analogues.
Insect monitoring radar
These automated radars have been specially developed for observing insect migration over extended periods. They detect individual insects at altitudes up to more than 1 km, and can determine their height, size, shape, speed and direction of movement, direction of orientation, and wing-beating rate. The radars are used in collaborative studies of the ecology and biometeorology of insect migration, and to provide decision-support information for locust control. There are three units, two installed semi-permanently at sites in the far inland of New South Wales and Queensland and a third mounted on a trailer for short-duration deployments.
Low temperature refrigerators
There are two 3He/4He dilution refrigerators with base temperatures of 5 mK and a variety of vacuum tails and superconducting magnets (up to 12 tesla) that allow different experimental geometries. One of the refrigerators has top-loading capability which permits a return to base temperature within just a few hours after a change of specimen. The refrigerators are usually employed in conjunction with low temperature radiative detection techniques. However, they provide a stable platform for any other very low temperature experiment that might be conceived.
Magnetometers
An AC susceptibility apparatus mounted in a small liquid cryogen cryostat is available for determination of magnetic phase transitions (4.2 - 300 K). A DC magnetometer (PAR VSM Model 155) has recently been fitted with a closed cycle refrigerator for variable temperature magnetization measurements over the temperature range 10 - 300 K.
Materials preparation and characterisation laboratory
The materials preparation laboratory is well equipped with a drying cabinet, fume cupboards, argon atmosphere glove box, tube and muffle furnaces, argon arc furnaces, spark- and diamond cutting tools and polishing machines. X-ray powder diffractometers, optical microscopes and a scanning electron microscope are available for specimen characterization. There is also a transmission electron microscope (Hitachi H-800, 200 kV) that is currently used primarily for teaching laboratory experiments and student projects.
Mössbauer spectrometers
A suite of spectrometers is routinely employed for 57Fe, 169Tm and 161Dy Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements at room temperature and over the temperature range, 4.2 - 300 K, with a high temperature furnace (300- 720 K) for 57Fe. There is also a very low temperature platform for both source- and absorber geometry measurements down to about 10 mK.
Radiochemistry laboratory
A shielded radiochemistry laboratory is available for the safe storage of radioactive samples and the preparation of wet and open radioactive sources. It features several flow cabinets and detectors for activity evaluation.
Radioisotope implanter
Adjacent to the radiochemistry laboratory, a radioisotope implanter has been developed and commissioned. It is the only facility in the world that is routinely used for the low energy (50 - 150 kV) ion implantation of radioisotopes as negative ions. It is used to explore the process of ion implantation as well as to prepare specimens for use with other radioactive probe techniques such as radiative detection of nuclear magnetic resonance, perturbed angular correlation, and source geometry Mössbauer spectroscopy.
Stratospheric balloon launching station
The School of PEMS operates the Balloon Launching Station, Alice Springs, under contract from CSIRO. Stratospheric balloons launched from the site carry payloads weighing up to 2 tonnes to altitudes exceeding 40 km for research in astrophysics, and atmospheric physics and chemistry. The station is the base for NASA scientific balloon campaigns in Australia, where a major thrust is the development of an Ultra Long Duration Flight capability. The aim of this project is to develop systems which are capable of keeping payloads afloat at stratospheric altitudes for durations up to a few weeks to months.
Balloon Launching Station
Alice Springs Airport off Maryvale Road
P O Box 8065
Alice Springs NT 0871
Ph: (08) 8952 6315
Fax: (08) 8955 5007
Email: balloons@ph.adfa.edu.au
Station Director: Assoc. Prof. Ravi Sood
Site Manager: Alf Gould
Vibration testing facility
The Vibration testing facility in the School of PEMS contains the following test equipment.
- Ling vibrator model 726
Sine vector force 6.6 kN Displacement peak 12.7 mm Armature mass 5.79 kg Armature resonance 3.3 kHz Suspension stiffness 45.5 N/mm Max. Internal Load Support payload 340 kg (2.9 g) Max Load Bearing Platform payload 340 kg (1.76 g) - Thermal vacuum chamber
Internal dimensions 59 x 61 x 67 cm Minimum temperature -60oC Vacuum attained 0.01 mm Hg - Thermal chamber
Internal dimensions 56 x 45 x 45 cm Temperature range -30oC to +100oC - Vacuum chamber
Internal dimensions 1.8 m dia x 1.8 m high Vacuum attained 0.01 mm Hg
Contact:
Assoc. Prof. Ravi Sood
Phone: (02) 6268 8765
Fax: (02) 6268 8786
Email: r.sood@adfa.edu.au