Innovations in marine LiDAR remote sensing
Receive a generous annual stipend while undertaking a three-year PhD project on novel LiDAR apparatus for detection of underwater objects and ocean profiling.
Remote underwater sensing is critical for the defence and environment sectors. We aim to deliver new capabilities to detect underwater objects, such as mines, and profile water properties, such as temperature and chlorophyll.
Key details
- 20246719
- PhD
- Applications close on 30 April 2025
- Domestic
- Engineering, science
- $44,000 p.a.
Ocean LiDAR capabilities are advancing at a rapid pace, evolving from its mainstream use in bathymetry, to uses in ocean profiling of water parameters such as temperature and salinity, detection of gas leaks, and potentially much more.
About the scholarship
Our team of researchers at Macquarie University has specialist expertise in Raman LiDAR, which we are developing to determine subsurface temperature and salinity profiles.
This PhD project will explore new applications for marine LiDAR, in partnership with colleagues at DSTG.
Specifically, we propose a combination of Raman and elastic LiDAR, to enable superior detection of underwater objects, such as mines, containers, submarines etc.
The premise here is simple – when an underwater object is encountered, there is an increase in the elastic return, and a decrease in the Raman return (which arise from water molecules). These two independent measures, implemented in an advanced LiDAR, increase sensitivity and accuracy.
There are two key factors that can enhance the performance of an ocean LiDAR: the characteristics of the excitation laser and the detectors. The PhD project will address both of these. It will:
- extend the (recently patented) use of laser diodes operating at blue-green wavelengths in a photon-counting LiDAR
- evaluate various detection schemes based on photomultipliers, SPADs and SPDs.
Our defence partner Dr Dennis Delic carries out world-leading research in the field of single-photon detection, which includes the design and development of on-chip photon counting arrays, and will be closely involved in the detection aspects of the project.
We anticipate the focus of this project on the excitation laser and detection scheme will lead to new capabilities, and the detection of underwater objects and the profiling of water properties will be investigated specifically.
The project will suit applicants with a degree in physics or engineering (other fields will be considered), and the successful applicant will acquire skills in semiconductor laser technology, optics, spectroscopy, detection and signal acquisition and processing that are in demand by the defence and other industry sectors.
There is scope to combine experimentation, numerical modelling, algorithm development, instrument prototyping and commercialisation, to suit the strengths and interests of the successful candidate.
The project will involve collaboration with our industry partner BluGlass and with DSTG.
We aim to field-test our technology in the clean ocean waters for which it would ultimately be deployed.
Availability
The scholarship is available to Australian citizens who are eligible to undertake a direct entry three-year PhD program.
Components
The scholarships comprise:
- a tuition fee offset/scholarship
- a living allowance stipend.
The value of each stipend scholarship is $44,000 per annum (full time) for three years.