A new paradigm for the accumulation and persistence of metastable iron sulphides in sulphidic soils. Metastable iron sulphide minerals have a critical role in controlling surface- and ground-water quality. This project will transform our understanding of the environmental geochemistry of metastable iron sulphides in sulphidic soils. This will greatly enhance our ability to predict and manage water quality in a wide range of important aquatic systems.
Electron flow in iron hyper-enriched acidifying coastal environments: reaction paths and kinetics of iron-sulfur-carbon transformations. Iron hyper-enriched acidifying coastal lowlands have a direct social, economic and environmental impact on communities in many parts of Australia. This project will determine how iron transforms and accumulates. The new knowledge will be of immediate relevance for the remediation of coastal plains.
Origin of silicic magmas in a primitive island arc: the first integrated experimental and short-lived isotope study of the Tongan-Kermadec system. The Tongan arc forms a large portion of the Australian plate boundary and is one of the most chemically primitive systems known. Oddly, it produces volumes of more evolved, dangerous silicic magmas. The results of this project will establish the source of these magmas and rates of migration, which are fundamental for understanding volcanic hazards.
Chemical optimisation of geothermal heat extraction. Geothermal energy can contribute to our energy needs, but we must understand chemical interactions between geothermal fluids, the host aquifers and the engineered environment to use the energy safely and efficiently. This project will assess those interactions, provide guidelines for geothermal energy use and train future geothermal scientists.
Unravelling the synergistic effect of ocean acidification and pore water advection on carbonate sediment dissolution: a global sink for CO2? The purpose of this project is to investigate the role of ocean acidification and pore water advection on the release of calcium and alkalinity from carbonate sediments. The expected outcomes of this project is a better understanding of the role of carbonate sediments in buffering ocean acidification and the uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Unravelling the rhizosphere redox-cycling of iron, sulphur and carbon in re-flooded acidic wetlands. This project will reveal how major re-flooding will influence the cycling of iron, sulphur and carbon in re-flooded acidic, freshwater wetlands. By resolving current biogeochemical uncertainties, this project will generate the necessary knowledge platform to underpin wise long-term management of these sensitive and unique landscapes.
Anaerobic methane oxidation in the deep sub-seafloor microbial biosphere. Microbes that control the emission of the greenhouse gas methane from the seafloor to the Earth's atmosphere effectively slow global warming. This project aims to understand the microbial controls for this process to improve an understanding of this planet's natural carbon cycle, and yield valuable information for marine CO2 geosequestration strategies.
New perspectives on iron oxide transformations in oxic and anoxic aqueous environments: implications for iron bioavailability and contaminant mobility. Transformations in the form and reactivity of iron oxides in oxic and anoxic aqueous environments are considerably more dynamic than previously thought. This project will examine the nature and extent of these transformations and elucidate their impact on supply of iron to organisms and mobility of uranium and arsenic in groundwaters.
A new approach to quantitative interpretation of paleoclimate archives. Skeletons of marine organisms can be used to reconstruct past climates and make predictions for the future. The precondition is the knowledge of how climatic and environmental information is incorporated into the biominerals. This project will use cutting-edge nano-analytical methods to further our understanding of how organisms build their skeletons.