Active Ice-Shelf Rift Systems on the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica. Our work will inform the public on how the Antarctic might contribute to global sea level rise, e.g., are current iceberg production rates accelerating and causing inland ice to flow into the sea more rapidly? Furthermore, a greater understanding of the important Earth systems, including the ocean-ice-atmosphere system, is important to a society contemplating the responsibilities of stewardship of the planet as we move into t ....Active Ice-Shelf Rift Systems on the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica. Our work will inform the public on how the Antarctic might contribute to global sea level rise, e.g., are current iceberg production rates accelerating and causing inland ice to flow into the sea more rapidly? Furthermore, a greater understanding of the important Earth systems, including the ocean-ice-atmosphere system, is important to a society contemplating the responsibilities of stewardship of the planet as we move into the era of potentially profound effects from global climate change.Read moreRead less
Lunar crustal structure from high-res gravity, topography, and seismic data. This project aims to improve our knowledge of the Moon, including its surface processes, interior structure, modification by geological processes and creation and evolution. The Moon preserves the longest and cleanest records of surface geology in the Solar System’s history, unlike the Earth. The lunar crust should exhibit strong heterogeneity in density (both porosity and composition) given its complex history of impac ....Lunar crustal structure from high-res gravity, topography, and seismic data. This project aims to improve our knowledge of the Moon, including its surface processes, interior structure, modification by geological processes and creation and evolution. The Moon preserves the longest and cleanest records of surface geology in the Solar System’s history, unlike the Earth. The lunar crust should exhibit strong heterogeneity in density (both porosity and composition) given its complex history of impact bombardment and volcanism. This project aims to determine radial and lateral heterogeneity in density and porosity within the Moon's crust, by analysing Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory gravity and spacecraft tracking data, Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter topography and in situ Apollo seismological data.Read moreRead less
Looking back to see the future: Change in the Lambert Glacier and the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. To develop a comprehensive understanding of the Lambert Glacier of East Antarctica, from the time of the last maximum glaciation to the present, through an integrated and interdisciplinary study combining new field evidence - ice retreat history, geodetic measurements of crustal rebound, satellite measurements of present ice heights and changes therein - with other geological and glaciological data an ....Looking back to see the future: Change in the Lambert Glacier and the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. To develop a comprehensive understanding of the Lambert Glacier of East Antarctica, from the time of the last maximum glaciation to the present, through an integrated and interdisciplinary study combining new field evidence - ice retreat history, geodetic measurements of crustal rebound, satellite measurements of present ice heights and changes therein - with other geological and glaciological data and numerical geophysical modelling advances. The project contributes to the quantitative characterisation of the complex interactions between ice-sheets, oceans and solid earth within the climate system. Outcomes have implications for geophysics, glaciology, geomorphology, climate, and past and future sea-level change.Read moreRead less
Tracking flood waters over Australia using space gravity data. This project aims to assess the utility of near-real-time data from the currently operating space gravity satellite mission to quantify and track flood waters in Australia. Through analysis of the satellite data and fusion of observed signals with rainfall, river flows and conventional hydrological modelling, it expects to create new knowledge of soil moisture and movement of flood waters. Expected outcomes include a capability to im ....Tracking flood waters over Australia using space gravity data. This project aims to assess the utility of near-real-time data from the currently operating space gravity satellite mission to quantify and track flood waters in Australia. Through analysis of the satellite data and fusion of observed signals with rainfall, river flows and conventional hydrological modelling, it expects to create new knowledge of soil moisture and movement of flood waters. Expected outcomes include a capability to improve hydrological models by including the information of water signals obtained from the near-real-time observations. This should provide significant benefits such as more accurate land saturation maps and better predictions of runoff and flood risk.Read moreRead less
Geodetic and hydrogeological investigations of groundwater abstraction from confined aquifers: elastic response, heights, and sea level change. Parts of Perth are subsiding by as much as 5 millimetres (mm) per year, thus accelerating sea level rise relative to the land from 3 mm per year to 8 mm per year. The subsidence is most likely due to increased groundwater abstraction. This project aims to extend subsidence mapping in time and space using satellite-borne synthetic aperture radar, calibrat ....Geodetic and hydrogeological investigations of groundwater abstraction from confined aquifers: elastic response, heights, and sea level change. Parts of Perth are subsiding by as much as 5 millimetres (mm) per year, thus accelerating sea level rise relative to the land from 3 mm per year to 8 mm per year. The subsidence is most likely due to increased groundwater abstraction. This project aims to extend subsidence mapping in time and space using satellite-borne synthetic aperture radar, calibrated by complementary geodetic techniques, and coupled with new hydrogeological inputs from the Western Australian Department of Water. The research aims to provide science-based information to planners and managers on coastal vulnerability and determine the land response to groundwater abstraction. This will also allow for the correction of sea level change measurements from tide gauges.Read moreRead less
Improving models of West Antarctic glacial isostatic adjustment through a new surface velocity field. This project seeks to "fix the scales" being used to weigh changes in the Antarctic ice sheet. Present measurements are biased by a failure to accurately account for mass changes beneath the ice and within the Earth itself. This project seeks to use new measurements of the changes in the shape of the Earth to calibrate out that bias.
Tracking the response of terrestrial and ocean waters to climate variations using space gravity observations. Climate change puts Australia at risk from sea level rise and an increase in the occurrence and intensity of droughts. We need to learn about issues concerning the water cycle that are still poorly understood, such as whether droughts cause a reduction in only surface water or also water stored in underground reservoirs and what happens to ocean waters when thermal expansion causes an in ....Tracking the response of terrestrial and ocean waters to climate variations using space gravity observations. Climate change puts Australia at risk from sea level rise and an increase in the occurrence and intensity of droughts. We need to learn about issues concerning the water cycle that are still poorly understood, such as whether droughts cause a reduction in only surface water or also water stored in underground reservoirs and what happens to ocean waters when thermal expansion causes an increase in sea surface height in some regions but not others. This proposal will provide new and accurate scientific information on the risks of sea level rise through the effects of thermal expansion of the oceans, in particular in shallow coastal zones. It will help us to understand droughts, variations in water resources and groundwater recharge patterns.Read moreRead less
An Integrated Ground Deformation Monitoring System Based on the Integration of InSAR, GPS and GIS Technologies. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) can be used to monitor ground deformation at high spatial resolution. When integrated with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) so that atmospheric disturbance in InSAR result can be corrected, deformation can be resolved at sub-centimetre accuracy. The corrected InSAR result can be exported as a data layer into Geographic Information System ....An Integrated Ground Deformation Monitoring System Based on the Integration of InSAR, GPS and GIS Technologies. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) can be used to monitor ground deformation at high spatial resolution. When integrated with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) so that atmospheric disturbance in InSAR result can be corrected, deformation can be resolved at sub-centimetre accuracy. The corrected InSAR result can be exported as a data layer into Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for further analysis. In collaboration with Hong Kong Polytechnic University researchers, the integrated InSAR-GPS-GIS system will be tested in both Hong Kong and Australia. The expected outcomes include a suite of algorithms and software tools capable of operational, cost-effective ground deformation monitoring.Read moreRead less
Innovative solutions to enhance space situational awareness. This project seeks to significantly advance Australia's space situational awareness by researching advanced orbit prediction techniques. The development of novel space object orbit prediction techniques will greatly improve collision warnings for satellite operators that provide essential space-based services to Australian Government and industries.
Glacio-isostatic effects on geodetic data: Ice and sea level implications. Glacio-isostatic (GI) effects are recorded in geological and geodetic data sets and mask other deformational processes. This project builds on past work using geological data with a focus on combining geodetic and geological evidence to improve knowledge of the past ice sheets, separate out effects of past and present deglaciation and develop improved models for the mantle rheology to include time-dependencies in mantle r ....Glacio-isostatic effects on geodetic data: Ice and sea level implications. Glacio-isostatic (GI) effects are recorded in geological and geodetic data sets and mask other deformational processes. This project builds on past work using geological data with a focus on combining geodetic and geological evidence to improve knowledge of the past ice sheets, separate out effects of past and present deglaciation and develop improved models for the mantle rheology to include time-dependencies in mantle response (transient creep in the first instance). The project aims to provide a complete and predictive description of the GI effects on geodetic data, consistent with geological evidence, such that other tectonic, hydrologic and sea-level signals can be estimated free of these effects.Read moreRead less