Neoproterozoic global geodynamic and climatic events: were they linked? This project will study a unique cluster of global geodynamic and climatic events 850-700 million years ago that will help us to understand the interactions between the Earth's deep mantle, its crust, and its atmospheric climate. Academic values aside, the work will bring direct benefit to the Australian industry. Knowledge on the distribution of the Neoproterozoic plume events will provide new exploration targets for Ni-Cu- ....Neoproterozoic global geodynamic and climatic events: were they linked? This project will study a unique cluster of global geodynamic and climatic events 850-700 million years ago that will help us to understand the interactions between the Earth's deep mantle, its crust, and its atmospheric climate. Academic values aside, the work will bring direct benefit to the Australian industry. Knowledge on the distribution of the Neoproterozoic plume events will provide new exploration targets for Ni-Cu-PGE and V-Ti deposits. Better constrained palaeogeography will help to locate mineral-rich crustal provinces that were once connected. Understanding climatic consequences of global geodynamic events will help to better understand and respond to climate changes. Read moreRead less
Tectonic versus biological processes: What controls the long-term global carbon cycle? A major debate in Earth system analysis concerns two competing hypotheses on the driving forces behind dramatic changes in atmospheric CO2 over geological time. One hypothesis considers tectonic/geological processes to be the major driving force. The other argues that it is the competition between plants and animals that drives the long-term CO2 cycle. We propose to test these hypotheses using a novel set of g ....Tectonic versus biological processes: What controls the long-term global carbon cycle? A major debate in Earth system analysis concerns two competing hypotheses on the driving forces behind dramatic changes in atmospheric CO2 over geological time. One hypothesis considers tectonic/geological processes to be the major driving force. The other argues that it is the competition between plants and animals that drives the long-term CO2 cycle. We propose to test these hypotheses using a novel set of global oceanic palaeo-age grids and subduction models for the last 180 million years. This will allow us to appraise key tectonic carbon cycle components such as mantle degassing, seafloor weathering and sediment subduction.Read moreRead less