Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH130200012
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,748,358.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Basin GEodyNamics and Evolution of SedImentary Systems (GENESIS). ARC Research Hub for Basin GEodyNamics and Evolution of SedImentary Systems (GENESIS). This Research Hub aims to undertake simultaneous modelling of deep Earth and surface processes, spanning basin scales to individual sediment grains. The Hub will develop and apply cutting-edge basin simulation approaches to transform the seeding and testing of basin exploration models, extending their viability to complex, ....ARC Research Hub for Basin GEodyNamics and Evolution of SedImentary Systems (GENESIS). ARC Research Hub for Basin GEodyNamics and Evolution of SedImentary Systems (GENESIS). This Research Hub aims to undertake simultaneous modelling of deep Earth and surface processes, spanning basin scales to individual sediment grains. The Hub will develop and apply cutting-edge basin simulation approaches to transform the seeding and testing of basin exploration models, extending their viability to complex, inaccessible remote and deep exploration targets. The Hub will fuse multidimensional data into five dimensional basin models (space and time, with uncertainty estimates) by coupling the evolution of mantle flow, crustal deformation, erosion and sedimentary processes, achieving a quantum leap in basin modelling and petroleum systems analysis.Read moreRead less
A multidisciplinary study of the Karoo Basin: chronology of a mass extinction, configuration of a supercontinent. Development plans for Australia's North-West (NW) shelf will expand the existing supply of natural gas and help manage greenhouse gas emissions through an innovative carbon sequestration project. A better understanding of well-exposed geology of the Karoo Basin will help evaluate the submarine deposits of Australia's NW shelf, essential for both improving yield from the new Gorgon ga ....A multidisciplinary study of the Karoo Basin: chronology of a mass extinction, configuration of a supercontinent. Development plans for Australia's North-West (NW) shelf will expand the existing supply of natural gas and help manage greenhouse gas emissions through an innovative carbon sequestration project. A better understanding of well-exposed geology of the Karoo Basin will help evaluate the submarine deposits of Australia's NW shelf, essential for both improving yield from the new Gorgon gas fields and understanding subterranean reservoir capabilities for carbon dioxide injection This study will also improve our scientific understanding of the timing and mechanisms of the end-Paleozoic mass extinction, the most significant event in the history of life on Earth.Read moreRead less
Craton modification and growth: the east Albany-Fraser Orogen in three-dimensions. The objective of this work is to achieve new, synergistic techniques for delineating the three-dimensional structure of the east Albany-Fraser Orogen in Western Australia, and the lithospheric structure below it. These methods will guide understanding of the potential for mineral resources in this region with little surface geological exposure.
Quantification of current and future traffic emissions of greenhouse gases and particulate matter for application in transport and urban planning. The socio-economic benefits from the project include (i) novel transport emissions model, enabling assessment of the impact of transport proposals, applied in one of the most rapidly developing urban regions of Australia, SEQ; (ii) a matrix of particles, CO2, N2O and CH4 emission factors for vehicles operating in Australia, an essential input paramete ....Quantification of current and future traffic emissions of greenhouse gases and particulate matter for application in transport and urban planning. The socio-economic benefits from the project include (i) novel transport emissions model, enabling assessment of the impact of transport proposals, applied in one of the most rapidly developing urban regions of Australia, SEQ; (ii) a matrix of particles, CO2, N2O and CH4 emission factors for vehicles operating in Australia, an essential input parameter in vehicle emission inventories. The ultimate economic benefit of this research will be a reduction in transport related air pollution and greenhouse emissions, thus increasing the health and well-being of Australians, reducing health care costs and placing Australia in the forefront of international progress in the race toward better methods for achieving environmental sustainability.Read moreRead less
How the Earth moves: Developing a novel seismological approach to map the small-scale dynamics of the upper mantle. The concept of small-scale convection currents from about 100-400 km below the Earth’s surface is a model proposed to explain the origins of intraplate volcanoes and mountains. However, direct evidence for the physical reality of small-scale convection cells is generally weak. This project will develop a novel seismological approach combining both ambient noise and earthquake data ....How the Earth moves: Developing a novel seismological approach to map the small-scale dynamics of the upper mantle. The concept of small-scale convection currents from about 100-400 km below the Earth’s surface is a model proposed to explain the origins of intraplate volcanoes and mountains. However, direct evidence for the physical reality of small-scale convection cells is generally weak. This project will develop a novel seismological approach combining both ambient noise and earthquake data that can image such small-scale upper mantle convection. The outcomes of this project will help to fill the gap left in the Plate Tectonic paradigm by its inability to explain intraplate geological activity (volcanoes, earthquakes, mountains), which would be a significant step towards unifying conceptual models about how the Earth works.Read moreRead less
Seismic wavespeeds and attenuation in upper-mantle rocks: a laboratory study of the effect of partial melting. The influence of partial melting on the seismic properties of the Earth's upper mantle will be explored through a laboratory study. Synthetic rock specimens consisting of the upper-mantle mineral olivine and a small proportion of basaltic magma will be prepared and their grain-scale melt distribution will be characterised. The seismic properties of these materials will be measured at ....Seismic wavespeeds and attenuation in upper-mantle rocks: a laboratory study of the effect of partial melting. The influence of partial melting on the seismic properties of the Earth's upper mantle will be explored through a laboratory study. Synthetic rock specimens consisting of the upper-mantle mineral olivine and a small proportion of basaltic magma will be prepared and their grain-scale melt distribution will be characterised. The seismic properties of these materials will be measured at high temperatures and seismic frequencies with novel locally developed equipment. Comparison with melt-free equivalents will allow the influence of the added magma to be quantified, allowing robust interpretation of seismological models of Earth structure with implications for its chemical and dynamical evolution.Read moreRead less
The seismic signature of crustal fluids. Fluids are expected to profoundly modify the seismic properties of the cracked rocks of Earth's upper crust (to depths of about 15 km) but there are so far few relevant laboratory measurements. Through the development and application of novel experimental techniques we plan to build a better laboratory-based understanding of the seismic properties of fluid-saturated crustal rocks. The outcome will be an improved capacity to monitor the presence of fluid ....The seismic signature of crustal fluids. Fluids are expected to profoundly modify the seismic properties of the cracked rocks of Earth's upper crust (to depths of about 15 km) but there are so far few relevant laboratory measurements. Through the development and application of novel experimental techniques we plan to build a better laboratory-based understanding of the seismic properties of fluid-saturated crustal rocks. The outcome will be an improved capacity to monitor the presence of fluids in diverse situations ranging from geothermal power generation and waste disposal to earthquake fault zones. Read moreRead less
Understanding the deep driving forces of Earth’s large-scale topography through time. We propose to model the convection of Earth’s mantle linked to tectonic plate motions to unravel their combined influence on the evolution of topography over 550 million years. The project will lead to an understanding of the driving forces of large-scale topography in continental interiors and along their margins through geological time.
The link between the deep Earth and its dynamic surface. Modelling the two-way interaction of plate tectonics with the actions of erosion and sedimentation gives a fundamentally new view of the dynamics of our planet and the importance of the surface on the deep interior. It will improve our understanding of the formation of sedimentary basins, their evolution and their preservation over geological time.
The Role of Hydrous Fluids in Fault Processes: An Experimental Study. The proposed project seeks to understand how hydrothermal reactions in fault zones affect various physical properties such as fault strength and permeability. The project will be conducted by performing high pressure experiments which simulate natural conditions. I will also develop new analytical techniques to characterize the microstructural evolution of faults, with a focus on understanding how any changes alter the hydrolo ....The Role of Hydrous Fluids in Fault Processes: An Experimental Study. The proposed project seeks to understand how hydrothermal reactions in fault zones affect various physical properties such as fault strength and permeability. The project will be conducted by performing high pressure experiments which simulate natural conditions. I will also develop new analytical techniques to characterize the microstructural evolution of faults, with a focus on understanding how any changes alter the hydrologic behaviour of the fault. This study will shed much needed information related to the mechanisms of earthquake nucleation, and to the formation mechanism of fault-hosted gold deposits.Read moreRead less