Shear heating in granular materials: micromechanics of thermal conduction and production. Oil, gas and geothermal exploration are amongst the major energy industries in Australia and must be optimised to enable efficient production. These processes are dominated by the transfer of heat through granular soil media. Past research was based on continuum heat-flow solutions, but these problems are governed by distinct networks of particle-particle contacts and interparticle pore-fluids. Heat-flow so ....Shear heating in granular materials: micromechanics of thermal conduction and production. Oil, gas and geothermal exploration are amongst the major energy industries in Australia and must be optimised to enable efficient production. These processes are dominated by the transfer of heat through granular soil media. Past research was based on continuum heat-flow solutions, but these problems are governed by distinct networks of particle-particle contacts and interparticle pore-fluids. Heat-flow solutions depend on effective terms of thermal conduction, production and convection, but these change with loading. A systematic study must therefore be accomplished to formulate the micromechanics of the effective thermal properties, such that continuum solutions are refined to optimise energy exploration.Read moreRead less
Mineral Physics of the Earth's Core. Most information on the nature of Earth's core properties has come from teleseismic studies, which detect weak earthquake-wave signals that have traversed the Earth's deepest interior. These studies have revealed several unusual and enigmatic phenomena in the core, but interpretation of these observations must rely on mineral-physics data on the materials of the core (e.g. iron-based alloys). This project will create a unique world-class ultra-high pressure l ....Mineral Physics of the Earth's Core. Most information on the nature of Earth's core properties has come from teleseismic studies, which detect weak earthquake-wave signals that have traversed the Earth's deepest interior. These studies have revealed several unusual and enigmatic phenomena in the core, but interpretation of these observations must rely on mineral-physics data on the materials of the core (e.g. iron-based alloys). This project will create a unique world-class ultra-high pressure laboratory to obtain such data. By defining the composition and mineralogy of Earth's core, it will place Australia in the forefront of this exciting research field, and will also represent a major national resource for the study of novel materials at extreme conditions.Read moreRead less
Earth's Internal System: deep processes and crustal consequences. Outcomes will include significant new information about the structure and formation of the Earth's crust and the underlying mantle. An improved framework for interpreting the architecture of Australia and other continents will be directly relevant to exploration for world-class economic deposits, the Earth resources on which society depends. Innovations in geochemical technology and in the integration of information from geochemi ....Earth's Internal System: deep processes and crustal consequences. Outcomes will include significant new information about the structure and formation of the Earth's crust and the underlying mantle. An improved framework for interpreting the architecture of Australia and other continents will be directly relevant to exploration for world-class economic deposits, the Earth resources on which society depends. Innovations in geochemical technology and in the integration of information from geochemistry, geophysics and geodynamics will maintain our high international profile in research relevant to National Priority 1.6 (Developing Deep Earth Resources). The project and its interaction with the minerals industry will provide advanced Postgraduate training in a field critical to Australia's future.Read moreRead less
Global Lithosphere Architecture Mapping. Compositional domains in the subcontinental lithospheric mantle reflect the processes of continental assembly and breakup through Earth's history. Their boundaries may focus the fluid movements that produce giant ore deposits. Mapping these boundaries will provide fundamental insights into Earth processes and a basis for the targeting of mineral exploration. We will integrate mantle petrology, tectonic synthesis and geophysical analysis to produce the f ....Global Lithosphere Architecture Mapping. Compositional domains in the subcontinental lithospheric mantle reflect the processes of continental assembly and breakup through Earth's history. Their boundaries may focus the fluid movements that produce giant ore deposits. Mapping these boundaries will provide fundamental insights into Earth processes and a basis for the targeting of mineral exploration. We will integrate mantle petrology, tectonic synthesis and geophysical analysis to produce the first maps of the architecture of the continental lithosphere, to depths of ca 250 km. These maps will provide a unique perspective on global dynamics and continental evolution, and on the relationships between lithosphere domains and large-scale mineralisation.Read moreRead less
Integrating Global Multidimensional Datasets to Underpin Subduction Process Modelling During the Past 60 Million Years. Subduction zones are the sites for massive sulphide, orogenic vein gold and porphyry deposits. As Australia derived 47% of it merchandise exports from its mineral and energy resources in 2001, ore-deposits constitute an important component of the Australian economy. Understanding the environment of subduction initiation and development as well as the signal that it imparts on ....Integrating Global Multidimensional Datasets to Underpin Subduction Process Modelling During the Past 60 Million Years. Subduction zones are the sites for massive sulphide, orogenic vein gold and porphyry deposits. As Australia derived 47% of it merchandise exports from its mineral and energy resources in 2001, ore-deposits constitute an important component of the Australian economy. Understanding the environment of subduction initiation and development as well as the signal that it imparts on the magmatic (ore-forming) arc, will provide improved efficiency for targeting Australia's deep-earth ore-deposits.Read moreRead less
A palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of Holocene coastal valley evolution in NSW: A magnetic, geochemical, sedimentological and microfossil investigation. Coastal environments are a critical interface between land and ocean. They are sensitive to sea level change and they can influence climate because they trap a large fraction of the carbon buried annually in the oceans. We propose an inter-disciplinary investigation to determine how NSW coastal environments responded to past climate change. Th ....A palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of Holocene coastal valley evolution in NSW: A magnetic, geochemical, sedimentological and microfossil investigation. Coastal environments are a critical interface between land and ocean. They are sensitive to sea level change and they can influence climate because they trap a large fraction of the carbon buried annually in the oceans. We propose an inter-disciplinary investigation to determine how NSW coastal environments responded to past climate change. This will help to understand factors such as flood chronologies and acid sulphate soil potential and to predict the response to these environments to future climate change. Coastal environments support an increasing global population that will benefit from a better understanding of processes and responses within this critical zone.Read moreRead less
The role of supercontinents in Earth's dynamic evolution. By better understanding the dynamic and volcanic evolution of continents, the project will contribute to our understanding of the long-term evolution and construction of the Australian plate, leading to better models for Australia's deep-Earth resources(NRP 1.6), and the impact of large-scale dynamics on ore-deposit formation. The geodynamic modelling capabilities implemented in this project will keep Australian at the cutting edge of Ge ....The role of supercontinents in Earth's dynamic evolution. By better understanding the dynamic and volcanic evolution of continents, the project will contribute to our understanding of the long-term evolution and construction of the Australian plate, leading to better models for Australia's deep-Earth resources(NRP 1.6), and the impact of large-scale dynamics on ore-deposit formation. The geodynamic modelling capabilities implemented in this project will keep Australian at the cutting edge of Geoinformatics (NRP 3.2). The project will strengthen ties between the mantle convection modelling and lithospheric dating communities, enhancing our understanding of complex Earth-system interactions, and promote international collaboration between Australia and the USA.Read moreRead less
The behaviour of geochemical tracers during differentiation of the Earth. This project is aimed at providing fundamental data which Earth Scientists will use to understand the processes by which the Earth separated into its chemically-distinct layers (core, mantle, crust, atmosphere, oceans) and to determine the nature of the continuing interactions between the surface environment in which we live and the deep interior. It will provide training in modern high temperature-high pressure materials- ....The behaviour of geochemical tracers during differentiation of the Earth. This project is aimed at providing fundamental data which Earth Scientists will use to understand the processes by which the Earth separated into its chemically-distinct layers (core, mantle, crust, atmosphere, oceans) and to determine the nature of the continuing interactions between the surface environment in which we live and the deep interior. It will provide training in modern high temperature-high pressure materials-science techniques for Ph.D. students and postdoctoral researchers. This will provide Australia with Earth Scientists who have both traditional skills and the ability to work with Materials Scientists on the synthesis of novel materials under extreme conditions.Read moreRead less
Micromechanical modelling of fault gouge dynamics: towards an improved fault constitutive relation. The human and economic costs of geological and other particulate media related problems in Australia are staggering. These include geological hazards (e.g. landslides and earthquakes; the Newcastle earthquake cost around $4 billion and 13 lives), to particulate processes prevalent in Australia's major export industries (e.g. coal export valued at $9.3 billion, iron ore at $3.8 billion, and wheat ....Micromechanical modelling of fault gouge dynamics: towards an improved fault constitutive relation. The human and economic costs of geological and other particulate media related problems in Australia are staggering. These include geological hazards (e.g. landslides and earthquakes; the Newcastle earthquake cost around $4 billion and 13 lives), to particulate processes prevalent in Australia's major export industries (e.g. coal export valued at $9.3 billion, iron ore at $3.8 billion, and wheat at $3.4 billion), to Australia's 810,000 km granular paved road network that costs around $5.5 million per day to maintain. The program will deliver new knowledge and advanced analytical and predictive modelling tools capable of fuelling breakthroughs in earthquake forecasting research and industrial innovations.
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Origin and Evolution of the Earth's Chemical Reservoirs. The scientific aims of this project are to understand the processes by which the Earth separated into its chemically-distinct layers (core, mantle, crust, atmosphere, oceans) and to determine the nature of the continuing interactions between the surface environment in which we live and the deep interior. Experimental study of these processes will involve establishment of a world-class facility for materials synthesis at high pressures and ....Origin and Evolution of the Earth's Chemical Reservoirs. The scientific aims of this project are to understand the processes by which the Earth separated into its chemically-distinct layers (core, mantle, crust, atmosphere, oceans) and to determine the nature of the continuing interactions between the surface environment in which we live and the deep interior. Experimental study of these processes will involve establishment of a world-class facility for materials synthesis at high pressures and temperatures. This facility will provide the means to simulate the processes occurring within the Earth and will enable synthesis of new high density materials of technological interest.Read moreRead less