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
Roles of deep-Earth fluid cycling in the generation of intra-continental magmatism. This project aims to test a provocative and potentially ground-breaking hypothesis that fluid released from subducted oceanic slabs and stored in the mantle transition zone, may trigger or control some major intra-plate geotectonic phenomena. It aims to provide a self-consistent model that links geological processes occurring at plate boundaries with those far-field effects well away from plate boundaries via dee ....Roles of deep-Earth fluid cycling in the generation of intra-continental magmatism. This project aims to test a provocative and potentially ground-breaking hypothesis that fluid released from subducted oceanic slabs and stored in the mantle transition zone, may trigger or control some major intra-plate geotectonic phenomena. It aims to provide a self-consistent model that links geological processes occurring at plate boundaries with those far-field effects well away from plate boundaries via deep-Earth fluid cycling. The outcomes of this project aim to help to better understand links between plume and plate tectonic processes in the first-order dynamic system of Earth, and identify ways to improve success in future mineral exploration.Read moreRead less
Measuring mantle hydrogen to map ore fluids and model plate tectonics. The goal of this project is to use magnetotellurics to measure mantle hydrogen content to aid in the discovery of new mineral deposits. Hydrogen controls the strength of Earth’s mantle and is a vital component of the systems that form giant ore deposits. However, mantle hydrogen content is unconstrained. Ore-forming fluids hydrate the mantle pathways on which they travel. The first aim of this project is to image these fluid ....Measuring mantle hydrogen to map ore fluids and model plate tectonics. The goal of this project is to use magnetotellurics to measure mantle hydrogen content to aid in the discovery of new mineral deposits. Hydrogen controls the strength of Earth’s mantle and is a vital component of the systems that form giant ore deposits. However, mantle hydrogen content is unconstrained. Ore-forming fluids hydrate the mantle pathways on which they travel. The first aim of this project is to image these fluid pathways to improve mineral exploration techniques. Plate tectonic models assume that the lithospheric mantle is dehydrated but existing data from magnetotellurics and mantle rocks show high hydrogen contents. The second aim of this project is to create a map of the hydrogen content of the plates, which may lead to new models for continental evolution and mantle dynamics.Read moreRead less
Earth's origin and evolution: a sulphurous approach. This project aims to shed new light on global element cycles in the deep Earth and how they connect to the evolution of the exospheres – one of the hottest topics in geosciences. It also aims to produce key knowledge of the extraction and transport of elements from the deep Earth to the surface, which may provide valuable information for resource exploration. Using novel integrated elemental and isotopic approaches, this program aims to track ....Earth's origin and evolution: a sulphurous approach. This project aims to shed new light on global element cycles in the deep Earth and how they connect to the evolution of the exospheres – one of the hottest topics in geosciences. It also aims to produce key knowledge of the extraction and transport of elements from the deep Earth to the surface, which may provide valuable information for resource exploration. Using novel integrated elemental and isotopic approaches, this program aims to track the origin and fate of sulfur, selenium and tellurium during accretion and subsequent redistribution in fluids to Earth’s surface. This new knowledge is critical to understanding how these and other elements of strategic and economic importance, such as the Platinum Group Elements, are extracted from the deep Earth and transported to the surface.Read moreRead less
From core to ore: emplacement dynamics of deep-seated nickel sulphide systems. This project will investigate the genesis of ore deposits containing nickel, copper and the immensely valuable platinum group elements. These systems provide insights into fundamental questions regarding the evolution and dynamics of the Earth system, because these ore deposits are windows into the deep mantle of our planet.
Understanding planetary-scale reorganisations in plate tectonics. This project aims to investigate the dynamics of Earth’s tectonics and its plate motions, with the aim of understanding the mechanisms that force single plates or whole-Earth motions’ changes. The Earth’s tectonics follow regular cycles, in every ~500 million years, of continental aggregation and dispersal, which are intervened by periodic destabilisation and rapid reorganisations. What causes the reorganisations and reversal of t ....Understanding planetary-scale reorganisations in plate tectonics. This project aims to investigate the dynamics of Earth’s tectonics and its plate motions, with the aim of understanding the mechanisms that force single plates or whole-Earth motions’ changes. The Earth’s tectonics follow regular cycles, in every ~500 million years, of continental aggregation and dispersal, which are intervened by periodic destabilisation and rapid reorganisations. What causes the reorganisations and reversal of the tectonics remain standing questions in planetary dynamics. The expected outcomes of the project will provide an understanding of the recent supercontinent formation and its fragmentation into the present-day continents.Read moreRead less
The origin of Australian Gondwana: using isotopic proxies for subduction to reconstruct ancient oceans. This project will, for the first time, include ancient ocean basins in Neoproterozoic plate tectonic reconstructions. It will provide new insights into the geography of Australia between 850 and 500 million years ago, a time of major climatic extremes, the origin of multi-cellular life and the accumulation of the first major petroleum deposits.
Breaking Gondwana: interplay between tectonics, climate and resources. The project aims to reconstruct 250 million years of landscape evolution in response to rifting and break-up of the Gondwana supercontinent, using the innovative approach of combining regional thermochronology with global plate tectonic models. From these reconstructions, the time-integrated record of exhumation and erosion at the continental margins will be revealed at an unprecedented scale. The main expected outcome will b ....Breaking Gondwana: interplay between tectonics, climate and resources. The project aims to reconstruct 250 million years of landscape evolution in response to rifting and break-up of the Gondwana supercontinent, using the innovative approach of combining regional thermochronology with global plate tectonic models. From these reconstructions, the time-integrated record of exhumation and erosion at the continental margins will be revealed at an unprecedented scale. The main expected outcome will be a deep time archive of the relationships between tectonic forcing, continental erosion and the global climate, which may assist predictions and debate on future climate change. The outcomes will also provide economic benefits as they will inform on the exhumation and preservation of (critical) mineral resources.Read moreRead less
The Cenozoic tectonic evolution of East and Southeast Asia: interplay between the India-Eurasia collision and the Pacific and Sunda subduction zones. This project investigates how the Indo-Australian and Pacific tectonic plates have interacted with the Eurasian plate to form the largest continental deformation zone on Earth in East Asia, stretching from the Himalayas to Indonesia and eastern Siberia. This is important for understanding how mountain ranges form and how continents are torn apart.