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.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100061
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$285,000.00
Summary
A new seismic facility for investigating tectonic collision zones, earthquake hazards and passive imaging techniques. A new seismic facility will enable collaboration with overseas partners to better understand plate margin tectonics and earthquake hazard in our region for mutual benefit. It will also be used in pilot studies of areas endowed with deep earth resources, and in assessing regions of heightened earthquake activity in Australia.
Down under down under: using multi-scale seismic tomography to image beneath Australia's Great Artesian Basin. Seismic arrays will be deployed in the Great Artesian Basin to image the crust and mantle using distant earthquake and ambient noise sources. This will answer fundamental questions about the tectonic evolution of eastern Australia and elucidate the structure of a region containing significant deep Earth resources.
Reconstructing the Beetaloo/Greater McArthur Basin System . This project aims to build a stratigraphic and water chemistry framework for the greater McArthur Basin—a rock system that covers northern Australia from WA to Queensland. This will be a vital resource for researchers and energy/mineral explorers. This project expects to develop novel sediment dating and isotopic proxies for salinity, redox and bioproductivity and use them to build a sequence stratigraphic framework of the basin. The ex ....Reconstructing the Beetaloo/Greater McArthur Basin System . This project aims to build a stratigraphic and water chemistry framework for the greater McArthur Basin—a rock system that covers northern Australia from WA to Queensland. This will be a vital resource for researchers and energy/mineral explorers. This project expects to develop novel sediment dating and isotopic proxies for salinity, redox and bioproductivity and use them to build a sequence stratigraphic framework of the basin. The expected outcome is a unique 3D lithological, geochronological and geochemical framework for the basin. Expected benefits include de-risked information for the petroleum and minerals industry, assisting northern Australia's resources economy, as well as insights into the development of our planet in deep time.Read moreRead less
Multiple vertical tectonic movements in a continental interior: consequences of flat-subduction and foundering of an oceanic plateau? This project will investigate how the subduction of particularly thick oceanic crust impacts on the landscape, climate, structure and composition of the adjacent continent. It will help in understanding the history and distribution of mineral and hydrocarbon resources, of similar provinces in Australia.
Tectonic geography of the world's oldest petroleum play, the McArthur Basin. This projects aims to develop a 4D tectonic geography framework to support the effective exploration of the McArthur Basin. This project will construct this by a) investigating the evolving tectonic setting, b) examining intra-basin correlations and trace the source to sink sediment provenance, c) unraveling the depositional geography using novel isotopic proxies, and, d) constructing the subsequent thermal history of ....Tectonic geography of the world's oldest petroleum play, the McArthur Basin. This projects aims to develop a 4D tectonic geography framework to support the effective exploration of the McArthur Basin. This project will construct this by a) investigating the evolving tectonic setting, b) examining intra-basin correlations and trace the source to sink sediment provenance, c) unraveling the depositional geography using novel isotopic proxies, and, d) constructing the subsequent thermal history of the basin. The techniques developed through this project will de-risk the exploration for petroleum in this basin, and be applicable in opening up Proterozoic petroleum elsewhere in Australia and internationally.Read moreRead less
Novel isotope techniques to explore the Centralian Superbasin, Australia. This project will leverage new advances in analytical instrumentation and isotope techniques to generate improved geochronological and stratigraphic framework for the Centralian Superbasin, a vast ancient depositional system covering much of central Australia. The project aims to apply novel laser-based dating of sedimentary rocks, coupled with metal isotope proxy reconstructions of the basin’s palaeogeography, hydrologica ....Novel isotope techniques to explore the Centralian Superbasin, Australia. This project will leverage new advances in analytical instrumentation and isotope techniques to generate improved geochronological and stratigraphic framework for the Centralian Superbasin, a vast ancient depositional system covering much of central Australia. The project aims to apply novel laser-based dating of sedimentary rocks, coupled with metal isotope proxy reconstructions of the basin’s palaeogeography, hydrological connectivity and past redox conditions, which are all critical parameters to guide and de-risk future exploration of sediment-hosted resources in this frontier basin. Anticipated outcomes will benefit Australia's resources economy, while providing insights into the evolution of Earth’s surface environment in deep time.Read moreRead less
Jurassic arc? Reconstructing the lost world of Eastern Australia. This project aims to resolve a long-standing enigma about the geological formation of the Great Artesian Basin – Australia’s most important onshore reservoir for groundwater and hydrocarbon resources. Specifically, the project will integrate sedimentological and geochemical studies to investigate the geodynamic configuration of Eastern Australia during the Jurassic Period of basin formation. The intended outcomes are an improved u ....Jurassic arc? Reconstructing the lost world of Eastern Australia. This project aims to resolve a long-standing enigma about the geological formation of the Great Artesian Basin – Australia’s most important onshore reservoir for groundwater and hydrocarbon resources. Specifically, the project will integrate sedimentological and geochemical studies to investigate the geodynamic configuration of Eastern Australia during the Jurassic Period of basin formation. The intended outcomes are an improved understanding of the evolution of the Australian continent and better knowledge of the formation of intercontinental sedimentary basins, which includes better assessment of their potential to contain hydrocarbon resources.Read moreRead less