The impact of India-Asia tectonics on climate. This interdisciplinary project aims to determine the controls of tectonics on global climate in the last 50 million years. A combination of tectonics, paleogeography, climate modelling and high-performance computing will be applied to test systematically outstanding issues in the reconstruction of the Indo-Asia region and their landmass/seaways configurations and topography, which have bedevilled previous models of paleoclimate evolution. The propos ....The impact of India-Asia tectonics on climate. This interdisciplinary project aims to determine the controls of tectonics on global climate in the last 50 million years. A combination of tectonics, paleogeography, climate modelling and high-performance computing will be applied to test systematically outstanding issues in the reconstruction of the Indo-Asia region and their landmass/seaways configurations and topography, which have bedevilled previous models of paleoclimate evolution. The proposal expects to generate novel knowledge in the area at the boundary between tectonics, paleoclimate modelling and present-day climate. This provides significant benefits to the interpretation of tectonics–climate coupling as current drivers of climate evolution.Read moreRead less
Assessment of the potential consequences of large-scale eradication of rice grass from the Tamar Estuary, Tasmania. Introduced Rice grass has trapped large volumes of intertidal sediment, yet reduced amenity values of the Tamar Estuary, transforming beaches into muddy rice grass meadows, threatening aquaculture industries, and silting up coastal developments. This project will investigate the consequences of rice grass eradication, by determination of sediment volume trapped, contaminants contai ....Assessment of the potential consequences of large-scale eradication of rice grass from the Tamar Estuary, Tasmania. Introduced Rice grass has trapped large volumes of intertidal sediment, yet reduced amenity values of the Tamar Estuary, transforming beaches into muddy rice grass meadows, threatening aquaculture industries, and silting up coastal developments. This project will investigate the consequences of rice grass eradication, by determination of sediment volume trapped, contaminants contained, and monitoring of processes active after removal. The outcomes of this research will enable informed decisions on management of the Tamar rice grass infestation, and provide an understanding the impacts of large scale eradication to management authorities of similar infestations in Victoria, New Zealand, Europe, China 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
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
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
Gas-Solid Reactions in Earth and Planetary Systems. High temperature gases circulate through Earth's interior and atmosphere, but little is known about how they react. Recent work shows that exceptionally rapid reactions occur between gases and solids at surfaces. These reactions are instrumental in forming ore deposits and transporting gases and salts to Earth's surface, atmosphere and oceans - affecting climate and biological productivity. This project aims to examine natural samples and inves ....Gas-Solid Reactions in Earth and Planetary Systems. High temperature gases circulate through Earth's interior and atmosphere, but little is known about how they react. Recent work shows that exceptionally rapid reactions occur between gases and solids at surfaces. These reactions are instrumental in forming ore deposits and transporting gases and salts to Earth's surface, atmosphere and oceans - affecting climate and biological productivity. This project aims to examine natural samples and investigate gas-solid reactions experimentally to constrain reaction mechanisms. It is expected that the project outcomes will open up a new field of geochemistry with novel experiments, state-of-the-art analysis and the development of innovative models that account for the role of gas-solid reactions in Earth and planetary processes.Read moreRead less
Sediment transport in upwelling currents and its relevance to an active petroleum system in the Morum Sub-basin, South Australia. Australia had a trade deficit of $3.5 billion in petroleum products in 2005 and this is forecast to increase dramatically in the future. Giant oil fields may exist in the Morum Sub-basin and their exploitation could significantly reduce Australia's trade deficit in petroleum products. It would also reduce Australia's reliance on oil form politically unstable parts of ....Sediment transport in upwelling currents and its relevance to an active petroleum system in the Morum Sub-basin, South Australia. Australia had a trade deficit of $3.5 billion in petroleum products in 2005 and this is forecast to increase dramatically in the future. Giant oil fields may exist in the Morum Sub-basin and their exploitation could significantly reduce Australia's trade deficit in petroleum products. It would also reduce Australia's reliance on oil form politically unstable parts of the globe. Any exploration activity and subsequent exploration success would have a significant effect on the rural economy based around Portland, the main port in the area, through which most of the logistics would flow.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100094
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$110,000.00
Summary
Single-grain optically-stimulated luminescence and dosimetry instruments to service the Sydney metropolitan and greater New South Wales region. This equipment will support projects that address significant environmental challenges in Australia, such as climate change and variability, coastal management and sustainable river and water management, and that assess the impacts and consequences of these challenges for populations living in environmentally sensitive areas. These projects will build on ....Single-grain optically-stimulated luminescence and dosimetry instruments to service the Sydney metropolitan and greater New South Wales region. This equipment will support projects that address significant environmental challenges in Australia, such as climate change and variability, coastal management and sustainable river and water management, and that assess the impacts and consequences of these challenges for populations living in environmentally sensitive areas. These projects will build on established collaborations in Australia, Antarctica and the south-west Pacific and encourage new collaborations with south-east Asian, Egyptian and Argentinean researchers, which will promote Australian research on a world stage. The use of this equipment will also pioneer new dating methodologies to further enhance Australia's place at the forefront of geochronology.Read moreRead less
Longshore Sediment Supply to the Deep Ocean. The current model to supply sand to deep water off continental margins is that provided by rivers operating at low sea level. We propose an alternative model in which sand is provided by longshore transport to deep water at high sea level north of Fraser Island, SE Queensland. Here we will test the validity of our new model by site studies of sea bottom morphology, composition and dynamics. If the model proves true, we will have: 1) generated an entir ....Longshore Sediment Supply to the Deep Ocean. The current model to supply sand to deep water off continental margins is that provided by rivers operating at low sea level. We propose an alternative model in which sand is provided by longshore transport to deep water at high sea level north of Fraser Island, SE Queensland. Here we will test the validity of our new model by site studies of sea bottom morphology, composition and dynamics. If the model proves true, we will have: 1) generated an entirely new exploration model for deepwater hydrocarbons, 2) provided new expertise and seabed maps for generating a superior marine naval defence capability.Read moreRead less
Dating the Aboriginal rock art of the Kimberley region, Western Australia - landscape geochemistry, surface processes and complementary dating techniques. The age of much of the spectacular rock art of the Kimberley region of Western Australia remains unknown, especially in its earliest stages. This project aims to use the most advanced dating techniques now available to determine a sequence of ages for this ancient cultural record, increasing its recognition as a heritage site of international ....Dating the Aboriginal rock art of the Kimberley region, Western Australia - landscape geochemistry, surface processes and complementary dating techniques. The age of much of the spectacular rock art of the Kimberley region of Western Australia remains unknown, especially in its earliest stages. This project aims to use the most advanced dating techniques now available to determine a sequence of ages for this ancient cultural record, increasing its recognition as a heritage site of international significance.Read moreRead less