Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668226
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$186,000.00
Summary
A new X-ray spectrometer facility for VIEPS: major and trace element characterisation of geological materials. Australia has a well-earned reputation as a leading innovator in analytical geochemistry and the acquisition of this instrumentation will reinforce that standing. The equipment will support a broad range of research activities and enhance our capability for research training at Honours and post-graduate student level. In addition this project addresses directly our current National Rese ....A new X-ray spectrometer facility for VIEPS: major and trace element characterisation of geological materials. Australia has a well-earned reputation as a leading innovator in analytical geochemistry and the acquisition of this instrumentation will reinforce that standing. The equipment will support a broad range of research activities and enhance our capability for research training at Honours and post-graduate student level. In addition this project addresses directly our current National Research Priority 'an environmentally sustainable Australia', and priority goals 'Developing deep earth resources' and 'Responding to climate change and variability'Read moreRead less
High-temperature Elastic Wave Speeds of Mantle Minerals and their Seismological Implications. Laboratory measurements of elastic wave speeds are critical for the interpretation of seismological models for the Earth's deep interior. During the past several years, research groups at ANU and Stony Brook University have separately been proving novel experimental techniques for measurement of the temperature dependence of elastic wave speeds. Now a timely collaboration is proposed in which we would ....High-temperature Elastic Wave Speeds of Mantle Minerals and their Seismological Implications. Laboratory measurements of elastic wave speeds are critical for the interpretation of seismological models for the Earth's deep interior. During the past several years, research groups at ANU and Stony Brook University have separately been proving novel experimental techniques for measurement of the temperature dependence of elastic wave speeds. Now a timely collaboration is proposed in which we would exploit access to similar temperature ranges under two very different pressure regimes to examine the mixed pressure-temperature dependence of wave speeds that is so critical for the inference of chemical composition, mineralogical make-up, and temperature variations within the Earth's mantle.Read moreRead less
New developments in 3D electrical resistivity imaging of the shallow subsurface. This project is concerned with developing improved procedures for electrical imaging of hidden geological features in the subsurface. These techniques are required to solve urgent problems associated with important issues, such as natural hazards, disposal of dangerous waste, groundwater and construction of major buildings and tunnels. The project will develop new hardware, software and interpretation aids, as well ....New developments in 3D electrical resistivity imaging of the shallow subsurface. This project is concerned with developing improved procedures for electrical imaging of hidden geological features in the subsurface. These techniques are required to solve urgent problems associated with important issues, such as natural hazards, disposal of dangerous waste, groundwater and construction of major buildings and tunnels. The project will develop new hardware, software and interpretation aids, as well as providing postgraduate training in an area of vital national importance.Read moreRead less
Optimisation of Signal-to-Noise Ratio in Electrical and Electromagnetic Investigations. Electrical and electromagnetic geophysical methods have been used extensively for mineral exploration, and are developing a role in salinity mapping and contaminant identification. To enhance the utility of such methods for very shallow targets (in the case of salinity) and deep targets (minerals beneath regolith)improved signal processing methods are required. The project involves the development of time-ser ....Optimisation of Signal-to-Noise Ratio in Electrical and Electromagnetic Investigations. Electrical and electromagnetic geophysical methods have been used extensively for mineral exploration, and are developing a role in salinity mapping and contaminant identification. To enhance the utility of such methods for very shallow targets (in the case of salinity) and deep targets (minerals beneath regolith)improved signal processing methods are required. The project involves the development of time-series processing techniques using robust-statistical methods and remote-referencing to improve signal-to-noise data quality. Instrumentation hardware and software developments are required for in-field data acquisition and interpretation, applied to direct current (DC) resistivity, induced polarisation (IP) and time-domain EM (TEM).Read moreRead less
Understanding the deep mantle: experimental petrology at very high pressures. The great processes that shape the Earth at its surface, including plate tectonics and continental drift, can only be understood by appreciating how the interior of the Earth works. However, studying the deep Earth is difficult because of the enormous pressures and temperatures involved. This research proposes to simulate conditions in the Earth's lower mantle (that is, below 670 km in depth) by making use of an Austra ....Understanding the deep mantle: experimental petrology at very high pressures. The great processes that shape the Earth at its surface, including plate tectonics and continental drift, can only be understood by appreciating how the interior of the Earth works. However, studying the deep Earth is difficult because of the enormous pressures and temperatures involved. This research proposes to simulate conditions in the Earth's lower mantle (that is, below 670 km in depth) by making use of an Australian invented diamond-based ceramic, to double the pressure at which experiments can be performed. The information gained from this fundamental research will help predict how giant ore bodies form. The development of the high-pressure apparatus will also aid material scientists in their quest for novel materials.Read moreRead less
Developing a fully automated analytical system for the next generation of fission-track thermochronology. This project aims to develop a revolutionary new generation of research tools for analysing the temperature history of rocks in the upper several kilometres of the earth's crust with new opportunities for the commercialisation of the outcomes. The approach will bring together and integrate several rapidly-developing technologies at the forefront of international developments in this field. ....Developing a fully automated analytical system for the next generation of fission-track thermochronology. This project aims to develop a revolutionary new generation of research tools for analysing the temperature history of rocks in the upper several kilometres of the earth's crust with new opportunities for the commercialisation of the outcomes. The approach will bring together and integrate several rapidly-developing technologies at the forefront of international developments in this field. The information obtained will contain vital clues about the processes that operate within the crust, the evolution of its surface environments over long periods of time, the long-term stability of the ancient continental cores, and the formation of important hydrocarbon and mineral resources.Read moreRead less
In search of the sources of southeastern Australian granites: a Hf, O and U-Pb isotopic study of single zircons. Some researchers suggest that the composition of granites can be used to map their source regions 15-35 km below the Earth's surface; others disagree. Our research is designed to resolve the matter, providing a firmer basis for using granite compositions to infer crustal structure and assist in mineral exploration. The research will require the development of new analytical techniques ....In search of the sources of southeastern Australian granites: a Hf, O and U-Pb isotopic study of single zircons. Some researchers suggest that the composition of granites can be used to map their source regions 15-35 km below the Earth's surface; others disagree. Our research is designed to resolve the matter, providing a firmer basis for using granite compositions to infer crustal structure and assist in mineral exploration. The research will require the development of new analytical techniques which will greatly enhance the capacity of SHRIMP, a uniquely Australian frontier technology, in a variety of new fields, e.g. biology, environmental studies and ore genesis, each of which ultimately contributes to the social and economic well-being of the Australian community.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0560868
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$552,475.00
Summary
SHRIMP SI - Microscale stable-isotope analysis in the Earth Sciences. Stable-isotope variations of elements such as oxygen, carbon, and sulphur, preserve the most profound records of environmental conditions during the geological, biological, and climatic evolution of Earth and planets. We will build a stable isotope ion microprobe (SHRIMP SI) to examine extraterrestrial and terrestrial systems in unprecedented detail. In terrestrial applications, the main issue is accuracy at the 0.01 percent ....SHRIMP SI - Microscale stable-isotope analysis in the Earth Sciences. Stable-isotope variations of elements such as oxygen, carbon, and sulphur, preserve the most profound records of environmental conditions during the geological, biological, and climatic evolution of Earth and planets. We will build a stable isotope ion microprobe (SHRIMP SI) to examine extraterrestrial and terrestrial systems in unprecedented detail. In terrestrial applications, the main issue is accuracy at the 0.01 percent level for 20-micron spots, which we can apply to studies of development of life on Earth, climatic records, weathering, and formation of ore bodies. Sample return missions of solar wind and comets will provide unique samples related to the formation of our solar system.Read moreRead less
Early Evolution of the Solar System: A Planetary Perspective. A geochemical study of early solar system materials will be conducted to investigate physical conditions leading to assembly of the terrestrial planets, and the chronology of early geological events that shaped the Earth and Moon. Objects from the solar nebula and samples from the Earth, Moon, Mars, and differentiated asteroids will be studied. This research will contribute toward understanding the astrophysical environment of the inn ....Early Evolution of the Solar System: A Planetary Perspective. A geochemical study of early solar system materials will be conducted to investigate physical conditions leading to assembly of the terrestrial planets, and the chronology of early geological events that shaped the Earth and Moon. Objects from the solar nebula and samples from the Earth, Moon, Mars, and differentiated asteroids will be studied. This research will contribute toward understanding the astrophysical environment of the inner solar system, establish a high-resolution absolute timescale for early geological events, and Identify the population of solid bodies present during the initial stages of planetary development.Read moreRead less
Lithic Astronomy: The age and origin of the elements and their incorporation in the solar nebula. All heavy elements are produced in stars. The signature of nucleosynthesis is the isotopic composition of the elements and thus measurement of isotopic compositions allows nuclear astrophysics to be elucidated in the laboratory. This project will examine the linkages between stellar sites and the material in our solar system through measurement of interstellar grains and other primitive material ob ....Lithic Astronomy: The age and origin of the elements and their incorporation in the solar nebula. All heavy elements are produced in stars. The signature of nucleosynthesis is the isotopic composition of the elements and thus measurement of isotopic compositions allows nuclear astrophysics to be elucidated in the laboratory. This project will examine the linkages between stellar sites and the material in our solar system through measurement of interstellar grains and other primitive material obtained from meteorites. A chronology of processes affecting the solar nebula will be determined through measurement of radionuclides. Th/U measurements in presolar grains could allow a view of galactic chemical evolution billions of years prior to the solar nebula.Read moreRead less