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
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
Weathering on Mars and Australian Analogues: Developing Suitable Chronological Tools and Theoretical Approaches. The research outlined in this proposal will place Australia at the forefront of Mars exploration research. It will lead to the development of new approaches for the analysis of minerals formed by low temperature water-rock interaction and for the interpretation of geochronological results obtained from supergene minerals. The new analytical approaches developed in this project will ha ....Weathering on Mars and Australian Analogues: Developing Suitable Chronological Tools and Theoretical Approaches. The research outlined in this proposal will place Australia at the forefront of Mars exploration research. It will lead to the development of new approaches for the analysis of minerals formed by low temperature water-rock interaction and for the interpretation of geochronological results obtained from supergene minerals. The new analytical approaches developed in this project will have direct application in the study of the paleoclimatological and environmental evolution of Earth and Mars. It will also result in improved understanding of environmental and landscape evolution in Australia, helping to reach the objectives of an Environmentally Sustainable Australia, a national research priority.Read moreRead less
Dynamics and Chemical Evolution of the Earth's Early Mantle. Preliminary numerical results demonstrate that the Earth's mantle may have been compositionally stratified early in its history through a novel interaction between compositional buoyancies and viscosity stratification. This result has important implications for the evolution of the crust and for the chemical and isotopic evolution of the mantle. It also complements recent geochemical evidence for the extraction of a basaltic componen ....Dynamics and Chemical Evolution of the Earth's Early Mantle. Preliminary numerical results demonstrate that the Earth's mantle may have been compositionally stratified early in its history through a novel interaction between compositional buoyancies and viscosity stratification. This result has important implications for the evolution of the crust and for the chemical and isotopic evolution of the mantle. It also complements recent geochemical evidence for the extraction of a basaltic component from the early upper mantle. It is proposed to explore the robustness of this phenomenon in two and three dimensions, its longer-term behaviour, and the evolution of the stratification as the mantle cools to its present condition.Read moreRead less
Biogeochemical characterisation of Archaean microfossils, biomarkers and organic matter: Probing the nature and diversity of early life on Earth. Recognizing biological signatures in ancient rocks poses the single greatest challenge to our understanding of the origin and evolution of life. This Project will use new advanced technology to reveal when and where life first appeared and assess its impact on the environment, atmosphere and climate. Results are essential for understanding the transfor ....Biogeochemical characterisation of Archaean microfossils, biomarkers and organic matter: Probing the nature and diversity of early life on Earth. Recognizing biological signatures in ancient rocks poses the single greatest challenge to our understanding of the origin and evolution of life. This Project will use new advanced technology to reveal when and where life first appeared and assess its impact on the environment, atmosphere and climate. Results are essential for understanding the transformation of our planet into a suitable habitat for humankind. The work will place Australia among world leaders in one of the most exciting topics of current scientific research, raising Australia's reputation in this high profile and competitive field. The Project tackles profound questions and seeks to attract, inspire and train future scientists in an ideal location and research environment.Read moreRead less
Stable isotopic studies and isotopic dating, Woodleigh Impact Structure, Western Australia: implications for the Late Devonian mass extinction. The 120 km diameter Woodleigh impact structure in the Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia is the third largest Phanerozoic impact structure. K-Ar dating of impact-induced alteration minerals indicates a Late Devonian age for Woodleigh. The precise timing of impact, nature of the impacting body and processes responsible for redistribution of meteoritic com ....Stable isotopic studies and isotopic dating, Woodleigh Impact Structure, Western Australia: implications for the Late Devonian mass extinction. The 120 km diameter Woodleigh impact structure in the Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia is the third largest Phanerozoic impact structure. K-Ar dating of impact-induced alteration minerals indicates a Late Devonian age for Woodleigh. The precise timing of impact, nature of the impacting body and processes responsible for redistribution of meteoritic components will be investigated using a range of analytical methodologies. A search will be made for impact-related sedimentary deposits to see if an extraterrestrial component can be identified and correlated with Woodleigh. The expected outcome is proof of an impact-extinction connection for the Late Devonian mass extinction, one of the largest in Earth history.Read moreRead less
Rates of metamorphic processes - correlating U-Pb ages with the pressure-temperature conditions of mineral growth. To determine the speed of metamorphic processes, the age obtained from accessory uranium-bearing minerals will be correlated to pressure and temperature obtained from major rock forming minerals. I will develop a new and innovative technique that uses trace element geochemistry to provide this link. The trace element partitioning between datable minerals (zircon, monazite and titani ....Rates of metamorphic processes - correlating U-Pb ages with the pressure-temperature conditions of mineral growth. To determine the speed of metamorphic processes, the age obtained from accessory uranium-bearing minerals will be correlated to pressure and temperature obtained from major rock forming minerals. I will develop a new and innovative technique that uses trace element geochemistry to provide this link. The trace element partitioning between datable minerals (zircon, monazite and titanite) and key metamorphic minerals will be investigated in natural samples and in piston cylinder experiments. I will apply this technique to the study of processes such as the exhumation of eclogites in subduction zones and the duration of granulite-facies metamorphism in lower crustal rocks.Read moreRead less
Trace element analysis of diamond: new applications to diamond fingerprinting and genesis. The project will provide new insights into the processes by which diamond crystallises in the Earth's mantle. A better understanding of these processes can lead to improved models and techniques for diamond exploration, enhancing the prospect of finding new deposits in Australia and abroad. The project will test the potential of trace-element microanalysis to fingerprint diamonds by source. If successful ....Trace element analysis of diamond: new applications to diamond fingerprinting and genesis. The project will provide new insights into the processes by which diamond crystallises in the Earth's mantle. A better understanding of these processes can lead to improved models and techniques for diamond exploration, enhancing the prospect of finding new deposits in Australia and abroad. The project will test the potential of trace-element microanalysis to fingerprint diamonds by source. If successful, this technology will provide economic benefits by reducing theft and illegal mining, which represent significant losses to legitimate companies. Application of this Australian development could reduce the circulation of "conflict diamonds", which would have real social benefits worldwide, especially in some developing countries.Read moreRead less
Toward the use of metal stable isotopes in geosciences. Metal stable isotopes (MSI: Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ga) have enormous potential applications (basic and applied) in Geosciences and beyond. However the use of these elements as geochemical tracers and petrogenetic tools requires: (1) the definition of their isotopic composition in Earth key reservoirs and in reference materials such as the chondritic meteorites; (2) Understanding and quantification of the causes of MSI fractionations during geolog ....Toward the use of metal stable isotopes in geosciences. Metal stable isotopes (MSI: Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ga) have enormous potential applications (basic and applied) in Geosciences and beyond. However the use of these elements as geochemical tracers and petrogenetic tools requires: (1) the definition of their isotopic composition in Earth key reservoirs and in reference materials such as the chondritic meteorites; (2) Understanding and quantification of the causes of MSI fractionations during geological processes. By a unique combination of in-situ and solution geochemical analytical techniques avaliable now through frontier technology and method development we aim to establish a conceptual and theoretical framework for the use of MSI in Geosciences.Read moreRead less