The time scales of geochemical cycles and earth processes. Precise information on timescales and rates of change is fundamental to understanding natural processes and the development and testing of quantitative physical models in the Earth Sciences. Uranium decay-series isotope studies are revolutionising this field by providing time information in the range 10^2-10^4 years, similar to that of many important Earth processes. This project will establish a world-class Australian Uranium-series res ....The time scales of geochemical cycles and earth processes. Precise information on timescales and rates of change is fundamental to understanding natural processes and the development and testing of quantitative physical models in the Earth Sciences. Uranium decay-series isotope studies are revolutionising this field by providing time information in the range 10^2-10^4 years, similar to that of many important Earth processes. This project will establish a world-class Australian Uranium-series research group to investigate the processes of magma formation and transport, continental growth, rates of erosion and recycling. These methodologies can also constrain processes governing water flow and reservoirs, mineral resources, volcanic eruptions, carbon cycles and other environmentally important processes/systems/cycles.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0453555
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$109,595.00
Summary
Luminescence stimulation and detection facility for dating of Quaternary geological and archaeological sediments. Reliable ages are required in the Earth and archaeological sciences. Luminescence dating is a flexible geochronological technique for diverse deposits. It exploits the radiation-induced thermally (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) emissions from minerals exposed to sunlight before burial. Recent technical developments have made feasible OSL dating of small samples (e.g. ....Luminescence stimulation and detection facility for dating of Quaternary geological and archaeological sediments. Reliable ages are required in the Earth and archaeological sciences. Luminescence dating is a flexible geochronological technique for diverse deposits. It exploits the radiation-induced thermally (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) emissions from minerals exposed to sunlight before burial. Recent technical developments have made feasible OSL dating of small samples (e.g., individual sand grains) and sediments deposited during the past 0.5-1 million years. We request funds for a Risø TL/OSL system with single-grain attachment to resolve the timing of sea-level, climate and landscape changes, and the chronology of human evolution and dispersal, in Australia and Southeast Asia.Read moreRead less
Improving climate models through new insights on long-term inter-hemispheric climate synchronicity from speleothems. It is important that palaeoclimatologists continue to improve understanding of how the Earth responds to climate forcing, so that climate models can be rigorously validated and refined. Since the Earth responds to most of this forcing over time scales that exceed the length of instrumental weather measurements, the recovery of datable palaeoclimate archives that are highly sensiti ....Improving climate models through new insights on long-term inter-hemispheric climate synchronicity from speleothems. It is important that palaeoclimatologists continue to improve understanding of how the Earth responds to climate forcing, so that climate models can be rigorously validated and refined. Since the Earth responds to most of this forcing over time scales that exceed the length of instrumental weather measurements, the recovery of datable palaeoclimate archives that are highly sensitive to past climate changes is essential. Our project will provide important new palaeoclimate data from both hemispheres on how key regions of the Earth responded to past climate changes. This will bring improved understanding of past oceanic-atmospheric processes that can be fed into climate models, ultimately producing better forecasts to the benefit of all Australians.Read moreRead less
Untangling the links between El Nino and the changing global climate. Australia is a country of 'drought and flooding rain', and a key factor governing these cycles is the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Our project will provide the following benefits to the nation (i) increased understanding of ENSO variability; (ii) increased knowledge of the extremes of ENSO; (iii) insights into what causes ENSO to vary; and (iv) improved ability to forecast ENSO. Understanding ENSO is essential for anti ....Untangling the links between El Nino and the changing global climate. Australia is a country of 'drought and flooding rain', and a key factor governing these cycles is the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Our project will provide the following benefits to the nation (i) increased understanding of ENSO variability; (ii) increased knowledge of the extremes of ENSO; (iii) insights into what causes ENSO to vary; and (iv) improved ability to forecast ENSO. Understanding ENSO is essential for anticipating changes in drought and rain in the future. This understanding will help us to adapt Australia's valuable agricultural and farming industries to climate change, and to manage our precious water resources.Read moreRead less
Testing the hypothesis of synchronous inter-hemispheric climatic change during the Last Termination (20,000-10,000 years ago). The results generated in this project will provide a greater understanding of the sensitivity of the Australasian region to a range of different climatic conditions (far beyond that recorded in historical datasets). Focussing on climate at the end of the last ice age (20,000-10,000 years ago) we will investigate the timing, rate and magnitude of change in the Australasi ....Testing the hypothesis of synchronous inter-hemispheric climatic change during the Last Termination (20,000-10,000 years ago). The results generated in this project will provide a greater understanding of the sensitivity of the Australasian region to a range of different climatic conditions (far beyond that recorded in historical datasets). Focussing on climate at the end of the last ice age (20,000-10,000 years ago) we will investigate the timing, rate and magnitude of change in the Australasian region and test whether the variability was in phase with other records from the mid- and high-latitudes of the Southern and Northern Hemisphere. The results will provide a considerably improved context for understanding present and future climate change in Australia. 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
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0883113
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$250,000.00
Summary
A stable-isotope mass spectrometer for novel determinations of past temperatures. Much of the Australian landscape is subject to a dry and evaporative climate, making it very difficult to use conventional geochemical techniques to estimate past temperatures, even on short timescales of tens to hundreds of years. The application of a new isotopic technique to preserved carbonate minerals (soil carbonate, shells in rivers, lakes and the ocean) avoids the difficulty of this variable evaporation, an ....A stable-isotope mass spectrometer for novel determinations of past temperatures. Much of the Australian landscape is subject to a dry and evaporative climate, making it very difficult to use conventional geochemical techniques to estimate past temperatures, even on short timescales of tens to hundreds of years. The application of a new isotopic technique to preserved carbonate minerals (soil carbonate, shells in rivers, lakes and the ocean) avoids the difficulty of this variable evaporation, and directly measures past temperatures. This will have a profound effect on our understanding of environmental changes on both short and long time scales, and permit a better understanding of the hydrological balances within the landscape.Read moreRead less
Radiocarbon dating frontiers: Testing hypotheses of human evolution and environmental change in Australasia and Southeast Asia (60,000-25,000 years ago). Radiocarbon (14C) dating has revolutionised our understanding of archaeological events and past environments. However, much of the period 60,000-25,0000 years ago is beyond the traditional limit of the method (40,000 years). This is unfortunate as this period is characterised by rapid, extreme shifts in climate during which the global spread ....Radiocarbon dating frontiers: Testing hypotheses of human evolution and environmental change in Australasia and Southeast Asia (60,000-25,000 years ago). Radiocarbon (14C) dating has revolutionised our understanding of archaeological events and past environments. However, much of the period 60,000-25,0000 years ago is beyond the traditional limit of the method (40,000 years). This is unfortunate as this period is characterised by rapid, extreme shifts in climate during which the global spread of modern humans took place. This project will utilise the latest developments in 14C dating (allowing ages up to 60,000 years ago) to test hypotheses concerning the timing of human arrival and settlement in Southeast Asia and Australasia, their environmental impact, and the synchroneity of climate change between the hemispheres.Read moreRead less
Palaeoclimatic and environmental significance of major Late Quaternary drainage contributions and disruptions in the Lake Eyre basin. This study will advance our knowledge of the most remarkable floods ever known to have occurred in Australia. They were associated with a vast aquatic ecosystem in what today is the barren northern end of the Flinders Ranges, a region of desert dunes and salt lakes. Remarkably, such wet conditions appear to have coincided with episodes of megafaunal extinction and ....Palaeoclimatic and environmental significance of major Late Quaternary drainage contributions and disruptions in the Lake Eyre basin. This study will advance our knowledge of the most remarkable floods ever known to have occurred in Australia. They were associated with a vast aquatic ecosystem in what today is the barren northern end of the Flinders Ranges, a region of desert dunes and salt lakes. Remarkably, such wet conditions appear to have coincided with episodes of megafaunal extinction and with the human occupation of Australia. The results will provide valuable information with which to better understand the the main global drivers of episodes of profound wetness and dryness in Australian climate. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0561224
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$267,767.00
Summary
14CHRONOS (Chronologies from High-ResolutiON Organic Separations): a centre for radiocarbon dating of specific compounds for the environmental and archaeological sciences. Accurate timekeeping is central to the environmental and archaeological sciences. Radiocarbon dating is the leading geochronological technique for events of the past 50,000 years, but the issue for sample contamination remains a major source of concern. Avoidance of contaminants can be achieved through the identification of sp ....14CHRONOS (Chronologies from High-ResolutiON Organic Separations): a centre for radiocarbon dating of specific compounds for the environmental and archaeological sciences. Accurate timekeeping is central to the environmental and archaeological sciences. Radiocarbon dating is the leading geochronological technique for events of the past 50,000 years, but the issue for sample contamination remains a major source of concern. Avoidance of contaminants can be achieved through the identification of specific biomolecular compounds that unambiguously formed part of the original sample, and the isolation of these biomolecules for radiocarbon dating using accelerator mass spectrometry. Here we request funds to establish Australia's first compound-specific radiocarbon dating facility, to obtain ages of high accuracy for key studies of climate and landscape change, evolutionary biology and archaeology.Read moreRead less