The effective strength of oceanic plate bounding faults. This project will address the anomalously weak behaviour of the seismically active faults on the boundary of the Australian plate, in three key geodynamic areas. This will constrain the mechanisms which weaken such faults, and produce a model for their effective strength and evolution over geological timescales.
Understanding planetary-scale reorganisations in plate tectonics. This project aims to investigate the dynamics of Earth’s tectonics and its plate motions, with the aim of understanding the mechanisms that force single plates or whole-Earth motions’ changes. The Earth’s tectonics follow regular cycles, in every ~500 million years, of continental aggregation and dispersal, which are intervened by periodic destabilisation and rapid reorganisations. What causes the reorganisations and reversal of t ....Understanding planetary-scale reorganisations in plate tectonics. This project aims to investigate the dynamics of Earth’s tectonics and its plate motions, with the aim of understanding the mechanisms that force single plates or whole-Earth motions’ changes. The Earth’s tectonics follow regular cycles, in every ~500 million years, of continental aggregation and dispersal, which are intervened by periodic destabilisation and rapid reorganisations. What causes the reorganisations and reversal of the tectonics remain standing questions in planetary dynamics. The expected outcomes of the project will provide an understanding of the recent supercontinent formation and its fragmentation into the present-day continents.Read moreRead less
Eruption and disruption: how Earth’s deep interior and surface communicate. Massive volcanic eruptions are a fundamental part of the Earth System, responsible for globally disruptive events, from airspace disturbance, to extinction of the dinosaurs. This project will reveal relationships between hot, deep sources of volcanic material, and the tectonic processes at the Earth's surface. Expected outcomes of this project include assembling an unprecedented set of new observations from underwater vo ....Eruption and disruption: how Earth’s deep interior and surface communicate. Massive volcanic eruptions are a fundamental part of the Earth System, responsible for globally disruptive events, from airspace disturbance, to extinction of the dinosaurs. This project will reveal relationships between hot, deep sources of volcanic material, and the tectonic processes at the Earth's surface. Expected outcomes of this project include assembling an unprecedented set of new observations from underwater volcanoes offshore Eastern Australia, and the development of innovative geodynamic models of how the deep Earth interacts with the surface to form these volcanoes. This will provide significant benefits by advancing our understanding of the deep Earth, and its impact on Earth’s surface, natural hazards, and mineral systems.Read moreRead less
The magnetisation of Earth’s lithosphere: a new view from space. Earth’s magnetic field is an invaluable resource for studying the structure and dynamics of our planet, yet the full nature of Earth's magnetisation remains poorly understood. This project will uncover the dominant sources of magnetisation close to Earth's surface using next-generation satellite data and recent theoretical advances. Expected outcomes include the development of innovative models of lithospheric magnetisation that wi ....The magnetisation of Earth’s lithosphere: a new view from space. Earth’s magnetic field is an invaluable resource for studying the structure and dynamics of our planet, yet the full nature of Earth's magnetisation remains poorly understood. This project will uncover the dominant sources of magnetisation close to Earth's surface using next-generation satellite data and recent theoretical advances. Expected outcomes include the development of innovative models of lithospheric magnetisation that will be used to gain crucial insights into the dynamic evolution of our planet's crust and uppermost mantle. The benefits of the project address both economic and environmental issues, unravelling the nature of structures that control both mineral systems and heat flow variations beneath the Antarctic ice sheet. Read moreRead less
The global consequences of subduction zone congestion. This project will use a combination of 3D geodynamic modelling, plate kinematic reconstruction and geological and geophysical synthesis to determine how congested subduction zones influence plate kinematics, subduction dynamics and tectonic evolution at orogen and global scales. The project aims to deliver a transformation change in understanding the links between congested subduction, mantle flow, trench migration, crustal growth, transitio ....The global consequences of subduction zone congestion. This project will use a combination of 3D geodynamic modelling, plate kinematic reconstruction and geological and geophysical synthesis to determine how congested subduction zones influence plate kinematics, subduction dynamics and tectonic evolution at orogen and global scales. The project aims to deliver a transformation change in understanding the links between congested subduction, mantle flow, trench migration, crustal growth, transitions between stable convergent margin configurations and deformation in the overriding plates of subduction zones. Determining these relationships is significant because it will provide dynamic context to interpret the geological record of ancient convergent margins, which host a large percentage of Earth's metal resources.Read moreRead less
Earth's Dynamic Topography Through Space and Time. A key component of Earth’s topography remains enigmatic. This so-called dynamic topography is transient, varying in response to convection within Earth’s mantle. This project aims to use a data-driven computational approach to: (i) reconstruct the evolution of dynamic topography over the recent geological history of our planet (Cenozoic Era, 0-66 million years ago); and (ii) uncover the mechanisms controlling its spatial and temporal evolution. ....Earth's Dynamic Topography Through Space and Time. A key component of Earth’s topography remains enigmatic. This so-called dynamic topography is transient, varying in response to convection within Earth’s mantle. This project aims to use a data-driven computational approach to: (i) reconstruct the evolution of dynamic topography over the recent geological history of our planet (Cenozoic Era, 0-66 million years ago); and (ii) uncover the mechanisms controlling its spatial and temporal evolution. This transformational new understanding will connect the evolution of our planet's surface environments to its deep interior, revealing the impact of dynamic topography on sea level change, flooding, river networks, groundwater systems, habitat development and the distribution of economic resources. Read moreRead less
The link between cratonic roots, redox state, and mantle geodynamics. This project aims to understand the role of Earth's redox state on the geodynamic evolution of continental cratonic roots. Cratonic roots form strong, buoyant rafts upon which Australia's oldest crust and mineral deposits survived. Cratons preserve a record of planetary-scale chemical shifts, including the rise of surface oxygen, but it is unclear how these redox shifts themselves affected lithospheric processes. This project ....The link between cratonic roots, redox state, and mantle geodynamics. This project aims to understand the role of Earth's redox state on the geodynamic evolution of continental cratonic roots. Cratonic roots form strong, buoyant rafts upon which Australia's oldest crust and mineral deposits survived. Cratons preserve a record of planetary-scale chemical shifts, including the rise of surface oxygen, but it is unclear how these redox shifts themselves affected lithospheric processes. This project integrates new developments in geochemistry, geophysics, and geodynamics, to map the geochemical state and structure of cratonic roots, aiding mineral exploration, and also shedding light on the processes that modify, mineralise, and sometimes destroy cratonic roots.Read moreRead less
Strength and resistance along oceanic megathrust faults: implications for subduction initiation. Hjorta Trench, south of Macquarie Island, is a seismically active boundary of the Australian plate and a unique natural laboratory for study of the initiation of the processes which are currently driving Australia north at 7 millimetres per year. Sophisticated computer models will be used to understand the evolution of this oceanic megathrust system.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160101020
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$350,821.00
Summary
The geodynamics of past sea level changes. This project is designed to quantify the effect of flow deep within Earth’s interior on past sea-level changes and on the flooding history of Australia over the last 550 million years. The rise and fall of sea level has shaped our planet over time. This project plans to combine recent advances in tectonic reconstructions and dynamic Earth models with the global and Australian rock record. The intended outcome is to understand how the Earth’s surface is ....The geodynamics of past sea level changes. This project is designed to quantify the effect of flow deep within Earth’s interior on past sea-level changes and on the flooding history of Australia over the last 550 million years. The rise and fall of sea level has shaped our planet over time. This project plans to combine recent advances in tectonic reconstructions and dynamic Earth models with the global and Australian rock record. The intended outcome is to understand how the Earth’s surface is shaped by flow within its interior, and how these processes explain the sedimentary record. Project results have the potential to be used as an exploration tool to maximise Australia’s competitive advantage in exploring onshore sedimentary basins.Read moreRead less
Taming the nonlinearity of geophysical inversions. This project will develop new ways to extract information from complex geophysical data sets used to construct images of the Earth's interior. Applications will be important to indirect imaging problems in the physical and engineering sciences and particularly to the discovery of resources within the Earth upon which Australian society is dependent.