Three-dimensional evolution of the Banda Arc: effects of the collision of the Indo-Australian plate with the active Banda volcanic arc. National benefits are associated with the advance of basic science by addressing fundamental tectonic problems on the geodynamics of convergent plate boundaries. In particular, the specific study area would provide a better understanding on the tectonic environment of Australia in the context of the Asia-Pacific region. In the future, outcomes of this research ....Three-dimensional evolution of the Banda Arc: effects of the collision of the Indo-Australian plate with the active Banda volcanic arc. National benefits are associated with the advance of basic science by addressing fundamental tectonic problems on the geodynamics of convergent plate boundaries. In particular, the specific study area would provide a better understanding on the tectonic environment of Australia in the context of the Asia-Pacific region. In the future, outcomes of this research could potentially be used to reconstruct the tectonic history of Australia using the Banda region as a modern analogue.Read moreRead less
Planetary Pulsations: Exploring Links between Superplumes, Supercontinents, and Superchrons with 3-D Spherical Mantle Convection Models. This project advances the tools and knowledge base regarding historic motions of tectonic plates (including the Australian continent). This furthers understanding of the current and past state of stress in the Earth's surface, ultimately improving ways of characterizing earthquake hazard and mineral exploration. This project also benefits researchers interpre ....Planetary Pulsations: Exploring Links between Superplumes, Supercontinents, and Superchrons with 3-D Spherical Mantle Convection Models. This project advances the tools and knowledge base regarding historic motions of tectonic plates (including the Australian continent). This furthers understanding of the current and past state of stress in the Earth's surface, ultimately improving ways of characterizing earthquake hazard and mineral exploration. This project also benefits researchers interpreting the climate record as two processes which effected the ancient climate are investigated: major outbursts of greenhouse gases during periods of major volcanism and the reorientation of the planet with respect to its spin axis. The results are obtained with these computer simulations highlight Australia's emerging strength in supercomputing on the international scene.
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Thermal structure and evolution of the Australian continent. Australia contains 40% of the world's known uranium resources. Uranium, with thorium and potassium, are heat-producing elements which affect the way temperature varies within the Earth. Outcomes from this project will lead to a better understanding of the potential for geothermal energy in Australia and provide a framework for assessing Australia's uranium resource. Understanding the crustal thermal regime is also fundamental to our kn ....Thermal structure and evolution of the Australian continent. Australia contains 40% of the world's known uranium resources. Uranium, with thorium and potassium, are heat-producing elements which affect the way temperature varies within the Earth. Outcomes from this project will lead to a better understanding of the potential for geothermal energy in Australia and provide a framework for assessing Australia's uranium resource. Understanding the crustal thermal regime is also fundamental to our knowledge of many earth processes. The project will enhance Australia's international research standing, provide training for an early career researcher and contribute to the development of an environmentally sustainable Australia, a National research priority.Read moreRead less
Plate kinematics to plate dynamics: understanding plate boundary processes at the global scale. This proposal aims to create geodynamic models which can be used a basis for a new, smart resource exploration and extraction industry which uses simulation to help characterize regions where traditional geophysical imaging alone is not able to penetrate. It provides essential scientific underpinnings for
The Australian Computational Earth System Simulator Major National Research Facility (ACcESS).
NUMERICAL MODELS OF PLATE TECTONICS, MANTLE CONVECTION AND SLAB DYNAMICS WITH EVOLVING FAULTS. We plan to develop a method for simulating large-scale
geological structures with a much improved treatment
of tectonic faults in 3D.
Current computer models have sharp geological faults at plate
boundaries represented by broad, blurred zones. New techniques
for modeling cracks in engineering structures will be scaled up to
the whole Earth.
This will help us to understand how the Earth's p ....NUMERICAL MODELS OF PLATE TECTONICS, MANTLE CONVECTION AND SLAB DYNAMICS WITH EVOLVING FAULTS. We plan to develop a method for simulating large-scale
geological structures with a much improved treatment
of tectonic faults in 3D.
Current computer models have sharp geological faults at plate
boundaries represented by broad, blurred zones. New techniques
for modeling cracks in engineering structures will be scaled up to
the whole Earth.
This will help us to understand how the Earth's plates move and
interact now and in the past and how the structure of the continents
arose.
Not only is this intrinsically interesting, it
will also be of immediate practical benefit to geological modelers.Read moreRead less
Quantification of current and future traffic emissions of greenhouse gases and particulate matter for application in transport and urban planning. The socio-economic benefits from the project include (i) novel transport emissions model, enabling assessment of the impact of transport proposals, applied in one of the most rapidly developing urban regions of Australia, SEQ; (ii) a matrix of particles, CO2, N2O and CH4 emission factors for vehicles operating in Australia, an essential input paramete ....Quantification of current and future traffic emissions of greenhouse gases and particulate matter for application in transport and urban planning. The socio-economic benefits from the project include (i) novel transport emissions model, enabling assessment of the impact of transport proposals, applied in one of the most rapidly developing urban regions of Australia, SEQ; (ii) a matrix of particles, CO2, N2O and CH4 emission factors for vehicles operating in Australia, an essential input parameter in vehicle emission inventories. The ultimate economic benefit of this research will be a reduction in transport related air pollution and greenhouse emissions, thus increasing the health and well-being of Australians, reducing health care costs and placing Australia in the forefront of international progress in the race toward better methods for achieving environmental sustainability.Read moreRead less
Beneath Bass Strait: linking Tasmania and mainland Australia using a novel seismic experiment. A new low-cost approach based on background seismic energy and earthquake recordings will be used to construct three-dimensional maps of the deep structure beneath Bass Strait. Understanding the broad scale geology of southeast Australia is of national importance because the area is host to an abundance of petroleum, geothermal and mineral resources.
Thick-skin continental deformation and the rheology of faulted continental lithosphere. We plan to study the way in which major, long-lived faults influence the large-scale deformation of continental lithosphere in response to plate and mantle derived stresses. We will develop realistic computer models of networks of faults embedded in the crust to examine the way large faults (e.g. the San Andreas fault in California) interact with the deep crust and shallow mantle and the way they interact w ....Thick-skin continental deformation and the rheology of faulted continental lithosphere. We plan to study the way in which major, long-lived faults influence the large-scale deformation of continental lithosphere in response to plate and mantle derived stresses. We will develop realistic computer models of networks of faults embedded in the crust to examine the way large faults (e.g. the San Andreas fault in California) interact with the deep crust and shallow mantle and the way they interact with each other. No one previous model has been able to incorporate all the important dynamics. The work will be used by structural geologists, planetary scientists and be a valuable tool in mineral exploration.Read moreRead less
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
Gaining insights into mine waste dumps to avoid environmental legacies. The project aims to develop new methods for identifying pollution source hotspots and pathways inside mine waste rock dumps. This addresses the national need for effective management of Acid and Metalliferous Drainage (AMD), which is now a critical consideration in the viability of new mines and in confronting pollution legacies of old mines. The research will develop and test innovative methods of geophysical and geochemica ....Gaining insights into mine waste dumps to avoid environmental legacies. The project aims to develop new methods for identifying pollution source hotspots and pathways inside mine waste rock dumps. This addresses the national need for effective management of Acid and Metalliferous Drainage (AMD), which is now a critical consideration in the viability of new mines and in confronting pollution legacies of old mines. The research will develop and test innovative methods of geophysical and geochemical analysis and their integration that provide 3-dimensional mapping of key physical and chemical features of the dump. Expected outcomes include greater confidence in the ability of the mining industry to manage its AMD liability. Read moreRead less