Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100160
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$297,463.00
Summary
Femtosecond laser micropyrolysis gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. This project aims to build a femtosecond-laser, micropyrolysis gas-chromatographmass spectrometer. The facility will have the capability to selectively analyse very small petrographically-recognisable organic components, hence bridging the analytical gap between organic petrography and organic geochemistry. The project aims to understand the early evolution of life, the response of the biosphere to mass extinction, the migrati ....Femtosecond laser micropyrolysis gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. This project aims to build a femtosecond-laser, micropyrolysis gas-chromatographmass spectrometer. The facility will have the capability to selectively analyse very small petrographically-recognisable organic components, hence bridging the analytical gap between organic petrography and organic geochemistry. The project aims to understand the early evolution of life, the response of the biosphere to mass extinction, the migration of fluids in petroleum reservoirs, the heterogeneity of organic matter in shale gas reservoirs, and the composition of macromolecules in biominerals and macerals. The facility will contribute to a broad range of Australia’s theoretical and applied problems in geoscience and geobiology.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100076
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$155,000.00
Summary
The first Australian high pressure Synchrotron facility for geoscience research. In high-pressure mineral physics and chemistry, mineral properties, stress-strain relationships and processes like partial melting are applied to geophysical research about the deep Earth. This project will provide a large volume, high pressure capability at the Australian Synchrotron which will allow these mineral properties to be measured under conditions which simulate the deep earth.
Dating down under: resolving Earth's crust - mantle relationships. This project will investigate the origin and evolution of the continental crust and its tectonic and genetic links to the mantle beneath it. By providing new insights into the timing and mechanisms of fluid transfer between mantle and crust, it will be directly relevant to mineral exploration targeting worldwide.
Unravelling the history of nitrogen cycling within the central Great Barrier Reef. This project aims to use coral skeleton geochemical analysis to establish if, when, and how nitrogen cycling changed along the central inshore region of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon. Increasing anthropogenic nitrogen discharge to coastal waters could drive ecosystem decline in the GBR, one of Australia’s most sensitive and economically valuable natural environments. However, the full effect of anthropogenic ....Unravelling the history of nitrogen cycling within the central Great Barrier Reef. This project aims to use coral skeleton geochemical analysis to establish if, when, and how nitrogen cycling changed along the central inshore region of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon. Increasing anthropogenic nitrogen discharge to coastal waters could drive ecosystem decline in the GBR, one of Australia’s most sensitive and economically valuable natural environments. However, the full effect of anthropogenic nitrogen is unclear due to a lack of long, continuous records. This project will unravel the history of nitrogen cycling in the GBR since the mid-1800s, knowledge crucial for managing this reef system.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE140100007
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$330,000.00
Summary
An integrated facility for the advanced characterisation of environmental particles. An integrated facility for the advanced characterisation of environmental particles: This project will result in development of a state-of-the-art facility for comprehensive determination of particle size, concentration and surface properties for a wide range of environmentally occurring particles, in rapid succession. Combining several novel and advanced instruments into an integrated facility will permit in si ....An integrated facility for the advanced characterisation of environmental particles. An integrated facility for the advanced characterisation of environmental particles: This project will result in development of a state-of-the-art facility for comprehensive determination of particle size, concentration and surface properties for a wide range of environmentally occurring particles, in rapid succession. Combining several novel and advanced instruments into an integrated facility will permit in situ and kinetic experiments that are currently unable to be easily undertaken anywhere in Australia. This will enable major progress for internationally significant research activities in areas including sediment geochemistry, contaminant mobility, and biogeochemistry. The project will thus help to address several pressing global environmental issues while adding substantial new capabilities for Australian research.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100581
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Resolving the role of aquatic systems in processing terrestrial carbon. The aquatic and terrestrial carbon cycles are intrinsically linked with changes in terrestrial carbon dynamics altering the aquatic carbon cycle. However, the main methodology employed to assess land-atmosphere carbon dioxide fluxes fails to account for carbon losses through subsurface lateral exports of carbon via groundwater. This project aims to resolve the importance and drivers of this pathway, along with the ultimate f ....Resolving the role of aquatic systems in processing terrestrial carbon. The aquatic and terrestrial carbon cycles are intrinsically linked with changes in terrestrial carbon dynamics altering the aquatic carbon cycle. However, the main methodology employed to assess land-atmosphere carbon dioxide fluxes fails to account for carbon losses through subsurface lateral exports of carbon via groundwater. This project aims to resolve the importance and drivers of this pathway, along with the ultimate fate of the carbon once it reaches the aquatic environment. This project aims to contribute to closing a significant gap in our understanding of terrestrial-aquatic carbon cycling and will quantify a potentially important yet poorly understood component of regional and global carbon budgets.Read moreRead less
Tracing life's beginnings: molecular fossils from single oil inclusions. Biomarkers (chemical fossils) from traces of oil trapped in 2 to 3.5 billion year-old rocks from Australia, Canada and Africa will be analysed by both well established and novel techniques. The biomarkers will be used to assess which key groups of species were present when, and thus constrain the timing of evolution of Earth's early biosphere.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140101733
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$395,220.00
Summary
The mangrove carbon pump: Resolving the contribution of underground respiration to mangrove greenhouse gas and carbon budgets. Mangroves are considered an important global carbon sink. However, there is an imbalance of about 50 per cent in mangrove carbon budgets. This project will resolve whether advective pore water exchange and associated underground respiration represents the missing component of mangrove carbon and greenhouse gas budgets. This innovative project will examine the previously ....The mangrove carbon pump: Resolving the contribution of underground respiration to mangrove greenhouse gas and carbon budgets. Mangroves are considered an important global carbon sink. However, there is an imbalance of about 50 per cent in mangrove carbon budgets. This project will resolve whether advective pore water exchange and associated underground respiration represents the missing component of mangrove carbon and greenhouse gas budgets. This innovative project will examine the previously overlooked concept that crab burrow flushing is a major driver of biogeochemical reactions in mangroves. It will use a combination of new experimental and modelling approaches and will contribute to closing a significant gap in our understanding of the coastal carbon cycle.Read moreRead less
Predicting and understanding coccolithophorid calcification in a changing ocean. This project will investigate the entire natural coastal and oceanic coccolithophore assemblages. The least and most sensitive species to ocean change will be examined in innovative laboratory experiments and will enhance the understanding of how species-specific responses translate to the ecosystem level, necessary for predictions of future carbon cycling.
Beyond burial: redefining the blue carbon paradigm. This project aims to constrain the magnitude and drivers of alkalinity and greenhouse gas fluxes in mangroves. Mangroves cover less than 0.03 per cent of the Earth’s surface yet account for approximately 14 per cent of oceanic carbon burial. Mangroves also export alkalinity to the coastal ocean, and act as sources of methane and nitrous oxide. The effect of these fluxes on climate may exceed carbon burial by several-fold, but are unaccounted fo ....Beyond burial: redefining the blue carbon paradigm. This project aims to constrain the magnitude and drivers of alkalinity and greenhouse gas fluxes in mangroves. Mangroves cover less than 0.03 per cent of the Earth’s surface yet account for approximately 14 per cent of oceanic carbon burial. Mangroves also export alkalinity to the coastal ocean, and act as sources of methane and nitrous oxide. The effect of these fluxes on climate may exceed carbon burial by several-fold, but are unaccounted for in blue carbon budgets. This project will couple high-resolution radionuclide geochronology of soil carbon cycling with autonomous measurements of aquatic exports and greenhouse gas fluxes. This study will provide the detailed data required to refine the blue carbon paradigm.Read moreRead less