Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL150100133
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,917,436.00
Summary
How the Earth works - toward building a new tectonic paradigm. How the Earth works - toward building a new tectonic paradigm: This fellowship project aims to build on the latest technological and conceptual advances to establish the patterns of Earth evolution, and use this information to examine a ground-breaking geodynamic hypothesis which links cyclic plate aggregation and dispersion to deep Earth processes. Half a century after the inception of plate tectonics theory, we are still unsure how ....How the Earth works - toward building a new tectonic paradigm. How the Earth works - toward building a new tectonic paradigm: This fellowship project aims to build on the latest technological and conceptual advances to establish the patterns of Earth evolution, and use this information to examine a ground-breaking geodynamic hypothesis which links cyclic plate aggregation and dispersion to deep Earth processes. Half a century after the inception of plate tectonics theory, we are still unsure how the Earth 'engine' works, particularly the forces that drive plate tectonics. The project involves extensive national and international collaboration to potentially create a paradigm shift in our understanding of global tectonics, and hopes to contribute to an understanding of the formation and distribution of Earth resources to provide a conceptual framework for their exploration.Read moreRead less
Indian Ocean Climate Change: Ningaloo Reef, a litmus test for the survival of coral reefs. Coral reefs are at the frontline from the effects of rapidly rising levels of carbon dioxide that is causing both global warming and oceans to become more acid-like. Our research program will determine how the survival of one of the World’s most pristine and best preserved coral reefs, Ningaloo Reef, is linked to the response of Australia’s Indian Ocean to climate change. For the first time, we will simula ....Indian Ocean Climate Change: Ningaloo Reef, a litmus test for the survival of coral reefs. Coral reefs are at the frontline from the effects of rapidly rising levels of carbon dioxide that is causing both global warming and oceans to become more acid-like. Our research program will determine how the survival of one of the World’s most pristine and best preserved coral reefs, Ningaloo Reef, is linked to the response of Australia’s Indian Ocean to climate change. For the first time, we will simulate realistic ‘future’ conditions and see how actual coral reef systems respond. This will provide a ‘yardstick’ against which the best-case survival potential of the world’s coral reefs can be assessed, critical for underpinning the urgently needed action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions if we are to ensure the survival of coral reefs.Read moreRead less