Assessment of the potential consequences of large-scale eradication of rice grass from the Tamar Estuary, Tasmania. Introduced Rice grass has trapped large volumes of intertidal sediment, yet reduced amenity values of the Tamar Estuary, transforming beaches into muddy rice grass meadows, threatening aquaculture industries, and silting up coastal developments. This project will investigate the consequences of rice grass eradication, by determination of sediment volume trapped, contaminants contai ....Assessment of the potential consequences of large-scale eradication of rice grass from the Tamar Estuary, Tasmania. Introduced Rice grass has trapped large volumes of intertidal sediment, yet reduced amenity values of the Tamar Estuary, transforming beaches into muddy rice grass meadows, threatening aquaculture industries, and silting up coastal developments. This project will investigate the consequences of rice grass eradication, by determination of sediment volume trapped, contaminants contained, and monitoring of processes active after removal. The outcomes of this research will enable informed decisions on management of the Tamar rice grass infestation, and provide an understanding the impacts of large scale eradication to management authorities of similar infestations in Victoria, New Zealand, Europe, China and the USA.Read moreRead less
Gas-Solid Reactions in Earth and Planetary Systems. High temperature gases circulate through Earth's interior and atmosphere, but little is known about how they react. Recent work shows that exceptionally rapid reactions occur between gases and solids at surfaces. These reactions are instrumental in forming ore deposits and transporting gases and salts to Earth's surface, atmosphere and oceans - affecting climate and biological productivity. This project aims to examine natural samples and inves ....Gas-Solid Reactions in Earth and Planetary Systems. High temperature gases circulate through Earth's interior and atmosphere, but little is known about how they react. Recent work shows that exceptionally rapid reactions occur between gases and solids at surfaces. These reactions are instrumental in forming ore deposits and transporting gases and salts to Earth's surface, atmosphere and oceans - affecting climate and biological productivity. This project aims to examine natural samples and investigate gas-solid reactions experimentally to constrain reaction mechanisms. It is expected that the project outcomes will open up a new field of geochemistry with novel experiments, state-of-the-art analysis and the development of innovative models that account for the role of gas-solid reactions in Earth and planetary processes.Read moreRead less
Tectonic versus biological processes: What controls the long-term global carbon cycle? A major debate in Earth system analysis concerns two competing hypotheses on the driving forces behind dramatic changes in atmospheric CO2 over geological time. One hypothesis considers tectonic/geological processes to be the major driving force. The other argues that it is the competition between plants and animals that drives the long-term CO2 cycle. We propose to test these hypotheses using a novel set of g ....Tectonic versus biological processes: What controls the long-term global carbon cycle? A major debate in Earth system analysis concerns two competing hypotheses on the driving forces behind dramatic changes in atmospheric CO2 over geological time. One hypothesis considers tectonic/geological processes to be the major driving force. The other argues that it is the competition between plants and animals that drives the long-term CO2 cycle. We propose to test these hypotheses using a novel set of global oceanic palaeo-age grids and subduction models for the last 180 million years. This will allow us to appraise key tectonic carbon cycle components such as mantle degassing, seafloor weathering and sediment subduction.Read moreRead less
A Direct Approach to Crystal Structure Determination - a solution to the phase problem. The purpose of this research is to determine the positions of atoms in crystals and nano-crystals. We have developed a theory that shows how to extract all of the information required to determine atomic positions from such crystals and we have carried through initial successful tests on simple materials. In particular, we have found that crystallographic phase, hitherto not directly measurable, can in fact b ....A Direct Approach to Crystal Structure Determination - a solution to the phase problem. The purpose of this research is to determine the positions of atoms in crystals and nano-crystals. We have developed a theory that shows how to extract all of the information required to determine atomic positions from such crystals and we have carried through initial successful tests on simple materials. In particular, we have found that crystallographic phase, hitherto not directly measurable, can in fact be extracted uniquely from a single electron diffraction pattern. This constitutes a solution to the phase problem in crystallography. It is now our aim to develop this method into a routine technique.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0560736
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$250,622.00
Summary
Centre for Particle Characterisation (North Queensland). The aim of this proposal is to establish a state-of-the-art research facility as part of a comprehensive material characterisation infrastructure required to support JCU's expanding activities in geology, oceanography, sustainable water research and nanotechnology. New instruments to measure attractive forces between particles, material density, porosity, surface area, and carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur content in conjunction with replacin ....Centre for Particle Characterisation (North Queensland). The aim of this proposal is to establish a state-of-the-art research facility as part of a comprehensive material characterisation infrastructure required to support JCU's expanding activities in geology, oceanography, sustainable water research and nanotechnology. New instruments to measure attractive forces between particles, material density, porosity, surface area, and carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur content in conjunction with replacing an old grain size analyser will provide advanced instrumentation for research across several Schools with a diversity of research priorities. The proposed facility will create new opportunities for collaborative programs with national and international researchers as well as foster industry partnership.Read moreRead less
Developing a geophysically relevant conduction model for the upper mantle. The aim of this project is to develop a geophysically relevant proton conduction model for the Earth’s upper mantle. This would allow the robust interpretation of conductivity maps of the interior of the Earth and the discovery of major new mineral deposits. This advance is designed to be achieved through four major initiatives based on recently developed experimental and computational facilities. The project aims to deve ....Developing a geophysically relevant conduction model for the upper mantle. The aim of this project is to develop a geophysically relevant proton conduction model for the Earth’s upper mantle. This would allow the robust interpretation of conductivity maps of the interior of the Earth and the discovery of major new mineral deposits. This advance is designed to be achieved through four major initiatives based on recently developed experimental and computational facilities. The project aims to develop new methods for determining rock conductivities and subsurface mapping from combined datasets. This may provide new insights into the structure and dynamics of the upper mantle as well as providing key data necessary for a national effort aimed at re-establishing Australia as a primary target for mineral exploration.Read moreRead less
Minerals replacement reactions: understanding mineral formation under hydrothermal conditions. Many geological processes involve the transformation of one mineral into another. By understanding molecular-level reaction mechanisms, we can predict how fast reactions progress, and what the final product will look like. This project focuses on a reaction mechanism called 'coupled dissolution-reprecipitation', in which the parent mineral is dissolved into a thin layer of fluid at the reaction front, ....Minerals replacement reactions: understanding mineral formation under hydrothermal conditions. Many geological processes involve the transformation of one mineral into another. By understanding molecular-level reaction mechanisms, we can predict how fast reactions progress, and what the final product will look like. This project focuses on a reaction mechanism called 'coupled dissolution-reprecipitation', in which the parent mineral is dissolved into a thin layer of fluid at the reaction front, and the daughter mineral subsequently precipitates. This concept will be applied to sulfide minerals for the first time. The results have many applications for the Australian mining industry, in particular in improving the efficiency of the processing of Ni- and Au-ores.Read moreRead less
Nickel iron sulphide mineralogy: the link between mineral transformations and microstructure and magnetic properties. This project is about measuring the rate at which minerals transform or react and how metal diffusion controls these reactions. Metal diffusion in sulphides is much more rapid that in silicates and is still very significant at low temperatures (< 300 C). In this project, we are trying to measure the rate at which the principal ore of nickel, pentlandite, transforms to violarite ....Nickel iron sulphide mineralogy: the link between mineral transformations and microstructure and magnetic properties. This project is about measuring the rate at which minerals transform or react and how metal diffusion controls these reactions. Metal diffusion in sulphides is much more rapid that in silicates and is still very significant at low temperatures (< 300 C). In this project, we are trying to measure the rate at which the principal ore of nickel, pentlandite, transforms to violarite, another important nickel rich sulphide that forms from it in the upper parts of ore bodies. The arrangement of the metal atoms in these minerals is sensitive to temperature, so it may be used as a geothermometer.Read moreRead less
New Stratigraphy and Geostatistics for Gas and Water Resources . Management of gas and water resources is of significant importance to the Australian economy and society. Industry and government use digital modelling to assist in resources management. The first step in modelling is to correlate geological data and then use geostatistics to estimate properties in areas without data. This project aims to produce a new geological framework for the Surat Basin underpinned by new zircon ages and ages ....New Stratigraphy and Geostatistics for Gas and Water Resources . Management of gas and water resources is of significant importance to the Australian economy and society. Industry and government use digital modelling to assist in resources management. The first step in modelling is to correlate geological data and then use geostatistics to estimate properties in areas without data. This project aims to produce a new geological framework for the Surat Basin underpinned by new zircon ages and ages of fossils in sediments and a new geostatistical methodology to better represent flow properties in coal seams and aquifers. This is expected result in a more accurate modelling methodology that can be used by industry and government for modelling resources, including in other basins in Australia and worldwide.Read moreRead less
Marine Geological Investigation of the Naturaliste Plateau and Diamantina Zone - the tectono-magmatic development of a non-volcanic passive margin. Australia's continental margins impact enormously on our major industries including tourism, hydrocarbon production and fisheries, and are particularly significant with respect to biodiversity and hazard planning (both long and short term), yet knowledge of the seafloor of our margins is desperately poor. To contribute to alleviating this problem, we ....Marine Geological Investigation of the Naturaliste Plateau and Diamantina Zone - the tectono-magmatic development of a non-volcanic passive margin. Australia's continental margins impact enormously on our major industries including tourism, hydrocarbon production and fisheries, and are particularly significant with respect to biodiversity and hazard planning (both long and short term), yet knowledge of the seafloor of our margins is desperately poor. To contribute to alleviating this problem, we will use the R/V Southern Surveyor research vessel to produce swath mapping imagery and dredge samples from the seafloor of a geologically fascinating part of the southern section of the Western Australian margin dominated by the Naturaliste Plateau and Diamantina Zone. Read moreRead less