The Cosmogenic 21Ne Exposure Dating Method: Calibration for Application to Volcanic Chronology, Landscape Evolution and Palaeo-Climate Change. Accurate calibration of the Neon 21 cosmogenic dating method will provide a powerful tool for dating young volcanic rocks, eroded or buried surfaces and glacier/ice retreat. This research will have considerable social, national and economic benefits for volcanic hazard assessment, studies of ore systems buried beneath thick soil cover, landscape evolution ....The Cosmogenic 21Ne Exposure Dating Method: Calibration for Application to Volcanic Chronology, Landscape Evolution and Palaeo-Climate Change. Accurate calibration of the Neon 21 cosmogenic dating method will provide a powerful tool for dating young volcanic rocks, eroded or buried surfaces and glacier/ice retreat. This research will have considerable social, national and economic benefits for volcanic hazard assessment, studies of ore systems buried beneath thick soil cover, landscape evolution, soil erosion, and paleo-climate change. In addition, this research will position Australian science at the forefront of cosmogenic dating research and provide essential training for the next generation of Earth Scientists.Read moreRead less
Of caves, bones, and climate change: new insights from old speleothems. Australia has an enviable reputation as a leading innovator in geochronological studies and this research will reinforce that standing. The outcomes will have an immediate and significant impact on studies of global climate change, and provide new insights into the evolution of Australia's unique fossil mammal fauna. In these ways, and as described in more detail elsewhere in the application, this project addresses directly ....Of caves, bones, and climate change: new insights from old speleothems. Australia has an enviable reputation as a leading innovator in geochronological studies and this research will reinforce that standing. The outcomes will have an immediate and significant impact on studies of global climate change, and provide new insights into the evolution of Australia's unique fossil mammal fauna. In these ways, and as described in more detail elsewhere in the application, this project addresses directly our current national research priorities 'responding to climate change and variability' and 'the sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity'. Read moreRead less
Radiocarbon dating frontiers: Testing hypotheses of human evolution and environmental change in Australasia and Southeast Asia (60,000-25,000 years ago). Radiocarbon (14C) dating has revolutionised our understanding of archaeological events and past environments. However, much of the period 60,000-25,0000 years ago is beyond the traditional limit of the method (40,000 years). This is unfortunate as this period is characterised by rapid, extreme shifts in climate during which the global spread ....Radiocarbon dating frontiers: Testing hypotheses of human evolution and environmental change in Australasia and Southeast Asia (60,000-25,000 years ago). Radiocarbon (14C) dating has revolutionised our understanding of archaeological events and past environments. However, much of the period 60,000-25,0000 years ago is beyond the traditional limit of the method (40,000 years). This is unfortunate as this period is characterised by rapid, extreme shifts in climate during which the global spread of modern humans took place. This project will utilise the latest developments in 14C dating (allowing ages up to 60,000 years ago) to test hypotheses concerning the timing of human arrival and settlement in Southeast Asia and Australasia, their environmental impact, and the synchroneity of climate change between the hemispheres.Read moreRead less
Palaeoclimatic and environmental significance of major Late Quaternary drainage contributions and disruptions in the Lake Eyre basin. This study will advance our knowledge of the most remarkable floods ever known to have occurred in Australia. They were associated with a vast aquatic ecosystem in what today is the barren northern end of the Flinders Ranges, a region of desert dunes and salt lakes. Remarkably, such wet conditions appear to have coincided with episodes of megafaunal extinction and ....Palaeoclimatic and environmental significance of major Late Quaternary drainage contributions and disruptions in the Lake Eyre basin. This study will advance our knowledge of the most remarkable floods ever known to have occurred in Australia. They were associated with a vast aquatic ecosystem in what today is the barren northern end of the Flinders Ranges, a region of desert dunes and salt lakes. Remarkably, such wet conditions appear to have coincided with episodes of megafaunal extinction and with the human occupation of Australia. The results will provide valuable information with which to better understand the the main global drivers of episodes of profound wetness and dryness in Australian climate. Read moreRead less
Ancient weather stations of Australia: charting a continent's descent into aridity and its ecological consequences. Australia has an enviable reputation as a leading innovator in geochronological and geochemical studies and this research will reinforce that standing. The outcomes will promote a better understanding of Australia's arid continent, contribute to studies of global climate change, and provide new insights into the response of ecosystems to such events. In these ways, the project addr ....Ancient weather stations of Australia: charting a continent's descent into aridity and its ecological consequences. Australia has an enviable reputation as a leading innovator in geochronological and geochemical studies and this research will reinforce that standing. The outcomes will promote a better understanding of Australia's arid continent, contribute to studies of global climate change, and provide new insights into the response of ecosystems to such events. In these ways, the project addresses directly our current national research priorities 'water - a critical resource', 'responding to climate change and variability' and 'the sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity'.Read moreRead less
How green were our deserts? Evidence for Late Quaternary climate change and the source of water in the Lake Eyre basin. This project addresses the National Research Priority of Environmentally Sustainable Australia by examining evidence for what has controlled climate change and variable runoff in the vast Lake Eyre basin. It will provide evidence for why Australia, presently the world's driest inhabited continent, has as recently as medieval times supported large lakes holding many cubic kilome ....How green were our deserts? Evidence for Late Quaternary climate change and the source of water in the Lake Eyre basin. This project addresses the National Research Priority of Environmentally Sustainable Australia by examining evidence for what has controlled climate change and variable runoff in the vast Lake Eyre basin. It will provide evidence for why Australia, presently the world's driest inhabited continent, has as recently as medieval times supported large lakes holding many cubic kilometres of fresh water adjacent to the now-barren Flinders Ranges. It will show if this water had a tropical or temperate source, fundamental information for understanding Australia's past climate, and allow predictions of future climate to be based on firm evidence.Read moreRead less
Climate dynamics of the Australian monsoon and its re-establishment following the last glacial maximum. The dynamics and linkages among elements of the global climate system (eg. North Atlantic - Antarctica- tropics) are poorly understood, particularly near the Last Glacial Maximum about 20,000 years ago. For the interval 80,000 to 10,000 years ago, we propose to produce a high-resolution environmental record(every 80 years) and dynamical model, using lacustrine sediments from the Gulf of Carpen ....Climate dynamics of the Australian monsoon and its re-establishment following the last glacial maximum. The dynamics and linkages among elements of the global climate system (eg. North Atlantic - Antarctica- tropics) are poorly understood, particularly near the Last Glacial Maximum about 20,000 years ago. For the interval 80,000 to 10,000 years ago, we propose to produce a high-resolution environmental record(every 80 years) and dynamical model, using lacustrine sediments from the Gulf of Carpentaria. We seek information on the intensity and possible disappearance of the monsoon, tropical atmospheric teleconnections with millennial-scale ice-rafting episodes at higher latitudes, and influence of aboriginal vegetation-burning on climate. Such links, if found, would profoundly alter our understanding of all tropical environments and their management.Read moreRead less
Landscape evolution and palaeoclimates in Indonesia: environmental, faunal and archaeological implications. The influence of environmental and climatic changes on faunal (including human) populations is a pressing issue for Australian communities in environmentally sensitive areas. This project will address this issue by documenting how certain flora and fauna in Indonesia, our nearest northern neighbour, responded to environmental challenges. Revealing when humans first dispersed through the re ....Landscape evolution and palaeoclimates in Indonesia: environmental, faunal and archaeological implications. The influence of environmental and climatic changes on faunal (including human) populations is a pressing issue for Australian communities in environmentally sensitive areas. This project will address this issue by documenting how certain flora and fauna in Indonesia, our nearest northern neighbour, responded to environmental challenges. Revealing when humans first dispersed through the region and how they adapted to changing environmental conditions will also contribute to our understanding of the cultural heritage of Australia's indigenous settlers. This project will build on established collaborations with Indonesian researchers and pioneer new dating methodologies to further enhance Australia's place at the forefront of geochronology.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100094
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$110,000.00
Summary
Single-grain optically-stimulated luminescence and dosimetry instruments to service the Sydney metropolitan and greater New South Wales region. This equipment will support projects that address significant environmental challenges in Australia, such as climate change and variability, coastal management and sustainable river and water management, and that assess the impacts and consequences of these challenges for populations living in environmentally sensitive areas. These projects will build on ....Single-grain optically-stimulated luminescence and dosimetry instruments to service the Sydney metropolitan and greater New South Wales region. This equipment will support projects that address significant environmental challenges in Australia, such as climate change and variability, coastal management and sustainable river and water management, and that assess the impacts and consequences of these challenges for populations living in environmentally sensitive areas. These projects will build on established collaborations in Australia, Antarctica and the south-west Pacific and encourage new collaborations with south-east Asian, Egyptian and Argentinean researchers, which will promote Australian research on a world stage. The use of this equipment will also pioneer new dating methodologies to further enhance Australia's place at the forefront of geochronology.Read moreRead less