Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE140100088
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$150,000.00
Summary
A coupled high temperature elemental analyser - gas chromatograph - mass spectrometer for climate, water and ecological research. A coupled high temperature elemental analyser - gas chromatograph - mass spectrometer for climate, water and ecological research: This project is for a high temperature, elemental analysis, gas chromatography, isotope mass spectrometry facility. This would permit the analysis of the isotopes of up to four elements in a range of environmental samples such as tree cell ....A coupled high temperature elemental analyser - gas chromatograph - mass spectrometer for climate, water and ecological research. A coupled high temperature elemental analyser - gas chromatograph - mass spectrometer for climate, water and ecological research: This project is for a high temperature, elemental analysis, gas chromatography, isotope mass spectrometry facility. This would permit the analysis of the isotopes of up to four elements in a range of environmental samples such as tree cellulose, ecological samples and dissolved nutrients in surface and ground waters. Results will help improve our understanding of climate - surface water - ground water interactions, ecosystem function, and past climate and environmental change. The new facility will meet the need for organic isotope analyses to better understand the underlying physical processes.Read moreRead less
The application of clumped isotope thermometry to the terrestrial environment. Clumped-isotope geochemistry, a novel method for measuring the temperature of formation of carbonate minerals, will be applied to terrestrial materials (soil carbonates, lake deposits and speleothems) from Australia and New Zealand. The method relates the abundance or 'clumping' of rare isotopes (for example, carbon dioxide of mass 47 as carbon-13, oxygen-18, oxygen-16) extracted from carbonates to their formation tem ....The application of clumped isotope thermometry to the terrestrial environment. Clumped-isotope geochemistry, a novel method for measuring the temperature of formation of carbonate minerals, will be applied to terrestrial materials (soil carbonates, lake deposits and speleothems) from Australia and New Zealand. The method relates the abundance or 'clumping' of rare isotopes (for example, carbon dioxide of mass 47 as carbon-13, oxygen-18, oxygen-16) extracted from carbonates to their formation temperature and is independent of the oxygen-18:oxygen-16 value of the host water from which the mineral precipitated. The materials to be investigated span the Last Glacial-Interglacial Transition and will provide robust past temperature estimates and the delta-oxygen-18 values of waters, thereby permitting hydrological balances (for example, precipitation/evaporation) to be constructed. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE200100156
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$471,000.00
Summary
A facility for quantification and isotopic analysis of trace gases. This project aims to develop a new facility for the analysis of trace gases, including nitrous oxide, methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and nitric oxide. This will provide two new capabilities for Australia: 1. It will further our ability to study how microbes cycle trace gases across the continuum from arid soils to the coastal ocean; 2. It will allow us to better understand microbial reactions that remove nitrogen pollution. ....A facility for quantification and isotopic analysis of trace gases. This project aims to develop a new facility for the analysis of trace gases, including nitrous oxide, methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and nitric oxide. This will provide two new capabilities for Australia: 1. It will further our ability to study how microbes cycle trace gases across the continuum from arid soils to the coastal ocean; 2. It will allow us to better understand microbial reactions that remove nitrogen pollution. This will allow us to better understand, monitor and manage microbial processes within soils, sediments, and waters that undertake key ecosystem services, including removal of nitrogen and pollutant gases. Read moreRead less
Unlocking the secrets of the groundwater cycle using Si and Li isotopes. This project aims to determine how non-conventional lithium and silicon isotopes can be used to understand groundwater processes using an innovative source-to-target approach. The project aims to apply these isotope tracers to trace the water cycle within a well constrained system: an island aquifer with a dense borefield which has been analysed using traditional isotopic techniques. Supporting hydrochemical data will be us ....Unlocking the secrets of the groundwater cycle using Si and Li isotopes. This project aims to determine how non-conventional lithium and silicon isotopes can be used to understand groundwater processes using an innovative source-to-target approach. The project aims to apply these isotope tracers to trace the water cycle within a well constrained system: an island aquifer with a dense borefield which has been analysed using traditional isotopic techniques. Supporting hydrochemical data will be used to determine the relationship of the isotopes with environmental processes. The project impact will be the development of new methods to help understand our groundwater resource. The improved process understanding will be translated to groundwater management in general. The projects' focus on carbonate aquifer systems typical of coastal regions of southern, eastern and western Australia will have relevance to groundwater management in urban areas such as Perth and in rural areas for tourism and viticulture, and for management of natural resources in National Parks.Read moreRead less
Coastal wetlands: are our valuable carbon sinks vulnerable? Saline coastal wetlands store large amounts of carbon and are potentially the most efficient sinks of carbon amongst natural ecosystems. This project will use isotopic tracers to quantify carbon retention within saline coastal wetlands in southeastern Australia, establish the vulnerability of these wetlands to sea-level rise using estimates of sediment accretion and surface elevation change, and use this information to predict the distr ....Coastal wetlands: are our valuable carbon sinks vulnerable? Saline coastal wetlands store large amounts of carbon and are potentially the most efficient sinks of carbon amongst natural ecosystems. This project will use isotopic tracers to quantify carbon retention within saline coastal wetlands in southeastern Australia, establish the vulnerability of these wetlands to sea-level rise using estimates of sediment accretion and surface elevation change, and use this information to predict the distribution of saline coastal wetlands and estimate the carbon sequestration potential of coastal wetlands within a ‘low-carbon economy’. This project will remove impediments to the proper economic evaluation of saline coastal wetlands and enable restoration coastal wetlands to be used to offset carbon emissions.Read moreRead less
Untangling metabolism and greenhouse gas production in intermittent streams. Freshwater streams are disproportionately large producers of greenhouse gases. Identifying the factors controlling their greenhouse gas production is critical as stream function is increasingly altered by both changing rainfall patterns and human pollution. This project aims to resolve the factors controlling stream greenhouse gas production. It will apply an unprecedented combination of continuous stream function and i ....Untangling metabolism and greenhouse gas production in intermittent streams. Freshwater streams are disproportionately large producers of greenhouse gases. Identifying the factors controlling their greenhouse gas production is critical as stream function is increasingly altered by both changing rainfall patterns and human pollution. This project aims to resolve the factors controlling stream greenhouse gas production. It will apply an unprecedented combination of continuous stream function and intensive isotope measurements to perennially flowing and intermittent streams in disturbed and undisturbed landscapes. This project is significant because it will quantify the changing role of streams in greenhouse gas emissions. Outcomes will provide critical information for managing Australia’s freshwater resources. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE140100023
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Innovative isotopic techniques to study the response of soil and water resources to modern and past climate change. Innovative isotopic techniques to study the response of soil and water resources to modern and past climate change: The emergence of innovative isotopic tools has provided unprecedented opportunities to improve our understanding of the processes that shape the earth's resources and environment. The plasma-source mass spectrometer will be dedicated to applying these techniques to ea ....Innovative isotopic techniques to study the response of soil and water resources to modern and past climate change. Innovative isotopic techniques to study the response of soil and water resources to modern and past climate change: The emergence of innovative isotopic tools has provided unprecedented opportunities to improve our understanding of the processes that shape the earth's resources and environment. The plasma-source mass spectrometer will be dedicated to applying these techniques to earth surface processes, and establishing unique capabilities to decipher how soil and water resources respond to modern and past climate change in Australia.Read moreRead less
Unravelling the cycling of nitrogen along a subtropical freshwater-marine continuum using a multi-isotope, multi-tracer and modelling approach. This project will significantly advance our understanding of the sources, cycling and pathways of nitrogen along a sub-tropical catchment-river-estuary. As such, the findings from this research will have direct implications to the management, rehabilitation and protection of waterways (including biodiversity) in Australia.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100054
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$420,000.00
Summary
Stable isotope analysis of environmental and physiological samples. Mass spectrometers capable of isotope analysis are essential tools for the earth and environmental sciences, physiology and palaeoecology. This project will provide mass spectrometers for both laboratory and field conditions which will ensure Australia remains at the forefront of international research, attract collaborations and lead to outcomes of global significance.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100201
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$200,000.00
Summary
High-resolution laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer for cutting edge geochemistry research. The new-generation laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer is a highly versatile precise analytical instrument for palaeo-environmental, palaeoclimate, archaeological and geochemical studies. With this instrument Australia will continue to lead the way in cutting-edge geoscience research.