Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0237922
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
High Resolution Cryogenic Field Emission Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope Facility. A high resolution variable pressure scanning electron microscope will replace aging, heavily utilised facilities. It will be accessed by existing large and diverse user groups in a mature and internationally-recognised Centre. The novel combination of a cryogenic stage and the electrostatic beam blanking modification will support continuance of the local, world-leading research and application of new ....High Resolution Cryogenic Field Emission Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope Facility. A high resolution variable pressure scanning electron microscope will replace aging, heavily utilised facilities. It will be accessed by existing large and diverse user groups in a mature and internationally-recognised Centre. The novel combination of a cryogenic stage and the electrostatic beam blanking modification will support continuance of the local, world-leading research and application of new imaging techniques, particularly in the materials and mineral sciences. Both new nanotechnology and existing globally-significant industries will utilise the unique aspects of this instrument for product refinement and maintenance of commercial leadership, in partnership with local Universities and Government agencies.Read moreRead less
Using co-teaching and co-generative dialogue to improve teacher-student interactions and students' awareness of their place in the environment. The study addresses the political, social agenda of Australia. The findings of the co-teaching/co-generative dialogue research in science environmental education will encourage teachers to implement desirable changes in their teaching, benefiting community through application of research results to education systems, and increasing understanding of effec ....Using co-teaching and co-generative dialogue to improve teacher-student interactions and students' awareness of their place in the environment. The study addresses the political, social agenda of Australia. The findings of the co-teaching/co-generative dialogue research in science environmental education will encourage teachers to implement desirable changes in their teaching, benefiting community through application of research results to education systems, and increasing understanding of effective teaching. Priority research funding is being afforded to several areas of natural science research; there is an imperative that environmental science education in schools progresses commensurately. The long-term ability of universities to conduct their natural science research will be dependent on foundational improvements in environmental science education in schools.Read moreRead less
Proterozoic tectonic evolution of Australia and India. Recent studies cast doubt on reconstructions of the Neoproterozoic supercontinent Rodinia, and on the tectonic coherence of East Gondwanaland (Australia, Antarctica and India). Within Australia, the relative positions of the major crustal blocks during most of the Proterozoic era remain largely unverified. Fossil magnetism in rocks of different ages from the major crustal blocks of Australia and India will be used to determine whether the ....Proterozoic tectonic evolution of Australia and India. Recent studies cast doubt on reconstructions of the Neoproterozoic supercontinent Rodinia, and on the tectonic coherence of East Gondwanaland (Australia, Antarctica and India). Within Australia, the relative positions of the major crustal blocks during most of the Proterozoic era remain largely unverified. Fossil magnetism in rocks of different ages from the major crustal blocks of Australia and India will be used to determine whether the blocks were together or were separated by large oceans during Proterozoic time. The results will place fundamental constraints on the geological, palaeogeographic, and palaeobiological evolution of Australia, Rodinia, and the early Earth as a whole.Read moreRead less
Biogeochemical characterisation of Archaean microfossils, biomarkers and organic matter: Probing the nature and diversity of early life on Earth. Recognizing biological signatures in ancient rocks poses the single greatest challenge to our understanding of the origin and evolution of life. This Project will use new advanced technology to reveal when and where life first appeared and assess its impact on the environment, atmosphere and climate. Results are essential for understanding the transfor ....Biogeochemical characterisation of Archaean microfossils, biomarkers and organic matter: Probing the nature and diversity of early life on Earth. Recognizing biological signatures in ancient rocks poses the single greatest challenge to our understanding of the origin and evolution of life. This Project will use new advanced technology to reveal when and where life first appeared and assess its impact on the environment, atmosphere and climate. Results are essential for understanding the transformation of our planet into a suitable habitat for humankind. The work will place Australia among world leaders in one of the most exciting topics of current scientific research, raising Australia's reputation in this high profile and competitive field. The Project tackles profound questions and seeks to attract, inspire and train future scientists in an ideal location and research environment.Read moreRead less
Earth's Internal System: deep processes and crustal consequences. Outcomes will include significant new information about the structure and formation of the Earth's crust and the underlying mantle. An improved framework for interpreting the architecture of Australia and other continents will be directly relevant to exploration for world-class economic deposits, the Earth resources on which society depends. Innovations in geochemical technology and in the integration of information from geochemi ....Earth's Internal System: deep processes and crustal consequences. Outcomes will include significant new information about the structure and formation of the Earth's crust and the underlying mantle. An improved framework for interpreting the architecture of Australia and other continents will be directly relevant to exploration for world-class economic deposits, the Earth resources on which society depends. Innovations in geochemical technology and in the integration of information from geochemistry, geophysics and geodynamics will maintain our high international profile in research relevant to National Priority 1.6 (Developing Deep Earth Resources). The project and its interaction with the minerals industry will provide advanced Postgraduate training in a field critical to Australia's future.Read moreRead less
Chronostratigraphic Framework for the Devonian Canning Basin - A Multidisciplinary Record of Environmental Change. Our detailed chronostratigraphic framework for Canning Basin and the biomarker data on source rock history provides an increased understanding of the resource potential of the basin and similar settings worldwide. Furthermore this high-fidelity data will be used by companies to develop the 'next' generation of hydrocarbon industry modelling workflows. Our research program also has i ....Chronostratigraphic Framework for the Devonian Canning Basin - A Multidisciplinary Record of Environmental Change. Our detailed chronostratigraphic framework for Canning Basin and the biomarker data on source rock history provides an increased understanding of the resource potential of the basin and similar settings worldwide. Furthermore this high-fidelity data will be used by companies to develop the 'next' generation of hydrocarbon industry modelling workflows. Our research program also has important environmental implications; providing insight into drivers for Devonian mass extinctions and as periods of past biotic crises become increasingly understood they can provide critical insights into determining the thresholds of environmental change, which may potentially serve as analogues for present-day global climate change scenarios.Read moreRead less
Validation of Synthetic Regional Gravity Field Models. This research will further develop the theoretical and practical methods required to test any model of the Earth's gravity field. Previously, geodesists have had to rely on analytical error estimates, usually based on observed data. A synthetic Earth gravity model avoids this scenario by giving an exact validation technique of the methods used. The synthetic model will allow users of geoid models (e.g., for GPS heighting) to have much mor ....Validation of Synthetic Regional Gravity Field Models. This research will further develop the theoretical and practical methods required to test any model of the Earth's gravity field. Previously, geodesists have had to rely on analytical error estimates, usually based on observed data. A synthetic Earth gravity model avoids this scenario by giving an exact validation technique of the methods used. The synthetic model will allow users of geoid models (e.g., for GPS heighting) to have much more confidence in their results. When used with a precise geoid model, GPS is faster and cheaper than conventional spirit-levelling, offering around 800% productivity gains. Read moreRead less
Low-grade metamorphic phosphate geochronology: High-precision dating of ancient crustal fluid flow, hydrothermal mineralisation and the "Great Oxidation Event". Reliable dating techniques are required to obtain precise ages for ancient crustal fluid flow. Current techniques suffer from inheritance and isotopic resetting, problems that are particularly pronounced in early Precambrian rocks. This project will employ new analytical techniques to date phosphate minerals recently identified as potent ....Low-grade metamorphic phosphate geochronology: High-precision dating of ancient crustal fluid flow, hydrothermal mineralisation and the "Great Oxidation Event". Reliable dating techniques are required to obtain precise ages for ancient crustal fluid flow. Current techniques suffer from inheritance and isotopic resetting, problems that are particularly pronounced in early Precambrian rocks. This project will employ new analytical techniques to date phosphate minerals recently identified as potentially important new chronometers of ancient fluid flow, providing the first precise tectonothermal history of the Archaean Pilbara Craton. The project will also establish the age of giant iron-ore deposits across the Hamersley Province, test the various models for iron-ore formation, and provide a minimum age for the oxidation of the Earth's surface. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668377
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$246,000.00
Summary
Western Australia Palaeomagnetic and Rock-magnetic Facility. The WA Palaeomagnetic and Rock-magnetic Facility is an essential piece of infrastructure for geoscience developments in WA and Australia in general. It not only serves the needs of the scientific community, but also supports resource-related projects sponsored by government and the resource industries, and serves the educational needs of postgraduate, undergraduate, and school students. Upgrading of the WA facility will enhance the res ....Western Australia Palaeomagnetic and Rock-magnetic Facility. The WA Palaeomagnetic and Rock-magnetic Facility is an essential piece of infrastructure for geoscience developments in WA and Australia in general. It not only serves the needs of the scientific community, but also supports resource-related projects sponsored by government and the resource industries, and serves the educational needs of postgraduate, undergraduate, and school students. Upgrading of the WA facility will enhance the research capacity of the WA geoscience community and maintain its international position in tectonic, palaeogeographic, and palaeoclimatic studies, and in ore genesis research.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0347157
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$770,000.00
Summary
A Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometer for investigating the Earth and its Environment. Key aspects of our knowledge of the earth have resulted from isotope measurements using a mass spectrometer. Thermal instruments measure the abundance of isotopes with the greatest accuracy achievable and are the cornerstone of laboratories investigating the earth and its environment. Recently, significant improvements have been made to these instruments in response to the need to solve problems involving a w ....A Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometer for investigating the Earth and its Environment. Key aspects of our knowledge of the earth have resulted from isotope measurements using a mass spectrometer. Thermal instruments measure the abundance of isotopes with the greatest accuracy achievable and are the cornerstone of laboratories investigating the earth and its environment. Recently, significant improvements have been made to these instruments in response to the need to solve problems involving a wider range of chemical elements present in small quantities and to measure them with higher precision than ever before. This proposal will establish a state-of-the-art Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometer so that Australian scientists can remain internationally competitive in their research.
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