ARC Centre of Excellence for Core to Crust Fluid Systems. Water is essential for human existence, indeed for life's beginning. The circulation of water between the surface and the deep interior lubricates the internal dynamics that keep Earth geologically alive; it is crucial to most Earth systems, including the evolution of the hydrospher/atmosphere/biosphere, and the development of giant ore deposits. However, the origin, abundance, speciation and movements of fluids inside Earth are largely u ....ARC Centre of Excellence for Core to Crust Fluid Systems. Water is essential for human existence, indeed for life's beginning. The circulation of water between the surface and the deep interior lubricates the internal dynamics that keep Earth geologically alive; it is crucial to most Earth systems, including the evolution of the hydrospher/atmosphere/biosphere, and the development of giant ore deposits. However, the origin, abundance, speciation and movements of fluids inside Earth are largely unknown, and represent key issues in modern geoscience. This CoE will integrate previously disparate fields - geology, tectonics, geochemistry, petrophysics, geophysics and dynamic modelling - to understand the workings of Earth's deep plumbing system.Read moreRead less
The Missing link in the Tasmanides: evaluating tectonic evolution and resource exploration potential of the southern Thomson Fold belt. Understanding the Thomson Orogen, a geological region which straddles the New South Wales and Queensland border, is critical for developing geodynamic models for the evolution of eastern Australia, and assessing resource potential. However, it lies under the Great Artesian Basin. This project focusses on ground truthing geophysical acquisition studies using dril ....The Missing link in the Tasmanides: evaluating tectonic evolution and resource exploration potential of the southern Thomson Fold belt. Understanding the Thomson Orogen, a geological region which straddles the New South Wales and Queensland border, is critical for developing geodynamic models for the evolution of eastern Australia, and assessing resource potential. However, it lies under the Great Artesian Basin. This project focusses on ground truthing geophysical acquisition studies using drill core from a targeted drilling program, designed to maximise the available tectono-stratigraphic information. The outcome intends to be a 3D geological map of the region, which can be interrogated for mineral exploration targeting, and from which 4D evolutionary geodynamic models of eastern Australian can be integrated.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100053
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$358,031.00
Summary
A national facility for the analysis of pyrogenic carbon. This project aims to develop a national facility for pyrogenic carbon analysis. Pyrogenic carbon is a poorly constrained, slow-cycling terrestrial carbon pool with significant carbon sequestration potential. The project expects to expand the newly developed hydrogen pyrolysis analytical capability to provide high throughput, robust measurement of the abundance and isotope composition of pyrogenic carbon in soils and sediments. This will p ....A national facility for the analysis of pyrogenic carbon. This project aims to develop a national facility for pyrogenic carbon analysis. Pyrogenic carbon is a poorly constrained, slow-cycling terrestrial carbon pool with significant carbon sequestration potential. The project expects to expand the newly developed hydrogen pyrolysis analytical capability to provide high throughput, robust measurement of the abundance and isotope composition of pyrogenic carbon in soils and sediments. This will provide significant benefit, such as the ability to make significant advances in areas as diverse as geochronology, archaeology, palaeoecology, soil science geomorphology and carbon cycle/sequestration science.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100064
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,000.00
Summary
A facility for sensitive and precise isotopic dating of the earth's and extraterrestrial rocks. SPIDE2R will be a new generation mass spectrometer for very precise and sensitive dating and forensics applications in earth and planetary sciences, hydrology, climate studies, and nuclear and archaeological fingerprinting. The unprecedented sensitivity of this unique instrument will provide enhanced capabilities for solving long-standing problems requiring precise geological time resolution, as well ....A facility for sensitive and precise isotopic dating of the earth's and extraterrestrial rocks. SPIDE2R will be a new generation mass spectrometer for very precise and sensitive dating and forensics applications in earth and planetary sciences, hydrology, climate studies, and nuclear and archaeological fingerprinting. The unprecedented sensitivity of this unique instrument will provide enhanced capabilities for solving long-standing problems requiring precise geological time resolution, as well as opening new areas of research. It will be the instrument of choice for analysing small, rare samples such as those returned by space missions. The Australian-built high sensitivity source and ion detection systems can be retrofitted onto other mass spectrometers, opening a new area of commercialisation.Read moreRead less
Four dimensional lithospheric evolution and controls on mineral system distribution in Neoarchean to Paleoproterozoic terranes. This project will resolve important questions about the links between the evolution and preservation of continents and important mineral deposits in Australia and West Africa between 2.7 and 1.8 billion years ago. The results will improve the understanding of a key period of Earth history and make a major contribution to mineral exploration.
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
Unravelling the history of nitrogen cycling within the central Great Barrier Reef. This project aims to use coral skeleton geochemical analysis to establish if, when, and how nitrogen cycling changed along the central inshore region of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon. Increasing anthropogenic nitrogen discharge to coastal waters could drive ecosystem decline in the GBR, one of Australia’s most sensitive and economically valuable natural environments. However, the full effect of anthropogenic ....Unravelling the history of nitrogen cycling within the central Great Barrier Reef. This project aims to use coral skeleton geochemical analysis to establish if, when, and how nitrogen cycling changed along the central inshore region of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon. Increasing anthropogenic nitrogen discharge to coastal waters could drive ecosystem decline in the GBR, one of Australia’s most sensitive and economically valuable natural environments. However, the full effect of anthropogenic nitrogen is unclear due to a lack of long, continuous records. This project will unravel the history of nitrogen cycling in the GBR since the mid-1800s, knowledge crucial for managing this reef system.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: LE130100099
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$390,000.00
Summary
New horizons in geochemical isotopic analysis with a new-generation multicollector plasma mass spectrometer: towards unravelling the deep earth system. A new-generation plasma mass spectrometer will let us develop novel applications in geochemistry to better understand Earth processes. This will enhance Australian Geosciences’ high international profile, and help attract high-quality researchers to attack problems relevant to the Deep Earth Resources National Priority and mineral exploration.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE150100013
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$860,000.00
Summary
Laser ablation multiple split streaming. Laser ablation multiple split streaming: This geochemical facility with an innovative, world-leading micro-analytical capability intends to support research of fundamental and strategic problems at the frontiers of the Earth and Environmental Sciences. The facility aims to allow new insight into the age, composition, thermal history and structure of the Australian continent, as necessary for delineating mineral endowment and for tracing the sources of ore ....Laser ablation multiple split streaming. Laser ablation multiple split streaming: This geochemical facility with an innovative, world-leading micro-analytical capability intends to support research of fundamental and strategic problems at the frontiers of the Earth and Environmental Sciences. The facility aims to allow new insight into the age, composition, thermal history and structure of the Australian continent, as necessary for delineating mineral endowment and for tracing the sources of ore metals. It will provide a higher resolution record of climate and environmental change which will better inform assessment of the impacts, both locally and regionally. It is intended that the facility will amplify national and international scientific collaboration and create unique research opportunities for Australian-based scientists.Read moreRead less