Just add water: a recipe for the deformation of continental interiors. By integrating geochemical, geochronological and microstructural datasets, this project aims to provide a novel framework for fluid–rock systems in the lithosphere. Plate tectonics argues that continental interiors are usually stable, rigid and undeformable, yet mountain belts have formed in these locations. Their existence suggests that strong crust can be weakened to allow the accommodation of deforming forces, but the unde ....Just add water: a recipe for the deformation of continental interiors. By integrating geochemical, geochronological and microstructural datasets, this project aims to provide a novel framework for fluid–rock systems in the lithosphere. Plate tectonics argues that continental interiors are usually stable, rigid and undeformable, yet mountain belts have formed in these locations. Their existence suggests that strong crust can be weakened to allow the accommodation of deforming forces, but the underlying causes for this change in behaviour are not clear. This project aims to investigate the largely unexplored impact of fluid flow on the characteristics of intraplate deformation. This would improve our understanding of what modulates the strength of continental crust, including its susceptibility to seismic activity, and the ways in which fluids interact with the deep crust, including their mineralisation potential.Read moreRead less
Geodynamics and continental extension in the East African Rift System: origin and evolution of the Turkana Depression in northern Kenya. The Lake Turkana region in northern Kenya, famous for its fossil evidence of human origins, occupies a critical position within the Great Rift Valley of East Africa. This project seeks to explain how this complex region evolved and also the dynamic earth processes responsible for its formation between two great uplifted domes in Ethiopia and Kenya.
Resolving the influence of intraplate orogenesis on continental margin tectonics. Novel, multi-dating of continental sedimentary rocks will be undertaken to examine the effects of a high sediment flux from an enigmatic, major mountain-building event on a distant continental margin. This will expand our understanding of the range of tectonic influences between continental interiors and margins and onshore resource potential.
Three dimensional geospatial model of the Australian continent from geologically constrained inverse modelling of the Earth's gravity and magnetic fields. This project enhances Australia's reputation in integration of geology and geophysics and will create a three dimensional model of the Australian crust that will image and define the geometry of the fundamental building blocks of the continent. The outcomes will create new concepts for resource exploration and hazard recognition.
Contemporary stress and tectonics of Australia. This project will conduct a detailed examination of the state and controls on present-day tectonic stress in Australia. Tectonic stresses are a primary control on deformation in the Earth and this project has direct applications for earthquake hazard assessment, mine stability, production of petroleum and geothermal energy, and carbon dioxide sequestration.
Supercells and the supercontinent cycle. This is a new approach to understanding how the Earth works, at a global-scale and billion-year perspective. In particular it seeks to understand why continents come together as supercontinents, then drift away again. The work has implications for copper-gold exploration on the Australian continent because it has relevant predictive capacity.
Intraplate volcanism near lateral slab edges: result of deep mantle plumes or slab rollback-induced mantle flow? This project investigates how the Earth's interior (the mantle) flows near edges of tectonic plates as these plates sink into the mantle. This is important because these flows have been crucial in shaping the Southwest Pacific region bordering Australia and might be responsible for the formation of some of the largest volcanoes on Earth.
Building Central Asia: Linking the Growth of Asia to its Exhumation. The consumption of the Tethys Ocean and the associated collision of Gondwana-derived terranes with Eurasia resulted in the uplift of the highest mountain belt on Earth: the Himalayas. However, stresses from this collision zone propagated far into the Eurasian interior by reactivating faults and creating mountain belts along these fault zones. This project aims to map and model how and when fault (re)activation occurred by integ ....Building Central Asia: Linking the Growth of Asia to its Exhumation. The consumption of the Tethys Ocean and the associated collision of Gondwana-derived terranes with Eurasia resulted in the uplift of the highest mountain belt on Earth: the Himalayas. However, stresses from this collision zone propagated far into the Eurasian interior by reactivating faults and creating mountain belts along these fault zones. This project aims to map and model how and when fault (re)activation occurred by integrating multi-method thermochronological and structural data on major Meso-Cenozoic Central Asian fault systems. The resulting time-integrated tectonic model will aid in the understanding of the India-Eurasia collision, the building of the mountainous Central Asian landscape and its influence on the Asian climate.Read moreRead less
Multiple vertical tectonic movements in a continental interior: consequences of flat-subduction and foundering of an oceanic plateau? This project will investigate how the subduction of particularly thick oceanic crust impacts on the landscape, climate, structure and composition of the adjacent continent. It will help in understanding the history and distribution of mineral and hydrocarbon resources, of similar provinces in Australia.
Rapid Determination of Earthquake Sources in Australia. The Australasian region is at risk from both large earthquakes and tsunamis. Rapid and reliable determination of parameters such as depth and orientation of earthquake fault planes in real time is vital for an effective response. This project will greatly improve the quality of information inferred from seismic waveform data by using three-dimensional structural models of Earth and also provide valuable insight into the earthquake generatio ....Rapid Determination of Earthquake Sources in Australia. The Australasian region is at risk from both large earthquakes and tsunamis. Rapid and reliable determination of parameters such as depth and orientation of earthquake fault planes in real time is vital for an effective response. This project will greatly improve the quality of information inferred from seismic waveform data by using three-dimensional structural models of Earth and also provide valuable insight into the earthquake generation process. By comprehensively incorporating three-dimensional structural models in estimating earthquake sources, the project will be at the forefront of research worldwide. The science developed will underpin automated determination of characteristics of earthquakes and play a key part in efforts to mitigate the impact of tsunamis.Read moreRead less