How has the continental lithosphere evolved? Processes of assembly, growth, transformation and destruction. We will use new in-situ analytical techniques, developed In-house, to date the formation and modification of specific volumes of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle, and to define the temporal and genetic relationships between mantle events and crustal formation. Quantitative modelling will investigate the geodynamic consequences of spatial and temporal variations in lithosphere composi ....How has the continental lithosphere evolved? Processes of assembly, growth, transformation and destruction. We will use new in-situ analytical techniques, developed In-house, to date the formation and modification of specific volumes of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle, and to define the temporal and genetic relationships between mantle events and crustal formation. Quantitative modelling will investigate the geodynamic consequences of spatial and temporal variations in lithosphere composition and thermal state. Magmatic products will be used to assess the roles of mantle plumes and delamination in construction of the lithosphere and xenolith studies will investigate the evolution of oceanic plateaus. The results will provide a framework for interpreting the architecture of lithospheric terranes and their boundaries.Read moreRead less
How has continental lithosphere evolved? Processes of assembly, growth, transformation and destruction. Novel in-situ analytical and dating techniques will be used on samples from the Earth's mantle and deep crust to define the processes by which the continents and their roots (to depths of 250 km) have been formed, modified or destroyed at different times throughout Earth's 4.6 billion year evolution. The role of oceanic plateaus and mantle plumes in building protocontinents or modifying lithos ....How has continental lithosphere evolved? Processes of assembly, growth, transformation and destruction. Novel in-situ analytical and dating techniques will be used on samples from the Earth's mantle and deep crust to define the processes by which the continents and their roots (to depths of 250 km) have been formed, modified or destroyed at different times throughout Earth's 4.6 billion year evolution. The role of oceanic plateaus and mantle plumes in building protocontinents or modifying lithospheric volumes will be evaluated. The results will provide a more robust framework for interpreting the architecture of Earth's lithosphere and will have relevance to the formation and location of resources such as Ni, PGEs, Au and diamonds.Read moreRead less
From Synchrotron Characterisation of Single Fluid Inclusions to Archaean Geodynamics: An Integrated Study of Fluid-Rock Interaction in the Primitive Crust. In the primitive Earth, a wide range of phenomena including the initiation of biological activity and the formation of ore deposits were related to the mobilisation of mineralised fluids through the crust. In the Archaean craton of the Pilbara (WA), we have identified, within its tectonic framework, a crustal-scale plumbing system that channe ....From Synchrotron Characterisation of Single Fluid Inclusions to Archaean Geodynamics: An Integrated Study of Fluid-Rock Interaction in the Primitive Crust. In the primitive Earth, a wide range of phenomena including the initiation of biological activity and the formation of ore deposits were related to the mobilisation of mineralised fluids through the crust. In the Archaean craton of the Pilbara (WA), we have identified, within its tectonic framework, a crustal-scale plumbing system that channelled large volumes of mineralised hydrothermal solutions. Our objective is to understand the development of this plumbing system in relation to Archaean crustal geodynamics using a combination of structural geology, metamorphic petrology, geochronology, geochemistry, and the analysis of single-fluid inclusion using synchrotron and other X-ray sources.Read moreRead less