Particle astrophysics with the Pierre Auger observatory. Australia's scientific reputation is enhanced through participation in international collaborations that aim to solve long-standing mysteries in science. The Pierre Auger Observatory covers a huge 3000 square km in western Argentina, where we are attempting to solve one of the biggest puzzles in modern astrophysics - the origin of the highest energy cosmic rays, particles 100 million times more energetic than we can produce on Earth. Ade ....Particle astrophysics with the Pierre Auger observatory. Australia's scientific reputation is enhanced through participation in international collaborations that aim to solve long-standing mysteries in science. The Pierre Auger Observatory covers a huge 3000 square km in western Argentina, where we are attempting to solve one of the biggest puzzles in modern astrophysics - the origin of the highest energy cosmic rays, particles 100 million times more energetic than we can produce on Earth. Adelaide scientists were founding members of the Auger project, and now have leading roles within the experiment. This is providing our students with access to world-class facilities and researchers in a field which has moved to the mainstream of astrophysics research.Read moreRead less
The geochemical role of iron in basaltic magmatism and planetary differentiation: an experimental study. The amount of Fe in primitive terrestrial basalts is surprisingly variable. The reasons for this are poorly understood, but could include melting of Fe-enriched refertilized mantle sources, increasing partitioning of FeO into the melt with depth of melting, or oxidation of some FeO to Fe2O3. An experimental investigation of the effects of Fe both as 2+ and 3+ on the partial melting of model ....The geochemical role of iron in basaltic magmatism and planetary differentiation: an experimental study. The amount of Fe in primitive terrestrial basalts is surprisingly variable. The reasons for this are poorly understood, but could include melting of Fe-enriched refertilized mantle sources, increasing partitioning of FeO into the melt with depth of melting, or oxidation of some FeO to Fe2O3. An experimental investigation of the effects of Fe both as 2+ and 3+ on the partial melting of model mantle material should help resolve this problem, while also providing the fundamental thermodynamic data needed to calibrate a general model for upper mantle phase relations.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0238884
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$220,000.00
Summary
Development of the CANGAROO III Very High Energy Gamma-ray telescope. This international project will explore the only part of the electromagnetic spectrum yet to be subjected to detailed astronomical study. CANGAROO III will span the energy range from ~100GeV to >10TeV, expanding upwards the range of satellite observations, and downwards the range accessible from previous ground-based systems. Gamma-ray observations have opened a new window on the universe and it is clear that there is much to ....Development of the CANGAROO III Very High Energy Gamma-ray telescope. This international project will explore the only part of the electromagnetic spectrum yet to be subjected to detailed astronomical study. CANGAROO III will span the energy range from ~100GeV to >10TeV, expanding upwards the range of satellite observations, and downwards the range accessible from previous ground-based systems. Gamma-ray observations have opened a new window on the universe and it is clear that there is much to be discovered with this new instrument. This project will provide an Australian infrastructure contribution to support the multi-million dollar contribution of our Japanese partners, and thus provide Australian access to a key astrophysical field at very modest cost.Read moreRead less
Understanding the deep mantle: experimental petrology at very high pressures. The great processes that shape the Earth at its surface, including plate tectonics and continental drift, can only be understood by appreciating how the interior of the Earth works. However, studying the deep Earth is difficult because of the enormous pressures and temperatures involved. This research proposes to simulate conditions in the Earth's lower mantle (that is, below 670 km in depth) by making use of an Austra ....Understanding the deep mantle: experimental petrology at very high pressures. The great processes that shape the Earth at its surface, including plate tectonics and continental drift, can only be understood by appreciating how the interior of the Earth works. However, studying the deep Earth is difficult because of the enormous pressures and temperatures involved. This research proposes to simulate conditions in the Earth's lower mantle (that is, below 670 km in depth) by making use of an Australian invented diamond-based ceramic, to double the pressure at which experiments can be performed. The information gained from this fundamental research will help predict how giant ore bodies form. The development of the high-pressure apparatus will also aid material scientists in their quest for novel materials.Read moreRead less
Water storage in the earth's mantle - understanding the process of OH incorporation in olivine. The amount of water in the Earth's mantle is thought to be sufficient to replace the surface oceans more than ten times. Whether this water exists in a fluid, melt, or mineral is important for understanding a range of mantle properties. The entire upper mantle water budget may be accommodated at defect sites in the mineral olivine. However, defects found in natural olivine do not correspond to thos ....Water storage in the earth's mantle - understanding the process of OH incorporation in olivine. The amount of water in the Earth's mantle is thought to be sufficient to replace the surface oceans more than ten times. Whether this water exists in a fluid, melt, or mineral is important for understanding a range of mantle properties. The entire upper mantle water budget may be accommodated at defect sites in the mineral olivine. However, defects found in natural olivine do not correspond to those produced
experimentally. Therefore, previous conclusions on water storage in the mantle are questionable. To address this problem the mechanism of water incorporation in olivine will be investigated using experimental petrology and spectroscopy.Read moreRead less
Experimental constraints on Platinum-Group Element geochemistry: developing lithogeochemical exploration tools for nickel-sulfides in mafic and ultramafic systems. Nickel contributes approximately $2 billion per year to Australia's export income. Currently 80% of that is coming from sulfide deposits, which are expected to be exhausted within thirty years barring significant new discoveries. Discovery rates have been declining for two decades, as the 'easy' targets have been found, despite a broa ....Experimental constraints on Platinum-Group Element geochemistry: developing lithogeochemical exploration tools for nickel-sulfides in mafic and ultramafic systems. Nickel contributes approximately $2 billion per year to Australia's export income. Currently 80% of that is coming from sulfide deposits, which are expected to be exhausted within thirty years barring significant new discoveries. Discovery rates have been declining for two decades, as the 'easy' targets have been found, despite a broad increase in nickel exploration expenditure to current levels of around $50 million per year. There is a pressing need for new data sets and techniques to allow industry to target new discoveries based on limited drill sampling of potential host rocks. This project forms part of a broader program to harness the igneous geochemistry of the platinum group elements as a powerful pathfinder in nickel exploration.Read moreRead less
The Earth's Deep Carbon Cycle. The climate change debate has focused scientific attention on Earth’s exogene carbon-cycle. However, Earth has another, much deeper carbon-cycle which is poorly understood. In addition to exerting a profound influence on atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations over time scales from thousands to billions of years, it is critically important in many processes in the Earth’s deep mantle. The major means by which the deep carbon-cycle is replenished is via subduction ....The Earth's Deep Carbon Cycle. The climate change debate has focused scientific attention on Earth’s exogene carbon-cycle. However, Earth has another, much deeper carbon-cycle which is poorly understood. In addition to exerting a profound influence on atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations over time scales from thousands to billions of years, it is critically important in many processes in the Earth’s deep mantle. The major means by which the deep carbon-cycle is replenished is via subduction of carbonate-bearing oceanic crust. The project proposes a high-pressure experimental and field-based program to understand the fate of this carbonate during its journey from the exosphere, through subduction zones and into the deep mantle.Read moreRead less
The seismic significance of water and partial melting in planetary interiors. Novel laboratory techniques will be used to measure the influence of dissolved water on the seismic properties of the deep interiors of Earth and Moon. The outcome will be new insight into the crucial role of water in the formation and subsequent evolution of our dynamic planet and its more quiescent moon.
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL130100066
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,187,712.00
Summary
Understanding the Earth: a perspective from the science of advanced materials. The study of the properties of naturally occurring minerals and magmas under extreme conditions of high temperature and pressure is needed, for understanding the geological processes responsible for our mineral wealth. The same methods can also lead to improved design of new materials required for technological applications.