|
Degree: BSc Hons (Marine Science
& Management) University
of New England
Supervisor/s: Jian-xin Zhao,
John Pandolfi (UQ), Terry Done (AIMS)
Rm 210B, Richards Building
Ph: 3346 7382
Email: Tara
Clark
|
Project
Title:
Historical mortality events of inshore reef coral communities within
the Great Barrier Reef since European settlement
|
While the GBR is considered to be one of the least degraded coral reefs
in the world, increasing evidence suggests that this may not be the
case with a loss of hard coral cover being observed on inshore reefs
and an increase in macroalgae. With detailed knowledge of the GBR
limited to the past 25yrs, little is known of the past changes in coral
communities since European settlement and the onset of anthropogenic
disturbance.
This research will use highly precise uranium-series (U-series) thermal
ionisation mass spectrometry (TIMS) dating of dead Acropora coral
rubble (death assemblage) and massive Porites from
inshore reef environments influenced by terrestrial runoff and high sea
surface temperatures, to provide an accurate chronology on the timing
of historical mortality events.
Furthermore, an analysis of various environmental proxies within
massive coral skeletons will help to determine the possible causes for
mortality in adjacent communities.
This will provide a means to better understand changes in near shore
coral communities and help to elucidate natural versus anthropogenic
disturbances impacting these environments so that management can be
directed towards ameliorating primary threats |
| Recent
publications and abstracts: |
| Clark,
T.R., Roff, G., Zhao, J-x., Pandolfi, J.M., and Done, T.J. In
Press. Dating and mapping historical changes in GBR coral
communities. Proceedings of the 2008 Conference of the Marine
and Tropical Sciences Research Facility, Cairns.
28 April - 1 May. |
| Clark,
T.R., Roff, G., Zhao, J-x., Pandolfi, J.M., and
Done, T.J. 2008. Timing of hard coral loss since European settlement:
Pelorus Reef, inshore Great Barrier Reef. In: 4th
AINSE
Quaternary Dating workshop, 26-27 March, 2008. |
|
| Matt
Davies |
PhD Candidate
|
Degree: BSc Hons (1st class,
Mathematics) Queensland University of Technology
Supervisor/s: Hans Muhlhaus, Lutz
Gros
Rm 803, Sir James Foots (47a) Building
Ph: 334 64090
Email: Matt
Davies
|
Project
Title:
Computational Schemes in Nonlinear Solid Geodynamics
|
The solid geophysical flow of constituent planetary processes occurring
at multiple spatial and temporal scales exhibit nonlinear
viscoplastic-elastic effects. For this reason, the incorporation of
these non-Newtonian effects into a single constitutive relationship
allows, in principle, the modeling of phenomena such as faulting,
shearing, magmatic flow, subduction, convection and even plate
tectonics in a unified manner (Mühlhaus and Regenauer-Lieb, 2005).
Through this unified model, the different components of mechanical flow
incorporating Newtonian, power-law, plastic and elastic flow components
are represented as coincident features of a single physical model. In
this regard, we consider the steady (Boussinesq) Stokes equations as
applied to solid state geophysics which are given in terms of velocity
and pressure by:

in conjunction with the incompressibility constraint:

These equations are completed with an initial condition for the
velocity:

and a "no flow" boundary condition:

The coincident features of this model are then determined by way of the
composite deformation rate given as follows under the Maxwell
constitutive model:

In the case of solid geophysical convection, the mechanical flow
components are then controlled by the strong exponential temperature
and pressure dependence of the composite viscosity.
A significant computational difficulty arises from the solution of
these equations in this context. In particular, the difficulty is
associated with:
" the incompressible treatment
" the strong nonlinearity and contrast of the viscosity
This project seeks to address these difficulties and develop an
improved high-level solution framework and computational solution
schemes that can be applied to transient nonlinear solid state
geodynamics flows.
|
| Recent
publications and abstracts: |
|
Gross, L., Cochrane, P., Davies, M., Mühlhaus, H.,
and Smilie, J. 2005. A Python-Based Programming Environment For Solving
Coupled Partial Differential Equations. Computational Methods
for Coupled Problems in Science and Engineering. |
|
Gross, L., Cochrane, P., Davies, M., Mühlhaus, H.,
and Smillie, J. 2005. Escript: Numerical Modelling With Python. Proceedings
Australian Partnership For Advanced Computing (APAC) Conference.
|
|
Mühlhaus, H., Moresi, L., Davies, M., and
Gottschaldt, K. 2005. Towards a Unified Model for the Dynamics of
Planets. Computational Methods for Coupled Problems in
Science and Engineering. |
|
Mühlhaus, H., Davies, M., Gross, L., and Moresi, L.
2005. Non-Newtonian Effects in Simple Models of Mantle Convection. Proceedings
Third MIT Conference on Computational Fluid and Solid Mechanics.
|
| Davies,
M., Gross, L., and Mühlhaus, H. 2004. Scripting High
Performance Earth Systems Simulations on the SGI Altix 3700. Proceedings
of the 7th International Conference on High Performance Computing and
Grid in the Asia Pacific Region. |
| Davies,
M., Mühlhaus, H., and Gross, L. 2004. Thermal Effects in the
Evolution of Initially Layered Mantle Material. Pure Appl.
Geophys. |
| Davies,
M., Mühlhaus, H., and Gross, L. 2004. The Rapid Development
of High Performance Numerical Models in Mantle Convection. APEC
Cooperation for Earthquake Simulation (ACES) 4th ACES Workshop
Proceedings, Book of Extended Abstracts. |
|
Gross, L., Davies, M., and Gerschwitz, J. 2004. A
High-Level Programming Language for Modeling the Earth. Pure
Appl. Geophys. |
|
Gross, L., Davies, M., and Gerschwitz, J. 2004. A
High-Level Programming Language for Modeling the Earth. APEC
Cooperation for Earthquake Simulation (ACES) 4th ACES Workshop
Proceedings, Book of Extended Abstracts. |
|
Mühlhaus, H., Davies, M., Gross, L., and Moresi, L.
2004. Elasticity, Yielding and Episodicity in Simple Models of Mantle
Convection. Pure Appl. Geophys. |
|
| Grant
Dawson |
PhD Candidate
|
Degree: BSc(Chemistry), BSc
Hons(Earth Sciences) University
of Queensland
Supervisor/s: Sue Golding, Joan
Esterle
Rm 233 Steele Building
Ph: 336 54787
Email: Grant
Dawson
|
Project
Title:
Flue
Gas and CO2 Geosequestration in Surat and Bowen
Basin Coals
|
|
The most feasible way for
Australia to significantly reduce emissions, given current
technological and economical restraints, is to sequester emissions
from large point sources (e.g. power stations) underground. Deep
un-minable coal seams are an abundant geological medium, close to
emission point sources, in both Queensland and New South Wales that
could potentially store the bulk of these States’ carbon emissions.
Sequestration in coal has additional environmental and economical
benefits in that the sequestered carbon dioxide (CO2)
will displace natural gas. This natural gas could be sold to offset
the cost of sequestration, and burning natural gas produces ~50% less
carbon emissions than coal for a given amount of energy. Our project
will investigate the geochemical reactions that occur at depth
between coal and a range of fluids, from flue gas (nitrogen + water +
CO2 and others) to pure CO2.
If injection of flue gas is found to be a more efficient means of
sequestration than injection of pure CO2,
this will eliminate the need to isolate CO2
from bulk power station emissions (flue gas) and thus significantly
lower the cost of sequestration.
|
| Recent
publications and abstracts: |
| Dawson,
G.K.W., and Esterle, J. 2008. Rank and Type Controls
on Coal Cleat spacing and Porosity (in prep). |
|
| Zarah
Heyworth |
PhD Candidate
|
Degree: BSc Adv Hons
(Geosciences) Monash University
Supervisor/s: Kurt Knesel, Massimo
Gasparon, Paulo Vasconcelos, Richard Arculus (ANU)
Rm 130, Richards Building
Ph: 334 69782
Email: Zarah
Heyworth
|
Project
Title:
4D
picture of mantle heterogeneity in subduction zones: a geochemical and
geochronological study of submarine volcanoes and spreading centres,
Vanuatu.
|
|
Subduction zones are sites of recycling of oceanic lithosphere,
chemical modification of the upper mantle, magma production and crustal
growth. One approach to the study of these dynamic systems has been
through geochemical examination of arc volcanoes. Although the
compositions of arc magmas have provided important first-order insights
into subduction zone processes, a more detailed understanding is
hampered by a scarcity of undifferentiated magmas derived directly from
subduction-modified mantle wedge. This project will investigate how
subduction and backarc spreading influence the time-dependent
composition and flow patterns of the upper mantle so as to provide new
insights into the structure and composition of the mantle wedge and the
processes that modify the composition of mantle through time. |
| Recent
publications and abstracts: |
| Heyworth,
Z., Turner, S.P., Schaefer, B.F., Wood, B., George, R.M.M.,
Berlo, K.,
Cunningham, H., Price, R.C., Cook, C. and Gamble, J.A. 238U-230Th-226Ra-210Pb
constraints on the time scales of high-Mg andesite evolution at White
Island, New Zealand. Chemical Geology, vol. 243,
105-121.
|
| Heyworth,
Z., Schaefer, B.F., and Nicholls, I.A. 2005. Intraplate
hypersthene-bearing trachyandesites: Evidence for multiple magma
sources in the Newer Volcanic Province, Australia. Geological
Society of Australia Abstracts, vol. 80, 12. |
| Heyworth,
Z., George, R.M., Schaefer, B.F., and Turner, S.P. 2005.
Insights into magma generation and evolution at White Island, New
Zealand, from U-series disequilibria. Geological Society of
Australia Abstracts, vol. 80, 24. |
| Heyworth,
Z., George, R.M., Schaefer, B.F., and Turner, S.P. 2005.
Magma generation and evolution at White Island, New Zealand. Geological
Society of Australia Abstracts, vol. 76, 67. |
| Heyworth,
Z., Nicholls, I.A., and Schaefer, B.F. 2005. Intraplate
hypersthene-bearing trachyandesites: Evidence for multiple magma
sources in the Newer Volcanic Province, Australia. Geochimica
et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 69, 855. |
|
Degree: BE (Chemical)
The University
of Queensland
Supervisor/s: Joan Esterle
, Sue Golding
Rm 233, Steele Building
Ph: 336 54787
Email: Emma
Kinnon
|
Project
Title:
Geological
controls on gas flow pathways in coal seams. |
The
aim of the study is gain a better understanding of natural and induced
changes in reservoir pressure, water and gas migration in coal seam
reservoirs over time during production at the field scale. Production
across the chosen gas field of study has varied considerably, both
within and between reservoir seams due to drilling performance and
geology. Understanding this variability in past reservoir behaviour, in
particular the role of geology and coal seam character leads to better
modelling and prediction of future reservoir behaviour.
If reservoir behaviour during commercial gas extraction can be
understood, then better scale-up models for injection, enhanced
residual gas recovery and potential sequestration of CO2
can be
developed.
|
| Recent
publications and abstracts: |
|
| Guia
Morelli |
PhD Candidate
|
Degree: BSc and MSc University
of Florence (Italy)
Supervisor/s: Dr Massimo Gasparon
& Dr Catherine Lovelock
Rm 118, Richards Building
Ph: 336 57140
Email: Guia
Morelli
|
Project
Title:
Human
impact on estuarine environments - an example from Moreton Bay,
southeast Queensland |
The project will provide new knowledge towards understanding of the
geological history of Moreton Bay. Moreton Bay is one of Australia's
largest estuarine systems and could be a good model to understand links
between terrestrial and marine ecosystems since European colonization.
The currently available evidence suggests Moreton Bay has been
drastically changed since European arrival, with accelerated rates of
sedimentation and delivery of carbon and nutrients from the terrestrial
to the marine environment.
By taking cores and using stratigraphic techniques and stable isotope
analysis I will be able to investigate the history and the extent of
spatial variation in deposition of terrestrial material across
different sites in the bay as mangroves, salt marsh and supra-tidal
salt flats. Sedimentological analysis (Total Carbon (TC), Total Organic
Carbon (TOC), grain size, mineralogical composition, trace metal
concentration, and Pb isotopes) of sediment cores will define
variations in type and in the rate of sediment supplied to the Bay as a
function of time. This set of data will provide information on the
paleo-environmental evolution of the Moreton Bay area, with emphasis on
anthropogenic input during the last 200 years.
|
| Recent
publications and abstracts: |
|
Thomas E., Roehl U., Monechi S., Westerhold T.,Balestra B. and Morelli
G. 2006. An Early Eocene hypertermal event at~52,5 MA. Climate
& Biota of the Early Paleogene, Bilbao. |
|
Galeotti S., Heal S., Kaminski M., Lanci L, Monechi S, Morelli
G. and Zachos J.C ., 2006. The Elmo event in the classical
Tethian setting of the Contessa Road section (Gubbio, Central Italy). Climate
& Biota of the Early Paleogene, Bilbao. |
| Morelli
G., Pandeli E., Principi G., 2004. Stratigraphic and
tectono-metamorphic evolution of the alpine para-autochton units
between Popolasca and Ponte di Castirla (North-Central Corsica). 32nd
IGC, Florence 2004. |
|
| Josh
Moulds |
PhD Candidate
|
Degree: Degree: BAppSc Hons (1st Class),
Queensland University of Technology
Supervisor/s: Gilbert Price,
Jian-xin Zhao
Rm 204, Richards Building
Ph: 336 52176
Email: Josh
Moulds
|
Project
Title:
Palaeoclimatic
and palaeoecological reconstructions of Quaternary faunal evolution in
eastern Australia
|
The
abundance of vertebrate remains in faunal assemblages from cave
deposits allows for the reconstruction of ancient ecosystems.
Interpretations of past habitat type on the basis of ecological make-up
can reveal broad palaeoclimatic inferences at a local scale.
The association of vertebrate deposits with contemporaneous
karst formation (speleothems) in caves enables precision age
determination of the fauna records and provides a means of direct
correlation of ecology to climate. Construction of a geochronological
framework via U-series dating methods will complement stable isotope
(C-O-Sr) analysis allow palaeoclimatic records of central Queensland to
be established.
This study will target such vertebrate-speleothem associations from
caves in the Mt. Etna area of Rockhampton, central Queensland, and will
build upon previous work in the area which has established a turnover
from rainforest- to arid-adapted species in reaction to
middle-Pleistocene aridification of the central coast.
My research will also attempt to test the applicability of isotope
dating methodologies to an array of carbonate mineral and skeletal
material from cave deposits.
In this way, a better understanding of the relationship between faunal
succession and changes in climate helps to address key unresolved
issues of Quaternary vertebrate evolution on continental Australia. The
recognition of evolutionary and ecological responses to climate has the
added benefit of identifying potentially vulnerable groups of endemic
species.
In the face of modern climate change, recognition of such trends will
lend insight into organizing better conservation strategies for
endangered vertebrate communities. |
| Recent
publications and abstracts: |
| Moulds,
J.J., and Webb, G. E. 2008. Trace
element geochemistry of Neoproterozoic stromatolites: a tool for
interpreting accretionary processes. Australian Earth
Sciences Convention 2008,
(submitted). |
| Moulds,
J.J., and Webb, G. E. 2008. Geochemistry of
Bioavailable Elements in Australian Neoproterozoic Stromatolites.
(in prep.). |
|
| Roshni
Narayan |
PhD Candidate
|
Degree:
MSc in Earth Sciences, University of Victoria,
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
BSc in Zoology, University of Alberta, Edmonton,
Alberta, Canada
Supervisor/s: Dr. John Pandolfi,
David Neil, Jian-Xin Zhao
Rm 260, Steele Building
Ph: 336 52130
Email: Roshni
Narayan
|
Project
Title:
Historical (Holocene) and modern foraminiferal assemblages of Moreton
Bay: Temporal, spatial distributions, natural vs. anthropogenic
influences and implications for coral communities
|
I'm interested in foraminiferal studies of Moreton Bay. Since European
colonisation over the past 200 years, coastal areas have undergone
deterioration and the coral communities in the Bay have undergone
significant faunal changes overtime. The nature and timing of these
faunal changes is uncertain and essential in furthering our
understanding of why these faunal transitions occurred and what the
significance of natural (long-term) versus anthropogenic (short-term)
influences are on regional coral communities. Living, sub-modern (since
European colonization) and fossil (Holocene) foramininferal assemblages
can will be studied to provide clues to the questions of when, how and
why historical faunal changes occurred and a clearer picture of what
the pre-impact environmental conditions were like in the Bay.
|
| Recent
publications and abstracts: |
|
Johns, M.J., Barnes, C.R., Narayan, Y.R. and
Trotter, J.A. In Press. New interpretation of the Crescent Terrane and
geological evolution of the Tofino Basin, British Columbia. Bulletin
of Canadian Petroleum Geology. |
|
Johns, M.J., Barnes, C.R. and Narayan, Y.R. 2006.
Cenozoic ichthyolith biostratigraphy: Tofino Basin, British Columbia. Canadian
Journal of Earth Sciences, vol. 43(2), 177-204. |
|
Johns, M.J., Barnes, C.R. and Narayan, Y.R. 2005.
Catalogue of Cenozoic ichthyoliths from the Tofino Basin and western
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Palaeontologia
Electronica, vol. 8.2.29A. |
| Narayan,
Y.R., Barnes, C.R., and Johns, M.J. 2005. Taxonomy and
biostratigraphy of Cenozoic foraminifers from Shell Canada wells,
Tofino Basin, offshore Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Micropaleontology,
vol. 51(2), 101-167. |
|
| Ai Duc
Nguyen |
PhD Candidate
|
Degree: BSc Hons, (Geology) Hochiminh
University of Natural Sciences, Vietnam. 1998
MPhil., (Earth Sciences) The University of Queensland,
Australia. 2007
Supervisor/s: Dr Jian-xin Zhao,
Dr. Massimo Gasparon, Dr Kefu Yu
Rm 233, Steele Building
Ph: 336 54787
Email: Ai
Duc Nguyen
|
Project
Title:
Climatic and environmental reconstruction based on reef corals from the
Vietnamese coast of the South China Sea |
Globally climatic and environmental changes have been a controversial
issue in recent years, especially following the recognition that
eustatic sea level rise due to global warming can damage human beings.
The interpretations of future climatic variability and environmental
change require long-term records of climatic and environmental data. It
is challenging to obtain such data because instrumental records only
offer relatively recent data, typically less than 100 years from
present. Fortunately, the landmark discovery of climatic and
environmental-dependent proxy archives such as lake and ocean
sediments, wind-blown deposits, ice cores, tree rings, speleothems
(caves) and corals, and the recent breakthrough of very precise
analytical techniques have helped scientists to rebuild the climatic
variation and environmental change in a long timescale (back to
hundreds of thousand years). This PhD project was proposed to
reconstruct the variability of climate and environment back to the
Holocene (10,000 years BP) based on dead corals on different sea level
stands, and live corals collected along the Vietnamese coast of the
South China Sea. The objectives of the project are to:
1. reconstruct the fluctuations of sea
levels at millennial to multi-decadal scales and the history of coral
reef development since Early Holocene (post-glaciation) by using the
TIMS U-series and radiocarbon dating techniques
2. unlock the windows to sea surface
temperature and sea surface salinity archives since the Early Holocene
by using δ18O, Sr/Ca, Mn/Ca, U/Ca.
3. define the timing of recent coral
bleaching and high-death events. Water quality during death events is
reflected by characteristic trace element concentrations, and Sr/Ca,
Ma/Ca, U/Ca, Ba/Ca values, and rare earth elements patterns
This project is right on the cutting-edge of global climate change
research and will be significant nationally and internationally to
understand the natural environmental changes of our planet on long
timescales, which can offer the context for understanding today's
climate dynamics; anticipating how the planet might respond to future
environmental perturbations; and for elucidating the impacts of natural
versus anthropogenic influences. |
| Recent
publications and abstracts: |
|
Trinh, T. H., Le, P., Do, M.T., Pham, B.T., Nguyen, H.S, Nguyen, D.D, Nguyen,
D.A., Le, D,M. (2000) Change and general trend of development
of shoreline in the Cuadai estuary, Hoian, Quangnam province. In: Scientific
Conference Bien Dong 2000, Nha trang (75-80). |
|
Do, M.T., Nguyen, D.A., Pham, B.T. (2001) Research
on affection of neotectonic activity to erosion-accretion process in
the coastal estuaries from Danang to Sahuynh. Collection of
marine research works. V. XI, 69 - 78. |
| Nguyen,
D.A., Trinh, T.H., (2001) Some features of bottom surface
sediment of the Xuandai Bay, Phuyen province. Collection of
marine research works. V. XI, 79 - 88. |
|
Do, M.T., Nguyen, D.A., (2002) Recent geological
activities in the mouth area of Cunghau-Cochien river and solution for
preventing the natural disasters. In: Scientific Conference
Bien Dong 2002, Nhatrang p. 38-39. |
| Nguyen,
D.A., Gasparon, M., (2005) Arsenic mobility at the Mole River
Arsenic mine, Australia. In: The second International
Congress of Chemistry and Environment (Ed. By S.L. Gargh) pp
778 - 786. Research Journal of Chemistry and Environment, Indore,
India. |
| Nguyen,
D.A., Gasparon, M., Baumgartl, T., (2006) Chemical and
mechanical stability of waste rock at the Mole River Arsenic mine. In: International
Student Conference, Brisbane pp. 73- 88. |
|
Trinh, T. H, Nguyen, V. L., Pham, B. T., Tran, Q. K., Nguyen,
D.A. (2005) Present status of landscape and reef fish
resources at Cu Lao Cham archipelagos, Quangnam province. Marine
Sciences and Technology, 2, 25-38. |
|
| Perach
Nuriel |
PhD Candidate
|
Degree: B.Sc & M.Sc, Ben-Gurion
University of the Negev, Israel
Supervisor/s: Dr. Gideon
Rosenbaum, Assoc. Prof. Sue Golding, Assoc. Prof. Jian-xin Zhao
Rm 130, Richards Building
Ph: 3346 9782
Email: Perach
Nuriel |
Project
Title:
U-Th
Dating and Geochemical Tracing of Paleo-Seismic and Paleo-climatic
Events in the Dead Sea Fault Zone, Israel
|
| We
study calcite vein system located in a contractional strike-slip
setting within the Dead Sea Fault Zone (DSFZ) in northern Israel. These
calcite-filled fissures are closely associated with major N-S trending
strike-slip fault structures and considered to represent the most
recent
and presently active phase of deformation (Weinberger et al., 2009). We
use structural, U-Th dating, and geochemical analyses in order to study
the timing and mechanism of fault-related vein formation.
Calcite-filling veins may store important chronology of vein opening
rates and major tectonic and climatic events. Once opened by
extensional
tectonism these fissures can act as rainwater and groundwater flow
paths
functionally similar to those developed by karst processes; and such
tectonic environments can provide conditions favorable for accumulation
of deposits preserving long, continuous paleoclimate and paleoseismic
records.
|
| Recent
publications and abstracts: |
| Nuriel
P., Katzir, Y., Abelson, M., Valley, J.W., Matthews, A.,
Spicuzza, M.J., Ayalon, A., 2009. Fault-related oceanic
serpentinization
in the Troodos ophiolite, Cyprus: Implications for a fossil oceanic
core
complex. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 282,
34-46.
|
|
Uysal,
I.T., Feng, Y.-x., Zhao, J.-x., Isik, V., Nuriel, P.,
Golding,
S.D., 2009. Hydrothermal CO2 degassing in seismically active zones
during the late Quaternary. Chemical Geology 265,
442-454. |
| Nuriel
P., Uysal I.T., Rosenbaum G, Weinberger R., Karabacak V.,
Golding
S.D., 2008. Tracing paleo-seismic events in the Eastern Mediterranean
(Turkey & Israel): U-series dating and stable isotope studies
of
co-seismic carbonate veins. Australian Earth Sciences
Convention, Perth,
June 2008.
|
| Nuriel
P., Weinberger R., Rosenbaum G., Golding S.D., Zhao J., Uysal
I.T., Gross M., Karabacak V., 2008. Tracing of Paleoseismic Events in
the Eastern Mediterranean: U-series Dating and Stable Isotope Studies
of
Syntectonic Carbonate Veins. American Geophysical Union,
San-Francisco,
December 2008. |
|
| Emma
St. Pierre |
PhD Candidate
|
Degree: BA Hons (Archaeology and
Anthropology), University of Queensland
Supervisor/s: Jian-xin Zhao, Sue
Golding (UQ), Mike Gagan (ANU) and Mike Morwood (UoW)
Rm 210B, Richards Building
Ph: 33467382
Email: Emma
St. Pierre |
Project
Title:
Human-environment interactions in Australasia
|
|
This research takes a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding
Holocene human-environment interactions in Australasia with a specific
focus on the island of Flores, Indonesia. The geochemical study of
speleothems from cave sites for palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironment
reconstruction is used to investigate possible human impact on the
environment and conversely potential impact of climate and environment
change on the human population. U-series dating of speleothems at
archaeological cave sites is used to establish and improve
chronological sequences. These studies are used in addition to
associated evidence from the archaeological record, to further
understand human-environment interactions in this critical region of
the world for human migration, evolution and adaptation.
|
| Recent
publications and abstracts: |
| St
Pierre, E.J., Zhao, j-x., Dunbar, G.B., and Gagan,
M.K.
(2007). "Speleothem record of palaeoenvironmental change in southern
Sulawesi, Indonesia during the last glacial to Holocene transition". Quaternary
International, Vol. 167-168 Supplement. |
|
Ayliffe, L.K., Gagan, M.K., Zhao, j-x., Drysdale, R.N., Hantoro, W.S., St
Pierre, E.J., Smith, G.K., and Suwargadi, B.W.
(2007). "Speleothems from Flores, Indonesia: tropical archives of
climate". Quaternary
International, Vol. 167-168 Supplement. |
| Griffiths,
M.L., Drysdale, R.N., Gagan,
M.K., Ayliffe, L.K., Zhao, j-x., St
Pierre, E.J., Hantoro, W.S., Suwargadi, B.W.(2007).
"Speleothems from Flores, Indonesia: tropical archives of
climate
". Quaternary
International, Vol. 167-168 Supplement. |
|
|