Untitled Document
Research Activities
2008
PRISE
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Introduction
PRISE operates as a self-funded research group within the Research School
of Earth Sciences, providing commercial and collaborative access to the
Research School's specialised equipment and expertise in areas of geochronology,
geochemistry and petrology. PRISE scientists also undertake their
own research projects and supervise postgraduate students, both within
the Research School and internationally.
All PRISE staff members are actively involved in wide-ranging collaborative
research projects with academic colleagues throughout the world, as well
as providing research and analytical skills to industry and Government
agencies on a commercial basis. During 2008 PRISE hosted twenty-nine
local and international visitors, most of whom undertook collaborative
projects using the SHRIMP, Laser ablation- and solution ICPMS, electron
microprobe and TIMS analytical facilities. PRISE staff also participated
in a number of field-orientated studies in Australia, Africa, South America
and Europe.
Some areas of current research include:
- Investigations of the origins of pyroxenite bodies in peridotite
massifs of the Western Gneiss Region, Norway (PhD student A. Rosenthal)
- High pressure experimental investigations of kimberlite and carbonatite
petrogenesis (PhD student K. Kiseeva)
- Impactor fluxes in the inner solar system from the ages and compositions
of lunar glasses (PhD student S. Hui)
- Multi-isotopic and trace element zircon studies to constrain magmatic
evolution of plate margins and continental reconstructions; combined
U-Th-Pb, Lu-Hf, Ti geothermometry, trace and REE chemistry, and oxygen
isotope studies.
- Development of in situ sulphur isotope analytical protocols for the
SHRIMP
- Use of sulphur isotopes to aid in understanding the origin and conditions
of formation of metal sulphides
- Chronology of the Archaean-Proterozoic transition and the rise of
oxygen in the atmosphere
- Geological Connection between West Antarctica and Patagonia since
the late Paleozoic: Tectonism, Paleogeography, Biogeography and Paleoclimate
- Placing realistic constraints on the timing of world-wide Neoproterozoic
glacial events: a critical examination of the "Snowball Earth" hypothesis
- Bioarchaeology in early Cambodian populations and in situ oxygen
and strontium analysis of human teeth
- Development of new mineralogical tools for diamond exploration
- Ages of granites and related mineralisation in NSW.
- Origin and evolution of plume magmas and Hawaiian volcanoes.
- Hydrochemistry of groundwater resources in the Sydney basin and Murrumbidgee
Irrigation area of NSW.
Research Projects
Further developments in the in situ analysis of sulphur isotopes using SHRIMP II - Richard A. Armstrong
Geochemistry and Analysis of Apollo 16 Lunar Impact Glasses - Simeon Hui
The
role of carbonated eclogite in kimberlite and carbonatite petrogenesis -
Kate Kiseeva
The Lunar Cataclysm: Reality of Mythconception? - Marc Norman
Melting of residual eclogites with variable
proportions of quartz/coesite - Anja Rosenthal
Advancing diamond exploration - novel techniques
for the interpretation of diamond indicator minerals - Gregory M Yaxley