[Aqualist] LIEF and International Linkage Awards

Simon Haberle simon.haberle at anu.edu.au
Thu Nov 18 03:26:35 EST 2004


Dear All,

In addition to this mornings posting about the ARC success....Here are a 
wealth of LIEF grants that will support Quaternary research for a few years 
to come.....Simon


____________________________
LINKAGE INFRASTRUCTURE EQUIPMENT AND FACILITY

LE0560736       Dr RA Wust; Dr YK Leong; Dr MJ Ridd; Dr PV Ridd; Dr SG 
Smithers; Mr JW Faithful
Title:  Centre for Particle Characterisation (North Queensland)
2005 :  $250,622
Category:       2601             -      GEOLOGY
Partner Organisation(s)
James Cook University
Administering Institution:      James Cook University
Summary:
The aim of this proposal is to establish a state-of-the-art research 
facility as part of a comprehensive material characterisation 
infrastructure required to support JCU's expanding activities in geology, 
oceanography, sustainable water research and nanotechnology.  New 
instruments to measure attractive forces between particles, material 
density, porosity, surface area, and carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur content 
in conjunction with replacing an old grain size analyser will provide 
advanced instrumentation for research across several Schools with a 
diversity of research priorities.  The proposed facility will create new 
opportunities for collaborative programs with national and international 
researchers as well as foster industry partnership.


LE0561224       Prof AR Chivas; Dr CS Turney; Dr RG Roberts; Dr CV 
Murray-Wallace; Dr LK Fifield; Dr C Pelejero; Dr E Calvo; Prof P De 
Deckker; Dr PR Grave; Prof AP Kershaw; Prof DT Potts; Dr D Fink; Dr K Wyrwoll
Title:  14CHRONOS (Chronologies from High-ResolutiON Organic Separations): 
a centre for radiocarbon dating of specific compounds for the environmental 
and archaeological sciences
2005 :  $267,767
Category:       2601             -      GEOLOGY
Partner Organisation(s)
University of Wollongong
The Australian National University
The University of New England
Monash University
The University of Sydney
ANSTO
The University of Western Australia
Administering Institution:      University of Wollongong
Summary:
Accurate timekeeping is central to the environmental and archaeological 
sciences. Radiocarbon dating is the leading geochronological technique for 
events of the past 50,000 years, but the issue for sample contamination 
remains a major source of concern. Avoidance of contaminants can be 
achieved through the identification of specific biomolecular compounds that 
unambiguously formed part of the original sample, and the isolation of 
these biomolecules for radiocarbon dating using accelerator mass 
spectrometry. Here we request funds to establish Australia's first 
compound-specific radiocarbon dating facility, to obtain ages of high 
accuracy for key studies of climate and landscape change, evolutionary 
biology and archaeology.


LE0560734       A/Prof K Grice; Prof JR Dodson; Dr PF Greenwood
Title:  Accelerated solvent extractor and evaporator  for molecular and 
stable isotope analyses of sedimentary organic matter
2005 :  $110,000
Category:       2603             -      GEOCHEMISTRY
Partner Organisation(s)
Curtin University of Technology
The University of Western Australia
Administering Institution:      Curtin University of Technology
Summary:
The accelerated solvent extractor (ASE) uses pressurised liquid extraction 
to obtain the bitumen fraction easily measurable for molecular and isotopic 
composition of organic sediments in just a few minutes. This compares 
favourably to traditional extraction procedures, which can take two to 
three days. Our projects often require the analyses of large numbers of 
sediment extracts to obtain chemical data at high geological resolution. 
The ASE/Evaporator will greatly assist these  endeavours  which aim to 
improve our understanding of Australian environments (incorporating the 
effects of natural and human-related processes) and identify source rocks 
offering good petroleum reserves.


LE0560725       A/Prof I Cartwright; Prof IH Simmonds; Dr TR Weaver; Dr MR 
Grace; Dr J Read; Dr IS Buick; Dr FP Bierlein; Dr SJ Gallagher; Dr MW Wallace
Title:  Enhancing the Monash-VIEPS Stable Isotope Facility
2005 :  $127,042
Category:       2603             -      GEOCHEMISTRY
Partner Organisation(s)
Monash University
The University of Melbourne
Administering Institution:      Monash University
Summary:
This proposal is to enhance the Monash-Victorian Institute of Earth and 
Planetary Sciences (VIEPS) Stable Isotope Facility to expand our capacity 
for state-of-the-art research in hydrogeology, hydrology, aqueous 
chemistry, modern and palaeoclimatology, sedimentology, geochemistry, 
economic geology, and biological sciences. This facility will then have an 
analytical capability that is at least the equal of those elsewhere in 
Australia and which will maintain our position as a World Class stable 
isotope research facility. The enhanced facility will permit new research 
to be carried out that will lead to new collaborations both within the 
traditional Earth Sciences and across disciplines.


LE0560868       Dr TR Ireland; Prof TM Harrison; Dr AK Kennedy; Dr PD 
Kinny; Dr VC Bennett; Dr IS Williams; Dr AP Nutman; Dr MK Gagan; Prof Dr R 
Grun; Dr IH Campbell; Dr PM Vasconcelos; Dr KM Knesel; A/Prof SD Golding; 
A/Prof BG Jones; Dr PF Carr; A/Prof CL Fergusson; Dr JC Hellstrom; Dr GJ 
Davidson; Prof RR Large
Title:  SHRIMP SI - Microscale stable-isotope analysis in the Earth Sciences
2005 :  $552,475
Category:       2603             -      GEOCHEMISTRY
Partner Organisation(s)
The Australian National University
Curtin University of Technology
University of Wollongong
The University of Queensland
The University of Melbourne
University of Tasmania
Australian Scientific Instruments
Geoscience Australia
CSIRO - Exploration & Mining
Administering Institution:      The Australian National University
Summary:
Stable-isotope variations of elements such as oxygen, carbon, and sulphur, 
preserve the most profound records of environmental conditions during the 
geological, biological, and climatic evolution of Earth and planets.  We 
will build a stable isotope ion microprobe (SHRIMP SI) to examine 
extraterrestrial and terrestrial systems in unprecedented detail. In 
terrestrial applications, the main issue is accuracy at the 0.01 percent 
level for 20-micron spots, which we can apply to studies of development of 
life on Earth, climatic records, weathering, and formation of ore bodies. 
Sample return missions of solar wind and comets will provide unique samples 
related to the formation of our solar system.


LE0560892       Prof ML Heron; Prof O Hoegh-Guldberg; Dr WJ Skirving; 
A/Prof BL Willis
Title:  HF Radar Facility for Oceanography in the Great Barrier Reef
2005 :  $284,232
Category:       2604             -      OCEANOGRAPHY
Partner Organisation(s)
James Cook University
The University of Queensland
Australian Institute of Marine Science
Administering Institution:      James Cook University
Summary:
HF radar is becoming a dominant tool, globally, for monitoring surface 
features in coastal waters.  A facility will be installed in the southern 
section of the Great Barrier Reef to monitor currents and waves on a 
continuous basis in support of an international study of coral 
bleaching.  The facility will also be used to support the development of 
satellite remote sensing tools for monitoring the ocean on the continental 
shelf.  HF radar technology is relatively new and this facility offers 
Australian scientists the opportunity to retain their leading role in the 
world.  The HF radar may be used for ship surveillance, for security and 
for environmental management in coastal waters.


LE0560956       Prof MT McCulloch; Prof AR Chivas; Dr SM Eggins; Prof RJ 
Morrison; Dr J Mavrogenes; Dr C Pelejero; Dr E Calvo; Dr DF Jolley; Dr RG 
Roberts; Prof Dr R Grun; Dr EJ Rhodes
Title:  World-leading elemental and isotopic microanalysis and chemical 
speciation facilities for an environmentally sustainable Australia
2005 :  $397,100
Category:       2604             -      OCEANOGRAPHY
Partner Organisation(s)
The Australian National University
University of Wollongong
Administering Institution:      The Australian National University
Summary:
We propose to establish a world-leading centre for the study of the 
elemental and isotopic composition of key environmental, archaeological and 
mineral samples. This will be based upon ultra-short wavelength laser 
ablation and speciation methods, combined with new advanced ICP-MS 
technologies developed in Australia. This will give the centre unrivalled 
capabilities and allow new areas of research to be undertaken in global 
climate change, the impact of increased salinity and pollution on the 
sustainability of Australia?s inland waterways and coastal environments, 
and the history of the first humans who inhabited Australia. This will 
provide a baseline and new quantitative measures to better plan for an 
environmentally sustainable Australia.


LE0560828       A/Prof KE Parnell; Prof ML Heron; Dr CJ Lemckert; Dr PV 
Ridd; Dr TC Stieglitz; Dr SG Smithers; Dr RA Wust; Dr L Tao
Title:  Hydrodynamics and water quality field research facility
2005 :  $363,288
Category:       2605             -      HYDROLOGY
Partner Organisation(s)
James Cook University
Griffith University
Administering Institution:      James Cook University
Summary:
Understanding the fate of sediments and contaminants transported through 
catchments and the marine environment and their impacts on aquatic and 
marine ecosystems requires detailed hydrodynamic understanding at a range 
of scales. By establishing a state of the art research facility, JCU and GU 
together have a unique opportunity to provide hydrodynamic and water 
quality research which will support research priority areas of both 
institutions, and advance the understanding of Australia?s important 
tropical and subtropical ecosystems. Currently, excellent researchers and 
novel collaborations between and within James Cook University and Griffith 
University, are restricted by the lack of essential modern equipment.


LE0560895       Dr LK Fifield; Prof JM Chappell; Prof P De Deckker; A/Prof 
I Cartwright; Dr TR Weaver; Prof DM Bowman; Prof AP Kershaw; Dr RT Bush; Dr 
CS Turney; Dr JH Field; Dr AL Herczeg; Dr P Hesse; Dr DB Gore
Title:  A new-generation gas-source radiocarbon system for integrated 
environmental and archaeological
2005 :  $854,354
Category:       2606             -      ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES
Partner Organisation(s)
The Australian National University
Macquarie University
Monash University
CSIRO - Land & Water
University of Wollongong
Southern Cross University
The University of Sydney
Charles Darwin University
The University of Melbourne
Administering Institution:      The Australian National University
Summary:
An ultra-sensitive radiocarbon analysis system, proposed here, is central 
to new, multi-institution research into past fluctuations of Australia?s 
climate, natural resources and ecosystems. Focussed on the 40,000 years of 
human presence, the research is an integrated approach to changes of earth 
systems in the Australian region.The equipment is a single-stage 
accelerator mass spectrometer (SSAMS) with an innovative gas-fed ion source 
and automated gas-handling system, with simpler processing and smaller 
samples than present AMS facilities. Future developments include automated 
multi-sample handling and coupling to microprobe and chromatographic 
analysers for microscale radiocarbon analysis of complex substances.


LINKAGE INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS AWARDS

LX0559831       Dr J Zhao; Dr GE Webb; Dr K Yu
Title:  Mid-Holocene coral reef bleaching and recovery in the South China 
Sea and its implications for the modern Great Barrier Reef
2005 :  $85,752
Category:       2606             -      ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES
Collaborating Countries
China
Administering Institution:      The University of Queensland
Summary:
Strong evidence shows the mid-Holocene was 1-2 ºC warmer than the present, 
implying a greater probability for coral bleaching. We have collected 
well-preserved mid-Holocene reef corals from the northern South China Sea, 
which contain growth hiatuses reflecting bleaching and mortality. We 
propose to use high-resolution Sr/Ca, d18O and microstructure analysis and 
high-precision U-series dating of coral growth bands to determine the 
season and sea-surface temperature when each growth hiatus occurred and to 
establish the timing and duration of the growth hiatus. Reconstructed 
mid-Holocene coral bleaching history has important implications for 
management of the Great Barrier Reef during predicted global warming.


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