Geoscience Projects
This document describes projects suitable for students undertaking a 24 pt research project as part of an Honours or Masters degree.
Two key points to note:
We encourage you to consider what geoscience research problems interest you and to choose a project topic that will motivate you to do your best work throughout the year. The aim of the 24 pt project is to provide an opportunity to learn how research works and to begin developing your research skills. The 24-pt project is a pathway to higher degree by research (MSc, MPhil, PhD).
This document does not summarise all available projects and you are welcome to speak with any staff in the School who supervise projects in the areas of interest to you. We recommend that you have a supervisor and a general idea of your project by the end of this year. Do not leave organising a project until the first teaching week of 2016! Remember that many of the staff take leave through January.
Geoscience is a broad discipline that includes Geology, Geophysics1, Geochemistry, Geobiology and Computation/Numerical Modeling. The breadth of research activity in the School of Earth & Environment means that students have opportunities to undertake diverse research projects. Research may be focused on resolving questions related to fundamental Earth processes and knowledge or have various levels of application to specific resources including mineral deposits, petroleum and groundwater.
You are welcome to contact staff directly (contact details are provided in the booklet) to discuss projects where they are listed as the main contact. If you are interested in an MSc (by thesis & coursework) degree, some of the projects outlined in this booklet can be extended into or set up as larger projects (e.g. 36 pt projects). You are welcome to contact supervisors to discuss as required.
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1. Geophysics is the study of Earth and its physical processes using the quantitative methods of physics, math and computer science. Studies include the solid earth, oceans, atmosphere, ionosphere and space. Geophysical data sets such as seismic waves, EM waves including radar, gravity, magnetics etc. are used to image Earth (inside and out). Solid earth applications range from plate tectonics, volcanism and earthquake seismology, to exploration and monitoring of energy resources such as hydrocarbons and geothermal, to mineral exploration, to groundwater, CO2 storage and environmental processes.
Contents
Emplacement dynamics of the La Balma-Monte Capio intrusion, Ivrea Zone, Italy 5
Enhanced predictive capability for targeting high quality magmatic hydrothermal copper, gold and molybdenum deposits 5
Thermodynamic modelling of subducting CO2 rich plateaus 6
3D/4D Geophysical imaging of hydrocarbon and CO2 reservoirs 6
Analysis of seismic azimuthal anisotropy and tectonic stress 7
3D/4D environmental geophysics 7
Computational simulation of geologic sedimentation processes 7
High Resolution seismic imaging of seafloor properties for slope stability and geo-hazard assessment 8
Geophysical analysis of paleo tsunami deposits in WA 8
Modelling Seismic Wavefields for Imaging Earth Structure 8
Time-lapse Geophysical Monitoring of Fresh-Saltwater Interfaces 9
Imaging the earth with ambient noise fields 9
Gravity monitoring of Kings Park hydrology (Mid-year start only) 9
Australo-Antarctic Geology and the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (Mid-year start only) 10
Tracing fluid pathways in komatiite-hosted Ni-PGE deposits 10
Basin Structure and mineralization in the Capricorn Orogen 11
A methodology of very large-scale gravity inversion (Mid-year start only) 11
How the West was One…The Rodona-Totten Shear Zone (Mid-year start only) 12
Geological mapping of Venus – Atalanta Planitia Quadrangle 12
Instantaneous melts on Venus – Earth analogues 13
Neotectonics and strike-slip reactivation in offshore petroleum basins of northern WA 13
Seafloor bathymetry in the western Timor Sea as evidence of modern tectonic processes 14
External controls on the architecture and evolution of Paleocene - Eocene carbonate platforms, NW Bonaparte and Browse basins: a seismic stratigraphic approach 14
3D seismic stratigraphy – Plio-Quaternary analogues for carbonate reservoirs 15
Unravelling tectonic and eustatic controls on shelf-margin and slope sedimentation in the northern Bonaparte Basin 15
Controls on the stratigraphic architecture and evolution of carbonate slope systems of the North West Shelf: analogue study for oil & gas reservoirs 16
Shallow-marine seismic stratigraphy and reservoir architecture in the offshore Taranaki Basin (New-Zealand) 16
Depositional history and petroleum reservoir characterisation, North West Shelf basins 17
Characterisation of siliciclastic- or carbonate-dominated reservoirs associated with conventional and unconventional resources in onshore WA Basins (e.g. Canning Basin, Perth Basin) 17
Geochemical signatures in stratigraphic successions 18
Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology 18
Rare Earth Element mineralisation in granites 19
Modelling hydrothermal alteration and mineralisation in the Abra base metal deposit 19
Geochemical evolution of dredge spoils 20
Structural Evolution of the AUS-PAC Plate Boundary in Southern New Zealand 20
What are the forms of trace elements in sulfidic estuarine sediments? Can we use trace elements as geochemical tracers in these systems? 21
What can we learn from geochemical soil surveys? 21
The quantification of hydrothermal mineralising systems 22
Empirical Analysis of False Positives in Geophysics and Geochemical Exploration – A ‘Live’ Case Study of Nickel-Copper Exploration in the Fraser Range Region, WA 22
The Depth Extent of Australia’s Exploration Search Space - Constraints from Existing Mine Developments 23
Mineral System analysis to predict the copper metal endowment of Northern Chile 23
Can rare earth element (REE) concentrations in vegetation explain enrichment of rare earth elements in some surface soils? 24
Magnetic Interpretation of Basement Structure of the Irwin Terrace, northern Perth Basin 24
Radiometric Responses of Mineral Deposits: Are Alteration-Zone Responses Actually Due to Changes in Geochemistry? 25
Interpreting Magnetic Data from Sedimentary Basins: Recognising Responses from Evaporites 25
Petrology and geochemistry of majorite-bearing peridotite as a source of Barberton-type komatiite volcanism 26
Microbialte Ecohydrology and Sedimentology 27
PT constraints on Gold mineralisation in the Archean Agnew Greenstone belt 27
Metamorphic P-T evolution of the Archean Agnew Greenstone belt 28
Hydrothermal alteration mineralogy, texture and zoning at the Petowal deposit, Eastern Senegal, Western Africa 28
U-Pb age distribution of Detrital Zircon populations across the Birimian Terrane / Man Shield boundary, West Africa 29
Martian impact craters and their potential for melt and ore deposit genesis 30
High-Precision Uranium-Lead Geochronology applied to Igneous Processes and Tectonics 31
Fingerprinting fluid and sulfur sources at the Prairie Downs Pb-Zn deposit: unlocking sphalerite 31
3D modelling of the West African Craton 32
Topological uncertainty in 3D geology 32
Web mapping solutions for pre-competitive geoscientific data distribution 33
Cooling rate, emplacement mechanism and crystallisation of a dolerite sill. 33
Palaeobiology - Precambrian fossils 34
Controlling factors for the spatial distribution of emeralds 34
Project: /Emplacement dynamics of the La Balma-Monte Capio intrusion, Ivrea Zone, Italy
Majors including: / Geology, economic geology, geochemistry - Honours or Masters projectSupervisor: / Marco Fiorentini (), 6488 3465, Steve Denyszyn
Description: / The study will build new understanding on the emplacement dynamics of mantle derived Ni-Cu-PGE sulphide systems through investigation of key natural examples in the Ivrea Zone of northwest Italy. This domain of deeply exhumed lower crust and mantle rocks hosts the most comprehensive and coherent suite known of deep-level Ni-Cu-PGE sulphide bearing mafic/ultramafic intrusions, providing a unique opportunity to resolve the dynamic emplacement and evolution of such magmatic ore bodies. This research would have three principle aims:
1. Documenting the relationship between size and geometry of the intrusions and structural architecture of the host rocks into which they were emplaced
2. Establishing the role that volatiles (e.g. H2O, CO2, etc.) played in the emplacement of the intrusions and the attainment of sulphide saturation
3. Constraining the physical mechanisms and controls on emplacement and localisation of the intrusion-hosted ore systems.
Project: /
Enhanced predictive capability for targeting high quality magmatic hydrothermal copper, gold and molybdenum deposits
Majors including: / Geology, economic geology, geochemistry (Honours or Masters)Supervisor: / Marco Fiorentini (), 6488 3465; Cam McCuaig; Tony Kemp; Bob Loucks
Description: / Most fertility indicators for magmatic hydrothermal systems available to explorers are currently limited to whole-rock analyses of exposed plutons of mainly calc-alkalic suites. However, a recent pilot project carried out at the Centre for Exploration Targeting (CET), University of Western Australia (UWA), has shown proof of concept that zircon morphology, chemistry and isotopic composition could be successfully used as a detrital indicator. This has the potential to detect new mineral districts in covered or poorly exposed terrains by quickly and cheaply analyzing detritus in covered sequences and/or stream sediments. The proposed study will be integrated within a larger scale project, which aims to seize the opportunity to develop reliable heavy mineral indicators in the exploration for high-quality magmatic-hydrothermal copper-gold mineral systems. The work will mainly focus on unravelling the key link between the morphological features and isotopic signatures of zircon crystals with 1) the evolving nature of the source magma and 2) the relative timing of magma ponding at various stages through the lithosphere during arc related magmatism.
Project: /
Thermodynamic modelling of subducting CO2 rich plateaus
Majors including: / Geology, economic geology, geochemistry; Honours or Masters projectSupervisor: / Marco Fiorentini (), 6488 3465; Chris Gonzalez, Weronika Gorczyk
Description: / Decarbonation during subduction is a topic of much recent interest, with a lot of geological and geochemical data available, very little has been done in terms of numerical modelling. Recent advancement in implementing CO2 degassing into state of the art numerical code (I2VIS) allows studying this phenomenon in depth and is truly innovative with a lot of potential for great discoveries.
Slab derived volatiles, primarily H2O ± CO2 fluids, are a critical component to subduction processes and evolution. Volcanic gas monitoring, melt inclusions and microdiamonds attest to the presence and transfer of carbon during subduction into the overlying mantle wedge and continental crust. CO2 is the second most abundant volcanic gas and contributes to shaping Earth’s climate, therefore it is critical to get a better understanding of processes that may lead to intensive slab decarbonation, like subduction of CO2 rich plateaus.
These projects are best suited towards students with an academic focus as the results are highly publishable and likely to be of high impact if well executed. Some familiarity with linux and computer simulations is well seen, but not required. Enthusiasm and willingness to work hard are essential.
Project: /
3D/4D Geophysical imaging of hydrocarbon and CO2 reservoirs
Majors including: / Geophysics, Physics, Engineering, Computer ScienceSupervisor: / David Lumley, 6488 7331,
Jeff Shragge, Rie Kamei, Nader Issa
Description: / Geophysical data sets, especially seismic waves, can be used to image (3D), and monitor in time-lapse mode (4D), subsurface reservoirs for oil and gas resources, or injection and storage of anthropogenic CO2, using techniques such as seismic, gravity and EM (electromagnetics) including radar. These projects may require working with a combination of rock and fluid physics, earth model building software, computational geophysics data simulation, imaging and inversion, field data acquisition and quantitative data analysis. Computer experience and some maths are required. Projects have the potential to follow on to vacation work internships, and MSc or PhD studies.
Project: /
Analysis of seismic azimuthal anisotropy and tectonic stress
Majors including: / Geophysics, Physics, Engineering, Computer ScienceSupervisor: / David Lumley, , 6488 7331, Jeff Shragge, Nader Issa
Description: / There is evidence from various types of geophysical data of strong azimuthal anisotropy (subsurface physical properties at a point vary as a function of the compass direction in which they are measured) possibly indicating anomalous horizontal tectonic stress gradients in WA and other parts of the world. These data sets can be analysed to determine information about the stress regime in these rocks, their physical properties, and perhaps make predictions about the nature of fluid flow, fault sealing, rock fractures, and earthquake risk. This project may require working with various geophysical data sets (active/passive seismic, well logs, borehole breakouts, ultrasonic core measurements…) and geophysical modelling/analysis software. Computer experience and some maths are required. Projects have the potential to follow on to vacation work internships, and MSc or PhD studies.
Project: /
3D/4D environmental geophysics
Majors including: / Geophysics, Physics, Engineering, Computer ScienceSupervisor: / David Lumley, , 6488 7331, Jeff Shragge, Nader Issa
Description: / Geophysical data sets can be used to image (3D) and monitor (4D) near surface soil and rocks using techniques such as seismic, gravity, GPR (ground penetrating radar) and EM (electromagnetics), with application to groundwater, contaminant flow, and baseline studies for CO2 sequestration projects. These projects may involve geophysical field data surveying, working with rock and fluid physics, earth model building software, computational geophysics data simulation, and quantitative data analysis. Computer experience and some maths are required. Projects have the potential to follow on to vacation work internships, and MSc or PhD studies.
Project: /
Computational simulation of geologic sedimentation processes
Majors including: / Geophysics, Physics, Engineering, Computer ScienceSupervisor: / David Lumley, , 6488 7331, Jeffrey Shragge, Julien Bourget.
Description: / Reservoir rocks that contain important fluids (hydrocarbons, water, CO2, geothermal) are created by complex geologic depositional systems. This project involves the development of innovative models and running supercomputing algorithms that will simulate the sedimentation processes of marine coastal environments important for understanding WA reservoir rocks. Computer programming experience and some maths are required. Projects have the potential to follow on to vacation work internships, and MSc or PhD studies.
Project: /
High Resolution seismic imaging of seafloor properties for slope stability and geo-hazard assessment
Majors including: / Geophysics, Physics, Engineering, Computer ScienceSupervisor: / David Lumley, , 6488 7331, Julien Bourget, Beau Whitney
Description: / Engineering studies of the seafloor are important to understand the physical properties, slope stability and geo-hazards associated with offshore pipeline and facilities construction. Currently this is done using a collection of sparse geotechnical data samples and sonar scans, and geologic interpretation. This project involves developing new seismic techniques to obtain high-resolution images and material property estimates for the seafloor and shallow mud layers to complement the geo-engineering analysis. Computer experience and some maths are required. Projects have the potential to follow on to vacation work internships, and MSc or PhD studies.
Project: /
Geophysical analysis of paleo tsunami deposits in WA