Unravelling the origins of volcanism along Eastern Australia and the Tasman Sea

Jul 29, 2022·
Dr. Ben Mather
Dr. Ben Mather
Maria Seton
Maria Seton
Rebecca Carey
Rebecca Carey
,
Jo Whittaker
Simon Williams
Simon Williams
Maëlis Arnould
Maëlis Arnould
Nicolas Coltice
Nicolas Coltice
Saskia Ruttor
Saskia Ruttor
Angus Rogers
Angus Rogers
Oliver Nebel
Oliver Nebel
Chris Gonzalez
Chris Gonzalez
· 0 min read
Abstract
Mantle plumes are buoyant upwellings rising from the Earth’s core-mantle boundary to its surface, generating hotspot chains that track the direction of plate motion. Eastern Australia contains three contemporaneous volcanic chains (1 onshore, 2 offshore) that have long been held to be formed by three separate plumes, however, this fails to explain their geochemical similarity and close spacing. Surrounding these plume-related volcanoes are hundreds of smaller volcanic edifices which exhibit no correlation with plate motion. Armed with numerical models of mantle convection, plate reconstructions, seismic tomography, and geochemistry of eruption products, we aim untangle the complex history of volcanism in eastern Australia and offshore. In this talk, I will discuss how plume-slab interaction can lead to plume branching, potentially forming parallel hotspot chains, and the influence of slab flux on driving non-age progressive volcanism.
Date
Jul 29, 2022 2:00 PM — 3:00 PM
Location

University of Queensland

QLD

events
Volcanoes Numerical-Modelling Geodynamics Geochemistry
Dr. Ben Mather
Authors
Dr. Ben Mather
ARC Industry Research Fellow

I am an ARC Industry Research Fellow in the School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at The University of Melbourne. I am an expert in fusing Earth evolution models with data to understand how groundwater moves critical minerals through the landscape. Related research interests include the cycling of volatiles within the Earth, probabilistic thermal models of the lithosphere to unravel past tectonic and climatic events, and understanding the how enigmatic volcanoes form.

I am a vocal advocate for the integral role of geoscience in responding to challenges we face in transitioning to the carbon-neutral economy. As an expert in my field, I have been interviewed in national and international print media, TV, and radio on a wide variety of subjects including earthquakes, volcanoes, groundwater, and critical minerals.

Maria Seton
Authors
Maria Seton
Associate Professor & Associate Head of Research
Maria Seton is a marine geoscientist and core member of the EarthByte Group, specialising in global tectonics, geodynamics, and the link between plate tectonic and mantle processes. She develops and uses the GPlates plate reconstruction software.
Rebecca Carey
Authors
Rebecca Carey
Associate Professor
Rebecca Carey investigates subaerial and submarine volcanic eruptions, with particular interest in how water depth influences eruption explosivity.
Authors
Jo Whittaker
Simon Williams
Authors
Simon Williams
ARC Future Fellow
Simon Williams is a geophysicist specialising in gravity and magnetic data analysis to define sedimentary basins and understand plate tectonics. Previously a long-standing member of the EarthByte Group, he now leads marine geoscience research at IMAS.
Maëlis Arnould
Authors
Maëlis Arnould
Assistant Professor
Maëlis Arnould develops 3D spherical models of mantle convection with self-generating plate tectonics to study interactions between lithosphere and mantle dynamics.
Nicolas Coltice
Authors
Nicolas Coltice
Professor
Nicolas Coltice uses 3D spherical numerical geodynamic models to study how mantle convection drives plate tectonics, treating the mantle-lithosphere as a single coupled system.
Saskia Ruttor
Authors
Saskia Ruttor
Postdoctoral Researcher
Saskia Ruttor uses radiogenic and stable isotopes to investigate the evolution of oceanic islands and mantle plume dynamics, with published work on the Pitcairn mantle plume, Hawaiian lavas, and Azores basalts.
Angus Rogers
Authors
Angus Rogers
Postdoctoral Researcher
Angus Rogers researches the chemical and geodynamic complexities of oceanic volcanism in the southwest Pacific and eastern Australia, with expertise in isotope geochemistry, U-Th-Pb dating, and ocean island basalts.
Oliver Nebel
Authors
Oliver Nebel
Professor of Geochemistry
Oliver Nebel is a high-temperature geochemist who uses rock and mineral chemistry, and stable and radiogenic isotope compositions, to study mantle composition, ocean floor volcanic activity, and crust-mantle evolution. He directs the Monash Isotopia Laboratory.
Chris Gonzalez
Authors
Chris Gonzalez
Research Fellow
Chris Gonzalez investigates deep carbon cycles in subduction and intracratonic settings using numerical geodynamic modelling and data-driven methods.