Character, Timing and Origins of the Late Neoproterozoic Shuram-Wonoka Carbon Isotope Excursion and Associated Paleocanyons in South Australia
- Lead PI: Sarah H. Giles , Prof. Nicholas Christie-Blick
-
Unit Affiliation: Seismology, Geology and Tectonophysics, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO)
- Unknown start date - Ongoing
- Active
- Oceania ; Australia
- Project Type: Research
DESCRIPTION: New research is under way in the Neoproterozoic, with particular reference to the character, timing and origins of the enigmatic Shuram-Wonoka carbon isotope excursion in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia. The project is being undertaken by Sarah M. Giles for her Ph.D. (2018-2023). Research in June- August, 2019 focused on the origin of kilometer-deep buried canyons with which the isotopic anomaly is intimately associated; and pilot sampling of carbonate rocks to test competing explanations for observed isotopic variations, and of sandstones for U-Pb detrital zircon geochronology and 40Ar/39Ar glauconite geochronology bracketing both the excursion and the paleocanyon level.