geoz 102 November 2014

NEWSBREAKERS

MTEC gets a big tick

The Minerals Tertiary Education Council (MTEC) has been awarded the Business-Higher Education Roundtable award for Outstanding Achievement in Collaboration in Higher Education and Training. Well done MTEC!
http://tinyurl.com/lpko6dp

FROM THE DIVISIONS

Divisional information is regularly updated at http://gsa.junctionworld.com/events/divisionmeetings.html
Check this site for more recent information on the following events:

Australian Capital Territory

Tuesday 2nd December
Geo-Societies Christmas BBQ
RSVP by Friday 28th November to Kathryn.Owen@ga.gov.au; ph: 6249 5894
Geoscience Australia in Symonston 5.00 pm

New South Wales

Honours night presentations
Erica Barlow (University of New South Wales) - was awarded best presentation of the night
Congratulations Erica!

Queensland

2014 meeting dates to be advised
For more information: info@qld.gsa.org.au

Every Wednesday evening: GeoPub
Weekly Informal get-together for Explorers, Miners & other Geoscientists
O'Malleys Irish Pub - Basement Level of the Wintergarden in the Queen Street Mall, Brisbane. 5.30 pm

South Australia

The GSA SA Division is very pleased to announce a new partnership with the Playford Trust, through which one scholarship will be offered annually, to the value of $5,000. The award will go to an outstanding student entering a full time Honours year in Earth Sciences at a South Australian university.
The deadline for applications is 16 January 2015.
A copy of the application form is attached to the end of this months newsletter. Potential supervisors of 2015 Honours students are encouraged to draw their attention to this fantastic new opportunity.

There is no general meeting in December.
The next general meeting will take place Thursday 19th February 2015
Speaker and talk title will be confirmed in a forthcoming newsletter
Mawson Theatre, University of Adelaide. 5.30 pm for 6.15 pm

GeoNight at the Pub: First Thursday of each month
The Griffins Head, Hindmarsh Square, Grenfell Street, Adelaide (Front Bar), 5.00pm to 7.30pm
For more information: anna_petts@yahoo.com.au

Tasmania

2014-15 meeting dates to be advised
For more information: taryn.noble@utas.edu.au

Victoria

Thursday 27th November 2014
Peter Trusler
Illustrating for Science and Culture
Fritz Loewe Lecture Theatre, School of Earth Sciences, Melbourne University, 5.30pm for 6.15pm.

Western Australia

2015 Gibb Maitland Medal Nominations now open.

The Gibb Maitland Medal is awarded by the Western Australia Division of the GSA in order to recognise individuals who have made substantial contributions to geoscience in Western Australia.

Nominations close: Monday 1 December 2014
For more information including the guidelines and nomination form: http://wa.gsa.org.au/

Ravi Anand was the 2014 Gibb Maitland Medallist. Read his acceptance speech in WAG here.

GSA EVENTS

Fee waiver for 1st Australian Early to Mid-Career Geoscientists Workshop
Macquarie University, 1-2 December 2014

The Geological Society of Australia is offering up to 3 registration fee waivers ($200) for GSA members attending the first AEMCG workshop, to be held at Macquarie University from 1-2 December 2014.

To apply for a fee waiver, please email Prof Brad Pillans (brad.pillans@anu.edu.au) and attach a CV. You should also indicate how long you have been a GSA member and provide details of GSA activities/events that you have participated in since becoming a member. Email applications should be submitted by Friday 21 November.

Successful applicants will be expected to write a short workshop report (300-400 words) for inclusion in the GSA member newsletter, The Australian Geologist.

Successful applicants will be announced prior to the workshop and receive a registration refund of $200.

Further information on the workshop is available from:
http://research.science.mq.edu.au/mg3/workshop/home.htm

GSA membership renewals for 2015

2015 Member renewals have been posted to all members. Membership is from the 1st January - 31st December. If you didn't receive your membership renewal and book sale information please contact the GSA office

To pay online:
Internet Explorer is the most user-friendly browser to enable online membership renewal.
Firstly, Click the member login area
Login: this is your member number
Password: on your member renewal form, unless you manually changed it.
The blue box on the left has your profile, click: Pay My Membership

This window has the details listed on your member renewal, if you do not want to change anything, simply add to basket to make the payment. If you wish to make changes click on the tick boxes and add to basket. You will now be in the checkout window. Insert your credit card details in this secure area and complete your transaction.
If you would like a receipt, please email: info@gsa.org.au
If in doubt please do not hesitate to contact the GSA by email info@gsa.org.au or phone (02) 9290 2194.

Specialist Group in Tectonics and Structural Geology.

Riding the Wave: A conference to showcase current research and ideas in Structural Geology and Tectonics

Pre-conference field trip: 15-22 November 2015
New Caledonia: ophiolite obduction, accretion and high-pressure metamorphism
Field trip convener: Geoffrey Clark

Post-conference field trip: 28-30 November 2015
Gympie Block/D'Aguilar Ranges: Oscillating deformation and the birth and death of the final orogeny on onshore Australia - core complex, ophiolitic blueschist, rift systems and terrane accretion.
Field trip convener: Rod Holcombe

Key dates:
Early Bird registration and submission of approximate titles for oral presentation selection: 30 June 2015
Abstract deadline: 15 September 2015

For queries and expressions of interest contact:
Gideon Rosenbaum,
Email: g.rosenbaum@uq.edu.au
Phone: 07 3346 9798

IN THE NEWS

Severe winter snow storms trigger salt price surge

The severe snowstorms of 2013-14 triggered road salt shortages in the USA and the recent extreme snow storm weather is likely to see the same again resulting in road salt costs soaring in response to increased demand by state governments desperately trying to keep the roads clear.
http://tinyurl.com/kwlrm39

Alaskan flights advised to avoid ash

Alaska's most active volcano, Pavlof, is now at Orange Alert according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory. While activity has diminished in recent days concerns remain about the hazard fresh ash clouds may pose for aircraft.
Alaska Volcano Observatory: http://tinyurl.com/pjpucwn
Image courtesy NASA's Earth Observatory: http://tinyurl.com/ofpdomb

ON THE WEB

No new methane from Artic soils

A new report using NASA airborne data indicates methane is not being released from Alaskan soils at unusually high rates despite recent modelling and spot observations suggesting otherwise.
http://tinyurl.com/pou3mhd

Modern bolide impact map an eye opener

A new Near Earth Object Program map reveals that small asteroids frequently enter and disintegrate in the Earth's atmosphere. Using data from 1994 to 2013 it shows a random distribution of observations around the globe.
http://tinyurl.com/p38huor

IN THE MEDIA

Call to protect Cliefden Caves

Cliefden Caves and associated nationally significant fossil sites will be flooded and lost forever if a proposal to build a dam on the Belubula River goes ahead. Concerned stakeholders have set up a website and are calling on the community for support.
http://tinyurl.com/n2g8hfl

Jurassic climate flip - flop

Detailed chemical analysis of Morrison Formation palaeosols show the rich fossil dinosaur hunting grounds of the USA underwent an abrupt change from arid to wet environments during the Jurassic.
http://tinyurl.com/morblp4

Mars: The field trip continued ...

An erosion resistant ridge is being looked at by Curiosity as the NASA team plans to select targets at the base of Mount Sharp for analysis. The ridge known as Pink Cliffs, is within the Pahrump Hills outcrop forming part of the basal layer of the mountain.

http://tinyurl.com/kt9q9va
Image courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

New Mars Exploration Program director named
http://tinyurl.com/nywegjt

Lego goes to Mars (at least in schools)
http://tinyurl.com/kfbdjh7

Volcanism might drive wet Mars
http://tinyurl.com/ppcefhq

More news from the solar system ...

Philae finds traces of organic molecules on comet 67P
http://tinyurl.com/ktswozf

British moon push
http://tinyurl.com/mso94pa

What is Venus hiding?
http://tinyurl.com/lahe6jf

Geologic Maps of Vesta from the Dawn Mission
http://tinyurl.com/pvcco7n

Remastered images of Europa
http://tinyurl.com/mjae88l

... and elsewhere ...

Giant black hole spotted
http://tinyurl.com/pnzs4fl

After a supernova ...
http://tinyurl.com/q3lvjq8

What's in AJES

The Australian Journal of Earth Sciences online is available through the Taylor & Francis website. It is very easy to navigate and use.

AJES is available to financial members of the GSA. Don't miss the next issue because your membership has lapsed!

Volume 61 No.7

S. Jones
Contrasting structural styles of gold deposits in the Leonora Domain: Evidence for early gold deposition, Eastern Goldfields, Western Australia.

M. F. Gazley, J. K. Vry & M. A. Pearce
Further evidence for ~8 kbar amphibolite facies metamorphism in the Marymia Inlier, Western Australia.

M. C. Bruce & I. G. Percival
Geochemical evidence for provenance of Ordovician cherts in southeastern Australia.

J. D. Clemens, D. Frei & F. Finger
A New Precise Date for the Tolmie Igneous Complex in northeastern Victoria.

B. Jago, C. J. Bentley, Lin Tian-rui & K. D. Corbett
A middle Cambrian shallow water trilobite fauna from the Comstock Formation, near Queenstown, western Tasmania.

Y. Wang, Y. Wang, W. Du & X. Wang
The correlation between macroscopic algae and metazoans in the Ediacaran: a case study on the Wenghui biota in northeastern Guizhou, South China.

O. O. Sonibare, O. B. Agbaje, D. E. Jacob, J. Faithfull, T. Hoffmann & S. F. Foley
Terpenoid composition and origin of amber from the Cape York Peninsula, Australia.

C M Aruffo, A. Rodriguez-Herrera, E. Tenthorey, F. Krzikalla, J. Minton & A. Henk
Geomechanical modelling to assess fault integrity at the CO2CRC Otway Project, Australia.

P. Wang, X. Chen, X. Pang, J. Li, H. Yang, F. Jiang, J. Guo, F. Guo, W. Peng & J. Xu
Gas generation and expulsion characteristics of Middle-Upper Triassic source rocks, Eastern Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin, China: Implications for shale gas resource potential.

Volume 61 No.8

M. Lipar & J. A. Webb
Middle-late Pleistocene and Holocene chronostratigraphy and climate history of the Tamala Limestone, Cooloongup and Safety Bay Sands, Nambung National Park, southwestern Western Australia.

R. A. Henderson & M. A. P. Nind
Pliocene aridity and Neogene landscape evolution recorded by a fluvial sediment system (Campaspe Formation) in northeast Queensland.

S. K. Hamilton, J. S. Esterle & R. Sliwa
Stratigraphic and depositional framework of the Walloon Subgroup, eastern Surat Basin, Queensland.

S. Schmid & M. Quigley
Fluvial architecture and diagenesis of the Mt Eclipse Sandstone at the Bigrlyi uranium deposit, Ngalia Basin, Australia.

D. T. Flannery, M. J. Van Kranendonk, R. Mazumder & M R. Walter
The ca 2.74 Ga Mopoke Member, Kylena Formation: a marine incursion into the northern Fortescue Group?

D. Hoy, G. Rosenbaum, R. Wormald & U. Shaanan
Geology and geochronology of the Emu Creek Block (northern New South Wales, Australia) and implications for oroclinal bending in the New England Orogen.

I. D. Lindley
Suckling Dome and the Australian-Woodlark plate boundary in eastern Papua: The geology of the Keveri and Ada'u Valleys

Other papers published on-line recently

E. Swierczek, G. Backe, S. P. Holford, E. Thentorey & A. Mitchell
3D seismic analysis of complex faulting patterns above the Snapper Field, Gippsland Basin: implications for CO2 storage

Follow this link to see the most recent papers published on-line.

Coming up in TAG

TAG for December 2014

The December TAG is in production and the copy deadline has passed. We want to share your local news and report on what matters to the geoscience community. The copy deadline for the March 2015 issue is 27 January 2015. If you are submitting a Feature or Special Report please send your article in as soon as possible and if you need information about word lengths and submitting contact: tag@gsa.org.au

JOB VACANCIES

Advertising space now available

Advertising positions are now available in Geoz. Be the first to advertise here.
Word length: 40-50 words (the shorter the more effective) plus link to a web site.
Text and a small logo linking to your online advert or business.
Logo a maximum of 180 pixels wide x 90 pixels high.
Adverts will run in Geoz for two issues.
Fee: $150.00
For more information: info@gsa.org.au

WHAT'S ON

DEADLINES:

Call for Papers - Abstract deadline November 28 2014

Locate15 Conference and Exhibition: 10 – 12 March2015
The Power of Location
http://tinyurl.com/lbbozdo

Call for Papers - Abstract deadline December 1 2014

9th International Symposium on Field Measurements in Geomechanics: 8 – 10 September 2015
Instrumentation: the key to managing project performance
http://tinyurl.com/qzlc7u8

Call for Papers - Abstract deadline December 15 2014

4th annual Australasian Universities Geoscience Educators Network meeting: 12 – 13 January 2015
Submit abstracts and expressions of interest here. AUGEN web site: http://tinyurl.com/lzjvszv.

Nomination deadline December 1 2014

The Gibb Maitland Medal
For more information including the guidelines and nomination form: http://wa.gsa.org.au/

Nomination deadline January 16 2015

David Syme Research Prize - $7300 plus medallion
For more information including the guidelines and nomination form: http://tinyurl.com/ly9nfh4

EVENTS:

Recent advances in the measurement accuracy for total recoverable hydrocarbon analysis, Sydney, 26 November 2014

http://tinyurl.com/p3cb9jb

Water Management for Landfills, Melbourne, 26 – 28 November 2014

http://tinyurl.com/nwzu2a7

Introduction to Coal Seam Gas, Mining and Groundwater, Sydney, 26 – 28 November 2014

http://tinyurl.com/nylzf48

Annual Space Industry Association of Australia Distinguished Lecture, Sydney, 27 November 2014

The UK Space Transformation - Lessons for Australia
http://tinyurl.com/pmum7gc

Spatial technology as a Bleeding Edge enabler of traditional industry, Brisbane, 27 November 2014

http://tinyurl.com/mr6d2d7

Archean Tectonics Debate & Symposium, Perth, 27 – 28 November 2014

http://tinyurl.com/levbwol

Unsaturated soil mechanics seminar, laboratory testing workshop and tailings workshop, Perth, 1 – 4 December 2014

http://tinyurl.com/keaygzb

Soil and Groundwater Pollution: Characterisation, Remediation and Risk Management, Sydney, 1 – 4 December 2014

http://tinyurl.com/pkaqpnp

Computer Science Education Week & the Hour of Code event, Globally, 8 – 14 December 2014

http://tinyurl.com/mddtqlu

Australasian Universities Geoscience Educators Network meeting, 12 – 13 January 2015

http://tinyurl.com/lzjvszv

Australian Groundwater Modelling School, Adelaide, 23 – 26 February 2015

http://tinyurl.com/mtvjwf6

2D/3D slope stability analysis for open pit mines short course, Perth, 6 March 2015

Follow this link for the flyer

Emerging Technologies in Waste Management Seminar Series, Perth, 9 – 13 March 2015