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geoz 61 December 2012
NEWSBREAKERS
Meanwhile, in the real world ...
While the end of the world as we know it seems unlikely and the fictional planet Nibiru remains fictional, asteroid Toutatis, a 4.8-kilometre long rock, passed by Earth within about 7 million kilometres on December 12.
The orbit of Toutatis is well known and it will pass close to Earth again in 2069, when it will be within 3 million kilometres. Calculations reveal Toutatis will not be responsible for the end of the world (or any part thereof) anytime in the next 400 years. The Chinese lunar orbiter Chang'e 2 successfully conducted a flyby of asteroid Toutatis snapping some impressive photographs.
NASA radar images in 64-frame movie: http://1.usa.gov/UYrpR3
News report and images from China: http://bit.ly/W7TVCf
Image courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech.
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
2013 meeting dates to be advised
For more information: eva_papp@grapevine.com.au
New South Wales
2013 meeting dates to be advised
For more information: meetings@nsw.gsa.org.au
Northern Territory
Wednesday 6th February 2013
2013 Annual General Meeting
Curves Bar, Vibe Hotel, Darwin Waterfront. 5.30 pm
Contact: Jo.Whelan@nt.gov.au or 08 8999 5375
Friday 8th February 2013
2013 Annual Dinner
Char Restaurant, Cnr The Esplanade and Knuckey St, Darwin. 7.00 pm
Contact: Jo.Whelan@nt.gov.au or 08 8999 5375
Queensland
2013 meeting dates to be advised
For more information: info@qld.gsa.org.au
South Australia
Thursday 21st February 2013
Speaker to be confirmed
Mawson Theatre, University of Adelaide. 5.30 pm for 6.15 pm
Tasmania
2013 meeting dates to be advised
For more information: mduffett@mrt.tas.gov.au
Victoria
2013 meeting dates to be advised
For more information: secretary@vic.gsa.org.au
Western Australia
2013 meeting dates to be advised
For more information: info@wa.gsa.org.au
GSA EVENTS
GSA membership
The 2013 Member renewals have been mailed; if you haven't received your renewal notice contact the office. Members can update their details or renew their membership online. Need help? Don't know your membership number, not sure if you have renewed? If in doubt, please contact the GSA office: : info@gsa.org.au.
GSA membership is from the 1st January - the 31st December 2013. If you are interested in joining the GSA please contact: info@gsa.org.au.
Mega Memoir Sale
Memoirs 1 - 34 at heavily discounted rates for all of our Members. Limited time only, Sale ends 28 February 2013. Click here for the Order Form
The National Rock Garden - a rock solid idea
The National Rock Garden (NRG) now qualifies for Deductible Gift Recipient status (DGR). In other words, donations to the NRG are now tax deductible so now donating to the NRG can be a win-win!
The National Rock Garden will have up to 100 large specimens of the country's most iconic rocks.
Each specimen will weigh approximately 10–15 tonnes. To find out how you can contribute follow
this link to the NRG web site: http://www.nationalrockgarden.org.au/
If you would like to join the Friends of the National Rock Garden and receive
newsletters and information directly by email please send a request to rockgarden@gsa.org.au
Image courtesy of Brad Pillans
Biennial Conference of the Specialist Group in Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Petrology: Rocks, Reef and Rainforest (R3)
Following the format of the successful Kangaroo Island (2009) and Murramarang (2011) SGGMP conferences, this Gordon-style conference held in tropical North Queensland
will combine oral and poster presentations, field trips, and a packed social program.
Mission Beach, QLD, July 14th to 19th 2013.
Places are limited!
http://sggmp2013.webs.com/
IN THE NEWS
The dirt on Ediacarans?
A new theory on the origins of the Ediacaran fauna proposes they were soil based creatures, not marine invertebrates. The reinterpretation of some of the marine sedimentary rocks in the Rawnsley Quartzite sequence as palaeosols has not been met with universal acceptance.
News report: http://bit.ly/XdVc61
Research abstract: http://bit.ly/VDMrRf
New data on K-T lizards and snakes
A review of lizard and snake classification has lead to the conclusion that they were nearly wiped out along with the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. The study has revealed that 85 per cent of lizard and snake species went extinct and anything over 500g was doomed along with the dinosaurs.
http://bit.ly/TQfPaB
ON THE WEB
Iron ore on-line
Geoscience Australia has released two new 1:10 million scale colour map sheets, Australian In Situ Iron Ore Resources 2012. Sheet 1 shows in situ iron resources (hematite) of geological regions. Sheet 2 shows in situ iron resources (magnetite) of geological regions. The map sheets are available as a free download:
http://bit.ly/VPIcnO
Venusian volcanoes active?
Venus hosts hundreds of volcanoes, but volcanic activity has not been observed. However, large changes in the sulphur dioxide content of the Venusian atmosphere may indicate new volcanic eruptions are underway.
http://bit.ly/Z3ZodL
IN THE MEDIA
In-depth probe of Lake George
The Australian Research Council, a local gravel company and a local grazing family have joined forces to fund the Australian National University's investigation of Lake George's mysterious water levels, as well as its archaeological, indigenous and European history.
http://bit.ly/VMK9Fh.
Silurian ostracod salami
Mechanical destruction of a fossil may not sound like a good thing but in doing so researchers have assembled 500 digital images of 'slices' from a Silurian ostracod and created a virtual fossil in 3D that reveals soft tissue structures including limbs and eyes.
http://bbc.in/UBgHxo.
Fossil rain drops make a splash
Palaeobarometric studies reveal rain on Earth 2.7 billion years ago was similar to today's rain even though the atmosphere was very different.
http://bbc.in/SDKebp
Mars: the field trip (continued)
Perchlorates and sulphur compounds found in soil.
http://1.usa.gov/R2vymu
Touch and go easy as!
http://1.usa.gov/UjQ547
Heavy water more common on Mars.
http://1.usa.gov/YdMTMG
It's a soil, much like the other ones!
http://1.usa.gov/VMnCCF
Video update on events at Rocknest
http://1.usa.gov/VEdewA
Image: Crossbedded sedimentary rocks near Glenelg, Mars. The image is colour corrected to look as if it was under lighting as seen on Earth. Image courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS.
http://1.usa.gov/UAso7z.
What's in AJES
The Australian Journal of Earth Sciences online is available through the Taylor & Francis' website: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/taje20. It is very easy to navigate and use.
Volume 59 Issue No.8
B. L. N. Kennett and M. Salmon
AuSREM: Australian Seismological Reference Model
D. F. Lascelles
Banded iron formation to high-grade iron ore: a critical review of supergene enrichment models
J. H. Cann and C. V. Murray-Wallace
Interstadial age (MIS5c) beach-dune barrier deposits in the Coorong Lagoon, South Australia
M. Honda, D. Phillips, M. A. Kendrick, M. K. Gagan and W. R. Taylor
Noble gas and carbon isotope ratios in Argyle diamonds, Western Australia: Evidence for a deeply-subducted volatile component
Discussion and Reply:
D. F. Lascelles Discussion on Microplaty hematite - its varied nature and genesis by R. C. Morris and Genesis modeling for the Hamersley BIF-hosted iron ores of Western Australia: a critical review by R.C. Morris and M. Kneeshaw.
Reply: R. C. Morris and M. Kneeshaw
Coming up in TAG
TAG for 2013
December TAG has been mailed. If you haven't received your copy by the 20th December email the office and we will despatch a copy in the new year.
The March TAG deadline for general contributions is 28 January, for all features and special reports it is mid-January. Don't be caught out and miss the March issue, send your March issue contribution early to:
http://gsa.junctionworld.com/publications/tag.html or email tag@gsa.org.au
WHAT'S ON
DEADLINES:
Call for Papers - Abstract deadline 25 February 2013
Slope Stability 2013:
Brisbane 25-27 September, 2013
EVENTS:
SMEDG Xmas Harbour Cruise, Sydney, 21 December 2012
Early bird registration closes December 14
Download PDF flyer here
Snowden Professional Development Courses, 2013 programme
10% Discount for GSA members
Download PDF flyer here
2nd Australian Tertiary Geoscience Teaching Workshop, Townsville, 16 – 17 January 2013
Registration is FREE
http://bit.ly/TyzkRo
Biannual meeting of the Special Group in Tectonics and Structural Geology, Thredbo, 2 – 8 Februrary 2013
Welcome BBQ and cricket match will be held on the Sunday 2 February
For more information contact gordon.lister@anu.edu.au
YOUANMI seismic and MT workshop, Perth, 27 February 2013
New seismic reflection and magnetotelluric data collected for the 2010 Youanmi and 2011 Southern Carnarvon seismic surveys.
http://bit.ly/px8B96
Environmental Geochemistry of Mine Site Pollution - An Introduction, Perth, 18 – 19 March 2013
Geology of Gold course, Melbourne, 18 – 22 March 2013
10% Discount for GSA members
Download PDF flyer here
Total Tailings Management Seminar, Perth, 20 – 21 March 2013
Advanced Tailings Management Seminar, Perth, 22 March 2013
Interpretation of Geochemical Data for Environmental Applications Workshop, Perth, 29 April 2013
Associate Prof Ron Watkins, Director, Environmental Inorganic Geochemistry Group, Curtin University
Download PDF flyer here
A Framework for Managing Risk After Mining Workshop, Perth, 30 April 2013
Bill Biggs, Biggs and Associates; Professor Ken Mercer, Australian Centre for Geomechanics
Download PDF flyer here
CONTACTS
Head Office
Suite 61, 104 Bathurst Street
Sydney NSW 2000
ph 02-9290 2194
fax 02-9290 2198
www.gsa.org.au
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