Michael Chin

Earth-Science Reviews – Global continental and ocean basin reconstructions since 200 Ma

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Seton, M., Müller, R. D., Zahirovic, S., Gaina, C., Torsvik, T., Shephard, G., … & Chandler, M. (2012). Global continental and ocean basin reconstructions since 200Ma. Earth-Science Reviews, 113(3), 212-270. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2012.03.002. Download the paper – pdf

Australian Paleo-stress map project

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Fig12_0Ma-6Ma_asmUsing the engineering finite element modelling software package ABAQUS we have modelled the horizontal compressive stress of the Indo-Australian plate for time periods dating from the mid-Cretaceous. This work was carried out as part of the Tectonic Reactivation and Palaeo-Stress (TRAPS) Linkage project in collaboration with Shell, BHP Billiton,Woodside Petroleum and SANTOS in order to create a framework for predicting the tectonic reactivation of faults through time.

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Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems – Influence of overriding plate geometry and rheology on subduction

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Butterworth, N. P., Quevedo, L., Morra, G., & Müller, R. D. (2012). Influence of overriding plate geometry and rheology on subduction. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 13(6). doi:10.1029/2011GC003968. Download the paper – pdf

6th eResearch Australasia Conference – Application of open-source software and high-resolution geophysical images to explore the plate tectonic evolution of Australia

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Williams, S., Musgrave, R., & Müller, R. D. Application of open-source software and high-resolution geophysical images to explore the plate tectonic evolution of Australia. 6th eResearch Australasia Conference, Sydney, 28 Oct-1 Nov 2012. Download the paper – pdf

6th eResearch Australasia Conference – Evolution of Earth’s topography from models of global mantle flow and lithospheric deformation

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Flament, N., Gurnis, M., Williams, S.E., Seton, M. and Müller, R.D., (2012). Evolution of Earth’s topography from models of global mantle flow and lithospheric deformation, 6th eResearch Australasia Conference , Sydney, 28 Oct-1 Nov 2012. Download the paper – pdf

6th eResearch Australia Conference – An open innovation platform for deep time spatio-temporal knowledge-discovery

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Müller, R. D., Cannon, J., Landgrebe, T. C. W., & Qin, X. An open innovation platform for deep time spatio-temporal knowledge-discovery. In 6th eResearch Australasia Conference, Sydney (Vol. 28). 28 Oct-1 Nov 2012. Download the paper – pdf

Testing absolute plate reference frames and the implications for the generation of geodynamic mantle heterogeneity structure

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Shephard 2012 agegrids vels 140-1Absolute reference frames are a means of describing the motion of plates on the surface of the Earth over time, relative to a fixed point or frame. Multiple models of absolute plate motion have been proposed for the Cretaceous-Tertiary period, however, estimating the robustness and limitations of each model remains a significant limitation for refining both regional and global models of plate motion as well as fully integrated and time dependent geodynamic models. Here, we use a novel approach to compare five models of absolute plate motion in terms of their consequences for forward modelled deep mantle structure since at least 140 Ma. … Read more…

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Dynamic topography and anomalously negative residual depth of the Argentine Basin

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Shephard 2012 Argentine Basin-1A substantial portion of Earth’s topography is known to be caused by the viscous coupling of mantle flow to the lithosphere but the relative contributions of shallow asthenospheric flow versus deeper flow remains controversial. The Argentine Basin, located offshore of the Atlantic margin of southern South America, is one of the most anomalously deep ocean regions as it is significantly deeper than its age would suggest. … Read more…

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Constraining the Jurassic extent of Greater India: Tectonic evolution of the West Australian margin

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2011GC003919-p1a-1We present the Indian Ocean plate tectonic model accompanying the study of Gibbons et al., (2012). This work details the first regional-scale tectonic model of the breakup of East Gondwana. Our model shows that the breakup of East Gondwana started with the migration of a continental sliver, Argoland, in the Late Jurassic and was followed by breakup between Greater India and Australia-Antarctica in the Early Cretaceous, involving spreading reconfigurations, which left several sunken continental plateaus of Indian crust on the Australian plate. New evidence from seafloor off northwest Australia also shows that the majority of Greater India reached only about halfway up the West Australian margin, to the Wallaby-Zenith Plateaus. … Read more…

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Precambrian Research – Archean gravity-driven tectonics on hot and flooded continents: Controls on long-lived mineralised hydrothermal systems away from continental margins

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Thébaud, N., & Rey, P. F. (2013). Archean gravity-driven tectonics on hot and flooded continents: controls on long-lived mineralised hydrothermal systems away from continental margins. Precambrian Research, 229, 93-104. doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2012.03.001. Download the paper – pdf

Geological Magazine – A deep subaqueous fan depositional model for the Palaeoarchaean (3.46 Ga) Marble Bar Cherts, Warrawoona Group, Western Australia

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Olivier, N., Dromart, G., Coltice, N., Flament, N., Rey, P., & Sauvestre, R. (2012). A deep subaqueous fan depositional model for the Palaeoarchaean (3.46 Ga) Marble Bar Cherts, Warrawoona Group, Western Australia.Geological Magazine, 149(04), 743-749. doi:10.1017/S0016756812000131. Download the paper – pdf

Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems – Constraining the Jurassic extent of Greater India: Tectonic evolution of the West Australian margin

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Gibbons, A. D., Barckhausen, U., den Bogaard, P., Hoernle, K., Werner, R., Whittaker, J. M., & Müller, R. D. (2012). Constraining the Jurassic extent of Greater India: Tectonic evolution of the West Australian margin. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 13(5). doi:10.1029/2011GC003919. Download the paper – pdf

An open-source software environment for visualizing and refining plate tectonic reconstructions using high-resolution geological and geophysical data sets

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GSA Today Cover-1We describe a powerful method to explore spatio-temporal relationships within geological and geophysical data sets by analyzing the data within the context of tectonic reconstructions. GPlates is part of a new generation of plate reconstruction software that incorporates functionality familiar from GIS software with the added dimension of geological time. Here we use GPlates to reconstruct geological terranes, geophysical grids, and paleomagnetic data within alternative tectonic models of the assembly of Western Australia and the configuration of Rodinia. With the ability to rapidly visualize a diverse range of geological and geophysical constraints within different reconstructions, users can easily investigate the implications of different tectonic models for reconciling a variety of observations and make more informed choices between different models and data. … Read more…

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Earth and Planetary Science Letters – Reconstructing Ontong Java Nui: Implications for Pacific absolute plate motion, hotspot drift and true polar wander

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Chandler, M. T., Wessel, P., Taylor, B., Seton, M., Kim, S. S., & Hyeong, K. (2012). Reconstructing Ontong Java Nui: Implications for Pacific absolute plate motion, hotspot drift and true polar wander. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 331, 140-151. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2012.03.017. Download the paper – pdf

Insights on the kinematics of the India-Eurasia collision from global geodynamic models

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Image 002We present the input plate motion models and results from the study by Zahirovic et al. (2012) on the India-Eurasia collision using linked kinematic and geodynamic models.

Two end-member scenarios of the India-Eurasia collision were tested. The conventional model invokes long-lived Andean-style subduction along southern Eurasia until continental collision between a maximum extent Greater India and Lhasa at ~60 Ma. … Read more…

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G-Cubed – Insights on the kinematics of the India-Eurasia collision from global geodynamic models

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Zahirovic, S., Müller, R. D., Seton, M., Flament, N., Gurnis, M., & Whittaker, J. (2012). Insights on the kinematics of the India‐Eurasia collision from global geodynamic models. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 13(4). doi:10.1029/2011GC003883. Download the paper – pdf