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  • <div>This user guide accompanies the Groundwater Data Return Template (D2023-55964). The template is designed to make it easier for GA scientists to provide hydrochemistry and geochemistry information back to farmers and other landholders from the bores on their land or area of interest. It is designed to provide non-technical stakeholder information about what the parameters mean and also only the subset of data they are most likely to be interested in. The template can be expanded to include other parameters if required, and parameters can be deleted from the template if the data is not available or relevant.</div>

  • <div>This is for submission to the 2022 ICCE Conference: https://icce2022.com/</div> This Abstract was submitted/presented to the 2022 International Conference on Coastal Engineering (ICCE) 04-09 December (https://icce2022.com/)

  • <div>Australia has ambitions to become a major global hydrogen producer by 2030. The establishment of Australia’s and the world’s hydrogen economy, however, will depend upon the availability of affordable and reliable hydrogen storage. Geological hydrogen storage is a practical solution for large scale storage requirements ensuring hydrogen supply can always meet demand, and excess renewable electricity can be stored for later use, improving electricity network reliability. Hosting thick, underground halite (salt) deposits and an abundance of onshore depleted gas fields, Australia is well placed to take advantage of geological hydrogen storage options to support its ambition of hosting a global hydrogen hub export industry. Using the Bluecap modelling software, we identify regions in Australia that are potentially profitable for large scale hydrogen production and storage. We use the results of this work to suggest high-priority regions for hydrogen development, supporting policy maker and investor decisions on the locations of new infrastructure and hydrogen projects in Australia. <b>Citation:</b> Walsh SDC, Easton L, Wang C and Feitz AJ (2023) Evaluating the Economic Potential for Geological Hydrogen Storage in Australia. <o>Earth Sci. Syst. Soc. </i>3:10074. doi: 10.3389/esss.2023.10074

  • <div>A document outlining how geoscience data can be useful for natural resource managers and engagement tool for geoscientists interacting with these people.</div><div><br></div>

  • <div>This document provides a summary of fault parameterisation decisions made for the faults comprising the fault-source model (FSM) for 2023 National Seismic Hazard Assessment (NSHA23).&nbsp;As with the NSHA18, the FSM for the NSHA23 implementation requires the following parameters: simplified surface trace, dip, dip direction, and slip-rate. As paleoseismic data exist for only a few of the approximately 400 faults within the Australian Neotectonic Features database, we use the Neotectonic Domains model as a framework to parametrise uncharacterised faults.</div>

  • <div>Abstract to present results so far from Upper Darling floodplain EFTF module at Australasian Groundwater Conference (AGC) in Perth</div> This presentation was given at the 2022 Australasian Groundwater Conference 21-23 November (https://www.aig.org.au/events/australasian-groundwater-conference-2022/)

  • We present a class of “ellipsoidal rotation matrices” which can be used to characterize tectonic plate motion; where geocentric Cartesian coordinates travel along paths tangential to the ellipsoid. We contrast them with conventional Euler pole plate motion models which are more closely aligned with spherical coordinate systems and inherently induce a change in geodetic ellipsoidal height. We demonstrate the use of each in the Indo-Australian tectonic plate setting, which is known to move approximately 7 cm/year in a north-northeast direction. Geocentric Datum of Australia 2020 (GDA2020) coordinates are “plate-fixed” static coordinates obtained using a conventional Euler pole plate motion model to align time dependent coordinates with the 2014 realization of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame at the epoch 2020.0. We show that this Euler pole plate motion model can introduce ellipsoidal height velocities of up to −0.2 mm/year. This is small but systematic, so pertinent for consideration with high accuracy vertical land motion studies using GDA2020 coordinates and velocities. We further investigate the comparative statistical accuracy of conventional Euler pole and the ellipsoidal models with respect to characterizing plate motion captured in high quality Global Navigation Satellite System data. Plain Language Summary: We introduce a new way to study the movement of Earth's tectonic plates, using something called “ellipsoidal rotation matrices.” These matrices help us understand how plates move along a path that agrees with the Earth's ellipsoidal shape. This is different to the traditional way of studying plate motion, which usually assumes the Earth is a perfect sphere. We tested both methods by looking at the Indo-Australian tectonic plate, which is moving north-northeast at about 7 cm per year. Our findings show that the traditional, spherical method could result in slightly misrepresenting how the land is moving vertically, by up to −0.2 mm per year, since the vertical motion signal cannot be separated from the tectonic plate motion adequately. While this might not seem like much, it could matter in studies that require very accurate measurements of land height changes over time. We verify how well each method is in capturing the real movement of the Indo-Australian tectonic plate and demonstrate that the ellipsoidal method is more accurate. <b>Citation:</b> McCubbine, J. C., Riddell, A. R., & Brown, N. (2024). An ellipsoidal plate motion model of the Indo-Australian tectonic plate. <i>Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth</i>, 129, e2023JB027765. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JB027765

  • <div>In the present study, nanoscale organic-iron complex (NO-Fe) was used as an enhancement factor by two different <em>Rhodopseudomonas</em> species of purple non sulphur bacteria (PNSB) to produce hydrogen (H2). The NO-Fe complex was synthesised using <em>Eucalyptus viminalis</em>-a native Australian plant leaf extract, and FeSO4.7H2O salt. This NO-Fe complex was used as an iron source for newly isolated <em>Rhodopseudomonas palustris</em> MP3 and <em>Rhodopseudomonas harwoodiae</em> SP6 strains of photo-fermentative bacteria to produce H2.&nbsp;FeSO4.7H2O&nbsp;was also used as a source of iron for comparison with the NO-Fe complex. The photofermentative bacterial cultures were isolated from a fishpond, and only two strains, MP3 and SP6, were found viable after several attempts of quadrate streaking. After phylogenetic analysis, these strains were designated as <em>R. palustris</em> MP3 and <em>R. harwoodiae </em>SP6. The results showed that the <em>R. palustris</em> MP3 strain manifested approximately 70 % higher performance to the NO-Fe complex (FeEx1:2 and FeEx2:1), with an increase in H2 production compared to ferrous salt. The best performance was achieved by both strains when NO-Fe complex FeEx1:2 was supplemented in the fermentation broth at 10 mg/L concentration. The highest production of H2 was observed by <em>R. palustris</em> MP3 (10.7 ml/L) compared to <em>R. harwoodiae</em> SP6 (10 ml/L) when NO-Fe complex FeEx1:2 was used as an iron source. The study revealed that <em>R. palustris</em> MP3 and <em>R. harwoodiae</em> SP6 exhibited higher response to NO-Fe complex FeEx1:2 compared to the control. NO-Fe complex FeEx1:2 was considered highly conductive&nbsp;for efficient H2 production for further research.</div> <b>Citation:</b> Kanwal, F.; Tahir, A.; Tsuzuki, T.; Nisbet, D.; Chen, J.; Torriero, A.A.J. Comparison of Hydrogen Production Efficiency by <i>Rhodopseudomonas palustris MP3</i> and <i>Rhodopseudomonas harwoodiae SP6</i> Using an Iron Complex as an Enhancement Factor. <i>Energies</i> <b>2023</b>, <i>16</i>, 5018. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16135018

  • <div>As part of the Exploring for the Future Geoscience Knowledge Sharing project, a mobile laboratory was designed and built to help with field work and enhance opportunistic outreach experiences for communities in the areas where field work is taking place. This seminar explores some of the lessons learned from outreach programs planned and evaluated during 2023. The presenters will describe how the craft of stakeholder engagement can be improved by well researched and designed models and engagement exhibits. Outreach not only promotes the field program but also the work an agency does more broadly and can help scientists to better understand the general community who are consumers of data. This in turn can help with future planning of field and other work programs.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div>

  • <div><strong>Output Type: </strong>Exploring for the Future Extended Abstract</div><div><br></div><div><strong>Short Abstract:</strong> Under the Exploring for the Future (EFTF) program, Geoscience Australia staff and collaborators engaged with land-connected stakeholders that managed or had an interest in land comprising 56% of the total land mass area of Australia. From 2020 to 2023, staff planning ground-based and airborne geophysical and geological data acquisition projects consulted farmers, National Park rangers and managers, Native Title holders, cultural heritage custodians and other land-connected people to obtain land access and cultural heritage clearances for surveys proposed on over 122,000 parcels of land. Engagement did not always result in field activities proceeding. To support communication with this diverse audience, animations, comic-style factsheets, and physical models, were created to help explain field techniques. While the tools created have been useful, the most effective method of communication was found to be a combination of these tools and open two-way discussions.</div><div><br></div><div><strong>Citation: </strong>Sweeney, M., Kuoni, J., Iffland, D. &amp; Soroka, L., 2024. Improving how we engage with land-connected people about geoscience. In: Czarnota, K. (ed.) Exploring for the Future: Extended Abstracts. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. https://doi.org/10.26186/148760</div>