Most detailed geological model reveals Earth's past 100 million years
Sophisticated digital tool can help us understand the past and predict
the evolution of the Earth's surface

Date:
March 3, 2023
Source:
University of Sydney
Summary:
Previous models of Earth's recent (100 million years) geomorphology
have been patchy at best. For the first time a detailed continuous
model of the Earth's landscape evolution is presented, with
potential for understanding long-term climate and biological
development.


Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email
FULL STORY ========================================================================== Climate, tectonics and time combine to create powerful forces that craft
the face of our planet. Add the gradual sculpting of the Earth's surface
by rivers and what to us seems solid as rock is constantly changing.


========================================================================== However, our understanding of this dynamic process has at best been
patchy.

Scientists today have published new research revealing a detailed and
dynamic model of the Earth's surface over the past 100 million years.

Working with scientists in France, University of Sydney geoscientists
have published this new model in the journal Science.

For the first time, it provides a high-resolution understanding of how
today's geophysical landscapes were created and how millions of tonnes
of sediment have flowed to the oceans.

Lead author Dr Tristan Salles from the University of Sydney School
of Geosciences, said: "To predict the future, we must understand
the past. But our geological models have only provided a fragmented understanding of how our planet's recent physical features formed.

"If you look for a continuous model of the interplay between river basins, global-scale erosion and sediment deposition at high resolution for the
past 100 million years, it just doesn't exist.

"So, this is a big advance. It's not only a tool to help us investigate
the past but will help scientists understand and predict the future,
as well." Using a framework incorporating geodynamics, tectonic and
climatic forces with surface processes, the scientific team has presented
a new dynamic model of the past 100 million years at high resolution
(down to 10 kilometres), broken into frames of a million years.

Second author Dr Laurent Husson from Institut des Sciences de la Terre
in Grenoble, France, said: "This unprecedented high-resolution model of
Earth's recent past will equip geoscientists with a more complete and
dynamic understanding of the Earth's surface.

"Critically, it captures the dynamics of sediment transfer from the land
to oceans in a way we have not previously been able to." Dr Salles said
that understanding the flow of terrestrial sediment to marine environments
is vital to comprehend present-day ocean chemistry.

"Given that ocean chemistry is changing rapidly due to human-induced
climate change, having a more complete picture can assist our
understanding of marine environments," he said.

The model will allow scientists to test different theories as to how
the Earth's surface will respond to changing climate and tectonic forces.

Further, the research provides an improved model to understand how the transportation of Earth sediment regulates the planet's carbon cycle
over millions of years.

"Our findings will provide a dynamic and detailed background for
scientists in other fields to prepare and test hypotheses, such as in biochemical cycles or in biological evolution." Authors Dr Salles,
Dr Claire Mallard and PhD student Beatriz Hadler Boggiani are members
of the EarthColab Group and Associate Professor Patrice Rey and Dr Sabin Zahirovic are part of the EarthByte Group. Both groups are in the School
of Geosciences at the University of Sydney.

The research was undertaken in collaboration with French geoscientists
from CNRS, France, Universite' Lyon and ENS Paris.

Video 1: https://youtu.be/MhXkMSyLXsA Video 2:
https://youtu.be/N3FHTtmOuD4
* RELATED_TOPICS
o Earth_&_Climate
# Earth_Science # Environmental_Awareness # Climate
# Geology
o Fossils_&_Ruins
# Early_Climate # Fossils # Origin_of_Life #
Charles_Darwin
* RELATED_TERMS
o Global_climate_model o Timeline_of_evolution o
Structure_of_the_Earth o Ice_age o Climate_model
o Recent_single-origin_hypothesis o Supervolcano o
Temperature_record_of_the_past_1000_years

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Sydney. Note: Content
may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Tristan Salles, Laurent Husson, Patrice Rey, Claire Mallard, Sabin
Zahirovic, Beatriz Hadler Boggiani, Nicolas Coltice, Mae"lis
Arnould.

Hundred million years of landscape dynamics from catchment to global
scale. Science, 2023; 379 (6635): 918 DOI: 10.1126/science.add2541 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230303105337.htm

--- up 1 year, 4 days, 10 hours, 50 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)