U.S.-Pacific Islands Planning Visit: Tectonic Study of Cretaceous Rocks in the New Caledonia Area

0629261尼科尔森该奖项支持一项计划访问，使印第安纳州曼西的鲍尔州立大学的克尔斯滕·尼科尔森博士能够在纽约伊萨卡会见新喀里多尼亚努梅阿的法国地质调查局的皮埃尔·莫里佐博士和新西兰奥克兰大学的菲利帕·布莱克博士。 这次访问将有助于制定一项合作计划，对新喀里多尼亚地区的白垩纪岩石进行构造研究。这项研究将涉及骆驼山和努梅阿盆地。 这两个单位是在现场（原地）包晚白垩世海洋沉积物和火山岩，从玄武岩到流纹岩。 初步的地球化学分析已确定大陆弧的熔岩签名，支持沉积岩相学表明大陆碎屑矿物组合在这两个单位。 这些结果表明，有一个发育良好的晚白垩世大陆弧系统活动在新西兰和新喀里多尼亚，可能通过澳大利亚延伸到南极半岛，在冈瓦纳大陆裂解的构造建模的重大影响。 研究人员将结合联合收割机岩石学，地球化学和年代学分析的土地上的火成岩协会和沉积序列与变质和构造历史的地区。 第一阶段是对新喀里多尼亚的实地进行初步担保，会见所有合作者，评估实验室设施，并正式确定研究工作时间表。 这些发现将对新西兰和新喀里多尼亚的地质历史产生重大影响。 预计该项目将为美国博士后和学生提供独特的培训和教育机会，以获得全球研究经验。 预计各国科学家和学生之间的这些合作将导致长期合作，使所有机构受益。

0629261NicholsonThis award supports a planning visit to enable Dr. Kirsten Nicholson of Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana in Ithaca, New York to meet with Dr. Pierre Maurizot of the French Geological Survey in Noumea, New Caledonia and Dr. Philippa Black of the University of Auckland in New Zealand. The visit will help develop a collaborative plan for a tectonic study of cretaceous rocks in the New Caledonia Area. The study will involve the Mt Camel terrane and the Noumea Basin. Both units are in-situ (autochthonous) packages of late Cretaceous marine sediments and volcanic rocks ranging from basaltic to rhyolitic. Preliminary geochemical analyses have identified continental arc signatures in the lavas, as supported by sedimentary petrography indicating continental detrital mineral assemblages in both units. These results suggest that there was a well-developed late Cretaceous continental arc system active in both New Zealand and New Caledonia, possibly extending through Australia into the Antarctic Peninsula, with major implications for tectonic modeling during the break-up of Gondwanaland. The researchers will combine petrographic, geochemical and chronological analyses of on-land igneous associations and sedimentary sequences with the metamorphic and tectonic history of the region. The initial phase is to undertake preliminary recognizance of the field area in New Caledonia, meet all the collaborators, assess laboratory facilities and formalize a working schedule for the research. The findings will have a significant impact on the geological history of New Zealand and New Caledonia. It is also anticipated that this project will provide unique training and educational opportunities for U.S. postdocs and students to obtain a global research experience. It is anticipated that these collaborations between the scientists and students from each country will lead to long-term collaborations that will benefit all the institutions.