Speaker: Claire Mallard
Date: Thursday 11th of May 2021, 1:20 pm.
Abstract:
In this talk I will briefly introduce the numerical tools developed in the Earthbyte group at the University of Sydney, from the tectonic reconstructions to crustal, mantle and surface evolution models. Then I will explain how we integrate mantle convection model results into the surface evolution code Badlands to explore different timings and wavelengths of dynamic topography migration in South Africa. The triggers and responses of the South African landscape to climate and dynamic topography during the last 30 Ma are still debated. Some suggest a feedback related to the northward motion of the African plate over the upwelling of the African superplume. Others associate these changes to the horizontal mantle flow dragging induced by the motion of the tectonic plate. I will show the different responses induce by these scenarii as well as climate variations on the South African landscape and Orange river sedimentary fluxes over the last 30 Ma.Before to conclude, I will briefly present another application of the models with a new way for looking at species migration and evolution around the world. Using simulations integrating tectonic dynamic topography, climate and surface processes I will show you the importance of geomorphology in modifying the regional connectivity and paleo-migration pathways in Sundaland over the last million years.