Department of Environment and Geography - Environmental Science
Associate Professor Damian Gore - Research
I have diverse research interests encapsulated by three research programs: (i) Environmental science, (ii) Antarctic geoscience, and (iii) Geomorphology & Fluvial processes.
- Environmental science
I am particularly interested in human impact (industrial, landfill and fuel spill contamination) in urban creeks and leachates from tips) and rock weathering products. This research is being carried out in southeastern Australia and in Antarctica (Casey and Wilkes stations and Bunger Hills) as well as in the laboratory. I have a special interest in the application of Permeable Reactive Barriers in the management of water-borne contaminants, particularly preventing the migration of fuel spills so that bioremediation can be carried out without further migration of the contaminant plume. Many studies in environmental science necessarily involve aspects of geochemistry, which are heavily reliant on instrumentation. Industry partner PANalytical has been a fantastic supporter of my students and our research, partnering an ARC grant with Veolia ES and the Australian Antarctic Division. The Environmental Quality laboratory is well instrumented with a PANalytical 3D EDXRF spectrometer, PANalytical X'Pert Pro MPD diffractometer, Bruker TXRF and particle sizing equipment from Micromeritics and Malvern. The EQ lab is also part-owner in Raman and LIBS equipment housed at Macquarie's Physics Department. Environmental Science has two drill rigs and a mobile laboratory with the necessary equipment (PANalytical transportable x-ray fluorescence spectrometers, In Xitu Terra portable XRD, Metrohm IC, Hach spectrophotometers, water level loggers etc) for the on-site assessment of surface and subsurface environmental problems.
Major outcomes of this program include;
- development of X-ray analytical methods (Heiden et al. 2008, Stark et al. 2008)
- adapting Permeable Reactive Barriers for use in cold climates (Gore et al. 2006, Gore & Snape 2008)
- the documentation, management and rehabilitation of the Thala Valley tip and associated contaminant plume at Casey Station, East Antarctica (Snape et al. 2001, 2002; Riddle et al. 2003, Scouller et al. 2006).
- the discovery that some fractions of petroleum hydrocarbons can be rather long-lived in Antarctic field conditions (Gore et al. 1999).
- assessment of several base metal mine sites near Braidwood and Inverell, NSW. These unpublished studies, presented as reports to the NSW Department of Mineral Resources, revealed significant environmental impact up to 6 km from derelict mining areas. (see also Gore et al. 2007)
- Antarctic geoscience
I am trying to understand the evolution of Antarctic ice free areas and their sediments. This research is concentrated around East Antarctica at Windmill Islands, Bunger, Vestfold and Larsemann Hills, Prince Charles Mountains and Framnes Mountains. The Quaternary development of these areas is being investigated using standard mapping and stratigraphic investigations, tied to geochronologic methods including 14-C, OSL and cosmogenic isotope exposure age dating. Physical and chemical aspects of the sediments, typically characterised using grain size, XRF and XRD, reveal insights into their depositional and diagenetic pathways.
Major outcomes of this program include;
- understanding the role of ice streaming, and the temperature of air and ocean in the deglaciation of Antarctica (Mackintosh et al. 2007, Wright et al. 2008, Mackintosh et al. 2011, White et al. 2011).
- the discovery that several of the oases were deglaciated throughout Last Glacial Maximum (Gore et al. 2001, Hodgson et al. 2001, Kernan et al. 2009).
- full postglacial sediment sequences cored at both Windmill Islands (Kirkup et al. 2002) and northern Prince Charles Mountains (Wagner et al. 2004, 2007) revealed significant fluctuations of postglacial (mainly Holocene) climate.
- fluvial activity, even at high altitude and latitude, has been a major control on the development of Antarctic sediments (Gore et al. 2003).
- Geomorphology & Fluvial processes
Most of my research involves aspects of water - either at the surface, in the soil, in the erosion it causes or the sediment it deposits. While most such studies fit more properly under headings above, some remain purely fluvial in nature.
Major outcomes of this program include;
- description of Antarctic ice free areas (Gore et al. 2003, Gore & Pickard 2007) and Antarctic river systems, including a 30 km long river previously undescribed (Gore 1996, Gore & Pickard 1998, Gibson et al. 2001).
- extensive work on post-European sedimentation in the semi-arid lands of western NSW (Gore et al. 2000, Crighton & Gore 2001).
- discussion of the origin of bedrock fluvial features (Gore & Taylor 2003).
For further detail see my publications.