Between 2021 and 2022, a team of research scientists from The University of Adelaide are undertaking a deep Earth imaging project in the Broken Hill region called the Curnamona Cube. The project involves scanning a cubic region of Earth in the Curnamona (geological) Province to reveal the region’s untold geological story.
In July 2022, two research communicators from AuScope joined the science team on Wilyakali/Wiljali and Danggali country to observe the project through artistic eyes and share the experience online here for National Science Week 2022. AuScope is the Commonwealth-supported agency that provides Earth imaging instruments for the Curnamona Cube project.
Here the arts-science team share their insights with the world, offering you and other visitors an opportunity to take a self-guided, immersive and multimedia-rich trip through parts of this unique project. And then pose questions to the team if you like!
“The Curnamona Province is one of the most remarkable geological places on Earth. A fragment of crust, billions of years old that has moved over the globe recording our planet’s history.”
— Professor Graham Heinson (GH)
“It’s also one of the most amazing and remote natural environments in the world, writing our human story and connection to the land.”
— GH
“We are covering the Curnamona with a grid of instruments, small telescopes that peer into the deep parts of the Earth. From these, we’ll use the largest supercomputers in Australia to image the Curnamona, from north to south, east to west, and up to 300 km into the Earth to give us the Curnamona Cube.”
— GH
It’s a world-leading experiment, and it’s happening in our backyard.”
— GH
Professor Graham Heinson would like to acknowledge: The team in the field led by Ben Kay (for helicopter deployments) and Goran Boren (for car deployments) from the University of Adelaide. The helicopter deployments were enabled by our long-time collaborating partner Helifarm. Thanks to Havilah Resources for their in-kind operational support out of the Kalkaroo exploration camp, and Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary. The project is funded by AuScope with generous logistical support from Geoscience Australia and the Geological Surveys of South Australia and New South Wales. We thank all the Traditional Owners and landholders who make these types of surveys possible.