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Chris FERGUSSON
Position: Associate Professor
Room: 41.159
Phone No: +61 2 4221 3860
Email: cferguss@uow.edu.au
Research Interests
Chris Fergusson is an earth scientist with interests in structural geology, tectonics, regional geology, sedimentology and oceanography. His research interests have concentrated on the regional geology and tectonics of the Tasman Fold Belt System of eastern Australia. He has also conducted research into the Appalachians of western Newfoundland and the Zagros Mountains of Iran. He was a sedimentologist on Leg 190 Nankai Trough (off Southwest Japan) of the Ocean Drilling Project. He is undertaking active research in the following areas:
IODP Nankai Trough Seismogenic Zone Experiment Stage 1 Expedition 316 "Shallow Megasplay and Frontal Thrusts" on the Chikyu. (pdf)
Representative Publications
Fergusson C. L. 2009. Tectonic evolution of the Ordovician Macquarie Arc, central New South Wales: arguments for subduction polarity and anticlockwise rotation. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 56, 179-193.
Fergusson C. L., Offler R. and Green T. J. 2009. Late Neoproterozoic passive margin of East Gondwana: geochemical constraints from the Anakie Inlier, central Queensland, Australia. Precambrian Research 168, 301-312. DOI information: 10.1016/j.precamres.2008.10.007.
Fergusson C. L., Henderson R. A., Fanning C. M. and Withnall I. W. 2007. Detrital zircon ages in Neoproterozoic to Ordovician siliciclastic rocks, northeastern Australia: implications for the tectonic history of the East Gondwana continental margin. Journal of the Geological Society, London 164, 215-225. (pdf – note Copyright © 2007 The Geological Society of London see The Geological Society's on-line journals at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/geol/jgs) This material has been published in the Journal of the Geological Society, London, Volume 164(1), pp. 215-225, the only definitive repository of the content that has been certified and accepted after peer review. Copyright and all rights therein are retained by The Geological Society of London.
Fergusson C. L. 2006. Review of structure and basement control of the Lapstone Structural Complex, Sydney Basin, eastern New South Wales. Sydney Basin Symposium. In: Hutton A. and Griffin J. (eds), Proceedings of the Thirty Sixth Sydney Basin Symposium, Advances in the study of the Sydney Basin, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong, pp. 45-50. (pdf)
Fergusson C. L., Henderson R. A., Lewthwaite K. J., Phillips D. and Withnall I. W. 2005. Structure of the Early Palaeozoic Cape River Metamorphics, Tasmanides of north Queensland: evaluation of the roles of convergent and extensional tectonics. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 52, 261–277.
Underwood M. B. and Fergusson C. L. 2005. Late Cenozoic evolution of the Nankai trench-slope system: evidence from sand petrography and clay mineralogy. In Hodgson D. M. and Flint S. S. eds Submarine Slope Systems: Processes and Products. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 244, 113-129.
Fergusson C. L. 2003. Ordovician–Silurian accretion tectonics of the Lachlan Fold Belt, southeastern Australia. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 50, 475-490.
Mohajjel M., Fergusson C. L. and Sahandi M. R. 2003. Cretaceous-Tertiary convergence and continental collision, Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone, western Iran. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 21, 397-412.
Fergusson C. L. and Frikken P. 2003. Diapirism and structural thickening in an Early Palaeozoic subduction complex, southeastern New South Wales, Australia. Journal of Structural Geology, 25, 43-58.
Full list of publications (1979-2007) (PDF 50k)
Students
List of Past Research Students
Suggested Topics for Future Students
(1) Bogolo Formation – Batemans Bay district.
The Bogolo Formation is dominated by mudstone-matrix melange with abundant fragments of quartz sandstone and less abundant chert and altered basaltic rock fragments. It is a component of an Early Palaeozoic subduction complex on the South Coast of New South Wales. The aim of the project is to elucidate the origin of the melange unit which may have formed by one of sedimentary mixing, tectonic mixing and/or diapiric intrusion. The melange is very well exposed on rock platforms south of Batemans Bay and the project would involve detailed mapping of selected sites. The project will require use of a vehicle with a minimum of 4.2 weeks (30 days) in the field. This project would involve the development of a GIS database.
(2) Structural transect across the northern Capertee Zone.
This project involves the compilation of a structural cross section across the Captertee Zone in the northeastern Lachlan Fold Belt. The main aim is to document the structural style of Devonian shallow marine strata and then extend the transect to the east and west to complete a cross section through the whole northern Capertee Zone utilising results from the National Geoscience Mapping Accord project on the Mudgee 1:100,000 geological map sheet. The region has been mapped at 1:25,000 which provides an excellent basis for more detailed structural work. Data has to be collected from roadcuts along the Cudgegong-Rylstone road that contain folds, cleavage and numerous faults. This project follows on from much mapping undertaken by Honours, postgraduate students and geologists of the Geological Survey of New South Wales in the 1980s and 1990s. The project will require use of a vehicle with at least 4.2 weeks (30 days) in the field. This project would involve the development of a GIS database including interpretation of radiometric and aeromagnetic data.
(3) Structural transects across the Budawang Synclinorium in the Eurobodalla region. This project is concerned with the structure of Upper Devonian sedimentary rocks that form the southern part of the Budawang Synclinorium. These rocks are affected by open upright folds and have boundary faults developed at the margins of the main synformal structure. Richard Glen of the Geological Survey of New South Wales argued that the structure was a thin-skinned fold-thrust belt. A BSc(Hons) student from the University of Wollongong in 1990 mapped two structural transects across the northern part of the synclinorium west of Nowra and came to quite different conclusions (see Cooper G.T., 1992, Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, volume 39, pp. 529–537). This project involves mapping in rugged terrain and can only be undertaken if two students can work on the project. The project will require use of a vehicle with a minimum of 4.2 weeks (30 days) in the field. This project would involve the development of a GIS database.
(4) Other projects on the detailed stratigraphy, structure and tectonic development of parts of the Lachlan Fold Belt can also be considered.
Abbreviated CV
1984 PhD University of New England, Armidale, N.S.W. "Structure and tectono-stratigraphy of the central Coffs Harbour Block, eastern New England Fold Belt."
1977 BA(Hons) Macquarie University, North Ryde, N.S.W.Positions
2000-present. Associate Professor, School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong.
Research, undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in structural geology, tectonics and oceanography. Undergraduate service teaching of geology for engineers.
1991-1999 Senior Lecturer, Department of Geology/School of Geosciences, University of Wollongong.
1986-1990 Lecturer, Department of Geology, University of Wollongong.
1984-1986. Research Fellow – Department of Earth Sciences, Monash University.Australian Research Grants Scheme project "Tectonic Style and Significance of the Ordovician System, eastern Victoria" with Drs R.A.F. Cas and D.R. Gray as principal investigators.
1979-1982. PhD student – Department of Geology, University of New England. Australian Government Commonwealth Research Award.
1977-1978. Research Assistant – School of Earth Sciences, Macquarie University.Field work in structural geology and regional geology associated with the Australian Research Grants Scheme project "The Nature of Orogeny in eastern Australia as exemplified by mid-Palaeozoic events in the Lachlan Fold Belt", headed by Associate Professor C. McA. Powell, and with Drs R. A. F. Cas and J. G. Jones.
Chris Fergusson was the Honorary Secretary (July 2000 - July 2002) of the Geological Society of Australia Incorporated.
Minimum Mathematics requirement for Science students
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