Dr. Kath Grey
|
Contact Details: Phone: + 61 8 9222 3508 Email: kath.grey@doir.wa.gov.au Postal:
|
I emigrated to Australia in 1971. Since then, I have been employed by the Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA), for the first few months in the editing and information section, and for the remainder of my career as a palaeontologist. I currently hold the position of Specialist Palaeontologist.
My palaeontological work has been varied, and has involved collaboration with geoscientists from several disciplines, including regional mappers, petroleum geologists, sedimentologists and mineralogists, and with national and international colleagues in the fields of palaeontology and biostratigraphy. In addition to producing more than 200 routine reports, I planned and carried out several research projects with minimal supervision, mainly on Precambrian stromatolite biostratigraphy, Devonian brachiopods and palynology, and most recently on Neoproterozoic stromatolites and palynology. I have written or coauthored more than 50 publications.
In 1991, I was invited to join the Macquarie University Ediacarian Research Group, and undertake a PhD study of terminal Proterozoic acritarch assemblages to develop a biostratigraphic control. The resulting zonation can be applied to latest Neoproterozoic successions Australia-wide, and has potential for global application. It documents a major radiation of phytoplankton just prior to the main radiation of the Ediacaran fauna, possibly associated with a bolide impact. Several papers have already been published and a systematic monograph is in press.
After returning to GSWA in 1994, I provided stratigraphic, biostratigraphic, and palaeoenvironmental data for the Glengarry, Kimberley, Pilbara, and most recently, the Interior Basin Projects, using stromatolites and acritarchs. My results have been used in the compilation of geological series maps, and provide a framework for assessment of mineral and hydrocarbon potential.
In 1997, I was involved in the discovery of some of the most convincing evidence found so far of stromatolites in 3.45 billion-year-old rocks, and which provide a useful analogue for the search for fossil life on Mars.
Selected publications
GREY, K., 1982. Aspects of Proterozoic stromatolite biostratigraphy in Western Australia. Precambrian Research, 18, 347-365.
GREY, K. & JACKSON, M.J., 1983. A re-assessment of stromatolite evidence for the correlation of the Proterozoic Neale and Ilma Beds, Officer Basin, Western Australia. Australia Bureau Mineral Resources, Journal Australian Geology and Geophysics, 8, 359.
GREY, K. & THORNE, A.M., 1985. Biostratigraphic significance of stromatolites in upward shallowing sequences of the early Proterozoic Duck Creek Dolomite, Western Australia. Precambrian Research, 29, 183-206.
GREY, K. & WILLIAMS, I.R. 1990. Problematic bedding-plane markings from the Middle Proterozoic Manganese Group, Bangemall Basin, Western Australia. Precambrian Research, 46, 307-327.
GREY, K., MOORE, L.S., BURNE, R.V., PIERSON, B.K. & BAULD, J., 1990. Lake Thetis, Western Australia: an example of saline lake sedimentation dominated by benthic microbial processes. Australian Journal Marine & Freshwater Research, 41, 275-300.
GREY, K., 1991. A mid-Givetian miospore age for the onset of reef development on the Lennard Shelf, Canning Basin, Western Australia. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 68, 37-48.
GREY, K., 1992. Book Review - "Proceedings of the Indo-Soviet Symposium on Stromatolites and Stromatolitic Deposits" by K.S. Valdiya (editor). Precambrian Research, 59, (3/4), 325-327.
GREY, K., 1994. Stromatolites from the Palaeoproterozoic Earaheedy Group, Earaheedy Basin, Western Australia. Alcheringa v. 18, 187-218. ISSN 0311-5518.
GREY, K., 1994. Stromatolites from the Palaeoproterozoic (Orosirian), Glengarry Group, Glengarry Basin, Western Australia. Alcheringa 18, 275-300.
WALTER, M.R., GREY, K., WILLIAMS, I.R., & CALVER, C., 1994. Stratigraphy of the Neoproterozoic to Early Palaeozoic Savory Basin and correlation with the Amadeus and Officer Basins. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 41, 533-546.
WALTER, M.R., VEEVERS, J.J., CALVER, C.R., and GREY, K., 1994. The Neoproterozoic Centralian Superbasin. PESA Journal 22, 86.
GREY, K., 1995. Neoproterozoic stromatolites from the Skates Hills Formation, Savory Basin, Western Australia, and a review of the distribution of Acaciella australica. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 42, 123-132.
WALTER, M.R., VEEVERS, J.J., CALVER, C.R. and GREY, K., 1995. Neoproterozoic stratigraphy of the Centralian Superbasin, Australia. Precambrian Research, 73,173-195.
GREY, K. and CORKERON, M., 1998. Late Neoproterozoic stromatolites in glacigenic successions of the Kimberley region, Western Australia: evidence for a younger Marinoan glaciation. Precambrian Research, 92, 65-87.
CARLSEN, G.M., APAK, S.N., GHORI, K.A.R., GREY, K. and STEVENS, M.K., 1999. Petroleum potential of the Neoproterozoic Western Officer Basin, Western Australia, based on a source-rock model from Empress-1A. APPEA Journal, v. 39, pt. 1, p. 322-342, Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association Limited.
GREY, K. and BLAKE, D.H., 1999, Neoproterozoic (Cryogenian) stromatolites from the Wolfe Basin, east Kimberley, Western Australia: correlation with the Centralian Superbasin: Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, vol. 46,.p. 329-341
HOFMANN, H.J., GREY, K., HICKMAN, A.H. and THORPE, R.I., 1999 Origin of of 3.45 Ga-old stromatolites in Warrawoona Group, Western Australia. Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 111, p. 1256-1262.
EL TABAKH, M., GREY, K., PIRAJNO, F., and SCHREIBER, B.C., 1999, Pseudomorphs after evaporitic minerals interbedded with 2.2 Ga old stromatolites of the Yerrida basin, Western Australia: Origin and significance. Geology, vol. 27, p.871-874.
HILL, A.C., COTTER, K.L. and GREY, K., 2000, Mid-Neoproterozoic biostratigraphy and isotope stratigraphy in Australia. Precambrian Research, v. 100, p. 283-300.
AROURI, K., CONAGHAN, P.J., WALTER, M. R, BISCHOFF, G. C. and GREY, K., 2000, Reconnaissance sedimentology and hydrocarbon biomarkers of Ediacarian microbial mats and acritarchs, lower Ungoolya Group, Officer Basin. Precambrian Research, v. 100, p. 235-281.
PISAREVSKY, S.A., LI, Z.X., GREY, K., and STEVENS, M.K., 2001. A palaeomagnetic study of Empress 1A, a stratigraphic drillhole in the Officer Basin: evidence for a low latitude position of Australia in the Neoproterozoic. Precambrian Research 110/1-4, p. 93-108. 12/07/01
PIRAJNO, F. and GREY, K., 2002, Cherts in the Palaeoproterozoic Bartle Member, Killara Formation, Yerrida Basin, Western Australia: a rift-related playa lake and thermal spring environment. Precambrian Research, 113, p. 169-192.
GREY, K., WALTER, M.R. and CALVER, C.R. (2003) Neoproterozoic biotic diversification: "Snowball Earth" or aftermath of the Acraman impact? Geology 31, p. 459-462.
Submitted
GREY, K., Ediacarian Palynology of Australia. Australasian Association of Palaeontologists, Memoirs.
HILL, A.C., GREY, K., GOSTIN, V.A., and WEBSTER, L.J., New records of Acraman ejecta. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences.
Recent conferences
GREY, K., 1998. Neoproterozoic stromatolite correlations in the Centralian Superbasin. 14th Australian Geological Convention, Townsville. Geological Society of Australia Abstracts No. 49, p. 187.
GREY, K. 1998, Ediacarian acritarch biozonation in Australia. Geological Society of Australia Abstracts 51, Inaugural Sprigg Symposium, University of Adelaide, June, 1998, p. 22.
HOFMANN, H. J., GREY, K., HICKMAN, A. H. and THORPE, R. I., 1999, Origin of 3.45 ga coniform stromatolites in Warrawoona Group, Western Australia. 1999 Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado, Abstract 51909.
HOCKING, R.M. and GREY, K., 2000, Stacked Proterozoic basins in central Western Australia. Geological Society of Australia Abstracts No. 59, 15th Australian Geological Convention, Sydney, July 2000, p. 231.
GREY, K., 2001, Did the c.580 Ma Acraman Impact Event trigger terminal Proterozoic biodiversification? Astrobiology Workshop, Abstracts, Macquarie University, Sydney, July 11-13th, 2001, 12-13.
GREY, K., 2001, Surviving the Snowball Earth: the acritarch record. Rodinia Symposium, September 30 2000.
GREY, K., WALTER, M.R. and CALVER, C.R., 2002 Plankton and isotope changes at the late Neoproterozoic Acraman impact ejecta layer. Rubey Colloquium, UCLA, February 9-10, p. 23-24.
GREY, K., 2002, A sixth great extinction and recovery event? The Ediacarian Acraman bolide impact, 16th Australian Geological Convention, Adelaide, June 2002.
GREY, K., 2002, Towards Neoproterozoic biozonation in Australia, 1st International Palaeontological Congress, Macquarie University, Sydney, 6-10 July 2002, p. 70 (G.A. Brock & J.A. Talent, eds.)
GREY, K., HILL, A.C., WALTER, M.R., and CALVER, C.R., 2002, Plankton and isotope changes at the Late Neoproterozoic Acraman impact ejecta layer. Oral presentation, General Meeting of the NASA Astrobiology Institute, Arizona State University, February 10-12, 2003, Abstract No. 12896. Astrobiology 4(2), 499-500. Published with 2002 date.
GREY, K., HILL, A.C., WALTER, M.R., and CALVER, C.R., 2003, Biotic diversification and isotope changes at the ~580 Ma (late Neoproterozoic) Acraman Impact Event. Oral presentation, 10th ESF IMPACT Workshop: Biological processes associated with impact events, Kings College, University of Cambridge, UK, March 29-April 1, 2003, p.27 (abstract).
Last Updated: Jan 30 2006