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Dr
Kath Grey
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).
Dr Kath Grey
Chief Palaeontologist
Geological Survey of Western Australia
100 Plain Street
East Perth WA 6004
Australia
Phone: (08) 9222 3508
(overseas +61 8 9222 3508)
kath.grey@doir.wa.gov.au
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Last
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