Dr Kathryn Amos

Biography/ Background

I am project leader of the Lake Eyre Basin Analogues Research Group, and joined the University of Adelaide in mid-2007. Prior to this, I worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of New South Wales @ADFA (Canberra, Australia) and the University of Leeds (UK), and obtained my PhD from the University of East Anglia (Norwich, UK). My background is in process-based clastic sedimentology, and my research experience includes dryland fluvial sedimentology and geomorphology (lots of field work), and turbidity current sedimentological fluid dynamics (lots of lab work).

Employment History:

January 2009 to present. Research Fellow, Lake Eyre Basin Analogues Research Group. Australian School of Petroleum, University of Adelaide, Australia.

August 2007 to January 2009. Postdoctoral Fellow, Lake Eyre Basin Analogues Research Group. Australian School of Petroleum, University of Adelaide, Australia.

February 2005 to August 2007. Postdoctoral Research Associate, Floodplain Geomorphology. University of New South Wales @ ADFA, Australia.

March 2004 to January 2005. Postdoctoral Research Associate, Submarine Channel Sedimentology. University of Leeds and Imperial College London, UK.

1999 to 2003. Teaching Assistant (part-time). School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, UK.

Qualifications

PhD - 2004. School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia. Thesis title : Sustained turbidity currents: A study of experimental flow and river effluent. Supervisors: Dr Jan Alexander and Prof. Mike Leeder.

BSc (Hons) - 1999. Environmental Sciences. University of East Anglia. Prize for best geophysical science undergraduate research project.

Research Interests

• Fluvial sedimentology and geomorphology: focusing on dryland (semi-arid and arid) environments, including fluvio-aeolian-lacustrine interaction, palaeoenvironmental reconstruction, remote sensing and GIS.

 

• Clastic reservoir analogues: investigation of modern deposits in ephemeral deltas/terminal splays in Lake Eyre, central Australia, and dryland anabranching fluvial systems within the Lake Eyre Basin as clastic reservoir analogues.

 

• Dynamics of gravity and turbidity currents, including flow dynamics and sedimentation within submarine channels.

 

Key aspects of my current research include:

- Placing the Lake Eyre 'Terminal Splay Complex' Facies Model in a Global and Geologic Perspective; investigating similarities and differences between five TSCs around Lake Eyre and comparing their sedimentology with that of fluvial fans and deltas.

- Investigating the sedimentology of the Channel Country rivers of central Australia, with case study sites on the Diamantina River. This project includes: detailed sedimentologic investigation of different geomorphic elements, updating the Channel Country facies model, are the Channel Country rivers a suitable modern analogue for the lower Old Red Sandstone, UK?

- Describing aspects of modern dryland sedimentary environments for sedimentary geologists to take into account when interpreting ancient environments from the rock record.

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Articles:

Fitzsimmons, K.E., Magee, J.W. and Amos, K.J. (2009). Characterisation of aeolian sediments from the Strzelecki and Tirari Deserts, Australia: Implications for reconstructing palaeoenvironmental conditions. Sedimentary Geology, published online May 2009.

Amos, K.J., Croke, J.C., Timmers, H., Owens, P.N. and Thompson, C. (2009). The application of caesium-137 measurements to investigate floodplain deposition in a large semi-arid catchment in Queensland, Australia: a low-fallout environment. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, published online January 2009.

Amos, K.J., Croke, J.C., Hughes, A., Chapman, J., Takken, I., Lymburner, L. (2008). A catchment-scale assessment of anabranching in the 140 000 km2 Fitzroy River catchment, north-eastern Australia. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 33, 1222-1241.

Corney, R.K.T., Peakall, J., Parsons, D.R., Elliott, L., Amos, K.J., Best, J.L., Keevil, G.M., Ingham, D.B. (2008). Reply to Discussion of Imran et al. on ‘‘The orientation of helical flow in curved channels’’ by Corney et al., Sedimentology, 53, 249–257. Sedimentology, 55, 241-247.

Peakall, J., Amos, K.J., Keevil, G.M., Bradbury, P.W. and Gupta, S. (2007). Flow processes and sedimentation in submarine channel bends. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 24, 470-486.

Keevil, G.M., Peakall, J., Best, J.L. and Amos, K.J. (2006). Flow structure in sinuous submarine channels: Velocity and turbulence structure of an experimental submarine channel. Marine Geology, 229, 241-257.

Corney, R., Peakall, J., Elliott, L., Keevil, G.M., Amos, K.J., Ingham, D.B., Parsons, D. and Best, J. (2006). The orientation of helical flow in curved channels, Sedimentology, 53, 249-257.

Amos, K.J., Alexander, J., Horn, A., Pocock, G.D. and Fielding, C.R. (2004). Supply-limited sediment transport in a high discharge event of the tropical Burdekin River, north Queensland, Australia. Sedimentology, 51, 145-162.

Papers in review and in preparation:

Ainsworth RB et al., (in review). Tidal Deposits in an Intracratonic Playa Lake. Journal of Sedimentary Research.

Amos, K.J., Peakall, J., Keevil, G.M., Bradbury, P.W. and Roberts, M. (in prep). The influence of planform morphology on flow and sedimentation in submarine channels. Marine Geology.

Amos, K.J., Croke, JC and Pietsch T (in prep.) Late Quaternary fluvial change in the Fitzroy River, Quaternary International.

Amos, K.J. and Hasiotis, S.T. (in prep.). New observations from the Channel Country of central Australia. SEPM Special Publication.

Keevil, G.M., Peakall, J., Best, J.L. and Amos, K.J. (in prep.). The formation and dynamics of sediment waves. Marine Geology.

Morris, J.L., Amos, K.J., Wright, V.P. and Hasiotis, S.T. (in prep.). Are the Channel Country rivers of central Australia a suitable modern analogue for the lower Old Red Sandstone, U.K.? SEPM Special Publication.

Sandstrom, M.L., Amos, K.J., Krapf, C.B.E. and Daniel, R.F. (in prep.). Investigating the usefulness of QEMSCAN for the analysis of mud-rich sediment samples. Clay Mineralogy.

Un-refereed reports and articles:

2008 - present. Regular addition of new material and reports to the Lake Eyre Basin Analgoues Research Group consortium-member website.

Amos, K.J. (2008) Book Review: Environmental Sedimentology, Edited by Chris Perry and Kevin Taylor, 2007. Palaios. DOI: 10.2110/palo.2008.BR30 http://www.paleo.ku.edu/palaios/reviews/perry.pdf

Amos, K.J. and Peakall, J. (2006) Down by the river. Planet Earth, Winter Edition, 26 - 27. Magazine of the Natural Environment Research Council, Swindon, UK. http://www.nerc.ac.uk/publications/planetearth/2006/winter/win06-river.pdf

Peakall, J., Amos, K.J., Keevil, G., Gupta, S. and Laursen, Y. (2005). Final Report to Total: Architecture and controls of sinuous submarine channels. Results from Experimental Investigations, 75 pp.

Professional Associations

• SEPM
• International Association of Sedimentologists
• AAPG
• Australian Quaternary Associaition
• Australian and New Zealand Geomorphology Group
• British Sedimentological Research Group

Entry last updated: Monday, 18 May 2009