Project description
Unravelling Earth’s evolution through simulations
For billions of years, Earth’s interconnected systems (geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere) have co-evolved, shaping our planet’s geology and biodiversity. However, deciphering these complex interactions is challenging due to incomplete geological records. In this context, the ERC-funded PANDORA project aims to tackle this by constructing advanced 3D spherical virtual models of Earth, simulating geological processes over 1 billion years. By analysing these simulations, researchers will investigate how mantle convection influences surface environments and biological evolution. PANDORA will explore fundamental questions about adaptive radiation and environmental stability, using machine learning to decode the interactions between geological, climatic, and biological factors. This groundbreaking work promises to unveil critical insights into Earth’s evolutionary dynamics and beyond.
Objective
The Earth's geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere have co-evolved together as a single planetary system for billions of years, resulting in a complex web of systemic interactions that have shaped the geological record and biodiversity. However, the complexity of these interactions and the incomplete geological record make it impossible to replay the tape and fully explore the profound mechanisms at play. Here I propose to uncover how mantle convection shapes with the evolution of both the surface environment and photosynthetic autotrophs. To accomplish this ambitious objective, I will construct advanced 3D spherical virtual terrestrial planetary systems operating at geological time scales. I will explore the responses of global coupled carbon-climate-surface process-eco-evolution models to cutting-edge 3D spherical geodynamic scenarios over 1 Gy time-scale. The utilization of these innovative models will resolve a series of fundamental questions such as: what planetary properties drive fast adaptive radiation? What mantle/lithosphere properties generate stable/variable environments over geological time? Throughout this groundbreaking project, I will leverage the power of in silico simulations to create self-consistent virtual terrestrial planetary interiors capable of generating conditions conducive to the evolution of geological and biological diversity. To decipher the intricate relationships between model parameters and their effects on geological, climatic, and biological changes, I will employ state-of-the-art machine learning classification methods. With Pandora, I am poised to make significant strides in understanding the systemic dynamics behind the profound planetary changes that have shaped Earth and potentially other planetary bodies.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesevolutionary biology
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanets
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems
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Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsHost institution
06100 Nice
France