Integrated understanding of Early Jurassic Earth system and timescale (JET)

Start date: 10 October 2016
End date: 9 October 2021
Funder: NERC
Primary investigator: Professor Robert Newton
Co-investigators: Professor Paul Wignall, Professor Simon Poulton, Crispin Little

JET is a large-scale, multi-faceted, international programme of research on the functioning of the Earth system at a key juncture in its history – the Early Jurassic. At that time the planet was subject to distinctive tectonic, magmatic, and orbital forcing, and fundamental aspects of the modern biosphere were becoming established in the aftermath of the end-Permian and end-Triassic mass extinctions.

This project is funded by the International Continental Scientific Drilling Programme (ICDP) and the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and is centred on study of a 2-km-deep borehole at Mochras, North Wales. Here the drillcore represents 27 million years of Early Jurassic time with sedimentation rate of approximately 5 cm/kyr.

We aim to use this unique record together with existing data and an integrative modelling approach to produce a step-change in understanding of Early Jurassic Earth system dynamics. The project team comprises ~50 scientists from 14 countries.