Generation of ocean lithosphere by seafloor spreading at mid-ocean ridges is one of the fundamental geological processes operating on Earth. One of the most important yet most intractable problems is to understand how the magma reservoir beneath ridges generates the lower crust, especially at fast spreading rates. Gabbroic rocks from the lower crust are normally inaccessible, but are now within reach of sampling as a result of the previous successes of scientific ocean drilling expeditions to a unique site within superfast spreading rate crust in the Pacific Ocean. A series of three previous expeditions to Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Site 1256 have penetrated through 1500m of upper crustal layers, allowing a new expedition to extensively sample the lower crust for the first time. This will be acheived during IODP Expedition 335 which will return to Site 1256 to deepen the hole still further, hopefully providing a unique suite of lower oceanic crustal samples that will yield unique insights into magmatic and tectonic processes involved in seafloor spreading. As part of this endeavour, palaeomagnetic data will be collected from recovered core pieces and will be critical to understanding the evolution of the lower crust at this site. These data will provide valuable information on the direction and strength of magnetization locked into the gabbroic rocks we expect to encounter, providing a marker that can be used to infer the amount of tectonic rotation that has affected the site and insights into the contribution that lower crustal rocks make to marine magnetic anomalies. In addition, we intend to use a combination of palaeomagnetic data and geophysical images of the inside of the borehole wall to reorient some of the core pieces recovered by drilling, thereby allowing other directional properties (e.g. structural data) to be restored to the correct geographical reference frame.

Water wave impact on coastal structures such as sea walls, dikes and breakwaters, can lead to water overtopping the structure. This can cause difficulties in the area the structure was built to protect, and possibly damage the structure. Most previous studies of overtopping have examined the total flow of water for a given sea state, and many fewer studies consider individual wave events. These latter have focussed on collecting data on the overtopping event rather than relating it directly to the behaviour of the incident wave, which is the focus of the proposed work. Many types of disturbance and damage are more closely related to individual overtopping events than to the total flow over a longer period. Our recent substantial experimental and numerical modelling work on wave impact on walls, shows the likely importance of relatively rare very violent impacts, and provides a basis for quantitative modelling of wave overtopping, of both violent and more ordinary waves. Greater understanding of these infrequent events will be valuable for both coastal engineering researchers and practitioners alike.The present investigation will again capitalise on the advantages of interactive physical and numerical model studies as a means of gaining new insights into complex wave phenomena. Thus, it is proposed to concentrate in detail on situations of particular scientific interest rather than engage in extensive parametric testing. We note, for example, that there has been little study of the transition between breaking and non-breaking waves on steep beaches / gently sloping structures and expect to find significant differences in swash and overtopping between collapsing and surging breakers on a steep slope. Effects of the structure's geometry, such as different slopes and crest width, will also be examined. The approaching waves will either come over a plane sloping bed or meet a mound at the base of the structure that can trigger plunging or spilling breakers. Experimental measurements of water height, flow rate and pressure will be made. The flow will be numerically modelled by modifying existing programs, one of which includes the compressibility that can be important when air is trapped or entrained by the water. Scaling of results from laboratory measurements to prototype scale can be improved by including such effects. We expect the flow over a structure to depend significantly on its surface roughness, and many protective structures are made of units which are very rough. The study will consider simple roughness elements; for example circular cylinders projecting from the surface. Flow around and over a single roughness element will be related to their overall effect. In the case of the most violent wave impacts we expect that the roughness may also diminish the maximum pressure, by its disturbing effect on the flow.Theoretical work will include analytical study as well as making use of existing numerical programs. Analytical study is a 'blue skies' element of this proposal in that it is rather challenging. It will build on models of swash, since there are very few previous results for overtopping. However, analytical results can be of great value in comprehending different flow regimes.Overall, results from all aspects of this study are to be used to develop improved models of overtopping events that are expected to be useful for designers of coastal structures such as breakwaters and seawalls.

As we enter the Decade of Action for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, there is growing recognition that cities are key frontiers in the fight to achieve sustainability (see SDG-11; World Cities Report 2020; UN-Habitat III 2016). They present significant socio-environmental challenges on both the local and global level - whether contributing to, or suffering from, environmental degradation, habitat loss, natural and human-induced disasters (such as COVID-19), or climate change and its associated risks - e.g. flooding, heat stress, drought and pollution of air and water (Global Biodiversity Outlook 2020). Moreover, as the human narrative continues to unfold, our future looks increasingly urban, and by 2050, cities will be home to 68% of the global population (World Cities Report 2020). In light of this trajectory, the need for sustainable urbanisation has become a global priority (World Cities Report 2020). The New Urban Agenda (NUA) imagines cities that: "protect, conserve, restore and promote their ecosystems, water, natural habitats and biodiversity, minimize their environmental impact and change to sustainable consumption and production patterns" (UN-Habitat III 2016). Finding innovative ways to implement this vision is a key struggle for the upcoming decade (World Cities Report 2020). This project seeks to join the conversation regarding sustainable urbanisation, and make a valuable contribution to global discourse through conducting an ethnographic exploration of the highly innovative, and rapidly developing movement aiming to transform London into the world's first National Park City (LNPC).

In general, power grids are seeing an increase in computing and communication capabilities integrated themselves into power grids. This has led to a number of cyber-physical vulnerabilities, and threads can significantly influence physical infrastructure, economy, and society. However, making existing power systems more efficient does not lower carbon emissions as much as changing the source to renewable energy. Therefore, the aim of this PhD project is to assess and address cyber-physical risks of offshore renewable energy (ORE). The purpose of the first goal is multi-fold: (1) to address an area of renewable energy, specifically offshore, that is growing, (2) to address an under-researched area of power-security (3) to draw from DoS/supervisor expertise, and (4) to use unique facilities/labs around maritime cyber-security and ORE at the University of Plymouth. While the end goal is to protect future energy grids, this goal narrows the scope of possibility to a reasonable PhD project, but also brings in several research strengths that the university possesses at a critical point in technology development. The purpose of this PhD project is to propose solutions to the risks and threats unique to digitally securing offshore renewable energy platforms. As with other research around power grid cyber security, this can be done with a combination of power system simulation tools or physical testbeds. What is unique is not the simulation tools, but the systems and context being simulated. For a testbed, UoP has the Cyber-SHIP lab that is testing systems on a ship, including power, power monitoring, alarms, power distribution, and communications. This hardware testbed is unique, as it features vessel systems, and it can be modified to replicate aspects ORE platforms, or lessons learned from it can lead to the development of a separate testbed. Some combination of these tools can be used by a PhD student to understand the types of cyber-threats, and potential outcomes.