Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102530
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Are northern- and southern-hemisphere climates synchronised on orbital timescales? New insight into Earth's climate history. This project will generate a very high (1-100 year) resolution palaeoclimate record in order to test whether southern hemisphere ice age climate changes 1.5 million years ago were synchronised with the northern hemisphere. This will provide a critical test of theories on the mechanisms driving glacial- interglacial climate changes.
Understanding total long-term sea-level consequences. This project addresses the urgency in long-term infrastructure planning to understand the long-term "equilibrium" sea-level-change consequences from today’s exceptionally rapid climate change. Understanding this requires detailed sea-level reconstructions back to warm periods with similar CO2 levels to today (~3.5 million years ago), but these remain insufficiently defined. To advance, the project will deliver a next-generation, multi-million ....Understanding total long-term sea-level consequences. This project addresses the urgency in long-term infrastructure planning to understand the long-term "equilibrium" sea-level-change consequences from today’s exceptionally rapid climate change. Understanding this requires detailed sea-level reconstructions back to warm periods with similar CO2 levels to today (~3.5 million years ago), but these remain insufficiently defined. To advance, the project will deliver a next-generation, multi-million-year sea-level reconstruction that includes dynamically evolving (time-dependent) interactions between critical climate factors. This will then be applied with other palaeoclimate data to reconstruct equilibrium relationships between sea level, temperature, and CO2 at currently unattainable precision. Read moreRead less
Limits to ocean surface temperature in future climates. This project aims to investigate whether ocean surface temperatures can increase beyond the 35 degree centigrade threshold for the survival of humans and many other mammal species. Climate models predict that ocean surface temperatures will exceed 35 degree centigrade in parts of the middle east and throughout much of South East Asia in as little as 50 years. This project will use a series of laboratory experiments to test whether parts of ....Limits to ocean surface temperature in future climates. This project aims to investigate whether ocean surface temperatures can increase beyond the 35 degree centigrade threshold for the survival of humans and many other mammal species. Climate models predict that ocean surface temperatures will exceed 35 degree centigrade in parts of the middle east and throughout much of South East Asia in as little as 50 years. This project will use a series of laboratory experiments to test whether parts of the ocean surface can be warmed beyond this limit under natural conditions. Expected outcomes of this project are a new understanding of what sets the maximum surface temperature of the ocean, thereby allowing us to determine whether coastal regions of the humid tropics and sub-tropics will remain habitable for humans and other mammal species in the near future.Read moreRead less
A framework for model emulation and ensemble modelling. For improved water resource management there is a need for further development of appropriate hydrologic models. This project will undertake a collection of hydrologic modelling activities performed at multiple catchments in Australia. A modeling framework that is flexible, extendible and accounts for potential forecast uncertainties will be developed.
Geomorphological development of coral reefs, southern Great Barrier Reef: an integrated record of Holocene palaeoecology and palaeoclimate from cores. Very little is known about how the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) has responded or may respond to predicted environmental change and/or degradation. The project will reconstruct the recent biological and physical history of reefs in the southern GBR in order to better understand how they may react to future environmental changes.
Glacio-isostatic effects on geodetic data: Ice and sea level implications. Glacio-isostatic (GI) effects are recorded in geological and geodetic data sets and mask other deformational processes. This project builds on past work using geological data with a focus on combining geodetic and geological evidence to improve knowledge of the past ice sheets, separate out effects of past and present deglaciation and develop improved models for the mantle rheology to include time-dependencies in mantle r ....Glacio-isostatic effects on geodetic data: Ice and sea level implications. Glacio-isostatic (GI) effects are recorded in geological and geodetic data sets and mask other deformational processes. This project builds on past work using geological data with a focus on combining geodetic and geological evidence to improve knowledge of the past ice sheets, separate out effects of past and present deglaciation and develop improved models for the mantle rheology to include time-dependencies in mantle response (transient creep in the first instance). The project aims to provide a complete and predictive description of the GI effects on geodetic data, consistent with geological evidence, such that other tectonic, hydrologic and sea-level signals can be estimated free of these effects.Read moreRead less
Empowering next-generation sea-ice models with wave–ice mathematics. Sea ice is a crucial part of the Australian and global climate systems, and the most sensitive indicator of the alarming climate changes in motion. This project aims to deliver a vital component in next-generation sea-ice models, by modelling ocean waves in the ice-covered ocean, and implementing it in the leading large-scale sea-ice model. The waves-in-ice model will be accurate for the range of possible wave–ice conditions, u ....Empowering next-generation sea-ice models with wave–ice mathematics. Sea ice is a crucial part of the Australian and global climate systems, and the most sensitive indicator of the alarming climate changes in motion. This project aims to deliver a vital component in next-generation sea-ice models, by modelling ocean waves in the ice-covered ocean, and implementing it in the leading large-scale sea-ice model. The waves-in-ice model will be accurate for the range of possible wave–ice conditions, using understanding derived from state-of-the-art experimental measurements. Powerful mathematical approximation methods will be developed to generate model efficiency. The outcomes will create a new standard in sea-ice modelling, with significant benefits for sea-ice forecasting and climate studies.Read moreRead less
The Australian expression of the Pliocene warm period, an analog for future greenhouse conditions. Records of the planet's response to past climate are important for predicting the future under conditions of global warming. This project will assemble one such record but, in contrast to much existing data, it emphasises the palaeoclimate of southern Australian through a time interval widely regarded as an analog for our climate in the year 2100.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100042
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$350,000.00
Summary
Long-term variability of the Australian monsoon. This project aims to address large uncertainties in Australia’s hydroclimate projections, by reconstructing Australian monsoon variability over the past three million years. The project expects to generate new knowledge to quantify the frequency and amplitudes of extreme rainfall and drought in Northwest Australia. By providing essential new information about the timing, frequency, and intensity of past drought and extreme rainfall, the project is ....Long-term variability of the Australian monsoon. This project aims to address large uncertainties in Australia’s hydroclimate projections, by reconstructing Australian monsoon variability over the past three million years. The project expects to generate new knowledge to quantify the frequency and amplitudes of extreme rainfall and drought in Northwest Australia. By providing essential new information about the timing, frequency, and intensity of past drought and extreme rainfall, the project is expected to enable more accurate climate projections required for effective adaptation and mitigation. This project will also benefit the Australian archaeology community, by providing a much-needed environmental context for mapping Australian pre-history.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL160100028
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,847,675.00
Summary
Understanding the past to predict and manage the climate of the future. Understanding the past to predict and manage the climate of the future. Using key analogues from the geological record, this project aims to understand seasonal and spatial changes in Australia’s rainfall under a warming climate, and to chart the nature of the ecological responses. Shifts in rainfall patterns will have a greater societal impact for Australia than changes in temperature, but are difficult to predict with exis ....Understanding the past to predict and manage the climate of the future. Understanding the past to predict and manage the climate of the future. Using key analogues from the geological record, this project aims to understand seasonal and spatial changes in Australia’s rainfall under a warming climate, and to chart the nature of the ecological responses. Shifts in rainfall patterns will have a greater societal impact for Australia than changes in temperature, but are difficult to predict with existing numerical models. The research is expected to forge important international links between researchers studying past and future climates, anticipate and manage change, and demonstrate the critical scientific value of Australia’s geological heritage.Read moreRead less