Eddies: The key to understanding Southern Ocean carbon cycling. This project plans to observe an eddy in the Southern Ocean for three weeks, to understand how its circulation affects ocean productivity and the exchange of carbon dioxide between the ocean and atmosphere. Ocean eddies are like small high and low pressure weather systems which spin either clockwise or anticlockwise, are about 100–200 kilometres across and several hundred metres deep. Eddies are important because they generate verti ....Eddies: The key to understanding Southern Ocean carbon cycling. This project plans to observe an eddy in the Southern Ocean for three weeks, to understand how its circulation affects ocean productivity and the exchange of carbon dioxide between the ocean and atmosphere. Ocean eddies are like small high and low pressure weather systems which spin either clockwise or anticlockwise, are about 100–200 kilometres across and several hundred metres deep. Eddies are important because they generate vertical currents that move nutrients and carbon dioxide up and down. Expected project outcomes will include a better understanding of carbon cycling in an ocean region that is central to the climate of Australia and the rest of the planet.Read moreRead less
Robotic investigation of water optical properties in the Southern Ocean. The project aims to improve our understanding of light–matter interactions in the waters of the Southern Ocean (SO), in particular the role of phytoplankton and associated material of biological origin. Phytoplankton are the energy source for the food web and a critical component of carbon cycling in the SO. However, their dynamics in the SO cannot be quantified using satellite observations because bio-optical data processi ....Robotic investigation of water optical properties in the Southern Ocean. The project aims to improve our understanding of light–matter interactions in the waters of the Southern Ocean (SO), in particular the role of phytoplankton and associated material of biological origin. Phytoplankton are the energy source for the food web and a critical component of carbon cycling in the SO. However, their dynamics in the SO cannot be quantified using satellite observations because bio-optical data processing algorithms perform poorly due to a lack of field data. This project seeks to remedy this by improving understanding of SO bio-optics, and by providing novel algorithms of known uncertainty, based on in situ data.Read moreRead less
Hot iron: Are submarine volcanoes important for Southern Ocean iron supply? The scarcity of iron limits biological productivity and carbon uptake in the nutrient rich waters of the Southern Ocean. This project will explore for the first time the role of undersea "hot spot" volcanoes in supplying iron to surface waters, thus linking the solid earth and the biosphere. The project will measure iron abundance, reactivity and nutritional value in buoyant plumes emanating from vents near Heard/McDonal ....Hot iron: Are submarine volcanoes important for Southern Ocean iron supply? The scarcity of iron limits biological productivity and carbon uptake in the nutrient rich waters of the Southern Ocean. This project will explore for the first time the role of undersea "hot spot" volcanoes in supplying iron to surface waters, thus linking the solid earth and the biosphere. The project will measure iron abundance, reactivity and nutritional value in buoyant plumes emanating from vents near Heard/McDonald Islands, Australia's only active volcanoes. The project aims to estimate the hydrothermal contribution to regional biological productivity and extrapolate to the whole Southern Ocean. Successful outcomes will benefit Australia by identifying iron sources that govern productivity and carbon uptake of an economically important ecosystem.Read moreRead less
Eddy-resolving global ocean-sea ice modelling. Eddy-resolving global ocean-sea ice modelling. This project aims to develop a world-class global ocean-sea ice model framework through a nationwide consortium. The resulting high resolution models are expected to provide the foundation for the next decade of Australian ocean-sea ice modelling capacity. This research should lead to improved ocean and sea ice prediction, ocean reanalyses, and climate projections, enhancing Australia's capacity to pred ....Eddy-resolving global ocean-sea ice modelling. Eddy-resolving global ocean-sea ice modelling. This project aims to develop a world-class global ocean-sea ice model framework through a nationwide consortium. The resulting high resolution models are expected to provide the foundation for the next decade of Australian ocean-sea ice modelling capacity. This research should lead to improved ocean and sea ice prediction, ocean reanalyses, and climate projections, enhancing Australia's capacity to predict the ocean state on timescales of days to decades. This is expected to yield efficiencies in shipping, marine search and rescue and naval operations, and increase the accuracy of projected future changes in climate, sea level, ocean ecosystems and the cryosphere.Read moreRead less
Natural iron fertilisation of oceans around Australia: linking terrestrial dust, marine biogeochemistry and climate. Oceans play a vital role in Earth’s climate through the control of atmospheric carbon dioxide. An important component of this system is the iron cycle, in which iron-rich dust is transported from the land via atmosphere to ocean; iron is a key micronutrient for marine phytoplankton, the scarcity of which limits essential biogeochemical processes and ocean fertility. This project w ....Natural iron fertilisation of oceans around Australia: linking terrestrial dust, marine biogeochemistry and climate. Oceans play a vital role in Earth’s climate through the control of atmospheric carbon dioxide. An important component of this system is the iron cycle, in which iron-rich dust is transported from the land via atmosphere to ocean; iron is a key micronutrient for marine phytoplankton, the scarcity of which limits essential biogeochemical processes and ocean fertility. This project will conduct an integrated oceanographic and atmospheric observational program for trace elements in the oceans around Australia. This will provide the critical information on iron supplied from atmospheric dust for ocean productivity and marine ecosystem health, providing the science for predicting a key factor in the future impact of the oceans on climate.Read moreRead less
Distribution of ocean heat uptake and its implications for sea level and climate change. Increasing sea levels and ocean temperatures provide critical evidence of long term warming of the climate system. This project will investigate geographical changes in the vertical distribution of heat uptake by the ocean and contribution to sea level changes, including understanding of physical mechanisms and the role of human activity and other natural external and internal factors. The expected outcomes ....Distribution of ocean heat uptake and its implications for sea level and climate change. Increasing sea levels and ocean temperatures provide critical evidence of long term warming of the climate system. This project will investigate geographical changes in the vertical distribution of heat uptake by the ocean and contribution to sea level changes, including understanding of physical mechanisms and the role of human activity and other natural external and internal factors. The expected outcomes will contribute to place more rigorous constraints on the likelihood of future warming and sea level rise projections, and are aligned with scientific deliverables required to address key questions in support of Australia’s climate change policy.Read moreRead less
Understanding spread in sea level rise projections. This project aims to investigate changes in water properties and ocean circulation mechanisms leading to intermodel spread in sea-level projections. Sea-level rise projections for this 21st century largely disagree in magnitude and spatial changes between climate models, particularly in hotspots. The expected outcomes will contribute towards more rigorous constraints on the likelihood of future warming and sea-level rise projections, and are al ....Understanding spread in sea level rise projections. This project aims to investigate changes in water properties and ocean circulation mechanisms leading to intermodel spread in sea-level projections. Sea-level rise projections for this 21st century largely disagree in magnitude and spatial changes between climate models, particularly in hotspots. The expected outcomes will contribute towards more rigorous constraints on the likelihood of future warming and sea-level rise projections, and are aligned with scientific deliverables required to address key questions in support of Australia’s climate change policy. They are also aligned with international scientific deliverables in support of the World Climate Research Programme Grand Challenge on Regional Sea Level Change and Coastal Impacts.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100030
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
The role of Antarctic sea ice as a natural ocean fertiliser. This project will assess the importance of sea ice as a natural fertiliser in the climatically important polar region. The knowledge gained will aid climate modellers and Governmental policy-makers concerned with the commercial use of ocean iron fertilisation as an attempt to reduce human-induced atmospheric carbon dioxide and gain carbon credits.
Southern Ocean oxygen variability since the last glacial maximum. Recently observed decreases in ocean oxygen concentration could decrease ocean biodiversity and accelerate climate change. This project will determine the links between climate change and ocean oxygenation since the last ice age, and provide a way to predict future oxygen concentrations.
Coupled physical and biogeochemical dynamics on the Australian North West Shelf. Information regarding the natural function of the Australian North West Shelf is urgently required to sustainably manage the often conflicting uses of the region. This project will study the role of ocean processes in driving ocean productivity on the North West Shelf and determine the impact of projected climate variability.