Has rainfall become more variable or extreme? The trends and variability of global daily rainfall are uncertain. By tackling data shortcomings and the scaling issues that exist between observations and models, this project aims to produce the first well-constrained long-term assessment of the variability and trends in daily rainfall over land. Using extreme value analysis on the resulting data would allow the exploration of the sensitivity of rainfall extremes to grid resolution, interpolation m ....Has rainfall become more variable or extreme? The trends and variability of global daily rainfall are uncertain. By tackling data shortcomings and the scaling issues that exist between observations and models, this project aims to produce the first well-constrained long-term assessment of the variability and trends in daily rainfall over land. Using extreme value analysis on the resulting data would allow the exploration of the sensitivity of rainfall extremes to grid resolution, interpolation method and order of operation on an unprecedented grand scale. Ultimately, this means that improved return period estimates could be calculated for the types of events that could lead to flooding. Understanding how, where and why it rains is vital for enabling sound decisions to be made by our planners and policy-makers.Read moreRead less
What caused abrupt climate change events in the past and what can they tell us about the future? This project will improve our understanding of abrupt climate change in the past, present and future. It will dramatically enhance Australia's capacity to use climate models to assess the probability and associated consequences of abrupt climate change in the future.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102927
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Ingredients of the eddy soup in Southern Ocean dynamics: processes, climate impacts and parameterisation. This project aims to understand jet-topography-eddy interactions in the Southern Ocean, and to apply that understanding to improving the representation of ocean physics in models. It will provide the underpinning science needed to increase confidence in climate predictions that will allow Australia to more effectively respond to climate change.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100367
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$342,924.00
Summary
Decadal climate variability: Mechanisms, interactions and effects. This project aims to study the processes underlying decadal climate variability, through increasingly complex models, underpinned by observations. Climate variations on time scales of years, decades and longer affect Australia, with potentially devastating effects on agriculture, water supply, bushfires and health. Improved climate prediction on decadal time scales is urgently needed, but limited understanding of the system’s nat ....Decadal climate variability: Mechanisms, interactions and effects. This project aims to study the processes underlying decadal climate variability, through increasingly complex models, underpinned by observations. Climate variations on time scales of years, decades and longer affect Australia, with potentially devastating effects on agriculture, water supply, bushfires and health. Improved climate prediction on decadal time scales is urgently needed, but limited understanding of the system’s natural variability hampers progress. This knowledge will reduce uncertainty in near term climate projections, allowing more informed decision making about adaptation on the regional scale, particularly for sectors such as agriculture, health, water and ecosystem management (including bushfire control).Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100180
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$150,000.00
Summary
An Australian fluid-inclusion facility for climate-change science. Understanding past temperature and rainfall changes is essential for improving climate projections. The proposed facility will generate new palaeotemperature and palaeorainfall information from cave deposits, leading to a better understanding of natural climate variability and change.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100107
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$369,536.00
Summary
What is the impact of abrupt climate change on the global carbon cycle? In the past 50 000 years there were several episodes of abrupt climate change during which atmospheric carbon dioxide rose significantly. This project aims to determine the causes of past abrupt changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide. The project is significant because understanding changes in the global carbon cycle is essential to estimate future climate trajectories. Innovatively, it will highlight the relationship between ....What is the impact of abrupt climate change on the global carbon cycle? In the past 50 000 years there were several episodes of abrupt climate change during which atmospheric carbon dioxide rose significantly. This project aims to determine the causes of past abrupt changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide. The project is significant because understanding changes in the global carbon cycle is essential to estimate future climate trajectories. Innovatively, it will highlight the relationship between Southern Hemisphere water masses and the marine carbon cycle during abrupt climate change. The expected outcomes include a better understanding of the interplay between Southern Ocean processes and the carbon cycle.Read moreRead less
Examining the vulnerability of ocean carbon biogeochemistry in a high CO2 world. Rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere from human activity is changing the biogeochemistry of the ocean, with large potential consequences on future atmospheric CO2. This work will explore these changes and will result in a more complete understanding of how the ocean will either accelerate or delay the increase in atmospheric CO2.
Next-generation vegetation model based on functional traits. Global vegetation models try to answer big questions, such as the effects of climate change and carbon dioxide (CO2) on ecosystems and vice versa. But as present models are outdated and give inconsistent results, the project is planning a new, more robust model that will fully exploit recent advances in plant functional ecology and earth system science.
Reconstructing changes in atmospheric circulation over the mid-latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere during the past 3000 years. The climate of the mid-latitudes of the southern hemisphere is of global significance and yet past changes have proved difficult to reconstruct due to the dearth of records. Working across the Southern Ocean region using tree rings, lake sediments and ice cores, the project will produce the first comprehensive reconstruction spanning the last 3000 years.
Back to the Future: Interglacial Warming and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet . The Antarctic is highly-sensitive to abrupt changes caused by the passing of tipping points within the climate system. Crucially, the instrumental record is too short to resolve major uncertainties surrounding future warming. The Last Interglacial (125,000 yrs ago) was 2°C warmer than today and experienced 6-11 m higher global sea levels. The role of Antarctica is vital for constraining sea-level projections. This Austra ....Back to the Future: Interglacial Warming and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet . The Antarctic is highly-sensitive to abrupt changes caused by the passing of tipping points within the climate system. Crucially, the instrumental record is too short to resolve major uncertainties surrounding future warming. The Last Interglacial (125,000 yrs ago) was 2°C warmer than today and experienced 6-11 m higher global sea levels. The role of Antarctica is vital for constraining sea-level projections. This Australian-led international project aims to determine the mechanisms and impacts of past interglacial Antarctic warming up to 2°C (relative to pre-industrial). Innovative techniques integrating horizontal ice cores and high resolution marine records will help identify polar tipping points and better plan for impacts in Australia.Read moreRead less