Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL100100214
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,918,382.00
Summary
Future risks associated with ocean surface warming: impacts on climate, rainfall, carbon, and circulation. Climate change is already affecting Australia, with harsh drought, more intense bushfire seasons, increased monsoon rains, heatwaves, and warmer temperatures all a feature of the past few decades. Climate change is expected to accelerate in the future, warming the oceans at an increased rate. This will affect ocean circulation, carbon uptake and ocean-atmosphere modes, such as El Nino, with ....Future risks associated with ocean surface warming: impacts on climate, rainfall, carbon, and circulation. Climate change is already affecting Australia, with harsh drought, more intense bushfire seasons, increased monsoon rains, heatwaves, and warmer temperatures all a feature of the past few decades. Climate change is expected to accelerate in the future, warming the oceans at an increased rate. This will affect ocean circulation, carbon uptake and ocean-atmosphere modes, such as El Nino, with unknown intensity. This project will improve our preparedness for climate change by better quantifying the risks that ocean warming will transform Australia's climate, rainfall, and sea level; as well as the ocean's uptake of carbon and the global ocean circulation. This will benefit sectors including agriculture, water management, fisheries, and tourism.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100223
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$357,024.00
Summary
Dynamics, variability and change in Southern Ocean abyssal flows. Changes in the Southern Ocean abyssal circulation are linked with dramatic climate events, yet the associated dynamics are poorly understood. This project aims to determine the fundamental dynamic processes driving abyssal flows, and diagnose impacts of recent and projected climate change. The project also aims to bridge the large gap between conceptual and observational understanding of this vital limb of the ocean's overturning ....Dynamics, variability and change in Southern Ocean abyssal flows. Changes in the Southern Ocean abyssal circulation are linked with dramatic climate events, yet the associated dynamics are poorly understood. This project aims to determine the fundamental dynamic processes driving abyssal flows, and diagnose impacts of recent and projected climate change. The project also aims to bridge the large gap between conceptual and observational understanding of this vital limb of the ocean's overturning circulation. A significant innovation is that it will be the first study of the Southern Ocean abyss using realistic global-scale models capable of simulating all the key dynamic processes. Results will guide Southern Ocean observation programs, explain observed changes, and reduce uncertainties in climate projections.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100663
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Understanding the termination of El Nino-Southern Oscillation events. Australia's climate is extreme, with significant drought and flooding events driven by cycles of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). This study will improve our understanding of the termination of ENSO events and lead to better inter-seasonal climate forecasting, aiding the sectors reliant on accurate climate prediction.
Remote forcing of Pacific Ocean variability and impacts on global climate. Variability in the Pacific Ocean has a profound impact on global climate. Recent unprecedented decadal variability in the Pacific has been linked to global temperature trends and extremes, yet little is known about what drives this variability or its impact on regional climate. This project will combine observations, advanced coupled climate models and ocean-atmosphere dynamical theory to quantify remote drivers of Pacifi ....Remote forcing of Pacific Ocean variability and impacts on global climate. Variability in the Pacific Ocean has a profound impact on global climate. Recent unprecedented decadal variability in the Pacific has been linked to global temperature trends and extremes, yet little is known about what drives this variability or its impact on regional climate. This project will combine observations, advanced coupled climate models and ocean-atmosphere dynamical theory to quantify remote drivers of Pacific Ocean variability on interannual-decadal time-scales. This project aims to enhance our understanding of the modes of variability operating in this region and their impact on global and Australian climate. This will have significant benefits for the many sectors of society reliant on interseasonal-decadal climate prediction.Read moreRead less
Unraveling ocean mixing and air-sea forcing along the Indo-Pacific exchange. This project aims to collect unprecedented observations and develop high resolution model simulations to examine changes in the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) north of Australia. This project expects to develop new knowledge of ocean-atmosphere interactions along the path of the ITF from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean, which are the powerhouse that drives changes in winds and rainfall around Australia and the entire Indo ....Unraveling ocean mixing and air-sea forcing along the Indo-Pacific exchange. This project aims to collect unprecedented observations and develop high resolution model simulations to examine changes in the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) north of Australia. This project expects to develop new knowledge of ocean-atmosphere interactions along the path of the ITF from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean, which are the powerhouse that drives changes in winds and rainfall around Australia and the entire Indo-Pacific region. Expected outcomes include a 1000-fold increase in the observations of mixing in the Indonesian seas and new understanding of the ocean-atmosphere processes that control water property change along the ITF. This should lead to strong improvement in the skill of climate forecast models in the Australian region.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL150100090
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,770,434.00
Summary
Ocean mixing processes and innovation in oceanographic models. Ocean mixing processes and innovation in oceanographic models: This fellowship project aims to develop new oceanographic tools and thermodynamic variables to support a new generation of accurate ocean models more suitable for the prediction of changes in a warming world. The ocean’s role in the climate system is predominantly to store and to transport heat and carbon dioxide, and the ocean’s ability to do this is sensitive to the str ....Ocean mixing processes and innovation in oceanographic models. Ocean mixing processes and innovation in oceanographic models: This fellowship project aims to develop new oceanographic tools and thermodynamic variables to support a new generation of accurate ocean models more suitable for the prediction of changes in a warming world. The ocean’s role in the climate system is predominantly to store and to transport heat and carbon dioxide, and the ocean’s ability to do this is sensitive to the strength of mixing processes, which are quite uncertain. This project hopes to distinguish the vital role of vertical mixing from that of horizontal mixing by (i) developing algorithms to construct neutral density surfaces in climate models, (ii) formulating new inverse techniques to deduce the amount of vertical mixing in various ocean regions, and (iii) incorporating new approaches to ocean mixing processes and thermodynamics into ocean models.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100414
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$415,266.00
Summary
Ocean mixing under Antarctic sea ice: a missing climate link. The 2016 sudden decline of Antarctic sea ice after decades of growth took the research community by surprise. Leveraging international collaborations, this interdisciplinary project aims to solve the puzzle of Antarctic sea ice, by assessing the ocean's role using key observations collected with state-of-the-art technology. Expected outcomes include a better understanding of why Antarctic sea ice is changing, impacts on sea ice ecosys ....Ocean mixing under Antarctic sea ice: a missing climate link. The 2016 sudden decline of Antarctic sea ice after decades of growth took the research community by surprise. Leveraging international collaborations, this interdisciplinary project aims to solve the puzzle of Antarctic sea ice, by assessing the ocean's role using key observations collected with state-of-the-art technology. Expected outcomes include a better understanding of why Antarctic sea ice is changing, impacts on sea ice ecosystems, and improved predictions of future changes. This project addresses knowledge gaps identified by the global climate community. It will strategically position Australia with new expertise and essential context to understand changing dynamics in a region that regulates global weather and climate.Read moreRead less
Marine heatwaves: subsurface structure and interactions with other extremes. Marine heatwaves routinely cause major ecosystem degradation affecting valuable industries. The aim of this project is to extend our understanding to the workings of temperature extremes hidden below the ocean surface and how other concurrent ocean and terrestrial extremes interact with these marine heatwaves. The project will generate significant new knowledge around the mechanisms driving subsurface heatwaves and how ....Marine heatwaves: subsurface structure and interactions with other extremes. Marine heatwaves routinely cause major ecosystem degradation affecting valuable industries. The aim of this project is to extend our understanding to the workings of temperature extremes hidden below the ocean surface and how other concurrent ocean and terrestrial extremes interact with these marine heatwaves. The project will generate significant new knowledge around the mechanisms driving subsurface heatwaves and how they interact with ocean acidification, oxygen and terrestrial extremes. The outcomes would include improved forecasting of ocean extremes and a quantification of the multivariate risks posed to marine species. This will help guide mitigation or adaptation strategies, benefitting exposed industries like fisheries and tourism.Read moreRead less
The Antarctic Slope Current in a warming climate. Melting Antarctic ice sheets are responsible for 28% of global sea level rise in recent decades, and can contribute more than 1 metre of sea level rise by year 2100, and a staggering 15 metres by 2500. Increased glacial melt rates are best understood by studying changes in the circulation of water around the Antarctic coastline. The combination of physical processes that must be resolved in this region places a high demand on ocean observations a ....The Antarctic Slope Current in a warming climate. Melting Antarctic ice sheets are responsible for 28% of global sea level rise in recent decades, and can contribute more than 1 metre of sea level rise by year 2100, and a staggering 15 metres by 2500. Increased glacial melt rates are best understood by studying changes in the circulation of water around the Antarctic coastline. The combination of physical processes that must be resolved in this region places a high demand on ocean observations and modelling systems. This project uses a series of high-resolution ocean and ice experiments, cross-validated with observations, to provide a deeper understanding of how waters at the Antarctic margin respond to both anthropogenic and natural climate forcing.Read moreRead less
Melting and circulation in Antarctic ice shelf cavities. This project will explore and model the mechanisms causing the observed increased rate of melting of Antarctica’s ice shelves. This understanding is essential for accurate predictions of sea level rise and global thermohaline circulation over the next century, so that their impact on society can be planned for and mitigated.