Interactions of physical processes for Southern Ocean dynamics. The Southern Ocean circulation is a major component of the earth’s climate system. Its behaviour depends strongly on the interactions of physical processes that are poorly understood and are not well represented in ocean models. This project will use laboratory experiments and fully-resolved flow simulations with appropriate scaling to examine the dynamics of key interactions between convection, mixing, wind-driven flow, eddies and ....Interactions of physical processes for Southern Ocean dynamics. The Southern Ocean circulation is a major component of the earth’s climate system. Its behaviour depends strongly on the interactions of physical processes that are poorly understood and are not well represented in ocean models. This project will use laboratory experiments and fully-resolved flow simulations with appropriate scaling to examine the dynamics of key interactions between convection, mixing, wind-driven flow, eddies and large-scale currents, while translating the results to improve ocean models. The project will develop the fundamental physics of the deep overturning circulation, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, response timescales and heat uptake in a warming world, and improve predictions of oceanic and climate change.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100089
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$371,151.00
Summary
A new understanding of Antarctic ice melting. Melting of grounded ice in the Antarctic may play a key role in future global sea level rise and Earth's climate system. Ocean-ice interactions governing the rate of melting are not well understood and limited data leads to large uncertainties in the predictions of future melting rates. This project will undertake the first direct numerical simulations examining the complex dynamics of melting of ice-shelves in the presence of convection and turbulen ....A new understanding of Antarctic ice melting. Melting of grounded ice in the Antarctic may play a key role in future global sea level rise and Earth's climate system. Ocean-ice interactions governing the rate of melting are not well understood and limited data leads to large uncertainties in the predictions of future melting rates. This project will undertake the first direct numerical simulations examining the complex dynamics of melting of ice-shelves in the presence of convection and turbulence, while translating the results to improve ocean models. By calculating the sensitivity of melting rate to surrounding ocean conditions, the project will develop the knowledge required to better predict future melting rates.Read moreRead less