Quantifying vertical and lateral ocean transport due to fronts and eddies. This project aims to quantify the intensity and location of ocean currents at unprecedented fine spatial scales by using data from a new generation of high-resolution satellites. These fine scales dominate the lateral and vertical transport of ocean-borne material, including heat, larvae and pollutants like oil and plastics, yet are poorly understood. New algorithms for processing satellite data will be developed and test ....Quantifying vertical and lateral ocean transport due to fronts and eddies. This project aims to quantify the intensity and location of ocean currents at unprecedented fine spatial scales by using data from a new generation of high-resolution satellites. These fine scales dominate the lateral and vertical transport of ocean-borne material, including heat, larvae and pollutants like oil and plastics, yet are poorly understood. New algorithms for processing satellite data will be developed and tested using in situ data in the significant North West Shelf region. Expected outcomes will be novel methods to identify ocean currents and a paradigm shift in quantification of fine-scale ocean dynamics. This will benefit operational oceanography in the areas of maritime safety, defence, fisheries and the offshore industry.Read moreRead less
An end-to-end ocean weather information system for the blue economy. This project aims to develop a state-of-the-art ocean weather information system for marine industries. The project will design an end-to-end solution that integrates ocean observations, operational forecasting, and data delivery. By addressing industry needs, this project will provide a rapid pathway from research to economic benefit.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100087
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$328,075.00
Summary
Internal wave breaking and mixing in the ocean. This project aims to quantify turbulent mixing in the ocean using ultra-high-resolution numerical modelling. Turbulent mixing is caused by internal waves which transport energy from the ocean boundaries into the interior, where they drive mixing of cold, deep water with warmer water above. This mixing is crucial to the ocean circulation which controls the storage of heat and carbon in the ocean, but is inadequately represented in current climate mo ....Internal wave breaking and mixing in the ocean. This project aims to quantify turbulent mixing in the ocean using ultra-high-resolution numerical modelling. Turbulent mixing is caused by internal waves which transport energy from the ocean boundaries into the interior, where they drive mixing of cold, deep water with warmer water above. This mixing is crucial to the ocean circulation which controls the storage of heat and carbon in the ocean, but is inadequately represented in current climate models. The anticipated outcome of the project is an enhanced, global-ocean model incorporating an accurate description of turbulent mixing. This should provide significant benefits to the Australian community by improving the accuracy of future climate predictions.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100749
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$434,030.00
Summary
Machine learning of subgrid ocean physics for global ocean models. Climate projections require simulations with ocean-climate models for hundreds of years. Computational resources limit the resolution of our models for such long runs, meaning that some key physical processes remain unresolved and must be parameterised. This project uses machine learning to find new parameterisations for unresolved ocean processes. These new parameterisations will be implemented into computationally cheaper coars ....Machine learning of subgrid ocean physics for global ocean models. Climate projections require simulations with ocean-climate models for hundreds of years. Computational resources limit the resolution of our models for such long runs, meaning that some key physical processes remain unresolved and must be parameterised. This project uses machine learning to find new parameterisations for unresolved ocean processes. These new parameterisations will be implemented into computationally cheaper coarse-resolution ocean models, thereby enhancing these models' representation of the ocean circulation. This project expects to reveal the dynamics of unresolved processes, to improve the accuracy of climate projections and to provide a proof-of-concept for how machine learning can be used in ocean and climate science.Read moreRead less
Understanding the Southern Ocean overturning circulation and its sensitivity to climate variability. Our ability to understand and ultimately predict climate is critically dependent on understanding the Southern Ocean circulation and its sensitivity to atmospheric variability. The project will use a combination of observations and high-resolution numerical models to provide insights into the dynamics of the Southern Ocean overturning circulation.
The role of internal wave-driven near-bed turbulent dynamics in coastal ocean sediment mobilisation. This project will determine the process of internal wave-driven sediment resuspension and transport in the coastal ocean. This will be achieved by using a combination of field observations and numerical modelling, at two diverse but representative Australian coastal regions where nonlinear internal waves dominate the dynamics. The study has significant application to the offshore oil and gas indu ....The role of internal wave-driven near-bed turbulent dynamics in coastal ocean sediment mobilisation. This project will determine the process of internal wave-driven sediment resuspension and transport in the coastal ocean. This will be achieved by using a combination of field observations and numerical modelling, at two diverse but representative Australian coastal regions where nonlinear internal waves dominate the dynamics. The study has significant application to the offshore oil and gas industry engineering design and operations as well as to environmental management of the coastal ocean ecosystems. This project will achieve a process understanding and create predictive tools describing sediment resuspension and transport for use by industry and marine managers.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100004
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$440,185.00
Summary
Mixing and air-sea coupling in the Pacific: Toward better El Nino forecasts. The Tropical Pacific drives significant year-to-year variability in Australian rainfall and climate extremes. However, tropical climate predictions are severely limited due to systematic biases in numerical climate models. Using new techniques and leveraging international collaborations, this project aims to transform our ability to simulate tropical Pacific climate through a new understanding of key air-sea interaction ....Mixing and air-sea coupling in the Pacific: Toward better El Nino forecasts. The Tropical Pacific drives significant year-to-year variability in Australian rainfall and climate extremes. However, tropical climate predictions are severely limited due to systematic biases in numerical climate models. Using new techniques and leveraging international collaborations, this project aims to transform our ability to simulate tropical Pacific climate through a new understanding of key air-sea interaction and ocean mixing processes. Expected outcomes include a better representation of tropical climate in the Australian climate model and improved seasonal to interannual predictive capability. These improved predictions will give communities more time to prepare for extreme events such as droughts, heatwaves and bushfires.Read moreRead less
Dynamics of the Southern Ocean. The Southern Ocean is critically important to future global climate: it controls the natural global carbon cycle and the distribution of heat and nutrients around the ocean. This project will investigate key uncertainties in the Southern Ocean's response to climate change, and thereby improve our capacity to predict future climate.
Physical processes in complex coastal reef environments: the dynamics of wave- and tide-dominated systems. Coastal reefs are ubiquitous features of Australia's coastline, yet the dynamics controlling water motion on reefs still remain poorly understood. This project will significantly advance our understanding of coastal processes within reef environments, thus improving predictions of the impacts of extreme storms and climate change on our coasts.
THE BASAL MELTING OF ANTARCTIC ICE SHELVES . The project aims to determine the mechanisms that govern melting of Antarctic ice shelves into the ocean. Faster basal melting of ice shelves in the warming ocean is contributing to loss of grounded ice from Antarctica and increased glacier speeds, and melting is projected to become a larger contribution to future global sea level rise. Using unique laboratory experiments, turbulence-resolving computation and theoretical analysis the project will eva ....THE BASAL MELTING OF ANTARCTIC ICE SHELVES . The project aims to determine the mechanisms that govern melting of Antarctic ice shelves into the ocean. Faster basal melting of ice shelves in the warming ocean is contributing to loss of grounded ice from Antarctica and increased glacier speeds, and melting is projected to become a larger contribution to future global sea level rise. Using unique laboratory experiments, turbulence-resolving computation and theoretical analysis the project will evaluate the roles of meltwater, ocean currents, internal wave breaking and water exchanges between the continental shelf and sub-ice cavities. The results will assist our understanding of measurements made in Antarctica and more reliable predictions of sea level rise.Read moreRead less