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: 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
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.
A new energy budget for the global circulation of the oceans. The energy sources and sinks that govern the global circulation of the oceans will be re-evaluated, building a new picture of the energy budget of the oceans. This will lead to new knowledge of the circulation of the deep oceans, to better ocean and climate-prediction models, and ultimately to more reliable estimates of future climate change.
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
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: DE240100115
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$451,697.00
Summary
Evaluating the Impact and Efficiency of Engineering the Ocean to Remove CO2. This project aims to evaluate the viability of engineering the ocean to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by simulating a suite of climate intervention and baseline scenarios. To better predict changes in marine carbon cycling, I will first make novel observations of zooplankton grazing dynamics, then use them to improve, validate and constrain a new marine biogeochemical model. Using this model, coupled to an o ....Evaluating the Impact and Efficiency of Engineering the Ocean to Remove CO2. This project aims to evaluate the viability of engineering the ocean to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by simulating a suite of climate intervention and baseline scenarios. To better predict changes in marine carbon cycling, I will first make novel observations of zooplankton grazing dynamics, then use them to improve, validate and constrain a new marine biogeochemical model. Using this model, coupled to an ocean, atmosphere and fisheries model, I will quantify the long-term efficiency with which marine carbon dioxide removal strategies sequester carbon along with their impact on fisheries catch. These projections will help scientists, policy-makers, and industry leaders decide if, when, and how we should geoengineer the ocean. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100184
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Understanding Antarctic dense water formation. This project aims to use a high-resolution global modelling approach to understand how Antarctic dense water formation changed in past climates and how to predict future changes. The Southern Ocean is critical in the uptake of heat and carbon from the atmosphere into the deep ocean. The sinking of cold and saline dense water around the coast of Antarctica transports heat and carbon into the deep ocean. Climate models fail to simulate this process an ....Understanding Antarctic dense water formation. This project aims to use a high-resolution global modelling approach to understand how Antarctic dense water formation changed in past climates and how to predict future changes. The Southern Ocean is critical in the uptake of heat and carbon from the atmosphere into the deep ocean. The sinking of cold and saline dense water around the coast of Antarctica transports heat and carbon into the deep ocean. Climate models fail to simulate this process and little is known about how dense water formation responds to changes in climate. Identification of critical vulnerabilities associated with Antarctic ice shelf melting and sea level rise will guide Southern Ocean observation systems and Australian climate adaptation programs.Read moreRead less
An ensemble approach to studying the ocean's role in climate change. Using a newly-developed ocean model that harnesses the power of graphical processing units (GPUs) instead of the common central processing units (CPUs) we can run global ocean simulations at 1/50th the cost. Utilising this speed up, we aim to pioneer a modelling framework to perform ensembles of eddy-resolving global ocean simulations under various climate-change scenarios. This ensemble approach will enable us to separate the ....An ensemble approach to studying the ocean's role in climate change. Using a newly-developed ocean model that harnesses the power of graphical processing units (GPUs) instead of the common central processing units (CPUs) we can run global ocean simulations at 1/50th the cost. Utilising this speed up, we aim to pioneer a modelling framework to perform ensembles of eddy-resolving global ocean simulations under various climate-change scenarios. This ensemble approach will enable us to separate the changes we see in future projections that are due to climate change from the changes that occur in the due to the natural variations of the climate system. The project's outcomes will increase our confidence in future climate change projections, including ocean heat uptake, and sea level rise.Read moreRead less
Is there a climatic tipping point for Antarctic Bottom Water formation? Antarctic Bottom Water plays an important role in global ocean circulation and climate and yet its formation is also highly sensitive to climate change. This project will analyse new seafloor, core and water samples from the understudied Cape Darnley, East Antarctica, collected on a voyage in early 2022. This new data will be used in combination with an improved high resolution regional ocean model, to understand modern and ....Is there a climatic tipping point for Antarctic Bottom Water formation? Antarctic Bottom Water plays an important role in global ocean circulation and climate and yet its formation is also highly sensitive to climate change. This project will analyse new seafloor, core and water samples from the understudied Cape Darnley, East Antarctica, collected on a voyage in early 2022. This new data will be used in combination with an improved high resolution regional ocean model, to understand modern and past Antarctic Bottom Water formation under different climate states (warmer and colder than present), to determine if there are climate tipping points for the shut down of Antarctic Bottom Water formation. The anticipated benefits include a better understanding of future climate change on this important water mass.Read moreRead less