Spanning ten billion scales from millimetre turbulence to global circulation. This project aims to explain the role of convection in the ocean. Convection is a key climate process yet it remains one of the most poorly understood mechanisms in the ocean and is crudely represented in climate models, leading to uncertainties in predictions of heat transport, climate change, polar ice loss and sea level rise. Using a unique turbulence-resolving approach and high-performance computing, the project wi ....Spanning ten billion scales from millimetre turbulence to global circulation. This project aims to explain the role of convection in the ocean. Convection is a key climate process yet it remains one of the most poorly understood mechanisms in the ocean and is crudely represented in climate models, leading to uncertainties in predictions of heat transport, climate change, polar ice loss and sea level rise. Using a unique turbulence-resolving approach and high-performance computing, the project will determine both the global role of buoyancy-driven convection in the broad ocean circulation and the local turbulence controls on melting rates of Antarctic ice-shelves. This will contribute to the formulation of better climate models and keep Australia at the forefront of oceanography and environmental fluid dynamics.Read moreRead less
Predicting environmental extremes in a period of climate change. This project has the potential to reduce the uncertainty in the predictions of extreme winds and waves used to design and operate coastal and offshore facilities. Predictions are typically achieved by extrapolating recorded data to predict probable extremes. The uncertainties associated with this approach are very large. This project aims to develop a new approach called ‘large ensemble aggregate’ analysis, which brings together da ....Predicting environmental extremes in a period of climate change. This project has the potential to reduce the uncertainty in the predictions of extreme winds and waves used to design and operate coastal and offshore facilities. Predictions are typically achieved by extrapolating recorded data to predict probable extremes. The uncertainties associated with this approach are very large. This project aims to develop a new approach called ‘large ensemble aggregate’ analysis, which brings together data from alternative model predictions or alternative measurement locations to expand the effective data and avoid the necessity for statistical extrapolation. This approach may significantly reduce the uncertainty in estimating extreme values. This would reduce the cost of constructing coastal and offshore facilities and decrease the risk of catastrophic failure.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.
Ocean heat content change and its impact on sea level. This project aims to improve projections of possible sea level changes. Sea level rise is among the most significant potential impacts of transient climate change around the world. Poor understanding of the way in which heat is absorbed at the sea surface and distributed by ocean circulation is a leading source of uncertainty in projections of global surface temperature and regional sea level rise by the end of this century. This project aim ....Ocean heat content change and its impact on sea level. This project aims to improve projections of possible sea level changes. Sea level rise is among the most significant potential impacts of transient climate change around the world. Poor understanding of the way in which heat is absorbed at the sea surface and distributed by ocean circulation is a leading source of uncertainty in projections of global surface temperature and regional sea level rise by the end of this century. This project aims to apply novel observational methods, complimented by numerical modelling, to quantify the drivers of recent change. This project expects to transform our ability to predict how ocean temperature and sea level will change in the future.Read moreRead less
The Spectral Evolution of Ocean Swell. This project aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the processes responsible for the evolution of ocean swell. It will generate new knowledge in the field by using a combination of newly available satellite data and buoys strategically located along two propagation paths across the Pacific. The expected outcomes will be a unique data set and significant advances in our ability to accurately predict ocean swell. Swell prediction remains one of the ....The Spectral Evolution of Ocean Swell. This project aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the processes responsible for the evolution of ocean swell. It will generate new knowledge in the field by using a combination of newly available satellite data and buoys strategically located along two propagation paths across the Pacific. The expected outcomes will be a unique data set and significant advances in our ability to accurately predict ocean swell. Swell prediction remains one of the major short-comings of ocean wave prediction models. As swell conditions dominate ocean wave climate for 75% of the time, accurate prediction is critical for coastal protection, understanding air-sea interaction and maintaining ship and port operations.Read moreRead less
ARC Centres of Excellence for Climate System Science. Our capacity to assess the threat of climate change is undermined by an unacceptable level of uncertainty in the understanding and modelling of regional climates. The Centre will undertake world-class research targeting identified weaknesses in the physical, chemical and biological components of the climate system. We will engage and nurture graduate students and postdoctoral follows through a program of graduate training and mentoring to per ....ARC Centres of Excellence for Climate System Science. Our capacity to assess the threat of climate change is undermined by an unacceptable level of uncertainty in the understanding and modelling of regional climates. The Centre will undertake world-class research targeting identified weaknesses in the physical, chemical and biological components of the climate system. We will engage and nurture graduate students and postdoctoral follows through a program of graduate training and mentoring to permanently transform our understanding of climate systems science particularly for the Australian region. The key outcome will be a dramatic enhancement in national capacity to understand and project the scale of future regional climate change.Read moreRead less
Improving the credibility of regional sea level rise projections. Anthropogenic sea level rise is expected to inundate low-lying islands and coastlines around the world, with multiple model projections suggesting that changes in wind patterns will lead to larger than average sea level rise along Australia’s east coast and in neighbouring small island nations. Confidence in projections of this spatial sea level rise variability is low, however, due to a strong mismatch between patterns of observe ....Improving the credibility of regional sea level rise projections. Anthropogenic sea level rise is expected to inundate low-lying islands and coastlines around the world, with multiple model projections suggesting that changes in wind patterns will lead to larger than average sea level rise along Australia’s east coast and in neighbouring small island nations. Confidence in projections of this spatial sea level rise variability is low, however, due to a strong mismatch between patterns of observed and model-projected sea level rise in recent decades. This work will use a newly developed climate model hierarchy and innovative experimental design to determine the cause of this discrepancy and will produce more credible regional sea level rise projections by clarifying and reducing projection uncertainty.
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Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220101027
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$455,906.00
Summary
Resolving ocean convection: new knowledge for a changing Antarctica. This project aims to improve our understanding of the role of convection on the Antarctic margins using a high-resolution, cutting-edge numerical approach. Convection is an important, but poorly understood oceanic process, which diverts heat away from the melting Antarctic ice shelves by transporting cold and salty water from the ocean surface to depth. The project outcomes will be new knowledge of the physics from novel numeri ....Resolving ocean convection: new knowledge for a changing Antarctica. This project aims to improve our understanding of the role of convection on the Antarctic margins using a high-resolution, cutting-edge numerical approach. Convection is an important, but poorly understood oceanic process, which diverts heat away from the melting Antarctic ice shelves by transporting cold and salty water from the ocean surface to depth. The project outcomes will be new knowledge of the physics from novel numerical models and theory, supported by insights from observations and model parameterisations. This timely research will improve prediction of sea level rise due to a changing Antarctica and enhance our ability to adapt to future climate scenarios, providing significant environmental and health benefits to Australians.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR200100008
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$20,000,000.00
Summary
The Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science. The Centre will revolutionise predictions of the future of East Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. Changes in the Antarctic will be profoundly costly to Australia, including sea-level and fisheries impacts; but the speed and scale of future change remains poorly understood. A new national-scale and interdisciplinary Centre is required to understand the complex interactions of the ocean, ice sheets, atmosphere and ecosystems that will gov ....The Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science. The Centre will revolutionise predictions of the future of East Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. Changes in the Antarctic will be profoundly costly to Australia, including sea-level and fisheries impacts; but the speed and scale of future change remains poorly understood. A new national-scale and interdisciplinary Centre is required to understand the complex interactions of the ocean, ice sheets, atmosphere and ecosystems that will govern Antarctica’s future. The Centre will combine new field data with innovative models to address Australia’s Antarctic science priorities, train graduate students, develop leaders, engage the public, and enable major economic benefit as Australia adapts to climate change in the coming years and beyond.Read moreRead less
An integrated examination of the drivers of movements of large filter feeding organisms of high ecotourism value: a case study. This aim is to define key drivers behind movements of large filter-feeding organisms, using the manta ray as a model system. As dive eco-tourism often depends on the presence of such charismatic filter-feeding animals, an understanding of why animals occupy particular sites at particular times is important, especially in the face of climate change.