The Southern Ocean Meridional Overturning Circulation: New observations of vertical mixing. The Southern Ocean and Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) play profound roles in Australian and global climate. However, we know little about how they will be affected by global warming. New velocity observations will tell us how the vertical mixing that contributes to the meridional overturning circulation, and ACC strength, change with the seasons and from year to year. The observations will also gi ....The Southern Ocean Meridional Overturning Circulation: New observations of vertical mixing. The Southern Ocean and Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) play profound roles in Australian and global climate. However, we know little about how they will be affected by global warming. New velocity observations will tell us how the vertical mixing that contributes to the meridional overturning circulation, and ACC strength, change with the seasons and from year to year. The observations will also give us a better understanding of the oceanic and atmospheric processes that drive these changes. This new information will allow climate models to be better constrained so they can more accurately predict changes to Australian and global climate.Read moreRead less
What controls the shift from a hot house climate to a cold house climate: the Eocene/ Oligocene climate transition and greenhouse warming. This study contributes to putting Australia on the map as a centre of excellence in the study of past climates as well as in global warming research. It aims at a greater understanding of the dynamics of past warm climate states. This could ultimately lead to a better knowledge of the formation of the ancient deposits that we mine in Australia today. Furtherm ....What controls the shift from a hot house climate to a cold house climate: the Eocene/ Oligocene climate transition and greenhouse warming. This study contributes to putting Australia on the map as a centre of excellence in the study of past climates as well as in global warming research. It aims at a greater understanding of the dynamics of past warm climate states. This could ultimately lead to a better knowledge of the formation of the ancient deposits that we mine in Australia today. Furthermore, the study of these past warm climates tells us something about current global warming as both involve increased levels of carbon in the atmosphere. The impact of climate change on Australia is likely to be large. Our study of past warm climates helps to gain an understanding of the mechanisms behind climate change and help quantify the risks of climate change posed to Australia.Read moreRead less
Causes of Enhanced Warming of the Southern Ocean. The Southern Ocean is critical to the global climate system in general, and Australian climate in particular. However, the Southern Ocean is poorly understood, poorly observed and poorly modelled by global climate models. The response of the Southern Ocean to increases in wind forcing (due to the ozone hole and global warming) will be examined. Climate impacts such as Australian rainfall trends, potential instability of the West Antarctic Ice She ....Causes of Enhanced Warming of the Southern Ocean. The Southern Ocean is critical to the global climate system in general, and Australian climate in particular. However, the Southern Ocean is poorly understood, poorly observed and poorly modelled by global climate models. The response of the Southern Ocean to increases in wind forcing (due to the ozone hole and global warming) will be examined. Climate impacts such as Australian rainfall trends, potential instability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and changes to the global overturning circulation will be quantified. Understanding these impacts will help to manage Australia's water resources and to predict the future Southern Ocean circulation.Read moreRead less
The molecular basis of oligotrophy: an integrated genomic and functional proteomic study of the model marine oligotroph, Sphingopyxis alaskensis. The project will will enable Australia to take the lead in the global analysis of oligotrophy, highlighting the reputation Australian scientists have in scientific programs of global significance. As Australia is surrounded by some of the most oligotrophic waters in the world, we have access to an enormous natural resource suitable for the isolation of ....The molecular basis of oligotrophy: an integrated genomic and functional proteomic study of the model marine oligotroph, Sphingopyxis alaskensis. The project will will enable Australia to take the lead in the global analysis of oligotrophy, highlighting the reputation Australian scientists have in scientific programs of global significance. As Australia is surrounded by some of the most oligotrophic waters in the world, we have access to an enormous natural resource suitable for the isolation of oligotrophs. Realising the potential of oligotrophs may therefore provide an invaluable source of compounds, enzymes and molecules for biotechnology and industry. Understanding microbial oligotrophy will also ensure we protect our $50 billion dollar tourism industry by remaining abreast of factors which influence the marine environment and directly impact on all coastal activities.Read moreRead less
The equable climate conundrum: the role of the global ocean in multiple climate regimes. This study will enhance Australia's global engagement in the research of past climates and global warming, and lead to a better understanding of the dynamics and modelling of warm climate states. This will contribute significantly to climate research in Australia and could lead to a better knowledge of the formation of the ancient deposits that we mine today. Furthermore, the study of past warm climates tel ....The equable climate conundrum: the role of the global ocean in multiple climate regimes. This study will enhance Australia's global engagement in the research of past climates and global warming, and lead to a better understanding of the dynamics and modelling of warm climate states. This will contribute significantly to climate research in Australia and could lead to a better knowledge of the formation of the ancient deposits that we mine today. Furthermore, the study of past warm climates tells us something about current global warming, as both involve increased levels of carbon in the atmosphere. The impact of climate change on Australia is likely to be large. This study of past warm climates will improve our understanding of climate change physics and help quantify the risks of climate change posed to Australia.Read moreRead less
Hydrodynamics and Mixing around Coral Reefs. The Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia's great natural resources, an international environmental icon and a major contributor to the tourist industry in Queensland. The issues we will address are aligned with GBRMPA strategic priorities concerning effects on the ecology of climate change. This research will help delineate the physical processes responsible for the most serious potential impacts, which are of importance to management strategies to ....Hydrodynamics and Mixing around Coral Reefs. The Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia's great natural resources, an international environmental icon and a major contributor to the tourist industry in Queensland. The issues we will address are aligned with GBRMPA strategic priorities concerning effects on the ecology of climate change. This research will help delineate the physical processes responsible for the most serious potential impacts, which are of importance to management strategies to be determined by GBRMPA. Other policy related issues range from sewage dispersal from coastal communities to marine accidents and fuel spills. Informed management strategies are crucial to successful future reef management. Read moreRead less
Sensitivity and Change in the Global Ocean Overturning. The dynamics of the global, deep overturning circulation in the oceans and the way this adjusts to increasing greenhouse forcing will be examined in order to improve our conceptual knowledge of the oceans and the accuracy of climate models. By understanding how the ocean responds to changing surface heat and freshwater fluxes, and particularly the global role of rapid changes in high-latitude seas, we aim to help refine estimates of climate ....Sensitivity and Change in the Global Ocean Overturning. The dynamics of the global, deep overturning circulation in the oceans and the way this adjusts to increasing greenhouse forcing will be examined in order to improve our conceptual knowledge of the oceans and the accuracy of climate models. By understanding how the ocean responds to changing surface heat and freshwater fluxes, and particularly the global role of rapid changes in high-latitude seas, we aim to help refine estimates of climate response times and the warming expected for a given increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases. These two important characteristics of the climate system underlie climate change policy decisions.Read moreRead less
Nonhydrostatic waves and instabilities in rotating fluids. This project addresses a fundamental gap in our understanding of the ocean circulation. The benefits of the program will be to improve the way we model and predict the ocean circulation and the response of the ocean to climate change. The project will thereby assist National Research Priorities on global change and link with a major new ANU Marine Science Strategic Initiative.
Quantifying the role of the Southern Ocean for anthropogenic CO2 uptake. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most important greenhouse gas contributing to global warming and climate change. Climate change is likely to have dramatic economic and environmental consequences for Australia. Knowledge and understanding of the complex carbon cycle is fundamental for predicting future atmospheric CO2 levels and managing climate change. The aim of the work proposed here is to quantify and improve our understan ....Quantifying the role of the Southern Ocean for anthropogenic CO2 uptake. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most important greenhouse gas contributing to global warming and climate change. Climate change is likely to have dramatic economic and environmental consequences for Australia. Knowledge and understanding of the complex carbon cycle is fundamental for predicting future atmospheric CO2 levels and managing climate change. The aim of the work proposed here is to quantify and improve our understanding of the oceans role in controlling atmospheric CO2 levels. This will be done by combining modeling and observational expertise among UNSW and CSIRO (Marine Research) researchers. Our work will be the first to assess the extent of which the Southern Ocean (and Australian waters) acts as a carbon sink. This will reduce modeling uncertainties in predicting future atmospheric CO2 levels and will also be valuable to the federal government in future international negotiations on climate change.Read moreRead less
From The Ocean Depths To Abrupt Climate Change - Missing Processes In The Global Overturning Circulation. The overturning circulation of the oceans is a driver of large and surprisingly abrupt climate shifts. We aim to understand the factors that control the rate of overturning, and whether it might soon slow down or cease owing to global warming. We also aim to resolve one of the biggest conundrums in oceanography by reconciling theoretical and measured rates of mixing in the deep ocean. Improv ....From The Ocean Depths To Abrupt Climate Change - Missing Processes In The Global Overturning Circulation. The overturning circulation of the oceans is a driver of large and surprisingly abrupt climate shifts. We aim to understand the factors that control the rate of overturning, and whether it might soon slow down or cease owing to global warming. We also aim to resolve one of the biggest conundrums in oceanography by reconciling theoretical and measured rates of mixing in the deep ocean. Improved knowledge of deep ocean dynamics, particularly in the Southern Ocean, will help us gauge the likely nature and pace of imminent climate changes in the Australian region, an essential step in assessing the impacts on water resources, ecosystems, agriculture, and energy demands. The research will add to a major new initiative in marine science at ANU.Read moreRead less