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Research program: Mechanisms and attribution of past and future ocean circulation change
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The ocean currents have a powerful influence on our climate. These currents govern the ocean storage of carbon and heat, and have already partially mitigated the effects of global warming. Any change to these currents can abruptly affect global climate as shown in our geological past. This project aims to investigate these ocean processes, revealing how wind stress, heat content and salinity affect ocean currents and how the ocean in turn couples with atmospheric processes to form our climate. The project will also examine biogeochemical processes and how these interact with ocean currents to control the carbon cycle in the ocean. The Centre’s research in this area aims to fundamentally improve our understanding of ocean physics and biogeochemical processes. Through this we can determine how climate change is affecting our oceans, thereby vastly improving the projections of climate models. Chief Investigators Professor Nathaniel Bindoff (University of Tasmania) Partner Investigators Dr Richard Matear (CAWCR-CSIRO) |
