Understanding ocean change

PROJECT 5.7: Tracking ocean change – ocean observations and models

The ocean impacts Australia’s climate and the frequency and magnitude of extreme events. As the climate continues to change, it’s important to assess how the oceans are changing and the impact these changes may in turn have on Australia’s climate, now and into the future.

We’re improving and delivering high quality ocean data vital for continued assessments of ocean change. Ocean observations and model experiments will be analysed to track and understand ocean changes, and to identify the key mechanisms of ocean heat uptake and changes in ocean salinity. We are also improving the representation of ocean heat uptake in Australia’s climate model, ACCESS, and other climate models by identifying sources of bias in the models and provide solutions to reduce them.

This research will ensure high quality ocean datasets required for assessing change in our oceans are accessible for use by researchers around the world. The improved model simulations of ocean change will result in improved climate change projections. Data sets and analysis produced under the project will also inform global climate assessments such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment reports.

For more information

Dr Bernadette Sloyan, CSIRO

This project is contributing to the following climate challenges:

Hydroclimate and water resources.

HYDROCLIMATE AND WATER RESOURCES
Surface ocean warming is driving an enhanced hydrological cycle. We’re monitoring ocean salinity, which can help track that process.

Changes in coastal climate.

CHANGES IN COASTAL CLIMATE
Ocean warming rates and patterns set regional sea level rise rates. Our work will improve projections of ocean warming which will enable more accurate regional projections of sea level rise and extremes.

Carbon cycle and future warming.

CARBON CYCLE AND FUTURE WARMING
As the climate system’s heat reservoir, the rate of change of ocean heat content relates directly to Earth’s warming rate. Our work tracking and understanding global ocean heating rates is a practical way of tracking the efficacy of global greenhouse gas mitigation efforts.

Food security, ecosystems and NRM.

FOOD SECURITY, ECOSYSTEMS AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
This work will help to improve climate models so that improved climate change projections and climate information can be used to better inform agricultural and environmental systems management decisions.

Extremes and disaster risk management.

EXTREMES AND DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT
Work in this project will enhance our ability to project changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme climate conditions, which will better inform infrastructure planning.
Publications and papers
  • Kennicutt MC, Bromwich, Liggett D, Njastad B, Peck L, Rintoul SR, Ritz C, Siegert MJ, Brooks CM, Cassano J, Chaturvedi S, Chen D, Dodds K, Golledge NR, Le Bohec C, Leppe M, Murray A, Chandrika Nath P, Raphael MN, Rogan-Rinnemore M, Schroeder DM, Talley L, Travouillon T, Vaughan DG, Wang L, Weatherwax AT, Yang H Chown SL. 2019. Sustained Antarctic Research: A 21st Century Imperative. One Earth Review, doi:10.1016/j.oneear.2019.08.014 |  Full paper
  • Rathore S, Bindoff NL, Phillips HE, Feng M, 2020. Recent hemispheric asymmetry in global ocean warming induced by climate change and internal variability. Nature Communications, doi:10.1038/s41467-020-15754-3 | Full paper
Related posts

  • Science webinar: Overview of the IPCC Special Report on the Oceans and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate

    In this webinar, ESCC Hub researcher Professor Nathan Bindoff (University of Tasmania) summarises and highlights the significance of key findings from the IPCC Special Report on the Oceans and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate for the oceans and polar regions, and for Australia.

  • Science webinar: Australia’s boundary current pathways to the deep ocean

    In this webinar, Dr Helen Phillips (University of Tasmania) introduces the ocean’s role in the climate system, and how it draws down heat from the atmosphere. She also discusses new understanding of the Leeuwin Current and South Australian Current systems, and their role in the global ocean circulation.

  • Understanding ocean heat uptake

    We’ve used data collected from ocean monitoring (historical archives, Argo floats and research vessels) to improve understanding of past changes in ocean temperature and salinity. We also used this data to identify sources of bias in ocean heat update efficiency in climate models, as well as to examine the connection between ocean salinity changes and water balance over Australia.