Dr Steven Phipps, Dr Zanna Chase
Applications accepted all year round
Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
The nature of the relationship between the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) and the global ocean circulation remains uncertain. Proxy evidence suggests that cooling oceans lead to reduced melting of the AIS, increased formation of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) and a colder and saltier deep ocean; in contrast, warming oceans lead to increased melting of the AIS, reduced formation of AABW and a warmer and fresher deep ocean. These changes in ocean circulation have important implications for the global carbon cycle. Understanding of these processes is critical if we are to be able to predict future changes in the AIS, the global ocean and the nature of ocean-climate coupling.
This project will use the history of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean over the past glacial cycle to explore the feedbacks between the AIS and the global ocean circulation. State-of-the-art models will be used to simulate ice-ocean interactions, with a particular emphasis on ice shelf dynamics, and to test dynamical hypotheses. Proxy data from the Southern Ocean will be used to inform the experimental design and to validate the model simulations.
Funding Notes
The ARC Antarctic Gateway Partnership is seeking applications from suitably qualified graduates for living allowance Scholarships to undertake PhD projects.
The UTAS Graduate Research Office provides detailed information about scholarships including eligibility, award conditions and application processes.
To be considered for an ARC Antarctic Gateway Partnership living allowance Scholarship it is necessary to specify this on the Admissions and Scholarship Application Part 9.1.
Tuition fees apply to all international candidates. Limited numbers of UTAS tuition fee scholarships are also available on a competitive basis to candidates undertaking projects closely aligned with the ARC Antarctic Gateway Partnership's research objectives.
References
Adkins, J. F.: The role of deep ocean circulation in setting glacial climates, Paleoceanography, 28, 539-561, doi:10.1002/palo.20046, 2013.
Miller, M. D., J. F. Adkins, D. Menemenlis ad M. P. Schodlok: The role of ocean cooling in setting glacial southern source bottom water salinity, Paleoceanography, 27, PA3207, doi:10.1029/2012PA002297, 2012.