The ocean and atmosphere are locked into a perpetual exchange. For example, the ocean absorbs about 25% of the CO2 that is emitted into the atmosphere. The ocean also distributes heat globally, and therefore acts as one of the largest components regulating climate. My research investigates the critical small-scale processes that govern the ocean-atmosphere exchange of CO2, heat, and energy by participating in open ocean fieldwork to conduct specialised measurements at the air-sea interface.

 

I conduct upper-ocean and lower-atmosphere research to study the processes governing the air-sea exchange of greenhouse gases, momentum, heat, and freshwater. Air-sea exchange is constantly occurring, governing both weather and climate. Understanding of the processes involved is essential to improve prediction and climate modeling capabilities and accurate measurements at the air-sea interface are fundamental to this. However, measurements to the dynamic interface provides a major technological challenge, and I have developed novel instruments and data-analysis methods to provide new insights into air-sea interaction processes. The ultimate goal of this is to get a better understanding of the physics of the ocean surface, and translate this into parameterisations for use in ocean and climate models.