I use theory, numerical models, and observations to improve our understanding of ocean dynamics and the climate system. My research provides vital insights into the past, present, and future of our ocean, helping policy makers and the general public to make informed decisions.

Recent drops in Southern Ocean sea ice

The last few years have shown a dramatic increase in Southern Ocean sea ice variability and a reduction in sea ice coverage. The causal mechanisms behind these shifts remain unclear.

You can read more about this research here.

Warming temperatures in the Southern Ocean

Because the Southern Ocean wraps all the way around the globe without being blocked by continents it has very different dynamics to the other ocean basins. The Southern Ocean connects the global ocean, and is where much of the communication between the abyssal ocean and the atmosphere occurs. I use models and observations to improve our understanding of how the Southern Ocean is changing.

You can read more about this work here and here.

Below is an animation of an idealised channel model simulation that spans several years of model time. You can see the sea ice expand and retreat during the year, and the way it interacts with the eddies.

Sea ice affects ocean currents in the Arctic

The complex interplay between ocean, sea ice, and atmosphere makes the Arctic a challenging and exciting region to study. Together with my colleagues I proposed a novel mechanism that may regulate the ocean currents in the Beaufort Gyre. We called it the Ice-Ocean Governor. We have also combined the Ice-Ocean Governor with previous theories that suggested eddies were responsible for controlling the circulation in the the Beaufort Gyre, producing a holistic framework that provides new insights into this region.