Archived page: information on this page is no longer updated and may contain broken links and outdated information.

CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research
Past Seminars

Seminar Abstract

Ocean observations - a journey south!

Ocean observations generate the basic data on which our understanding of ocean processes and climate is developed.  There are satellites, moored and driftings instruments, tide gauges, robotic profilers, commercial, naval and research ships. And there are people!

The expendable bathy thermograph (XBT) observing program was initiated in the early 1980's and now involves a core of CSIRO scientists and support staff travelling on routes all around Australia. In the Southern Ocean, a joint Australian-French project has generated more than a decade of results on the transect between Hobart and the French Antarctic base of Dumont D'Urville. Four return journeys of 17 days duration are made each year on the 65-metre supply ship L'Astrolabe with volunteers sharing sampling duties.

In February, 2005 Ashley Fuller, Manager, Australian Climate Change Science Program at the Australian Greenhouse Office, and Institute of Antarctic and Southern Ocean Studies graduate, Jo Naylor, made the journey south. They will share their experiences during this seminar, a balance of science and life at sea, to be introduced by Steve Rintoul. Steve co-manages the project and spent eight weeks as voyage leader on Aurora Australis earlier this year.

Find out about life as a volunteer observer on tiny Astrolabe, conditions at sea and entering the ice pack, on the French island base referred to as 'DDU' and recent developments in Southern Ocean research. Includes video filmed by Jo Naylor.

[Back to Seminars]

CSIRO = Marine Laboratories Auditorium, Castray Esplanade, Hobart

For further information, or to schedule a seminar, contact:
Peter Oke, (Oceanographic seminars) CSIRO Marine Research (03) 6232 5387
Piers Dunstan, (Biological seminars) CSIRO Marine Research (03) 6232 5382
Katrina Nitschke, Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC (03) 6226 2265 & IASOS, University of Tasmania (03) 6226 2509