Supervisors: Dr Wilma Huneke (wilma.huneke@anu.edu.au), Dr Adele Morrison (adele.morrison@anu.edu.au)
Ocean-driven melting of Antarctic ice shelves has been linked to the observed increase in Antarctic mass loss. As ice shelves shrink, their ability to limit the seaward flow of grounded ice declines with consequences for global sea level rise.
The ocean around Antarctica is in general cold with temperatures close to the surface freezing point. In some regions, however, a relatively warm water mass called Circumpolar Deep Water has access to the continental shelf leading to high melt rates at the base of the local ice shelf.
In this project, the summer scholarship student will investigate access pathways of the relatively warm water to the continental shelf by analysing output from a coupled ocean – sea ice model. The student will gain experience in polar oceanography and in the analysis and visualisation of large numerical datasets using python. Some experience in programming is desirable but not necessary.