Study Level
MPhil PhDSupervisors
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| Professor Scott Bryan |
Overview
Increasing concern exists on the effects of global warming and how it is increasing the frequency and severity of disturbance events on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). For example, the intensity and frequency of tropical cyclones is likely to increase and this will also reduce the time available for coral reefs to recover.
The main impact of tropical cyclones is through extreme waves, which vary in extension depending on the characteristics of the cyclone. Nowadays, ocean waves data is generated through remote sensing, modelling, and direct observations. However, remote sensing and modelling data need to be constantly validated against direct measurement.
The objective if this project is to collate and compare wave data observations on the GBR against modelled outputs from the CAWCR (Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research) Wave Hindcast during periods corresponding to the passage of tropical cyclones.
Research activities
The activities involved in this project include downloading wave information from stations located on the GBR and generate time series plots to be compared with CAWCR Wave Hindcast.
Specific research activities include:
- download wave data corresponding to wave sensors located on the GBR (online)
- download CAWCR Wave Hindcast for periods corresponding to the passage of tropical cyclones
- plot and compare time series of observations versus modelled data
- generate some maps to compare spatial distribution of modelled vs. observed data
- prepare short report and presentation.
Outcomes
Expected outcomes:
- to generate a historical dataset of wave observations on the GBR
- an analysis and comparison of this information with the outputs generated by the CAWCR Wave Hindcast
- a basic statistical analysis of the information
- summary of the results through graphs and maps.
Skills and experience
If you have skills in spatial science and experience working with ArcGIS Pro or QGIS you will be suitable for this project.
Other components of the project demand:
- some processing in Excel
- some programming skills on Matlab.
Programming instruction and training will be provided at the beginning of the project.
It is desirable that you have:
- good writing skills
- editing skills.
Apply
Contact supervisors for more information: