This photo was taken on the French research vessel L’Astrolabe, on the way to Antarctica. I was volunteering to launch XBTs (Expendable Bathythermograph) during the voyage, which take measurements of the temperature of the ocean water column down to 2 km. These types of observations are invaluable to study climate change and the role of the ocean in mitigating it.
Observing, understanding and modelling the oceans is now my job at UNSW Sydney, focusing on the East Australian Current and its impact on shelf dynamics. Every oceanographic study involves a deep understanding of the physics driving the ocean circulation and variability, and Mathematical tools are behind each scientific discovery – this is why I am part of “Mathematics for Planet Earth”.
Dr. Amandine Schaeffer, Lecturer
School of Mathematics and Statistics, UNSW Sydney
Links:
Personal webpage
UNSW Coastal and Regional Oceanography Lab
UNSW School of Mathematics and Statistics
Mathematics for Planet Earth 