Science AMA Series: We’re scientists on a boat in the Southern Ocean
(Antarctic Ocean) studying climate change, ocean physics and marine
biology, Ask Us Anything!
Abstract
Hi reddit, I’m Greta Shum, and I work as a science communicator at
Climate Central. I’m out here on a boat off the coast of Antarctica with
other scientists who are studying different aspects of the Southern
Ocean. In my usual work, I try to communicate the facts about climate
change (causes and effects) at Climate Central. As part of that mission,
I’m following three science projects that are focused on the state of
the Southern Ocean and how it will change in the future. One group is
studying ocean physics along the shelf of the Amundsen Sea; one group
studies the microbiology and consequent evolution of the phytoplankton
in the Southern Ocean, and one group (SOCCOM) studies the carbon
chemistry of the Southern Ocean and how it will change in the future.
With me are the following scientists: Professor Stephen Riser is a
Professor of Physical Oceanography at the University of Washington,
interested in the ocean’s role in climate, and in deducing the general
circulation of the ocean and ocean/atmosphere/ice interactions through
direct observations of the ocean circulation. Caitlin Whalen, PhD of the
University of Washington Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is an expert
in ocean mixing. Professor Tatiana Rynearson from U. of Rhode Island: My
area of research is in marine genomics and population genetics. My goals
are to understand the ecological and evolutionary processes shaping
genetic diversity in the plankton and to examine how those processes
affect plankton community structure, function and productivity in
coastal regions. My approach is to identify and exploit the genetic
variation that exists within and between individuals to examine how
plankton respond to their environment. Professor Sinead Collins from the
U. of Edinburgh: I’m interested in how large populations of small
organisms adapt to complex environmental changes. Since that’s a bit too
vague, I focus on how marine phytoplankton adapt to ocean acidification.
I use experimental evolution in the lab to figure out the basic theory
involved, and then head off to collaborate with oceanographers to apply
it to marine systems. We’ll be back at 1 pm EST (10 am PST, 6 pm UTC) to
answer your questions, ask us anything! Thanks for all the excellent
questions! We had a terrific time! If you’re looking to keep following
us online, check out our blogs here or here.