Cara Nissen: Projecting 21st-century change in high-latitude Southern Ocean physics and biogeochemistry using a novel modeling tool

Cara Nissen (INSTAAR & ATOC, CU Boulder)

INSTAAR Seminar Series. Hybrid event, in person and via Zoom

Location: Sievers Conference Room (SEEC S228). 4001 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO

Audience: All are welcome

Abstract: The high-latitude Southern Ocean plays a central role in global ocean circulation, carbon cycling, and hence climate and is home to several established or proposed Marine Protected Areas that support exceptional biodiversity. With anthropogenic climate change, it is thus key to assess possible future trajectories of the functioning of this unique coupled system. In this talk, I will present results obtained with a novel ocean-biogeochemistry model, which includes a realistic representation of ice-shelf cavities and is run in a setup targeted at assessing the fate of Antarctic coastal waters over the 21st century. I will show examples of how climate change impacts high-latitude ocean physics and the distribution of carbon and oxygen across different emission scenarios and discuss the potential for avoiding a system change. Lastly, I will describe how this knowledge on projected changes in ocean physics and biogeochemistry can be used to inform on possible habitat changes of keystone species in Marine Protected Areas.

After presentation: There will be time for informal discussion with the speaker after the presentation; cookies and coffee will be served.