Andrew Meijers

Southern Ocean circulation and properties, and their impact on the Antarctic and global climate.

Research Area

I study the circulation and dynamics of the Southern Ocean and its wider impact on climate.  I focus on observational data and coupled climate model output to understand the physics and processes underlying Southern Ocean heat and carbon storage, and how it drives and responds to the melt of the Antarctic ice sheet.   

My past research has used observational data to discover and quantify trends in water masses both circumpolarly, and more regionally.  These have included establishing long term trends in the reduction of Antarctic Bottom Water volumes formed in the Weddell Sea, as well as the discovery of the nature and drivers of oscillations in SubAntarctic Mode Water pools; a water mass that is key to ocean heat uptake. 

I also use coupled climate models, notably the CMIP ensemble, to understand how the Southern Ocean may change under future climate, and the feedback this may have on our wider climate.  My work often involves Antarctic fieldwork and I have led multiple Southern Ocean research voyages.

I work with collaborators at the UK MetOffice and have in the past had successful CASE studentships with them.

Project Interests

• Utilisation of machine learning classification techniques to establish robust water mass definitions across disparate climate models of the Southern Ocean, and the subsequent analysis of how these water masses (and their definitions) evolve under climate forcing scenarios.
• Use of observational data, notably Argo and AUV data, to examine trends in mixed layer, winter water and thermocline properties over the last several decades and their subsequent impact on air-sea exchange and ocean heat content.
• Evolution of water mass transformation within the Weddell Sea and response to freshwater forcing using recently collected observational datasets.