A team of scientists has set sail to the Southern Ocean to study how human activity is affecting Earth’s cleanest air. Departing from Tasmania’s capital, Hobart, on April 29, the three-week mission aims to collect vital atmospheric data that could improve climate forecasting in the Southern Hemisphere.
The research vessel Investigator, operated by Australia’s national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), will travel up to 1,500 kilometers off Tasmania’s northwest coast. The team will compare air quality data collected at sea with measurements from the Kennaook/Cape Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station, a renowned site known for monitoring atmospheric composition and some of the world’s cleanest air unpolluted by land contact.
“The Southern Ocean absorbs a significant amount of the world’s carbon dioxide and heat, so any changes can influence our weather and climate,” said CSIRO atmospheric scientist Ruhi Humphries. “We are using advanced instruments to measure trace gases, aerosols, cloud microphysics, and solar radiation, focusing on changes caused by human activity, such as bushfire smoke and greenhouse gas emissions.”
Associate Professor Robyn Schofield from the University of Melbourne, also on the voyage, emphasized the importance of the research. “Much of today’s climate science is biased toward Northern Hemisphere conditions. By studying the Southern Ocean’s atmosphere, we can improve climate forecasting and better understand climate patterns in the Southern Hemisphere,” she said.
The Investigator and the Cape Grim station are part of the World Meteorological Organization’s Global Atmosphere Watch, contributing to global efforts to monitor and understand the Earth’s atmosphere.
