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Reposted by Christina Schmidt

Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS) @antarcticsciaus.bsky.social · 20d

🚢 Can you imagine submitting your PhD thesis from the deck of Australia’s icebreaker en route to Antarctica?

That’s exactly what @christinaocean.bsky.social (UNSW) did earlier this year.

Explore this beautiful multimedia story from UNSW 👉 news.unsw.edu.au/en/breaking-...

@ccrc.bsky.social

Breaking the ice: why study Antarctica?

From unique wildlife to resilient microbes, world-changing climate dynamics to untapped biotechnological potential – four UNSW scientists outline what makes Antarctica a laboratory like no other.

news.unsw.edu.au

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Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social · 20d

I am thrilled to share this multimedia story highlighting my experience on the #Denman Marine Voyage earlier this year, alongside the inspiring work of 3 other Antarctic scientists:

news.unsw.edu.au/en/breaking-...

✍️ @melissalyne.bsky.social

🌊🇦🇶 #DMV @antarcticsciaus.bsky.social @ccrc.bsky.social

Breaking the ice: why study Antarctica?

From unique wildlife to resilient microbes, world-changing climate dynamics to untapped biotechnological potential – four UNSW scientists outline what makes Antarctica a laboratory like no other.

news.unsw.edu.au

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Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social · Jul 25

Congrats @adele-morrison.bsky.social

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Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social · Jul 25

Exciting paper answering a question we have been asking for years:

Why is the ocean-sea ice model ACCESS-OM2-01 simulating the formation of Dense Shelf Water around Antarctica so well?

More in this paper by colleagues from ANU and @antarcticsciaus.bsky.social

🌊🇦🇶

Wilton Aguiar @will-ton.bsky.social · Jul 25

We figured out a cheap-ish way to make ocean models create Dense Shelf Waters (DSW) on the surface of the Antarctic continental shelf! How?
Fast answer: Ocean surface cells thinner than 1 m!
Long answer on the paper: dx.doi.org/10.1029/2024...
----
More info in the thread

Antarctic Dense Water Formation Sensitivity to Ocean Surface Cell Thickness

The ability of ocean models with depth coordinates to form Antarctic Dense Shelf Water (DSW) depends on their surface vertical resolution Deeper surface cells shift the direction of surface Ekman...

dx.doi.org

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Reposted by Christina Schmidt

UNSW Climate Change Research Centre @ccrc.bsky.social · Jul 14

A new paper led by @christinaocean.bsky.social investigates the sensitivity of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) formation and export to horizontal model resolution
👉 formation of dense shelf waters decrease while the export of AABW increases with finer model resolution
doi.org/10.1029/2024...

Sensitivity of Antarctic Bottom Water Formation and Export to Horizontal Model Resolution

Dense Shelf Water formation decreases when the model resolution is refined from 1/10° to 1/20° to 1/40° due to shelf freshening Antarctic Bottom Water export increases with finer model resolution...

doi.org

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Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social · Jul 14

See our paper for more details on model setup/ evaluation and modeling downslope flow.

doi.org/10.1029/2024...

Thanks to my co-authors @adele-morrison.bsky.social, @profmattengland.bsky.social, Wilton Aguiar and Angus Gibson

@ccrc.bsky.social@[email protected]
🌊

Sensitivity of Antarctic Bottom Water Formation and Export to Horizontal Model Resolution

Dense Shelf Water formation decreases when the model resolution is refined from 1/10° to 1/20° to 1/40° due to shelf freshening Antarctic Bottom Water export increases with finer model resolution...

doi.org

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Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social · Jul 14

We conclude that a horizontal resolution of 1/10° is sufficient to simulate AABW export from East Antarctica, but finer resolutions of up to 1/40° increase the offshore transport and may be required to resolve the AABW export in the Weddell and Ross Seas.

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Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social · Jul 14

The total offshore AABW transport increases, however, with increasing model resolution, especially across the 2500m isobath, due to less diapycnal mixing during the downslope flow. This resolution dependency is strongest in the Ross and Weddell Seas, the two most important regions of AABW formation.

AABW export in the 1/10° (blue), the 1/20° (orange) and the 1/40° (green) experiments. (a) Offshore transport across the 1,000 m (left) and 2,500 m (right) isobaths for σ2 ≥ 37.15 kg m-3 and (b) for the four individual regions of AABW export using customized density layers, as defined in the figure labels.

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Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social · Jul 14

The formation of Dense Shelf Water, the precursor of AABW, reduces with increasing model resolution due to
shelf freshening. Increased eddy activity with higher model resolution flattens the isopycnals in the open Southern Ocean and enables access of lighter waters onto the continental shelf.

Surface water mass transformation integrated over (a) the Ross Sea, (b) the Weddell Sea, (c) Prydz Bay, and (d) the Adélie Coast in the 1/10° (blue), the 1/20° (orange), and the 1/40° (green) experiments. The mean transformation rate, averaged across density between the gray dashed lines (where the transformation rate in the 1/10° experiment is 25%–75% of the peak transformation), is given in the insets of each panel.

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Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social · Jul 14

🚨 New paper alert 🚨

We developed the new PanAntarctic model and assessed the sensitivity of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) formation and export to horizontal model resolutions of 1/10°, 1/20° and 1/40°.

Open access paper in JAMES:

doi.org/10.1029/2024...

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Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social · May 22

🎓 Finishing up my time @ccrc.bsky.social with a PhD exit seminar yesterday. It was great meeting you all over the last 4 years, hope to see you again soon 🤞

🌏 🔜 🌍 Now I am getting ready to move to the other side of the world again, stay tuned for updates on what's happening next 🙌

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Reposted by Christina Schmidt

Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS) @antarcticsciaus.bsky.social · May 21

From East Antarctica to the world: @antarcticsciaus.bsky.social outreach program goes global

Celebrating the power of connection through science on the Denman Marine Voyage 🌏 #DMV

AAD | @antarctic.bsky.social | @arcsaef.bsky.social

antarctic.org.au/from-east-an...

From East Antarctica to the world: outreach program goes global - ACEAS

From East Antarctica to the world: outreach program goes global A young, talented and diverse group of Antarctic researchers working in the field alongside some of the sector’s research veterans was a...

antarctic.org.au

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Reposted by Christina Schmidt

Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS) @antarcticsciaus.bsky.social · May 14

Thanks for being part of it and sharing your experience @christinaocean.bsky.social ! 🌊 #DMV

UNSW Climate Change Research Centre @ccrc.bsky.social · May 14

Being able to see the Antarctic landscape and wildlife with my own eyes left me speechless at times, while clumsy penguins often left me smiling. This Antarctic research voyage was truly unique, fascinating and really impressive. Thank you @antarcticsciaus.bsky.social l for the opportunity!

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Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social · May 8

Have a look at this amazing video about the #Denman Marine Voyage! It opens with stunning aerial footage of the Denman Glacier and highlights our scientific achievements. 🇦🇶🌊🧪

youtu.be/tbnl7M4kZTk

#DMV @antarcticsciaus.bsky.social @antarctic.bsky.social

Achievements of the Denman Marine Voyage 2025

YouTube video by Australian Antarctic Program Partnership

youtu.be

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Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social · May 2

We are back in Hobart after 2 months at sea on RSV #Nuyina 🌊 It was an incredible voyage to the Denman Glacier and Shakleton Ice Shelf with great people, an impressive range of science, stunning landscapes, and cute wildlife.

@antarcticsciaus.bsky.social

#Denman Marine Voyage #DMV

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Reposted by Christina Schmidt

Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS) @antarcticsciaus.bsky.social · Apr 30

Working with the hydrochemistry team for @antarcticsciaus.bsky.social on the #DMV, @christinaocean.bsky.social has also captured some incredible images of the natural environment around the Denman Glacier ⬇️ @ccrc.bsky.social | UNSW

(portrait: Pete Harmsen / AAD)

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Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social · Apr 29

More about our outreach program on the #DMV blog: antarctic.org.au/outreach-at-...

Outreach from the bottom of the world - ACEAS

Outreach from the bottom of the world By Neve Clippingdale I have always loved science communication. There is just nothing better than being able to share your enthusiasm for something and seeing som...

antarctic.org.au

Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social · Apr 29

Finishing the #Denman Marine Voyage with more outreach

I invited students from my old high school in Northern Germany to come on a virtual tour of RSV Nuyina. Through the @antarcticsciaus.bsky.social school outreach program, 96 year 11 students learned about the science we do on DMV: 🌊🧊🇦🇶🧪🦭🌡️🐙☁️

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Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social · Apr 25

Happy World Penguin Day 🐧 🐧 🐧

A curious Emperor penguin having a quick look at RSV Nuyina while we deployed a mooring near the Shakleton Ice Shelf a few weeks ago.

#Denman Marine Voyage #DMV

@antarcticsciaus.bsky.social

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Reposted by Christina Schmidt

NOAA Climate.gov @climate.noaa.gov · Apr 18

On March 1, Antarctic sea ice reached its smallest coverage of the year. This year’s minimum extent tied 2022 and 2024 for the second-lowest summer sea ice area observed since satellite records began in 1979. Learn more: www.climate.gov/news-feature...

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Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social · Apr 22

Inspiring the next generation of polar & marine scientists 🧑‍🔬 👨‍🔬 👩‍🔬

Taking students on a virtual tour of RSV Nuyina, explaining marine instruments and showing samples we have gathered in the last weeks has been such a fun and rewarding experience.

#DMV #Denman Marine Voyage

Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS) @antarcticsciaus.bsky.social · Apr 17

From East #Antarctica, to the world! 🌏

#DMV scientists share the wonder and celebrate connection through our school outreach program - with Kinderhaus childcare in Munich, Weston High School in Massachusetts and Mount Nelson PS in Hobart.

@antarctic.bsky.social | @arcsaef.bsky.social | AAD

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Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social · Apr 22

Yesterday was our last day in the sea ice. I was really lucky to have experienced this amazing landscape with its adorable wildlife in the last weeks. We had a very successful science program in areas of East Antarctica never studied before 🌊 🧪

Goodbye Antarctica 👋🇦🇶🐧

#DMV

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Reposted by Christina Schmidt

Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS) @antarcticsciaus.bsky.social · Apr 16

Yesterday, the weather cleared, paving the way for these stunning images from the air 🙌

📷: Pete Harmsen / AAD

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Reposted by Christina Schmidt

Australian Antarctic Program Partnership @antarctic.bsky.social · Apr 12

🛰️ Seen from space: our satellite mapper Pat Wongpan @utas.edu.au found RSV Nuyina and the Denman Marine Voyage #DMV on 10 April near Shackleton Ice Shelf in East #Antarctica. Using Landsat-8 imagery, he identified Nuyina from its track through the sea ice, reddish colour and 160.3 m length.

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Reposted by Christina Schmidt

UNSW Climate Change Research Centre @ccrc.bsky.social · Apr 7

CCRC’s PhD student Christina Schmidt @christinaocean.bsky.social is onboard RSV Nuyina, and they have just crossed the halfway mark of the Denman Marine Voyage:

“We had an intense and exciting last 3 weeks near the Denman Glacier, the fastest retreating glacier in East Antarctica.
#Antarctica

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