Tasmanian ocean scientists part of Bluelink team to clinch Eureka Prize

A group of Tasmanian researchers, whose work has been used in defence and maritime warfare, climate change research, and shipwreck hunts, have won a prestigious Eureka Science Prize.

Department of Defence Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in Safeguarding Australia. WINNING TEAM – Bluelink Global Ocean Science Team – Mikhail Entel, Dr Gary Brassington, Saima Aijaz, Prasanth Divakaran, Matthew Chamberlain with presenter Professor Tanya Monro AC (Chief Defence Scientist), Department of Defence. Affiliated Organisations: Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO.

Tasmanian scientists working on technology that is critical in protecting Australia’s 34,000km of coastline have been awarded a Eureka science prize for their efforts, which has made Australia’s navy the envy of the world.

The Bluelink ocean forecasting system, now 20-years-old, has played a pivotal role in the search for MH370, international defence and maritime warfare, climate change research, and shipwreck and treasure hunts, among other uses.

The technology can predict the “weather” of the ocean for up to a week out, with forecasts for sea levels and three-dimensional temperature, salinity and ocean currents.

The Argo robotic floats collect subsurface observations for year-round, near real-time information on ocean conditions. Picture: CSIRO

That’s made possible by supercomputers analysing reams of data from around the world including via sensors moored to the sea floor, ships crossing international waters, robotic gliders, floats, as well as satellites in space.

CSIRO experimental scientist Matt Chamberlain, based in Hobart, is one of a team of Australian scientists dedicated to expanding and improving the Bluelink system.

He says much of the data used by Bluelink is publicly available; but the technology deployed by Bluelink to analyse that data using supercomputers is “unique” to the project.

“Over the years we’ve built up a better understanding of what the ocean is doing and what it’s going to do; that’s exciting,” Mr Chamberlain said.

“We have recorded so many changes in the ocean and that has special importance to climate science and predictions.”

CSIRO staff aboard the RV Southern Surveyor deploy an Argo float in the Southern Ocean. Picture: Alicia Navidad, CSIRO.

Bluelink is a joint project between CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology and the Department of Defence. The Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in Safeguarding Australia recognises more than 20 years of increasingly accurate ocean forecasts from the Bluelink project.

Mr Chamberlain says the next frontier for Bluelink is gaining more information from the sea ice regions which “remain a challenge”, as does the deep ocean.

But a raft of new satellites taking to the skies in the coming years will mean ever more data for the team in Hobart to chew over.

“Every country around the world is working on their own [ocean forecasting] system,” Mr Chamberlain says.

“And yes, they’ll be looking at the performance of other systems in the world like ours, and looking to match that. That goes for allies and non allies alike.”