Scientists embark on expedition to investigate human influence on the purest air
A team of scientists has embarked on a research expedition to the Southern Ocean to investigate the impact of human activity on the atmosphere, as announced by Australia's national science agency on Wednesday. This three-week project, conducted...
TroibNews 
A team of scientists has embarked on a research expedition to the Southern Ocean to investigate the impact of human activity on the atmosphere, as announced by Australia's national science agency on Wednesday.
This three-week project, conducted aboard the research vessel Investigator from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, commenced from Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, on April 29, with a scheduled return on May 18.
The researchers will monitor air quality as far as 1,500 kilometers off Tasmania's northwest coast, using data from the notable Kennaook/Cape Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station. This remote station in Tasmania has been operational since 1976 and serves as a key global site for tracking atmospheric composition and provides some of the world's cleanest air, unaffected by land pollution.
"The Southern Ocean absorbs a lot of the world's carbon dioxide and heat, so any changes can influence our weather and climate," noted CSIRO atmospheric scientist Ruhi Humphries.
Employing state-of-the-art instruments, the expedition will gather comprehensive atmospheric data, concentrating on alterations induced by human actions, such as bushfire smoke and greenhouse gas emissions. According to Humphries, this research aims to enhance understanding of how aerosols and cloud formation influence climate patterns in the Southern Hemisphere.
Associate Professor Robyn Schofield from the University of Melbourne, who is participating in the expedition, emphasized that much of contemporary climate science leans towards conditions in the Northern Hemisphere, highlighting the importance of this research in refining climate forecasting for the Southern Hemisphere.
Both Investigator and the Cape Grim station are integral components of the World Meteorological Organization's Global Atmosphere Watch.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this article for TROIB News
This three-week project, conducted aboard the research vessel Investigator from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, commenced from Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, on April 29, with a scheduled return on May 18.
The researchers will monitor air quality as far as 1,500 kilometers off Tasmania's northwest coast, using data from the notable Kennaook/Cape Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station. This remote station in Tasmania has been operational since 1976 and serves as a key global site for tracking atmospheric composition and provides some of the world's cleanest air, unaffected by land pollution.
"The Southern Ocean absorbs a lot of the world's carbon dioxide and heat, so any changes can influence our weather and climate," noted CSIRO atmospheric scientist Ruhi Humphries.
Employing state-of-the-art instruments, the expedition will gather comprehensive atmospheric data, concentrating on alterations induced by human actions, such as bushfire smoke and greenhouse gas emissions. According to Humphries, this research aims to enhance understanding of how aerosols and cloud formation influence climate patterns in the Southern Hemisphere.
Associate Professor Robyn Schofield from the University of Melbourne, who is participating in the expedition, emphasized that much of contemporary climate science leans towards conditions in the Northern Hemisphere, highlighting the importance of this research in refining climate forecasting for the Southern Hemisphere.
Both Investigator and the Cape Grim station are integral components of the World Meteorological Organization's Global Atmosphere Watch.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this article for TROIB News
Find more stories on the environment and climate change on TROIB/Planet Health
