Isotopes in Climate Change and Atmospheric Systems

Research Project

Researchers: Dr Alan Griffiths ,  Dr Stephen Parkes ,  Dr Andrew Smith ,  Carol Tadros

Brief description The aim of the project is to use ANSTO's nuclear-based technologies and analytical capabilities to study how the Earth's climate systems have changed, and how the land surface interacts with the atmosphere. This research is supported by ANSTO's world-class ANTARES and STAR accelerators, applying Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) techniques in radiocarbon dating and exposure age dating. The project has two key tasks: Cosmogenic Climate Archives of the Southern Hemisphere (CcASH) Initial Year: 2005 Project Status: Proceeding See larger image Cosmogenic Climate Archives of the Southern Hemisphere (CcASH) is an ANSTO initiative aimed at enhancing our understanding of past climate variability and environmental conditions in Australasia and Antarctica. Within the CcASH task there are three major themes of research activity with specific sub tasks: - Glacial and Sedimentary Systems - Atmospheric and Oceanic Radiocarbon Systems - Ice Sheets and Micro-carbon Studies Atmospheric Mixing and Pollution Transport (AMPT): The Atmospheric Mixing and Pollution Transport group uses naturally-occurring radioactive and stable isotope tracers to investigate and understand the sources and movement of pollution and greenhouse gases in the lower atmosphere. ANSTO's atmospheric research group has strong national links to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). International collaborations include involvement in the WMO Global Atmosphere Watch Program, the European and North American Carbon Programs, and the GEWEX modelling community.