Antinuclear

That knowledge gap should start to close with CSIRO’s new research ship, the RV Investigator, soon to deploy an array of six sensors moored off Brisbane from 40 metres below the surface out to waters almost five kilometres deep……….

Without the East Australian Current, coastal regions would be much colder. Data on any changes will help climatologists better understand how much future climates may be affected by global warming.

Existing climate models “are quite good”, Dr Sloyan said. “These observations allow us to work with the modelling community on how to improve” those models, she said.

Pacific Ocean currents are affected by many factors, including El Nino, the climate pattern that results in the central and eastern Pacific warming faster than regions to the west. Easterly trade winds during El Nino events weaken or even reverse.

“If we are out there long enough, we will see changes” from the El Nino, Dr Sloyan said, noting the Bureau of Meteorology had declared such an event to be under way this week.

The US National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration said on Thursday that there is an 80 per cent chance that the El Nino will persist until the end of 2015.

A prolonged event could be bad news for Australia, with most such events linked to below-average rainfall for most of Eastern Australia, along with abnormally warm temperatures. http://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/going-with-the-flow-scientists-probe-changes-in-the-east-australian-current-20150515-gh2fvj.html