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Flowerpots go overboard for climate change

August 23, 2004

And win Chris Watson from Tasmania, Young Scientist of the Year and a UK visit, courtesy of the British Council.

TWO plastic flowerpots trailing behind a fishing boat in Bass Strait are playing a crucial role in measuring climate change.

"Sealed inside the flowerpots are sophisticated devices that are part of an international effort to ensure accurate measurements of global sea level change," said Chris Watson, a scientist from the University of Tasmania and CSIRO Marine Research team.

The flowerpot buoys - affectionately known as B1 and B2 - have been deployed under the flight path of two satellites, TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason-1. The satellites continuously measure ocean height as they orbit high above the Earth.

Dr John Church, from CSIRO Marine Research and a lead author on the report on sea-level rise for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said the satellites have revolutionised the way we observe the oceans and monitor sea level change.

"Keeping the satellites in check is a top priority for climate change research," Dr Church said. "By comparing the sea level measured from the buoys with the sea level measured from satellites, our team can check the accuracy and stability of the satellite system."

Data from the instruments inside the flowerpots is used to calculate the location and height of each buoy every second. "Our system is accurate to about the diameter of a 10 cent piece - some 20 kilometres out to sea," Mr Watson comments.

The $20 flowerpots make an unlikely match for the sophisticated $40,000 Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers sealed inside. "The flowerpots were a perfect fit for our satellite antennae," says Mr Watson. "They're tough enough to withstand Bass Strait and don't get sea-sick like their operators."

By comparing the Bass Strait results with those from Northern Hemisphere sites in the Mediterranean Sea and near California, the scientists have uncovered small discrepancies in the orbit of the satellites.

Chris Watson's news story about his work has won him the 2004 Young Scientist of the Year award.

As part of his prize Chris will work as a journalist with The Australian and one of News Limited's London newspapers.

Read more of his story online at www.scienceinpublic.com

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