Researchers at the University o Glesga will heid a new project worth £1.3m that aims tae big a wab o unnerwatter sensors for tae haud watch on wir waarmin seas. The wark is pairt o ARIA’s Forecastin Tippin Pynts programme, that offers a total o £81m ower five year tae grasp early signs o climate shift.

At the forefront o this endeavour is Professor Martin Lawery o the James Watt Schuil o Engineerin. He teams up wi Dr David McKee o the University o Strathclyde an Professor Mark Inall o the Scottish Association for Marine Science. Thegither, they are set tae craft the Optical Reconnaissance an Communication Antenna (ORCA). This fresh sensin tool yaises biggit-up licht tae peer intae the deep an sends signals in a cable-free wey atween independent sensor groups. In concert wi satellite imaginin, a fleet o ORCAs will roam the seas an chart features sic as currents, layers o temperature, floatin sediment, an saut levels. Their wark maps the spreid an chynge in the ocean in baith space an time.

The project sikks tae equip wir leaders wi the facts needed tae face the challenge o climate chynge heid on. Wi major pairts o the Yird system at risk o raxin dangerous turnin pynts, the sensor netwark is a key stap forrit an early warnin system for shifts in the warld’s naitural systems. ARIA, a research an development agency set up by an Act o Pairlament an backit by the Department for Science, Innovation an Technology, funds teams tae wark on whit is kent tae be the edge o baith science an craft.

Professor Lawery said: “We are excited tae be selected tae contribute tae the ambitious Forecastin Tippin Pynts programme, that has the potential tae drive a stap chynge in wir unnerstaundin o the environmental chynges that are expected tae occur ower the coming years an decades. Throu engagin wi the diverse array o creators, we howp wir new sensin technology can play a significant role in improvin wir early warnin systems for major disruptions tae the ocean currents an can help the UK an warld prepare for an uncertain future.”

This venture staunds as the latest link in the University o Glesga’s growin bond wi ARIA. The institution’s past ties include the appyntment o Professor Mark Symes as ane o ARIA’s foondin Programme Directors in 2023, as weel as the unveilin o the £4m NEUROBOT project led by Professor Hadi Heidari earlier this year.

The sensor net project forms ae pairt o a lairger push for tae lairn mair aboot Yird’s vital signs. It is a drive tae armour leaders wi the keen sicht needed for swift an soond climate adjustment an tae grasp the shifts that lie aheid.