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

At da forefront o dis enterprise is Professor Martin Lavery o da James Watt School o Engineerin. He gangs up wi Dr David McKee o da University o Strathclyd an Professor Mark Inall o da Scottish Association for Marine Science. Tagidder, dey are set tae craft da Optical Reconnaissance an Communication Antenna (ORCA). Dis fresh sensin tool uses biggit-up licht tae peer intil da deep an sends signals in a cable-free wey atween independent sensor groups. In concert wi satellite imagin, a fleet o ORCAs will roam da seas an chairt features sic as currents, layers o temperature, floatin sediment, an saut levels. Deyr wark maps da spreid an chynge in da ocean in baith space an time.

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

Professor Lavery said: “We are excited tae be selected tae contribute tae da ambitious Forecastin Tippin Pynts programme, dat has da potential tae drive a stap chynge in wir unnerstaundin o da environmental chynges dat are expected tae occur ower da comin years an decades. Throu engagin wi da 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 da ocean currents an can help da UK an warld prepare for an uncertain future.”

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

Da sensor netwark project forms wan pairt o a lairger push for tae lairn mair aboot Earth’s vital signs. It is a drive tae airm leaders wi da keen sicht needed for swift an sound climate adjustment an tae grasp da shifts dat lie aheid.