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Uwe Radok Award for Best PhD Thesis 2013/2014 Uwe Radok was one of Australia’s pioneers in meteorological and glaciological research. Becoming Head of the Department of Meteorology at the University of Melbourne in 1960, he played a leading role in the development of Australian Antarctic meteorology and glaciology. A meltwater lake about 9 km long, at the eastern extremity of the Aramis Range in the Prince Charles Mountains about 6 km west of Beaver Lake, and marked by a slender glacier tongue feeding into it, has been named the Radok Lake after him. Uwe Radok passed away on the morning of Friday 28 August 2009 at the age of 93. In appreciation of Uwe Radok’s achievements, AMOS makes an annual award for the best PhD thesis for the preceding two years in the fields of meteorology, oceanography, glaciology or climatology awarded in Australia.
Application instructions To apply for the Uwe Radok award, candidates are invited to submit a short scientific paper (<2 pages including figures and references) summarising the key outcomes of their research, as well as a pdf version of their thesis. The thesis must have been awarded by an Australian University. This should be supported by a letter from the supervisor or Head of School which outlines why the PhD is considered outstanding (including a synopsis of any relevant comments from the examiners) and which indicates the extent to which the high quality of the thesis is due to the student themselves rather than to the supervisor(s). Submissions will be thoroughly reviewed by an AMOS scientific panel under the criteria of: a) significance and innovation;
The Award package
b) approach, methodology and presentation; and
• Invited oral presentation at AMOS 2016 Conference
c) potential longer-term benefit.
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Award presentation at AMOS 2016 Conference
• fees
Waiver of 2016 AMOS conference registration
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$500 prize money
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Publication of summary paper in AMOS Bulletin
The academic supervisor may provide a brief statement stating any special effort made by a student from a nonEnglish speaking background. Download the application form from: http://www.amos. org.au/documents/item/694 and email with the subject as Uwe Radok award to: admin@amos.org.au by Friday 30 May 2015.
Tropical Pacific approaches El Niño thresholds Bureau of Meteorology ENSO indicators in the tropical Pacific are approaching El Niño levels. Sea surface temperatures now exceed El Niño thresholds and trade winds have remained weaker than average for several weeks. This suggests some coupling between the ocean and atmosphere may be occurring. If these patterns persist or strengthen, El Niño will become established. All international climate models surveyed by the Bureau indicate that ocean temperatures are likely to remain above El Niño thresholds until at least the Southern Hemisphere spring. However, the accuracy of model outlooks at this time of year, the traditional El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) transition period, is lower than at other times. Based upon model outlooks and current observations, the Bureau’s ENSO Tracker is at ALERT status. This indicates that there is triple the normal chance of El Niño in 2015.
Bulletin of the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society Vol. 28 page 27
El Niño is often associated with below-average winter and spring rainfall over eastern Australia, and aboveaverage daytime temperatures over the southern half of the country. The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) remains neutral and model outlooks indicate a neutral IOD for the coming months. From May to November, the IOD can impact Australian climate. However, the Indian Ocean remains much warmer than average, which is currently influencing the Australian rainfall outlook, with an increased chance of above-average rainfall in the near term. For up-to-date information on the likelihood of an El Niño or La Niña developing, please visit the ENSO Tracker at: http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/tracker/ (current status is El Niño ALERT, next update is due 12 May 2015).