Projects per year
Personal profile
Career
2021: Challenger Society for Marine Science Fellow
2018–present: Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer in Physical Oceanography, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia
2012–2018: Lecturer in Shelf Sea Oceanography, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia
2009–2011: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Oceanography, University of Hawai‛i at Mānoa
Academic Background
2009: PhD in Physical Oceanography, Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory and University of Liverpool
2005: MOcean (first class) in Oceanography, University of Southampton and National Oceanography Centre
Key Research Interests
My research is on shelf sea and deep ocean fluid dynamics, diagnosed from both observations and numerical model simulations. I have a specific interest in internal waves and internal tides, their interactions with complex topography such as submarine canyons, their effect on turbulent mixing, biogeochemical fluxes, and sediment resuspension, and their impact on pelagic and benthic ecosystems. As a leading member of the UEA Glider Group, I have led numerous Seaglider missions and developed methods to use these autonomous vehicles for the diagnosis of internal wave energetics and turbulent mixing rates. To support these observations and investigate process interactions, I run numerical model simulations using both the Princeton Ocean Model and MITgcm.
Current Research Grants
- Processes drIving Submarine Canyon fluxES (PISCES; NERC; PI)
- Enabling Sustainable Wind Energy Expansion in Seasonal Stratified Seas (eSWEETS3; NERC; PI)
- Accelerating Thwaites Ecosystem Impacts for the Southern Ocean (ARTEMIS; NSF-NERC; PI)
- Thwaites-Amundsen Regional Survey and Network Integrating Atmosphere-Ice-Ocean Processes affecting the Sub-Ice-Shelf Environment (TARSAN; NSF-NERC; Co-I)
- The Maritime Continent – Driver of the Global Climate System (TerraMaris; NERC; Co-I)
- Processes Influencing Carbon Cycling: Observations of the Lower limb of the Antarctic Overturning (PICCOLO; NERC; Co-I)
- Climate-relevant Ocean Measurements and Processes on the Antarctic continental Shelf and Slope (COMPASS; ERC; Team member)
Recent Fieldwork
- CLASS/iATLANTIC (JC237): RSS James Cook, August–September 2022
- TARSAN/ARTEMIS/THOR (NBP22-02): RVIB Nathaniel B. Palmer, January–March 2022, Co-Chief Scientist
- Gullmarn Fjord Boundary Mixing Experiment: Bornö Station (Sweden), September 2019
- MeRMEED (WS1705): RV G. Walton Smith, October–November 2017
Recent Publications
Sheehan, P. M. F., G. M. Damerell, P. J. Leadbitter, K. J. Heywood, and R. A. Hall, 2023: Turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate and associated fluxes in the western tropical Atlantic estimated from ocean glider observations. Ocean Science, 19, 77–92, doi:10.5194/os-19-77-2023.
Dotto, T. S., K. J. Heywood, R. A. Hall, T. A. Scambos, Y. Zheng, Y. Nakayama, T. Snow, A. K. Wåhlin, C. Wild, M. Truffer, A. Muto, K. E. Alley, L. Boehme, G. A. Bortolotto, and E. Petite, 2022: Ocean variability beneath Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf driven by the Pine Island Bay Gyre strength. Nature Communications, 13, 7840, doi:10.1038/s41467-022-35499-5.
Rollo, C., K. J. Heywood, and R. A. Hall, 2022: Glider observations of thermohaline staircases in the tropical North Atlantic using an automated classifier. Geoscientific Instrumentation, Methods and Data Systems, 11, 359–373, doi:10.5194/gi-11-359-2022.
Heijnen, M. S., F. Mienis, A. R. Gates, B. J. Bett, R. A. Hall, J. Hunt, I. A. Kane, C. Pebody, V. A. I. Huvenne, E. L. Soutter, and M. A. Clare, 2022: Challenging the highstand-dormant paradigm for land-detached submarine canyons. Nature Communications, 13, 3448, doi:10.1038/s41467-022-31114-9.
Dorrell, R. M., C. J. Lloyd, B. J. Lincoln, T. P. Rippeth, J. R. Taylor, C. P. Caulfield, J. Sharples, J. A. Polton, B. D. Scannell, D. M. Greaves, R. A. Hall, and J. H. Simpson, 2022: Anthropogenic mixing in seasonally stratified shelf seas by offshore wind farm infrastructure. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9, 830927, doi:10.3389/fmars.2022.830927.
Spingys, C. P., R. G. Williams, J. E. Hopkins, R. A. Hall, J. A. M. Green, and J. Sharples, 2020: Internal-tide driven tracer transport across the continental slope. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 125, e2019JC015530, doi:10.1029/2019JC015530.
Research Group or Lab Membership
Current Postdoctoral Research Associates
- Yixi Zheng – ARTEMIS
- Marina Azaneu – TerraMaris
Current PhD Students
- Brendon Yuri Damini – Antarctic continental shelf physical and biogeochamical processes
- Eilean MacDonald – Internal waves and turbidity currents in submarine canyons
- Jack Mustafa – Maritime Continent precipitation dynamics
Previous Postdoctoral Research Associates
- Tiago Dotto – TARSAN
Previous PhD Students
- Philip Leadbitter – Investigating turbulent mixing processes using high-resolution temperature sensors on autonomous ocean gliders
- Callum Rollo – Shelf, shear and staircases: Glider observations in the North Atlantic
- David Price – Multi-scale investigations of cold-water coral habitat using novel technology and advanced image analysis
- Tabitha Pearman – Cold-water coral habitat mapping in submarine canyons
- Ryan Gilchrist – Dynamics and impacts of oil spills from seabed releases in the Faroe-Shetland Channel
- Peter Sheehan – Forcing and variability of northwestern inflows into the northern North Sea
- Tahmeena Aslam – Internal tides in Whittard Canyon
Teaching Interests
- Shelf Sea Dynamics and Coastal Processes (Module Organiser; ENV-5017B)
- Marine Sciences Fieldcourse (ENV-5020K/7030K)
- Atmosphere & Oceans (ENV-4007B)
Administrative Posts
Key Responsibilities
- Ocean Science Editor
- International Network for submarine Canyon Investigation and Scientific Exchange (INCISE) Steering Committee
- NOC Association (NOCA) Upscaling of Autonomy Working Group
- Challenger Society for Marine Science Council (2017–2020)
- Challenger Society Coastal and Shelf Seas (CaSS) Special Interest Group Lead
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Keywords
- Oceanography
- Physics
- Physical Oceanography
Media Expertise
- Oceanography
Network
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NSFGEO-NERC: Collaborative Research: Accelerating Thwaites Ecosystem Impactsfor the Southern Ocean (ARTEMIS)
Hall, R., Heywood, K., Cobas-Garcia, M. & Lee, G.
Natural Environment Research Council
1/11/21 → 31/10/24
Project: Research
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NSFPLR-NERC: Thwaites-Amundsen Regional Survey and Network (TARSAN). Integrating Atmosphere-Ice-Ocean Processes affecting the Sub-Ice-Shelf Environment.
Heywood, K., Pettit, E., Boehme, L., Hall, R., Lenaerts, J., Muto, A., Sanders, B., Scambos, T., Truffer, M., Tyler, S. & Lee, G.
Natural Environment Research Council
1/07/18 → 31/12/25
Project: Research
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TerraMaris: The Maritime Continent - Driver of the Global Climate System
Matthews, A., Birch, C., Hall, R., Heywood, K., Klingaman, N., Marsham, J., Neely, R., Woolnough, S. & Lee, G.
Natural Environment Research Council
1/06/18 → 31/05/24
Project: Research
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COMPASS: Climate-relevant Ocean Measurements and Processes on the Antarctic Continental Shelf and Slope
Heywood, K., Hall, R. & Cobas-Garcia, M.
1/09/17 → 29/02/24
Project: Research
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Processes Influencing Carbon Cycling: Observations of the Lower limb of the Antarctic Overturning (PICCOLO)
Heywood, K., Bakker, D., Hall, R., Robinson, C., Garcia-Martin, E. E. & Lee, G.
Natural Environment Research Council
31/07/17 → 31/12/27
Project: Research
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Turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate and associated fluxes in the western tropical Atlantic estimated from ocean glider observations
Sheehan, P. M. F., Damerell, G. M., Leadbitter, P. J., Heywood, K. J. & Hall, R. A., 24 Jan 2023, In: Ocean Science. 19, 1, p. 77-92 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Downloads (Pure) -
Anthropogenic mixing in seasonally stratified shelf seas by offshore wind farm infrastructure
Dorrell, R. M., Lloyd, C. J., Lincoln, B. J., Rippeth, T. P., Taylor, J. R., Caulfield, C-C. P., Sharples, J., Polton, J. A., Scannell, B. D., Greaves, D. M., Hall, R. A. & Simpson, J. H., 22 Mar 2022, In: Frontiers in Marine Science. 9, 830927.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile5 Citations (Scopus)12 Downloads (Pure) -
Challenging the highstand-dormant paradigm for land-detached submarine canyons
Heijnen, M., Mienis, F., Gates, A., Bett, B., Hall, R., Hunt, J., Kane, I., Pebody, C., Huvenne, V., Soutter, E. & Clare, M., 15 Jun 2022, In: Nature Communications. 13, 3448.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Downloads (Pure) -
Glider observations of thermohaline staircases in the tropical North Atlantic using an automated classifier
Rollo, C., Heywood, K. J. & Hall, R. A., 25 Oct 2022, In: Geoscientific Instrumentation, Methods and Data Systems. 11, 2, p. 359–373 15 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Citation (Scopus)5 Downloads (Pure) -
Ocean variability beneath Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf driven by the Pine Island Bay Gyre strength
S. Dotto, T., Heywood, K., Hall, R., Scambos, T., Zheng, Y., Nakayama, Y., Hyogo, S., Snow, T., Wåhlin, A. K., Wild, C., Truffer, M., Muto, A., Alley, K., Boehme, L., Bortolotto, G. A., Tyler, S. W. & Pettit, E., 21 Dec 2022, In: Nature Communications. 13, 7840.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Downloads (Pure)
Datasets
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Vigo glider dataset link
Rollo, C. (Creator), Heywood, K. (Creator), Hall, R. (Creator), Kaiser, J. (Creator), Barton, E. D. (Contributor), Brown, C. W. (Contributor) & Lee, G. A. (Creator), British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK , 3 Jan 2020
DOI: 10/dhr6, https://www.bodc.ac.uk/data/published_data_library/catalogue/10.5285/9b3b453b-2afb-0abd-e053-6c86abc0a59c/
Dataset
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Lunar nodal cycle amplitude modulation map
Hall, R. (Creator) & Joshi, M. (Creator), ESD discussions, 2022
Dataset
File -
Glider observations of northwestern inflows of Atlantic water to the North Sea (2013)
Berx, B. (Creator), Damerell, G. (Creator), Gallego, A. (Creator), Hall, R. (Creator), Heywood, K. (Creator), Lee, G. A. (Creator) & Queste, B. (Creator), British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK , 8 Mar 2018
DOI: 10/ck8r
Dataset
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MASSMO 4 project ocean glider and autonomous surface vehicle data
Wynn, R. B. (Creator), Wihsgott, J. U. (Creator), Palmer, M. R. (Creator), Lichtman, I. D. (Creator), Miller, P. (Creator), Goult, S. (Creator), Nencioli, F. (Creator), Loveday, B. R. (Creator), Jones, S. (Creator), Risch, D. (Creator), Hall, R. (Creator), Cauchy, P. (Creator), Doran, J. (Creator), Mowat, R. (Creator) & Damerell, G. (Creator), British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK , 2019
DOI: 10.5285/9373933d-48c1-5a37-e053-6c86abc0e213
Dataset
Prizes
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Challenger Society for Marine Science Fellow
Hall, Rob (Recipient), 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Ocean Science (Journal)
Rob Hall (Editor)
2023 → …Activity: Editorial work › Publication editorial role
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Brendon Yuri Damini
Rob Hall (Host)
17 Oct 2022 → 18 Nov 2022Activity: Hosting a visitor › Hosting an academic visitor
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RSS James Cook Research Cruise (JC237)
Rob Hall (Participant)
6 Aug 2022 → 6 Sep 2022Activity: Other activity types › Other