Adam Steer
Adam is currently contracted to the sea ice research group as a data analyst and technician, interpreting field data from past research expeditions and building tools for extracting meaningful data from field measurements in future. He also has a keen interest in generating innovative ways to visualise data and 'show off' some of the things we do as polar scientists, using free and readily available tools [inlcuding this web site!]
The work of a sea ice technician is manifold. The following tasks are currently in Adam's list of things to do:
- Develop a repeatable, reliable and robust method for deriving geophysical parameters of sea ice from digital aerial photographs. These data will be used to help confirm the results of satellite and airborne laser and radar altimetry, and satellite-based passive microwave instruments.
- Undertake research on methods for determining survey-grade GPS locations of aircraft-based LiDAR instrument package in a remote area, long baseline scenario - in particular applied to the RAPPLS instrument package.
- Process, organise and visualise ship underway data collected by the Aurora Australis, and infrared pyrometer data collected by the RAPPLS instrument package
- As part of a team, deploy and operate the RAPPLS instrument package in the field
- Prepare equipment and supplies for field measurement campaigns, and ground truthing measurements in the field on sea ice.
Adam holds a first-class honours degree at the Institute of Antarctic and Southern Ocean Studies, University of Tasmania, and a BSc from the Australian National University, in psychology and neuroscience. At present, Adam is in the beginning stages of a PhD candidature, researching long baseline GPS positioning for aircraft-based LiDAR instrument packages.
In between all of this Adam spends quality time in the wilderness as a guide for Cradle Mountain Huts, backcountry skiing and racing in mountain bike endurance events. He's also managed to obtain professional qualifications in avalanche safety management and rescue, remote area first aid and chainsaw operation.
Adam has particpated in two field trips to the Antarctic pack ice zone to date, and will be back...
Publications
Peer-reviewedWorby, A. P., T. Markus, A. D. Steer, V. I. Lytle, and R. A. Massom (2008), Evaluation of AMSR-E snow depth product over East Antarctic sea ice using in situ measurements and aerial photography, J. Geophys. Res., 113, C05S94, doi:10.1029/2007JC004181.
Adam Steer, Anthony Worby, Petra Heil, Observed changes in sea-ice floe size distribution during early summer in the western Weddell Sea, Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, Volume 55, Issues 8-9, Ice Station POLarstern (ISPOL): Results of interdisciplinary studies on a drifting ice floe in the western Weddell Sea, April-May 2008, Pages 933-942.
onlineThe SIPEX Google Earth dataset: a bundle of geograhic data and images from the SIPEX voyage in 2007, for viewing in Google Earth.
e-mail: adam.steer AT utas.edu.au
phone: +61 3 6226 7157