Dr Petra Heil: VorDipl (Phys, Oceanogr), Dipl (Phys), PhD
Research interests
My research as an Earth-system scientist at the Australian Antarctic Division focuses on how polar ocean-ice-atmosphere interactions and their connections to mid-latitude regions respond to a warming climate. To deepen our understanding of the complex processes governing the Southern Ocean, Antarctic, and wider polar regions, I employ a combination of in situ observations, remote sensing data, and numerical modeling. A crucial aspect of my work involves designing and executing research that yields reliable information and facilitating its adoption across the scientific community, governmental and decision-making bodies, and the broader public.
By integrating cross-disciplinary ship-based and expendable sensors with satellite-derived data, my research aims to reduce uncertainty across key climate and ecosystem variables. This provides essential insights for advancing our knowledge of processes, interactions, and their resilience to change. As the rate of change in the polar system has accelerated, my research emphasis has broadened to encompass the vulnerability of the wider Earth system.
More recently I am working with colleagues to explore the concept of climate tipping points and tipping-point enablers. These are critical thresholds in the Earth’s systems that, when crossed, may lead to significant and often irreversible changes. Understanding the role of system components, their changing interaction and cascading effects is crucial to delineate future pathways and to understand how much change has been precommitted. Hence my research pivoted to contribute to identifying and understanding these potential polar tipping points, providing vital information for future climate projections and ultimately informing strategies to mitigate the impacts of a warming world.
Current AAS projects
- 4652: RSV Nuyina Underway Science Program
- 4651: Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) 2025-26 Campaign
- 4625: AAPP: East Antarctic Marginal Ice Zone Study or Marginal Ice zone Numerical Klimate and Ecosystem study [MINKE]
- 4635: Coupled physical-biological processes in the Antarctic sea-ice zone during the melt season
- 4546: Integrated observations of Antarctic land-fast sea ice physical and biological processes during the spring transition
- 4506: Observatory of East Antarctic near-surface atmosphere and cryosphere
- 4496: Airborne sea-ice thickness: Synoptic spring-time assessment
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Current AAS projects
- 4652: RSV Nuyina Underway Science Program
- 4651: Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) 2025-26 Campaign
- 4625: AAPP: East Antarctic Marginal Ice Zone Study or Marginal Ice zone Numerical Klimate and Ecosystem study [MINKE]
- 4635: Coupled physical-biological processes in the Antarctic sea-ice zone during the melt season
- 4546: Integrated observations of Antarctic land-fast sea ice physical and biological processes during the spring transition
- 4506: Observatory of East Antarctic near-surface atmosphere and cryosphere
- 4496: Airborne sea-ice thickness: Synoptic spring-time assessment
Publications (Selected)
Doddridge, E., and others (incl. P. Heil), Impacts of Antarctic Sea-Ice Extremes, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) Nexus, accepted (2025).
Gupta, M., Y. Koo, H. Reagan, S. Chua, X. Li, and P. Heil, The forward cascade of sea ice floes in the Weddell Sea, The Cryosphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1241-2025 (2025).
Fraser, A.D., and others (incl. P. Heil), Antarctic landfast sea ice: Physical, biogeochemical and ecological significance, Reviews of Geophysics, doi:10.1029/2022rg000770, 2023.
Heil, P., C. Stevens, W.S. Lee, C. Eayrs, H.C. Shin, S.P. Alexander, and W. Rack, Bridging the gap for ice-ocean-atmosphere-ecosystem processes: Integrated Observing System for the Ross Sea to the far East Antarctic Region, Frontiers Marine Sc., doi:10.3389/fmars.2023.1206119, 2023..
Tian, T.R., A.D. Fraser, T. Lavergne, S.L. Fiddes, C. Zhao, and P. Heil, Linking timescale-dependent Antarctic sea-ice kinematic observations to ice thickness, Remote Sensing of Environment, RSE-D-23-00456, doi:10.1016/j.rse.2023.113813, 2023.
Zhang, X, Y. Wang, S. Hou, and P. Heil, Significant cooling at West Antarctica in recent two decades, driven by tropical Pacific forcing, Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc., doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-22-0153.1, 2023.
Tian, T., A.D. Fraser, N. Kimura, C. Zhao, and P. Heil, Rectification and validation of a daily satellite-derived Antarctic sea-ice velocity product, The Cryosphere, doi:10.5194/tc-16-1299-2022, 2022.
Francis, D., K.S. Mattingly, S. Lhermitte, M. Temimi, and P. Heil, Atmospheric extremes triggered the biggest calving event in more than 50 years at the Amery Ice shelf in September 2019, The Cryosphere, doi:10.5194/tc-15-2147-2021, 2021.
Alberello, A., L. Bennetts, P. Heil, C. Ayers, M. Vichi, K. MacHutchon, and A. Toffoli, Drift of pancake ice floes in the winter Antarctic marginal ice zone during polar cyclones, J. Geophys. Res., doi:10.1029/2019JC015418, 2020. [4506]
Kiss, A.E., A.McC. Hogg, N. Hanna, F. Boeira Dias, G. Brassington, M.A. Chamberlain, C. Chapman, P. Dobrohotoff, C.M. Domingues, E.R. Duran, M.H. England, R. Fielder, S.M. Griffies, A. Heerdegen, P. Heil, R.M. Holmes, A. Klocker, S.J. Marsland, A.K. Morrison, J. Munroe, P.R. Oke, M. Nikurashin, G.S. Pilo, O. Richet, A. Savita, P. Spence, K.D. Stewart, M.L. Ward, F. Wu, and X. Zhang, ACCESS-OM2: A Global Ocean-Sea Ice Model at Three Resolutions, Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss., doi:10.5194/gmd-13-401-2020. 2020. [4506]
Ding, M., A. Agrawal, P. Heil, and D. Yang, Surface Energy Balance on the Antarctic Plateau as measured with automatic weather stations during 2014, Lei, R., D. Gui, J.K. Hutchings, P. Heil, and N. Li, Annual cycles of sea ice motion and deformation derived from buoy measurements in the western Arctic Ocean over two ice seasons, J. Geophys. Res., doi:10.1029/2019JC015310, 2020. [4506]
Lei, R., D. Gui, P. Heil, J.K. Hutchings, and M. Ding, Comparison of sea ice motion and deformation, and their responses to ice conditions and cyclone activity in the western Arctic Ocean between two summers, Cold Reg. Science and Technol., doi: 10.1016/j.coldregions.2019.102925, 2019. [4301,4390]
Newman, L., P. Heil, R. Trebilco, and 37 others, Delivering Sustained, Coordinated and Integrated Observations of the Southern Ocean for Global Impact, Frontiers/Marine Sc., 6 (433), doi: 10.3389/fmars.2019.00433, 2019. [4506]
See more of Dr Heil’s publications on ORCID.
