Man wearing red shirt standing in front of a leafy green background

Dr Hemerson Tonin

Physical Oceanographer
Oceanography and Shelf Processes
Contact email
Townsville
Background
About

Hemerson's early career was as a physical oceanographer at an environmental consulting firm, specializing in numerical modeling in water bodies. After a four-year hiatus, period that he earned his PhD in Earth Sciences, he returned to the environmental consulting industry as a senior physical oceanographer, engaging with clients and mentoring collaborators in the area of numerical modeling. In 2011, he was hired by the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, where he remains since then. 

Hemerson holds a bachelor's degree of Physics with a minor of Physical Oceanography from the University of São Paulo, a Master of Physical Oceanography from the same university and a PhD of Earth Sciences from Flinders University of South Australia. 

Education
2006
PhD in Physical Oceanography - Flinders University (Australia)
2002
MSc in Physical Oceanography - University of São Paulo (Brazil)
1998
BSc in Physics - University of São Paulo (Brazil)
Research

Through numerical modeling and data analysis I have been involved in the following research activities: 

  • Coral bleaching events in the Great Barrier Reef;
  • Understanding cumulative stressors and critical thresholds for corals;
  • Water quality modelling;
  • Upwelling processes along the Great Barrier Reef.
Research areas

Computational Fluid Dynamics, Data Analysis, Oceanography, Numerical Simulation, Fluid Mechanics, Numerical Analysis, CFD Simulation, Computational Fluid Mechanics

Publications

Jones, R, M Wakeford, L Currey-Randall, K Miller, H Tonin. (2021). "Drill cuttings and drilling fluids (muds) transport, fate and effects near coral reef mesophotic zone". Mar. Pollut. Bull., 172 (2021) 112717 

J Waterhouse, et al (2021) "Marine Monitoring Program: Annual Report for Inshore Water Quality Monitoring 201920". Report for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville

Gruber, R., et al (2020), "Marine Monitoring Program: Annual Report for Inshore Water Quality Monitoring 2018-19". Report for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville.

Jensen, LH, CA Motti, AL Garm, H Tonin, FJ Kroon. (2019) "Sources, distribution and fate of microfibres on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Sci Rep 9: 9021." 

Gallen, C, et al (2019), "Marine Monitoring Program: Annual Report for inshore pesticide monitoring 201718" Report for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville.

Wolff N, da Silva ET, Devlin M, Anthony KR, Lewis S, Tonin H, Brinkman R, Mumby PJ (2018) Contribution of individual rivers to Great Barrier Reef nitrogen exposure with implications for management prioritization. Marine Pollution Bulletin 133:30-43

Brassington, Gary B; Tuteja, Narendra; Colberg, Frank; Sandery, Paul; Sakov, Pavel; Sakova, Irina; Laugesen, Richard; Brinkman, Richard; Tonin, Hemerson; Bari, Mohammed; Stuart, Greg and Treleaven, Jamie (2017). eReefs: An integrated catchment and coastal forecasting system for the Great Barrier Reef and Queensland coast [online]. In: Australasian Coasts & Ports 2017: Working with Nature. Barton, ACT: Engineers Australia, PIANC Australia and Institute of Professional Engineers New Zealand, 2017: 166-171. ISBN: 9781922107916.

Benthuysen JA, Tonin H, Brinkman R, Herzfeld M, Steinberg C (2016) Intrusive upwelling in the Central Great Barrier Reef. J. Geophys. Res. Oceans 121(11):8395-8416; doi:10.1002/2016JC012294

Angly F, Pantos O, Morgan T, Rich V, Tonin H, Bourne D, Mercurio P, Negri A, Tyson G (2016) Diuron tolerance and potential degradation by pelagic microbiomes in the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. PeerJ 4:e1758; doi:10.7717/peerj.1758

Angly F, Heath C, Morgan T, Tonin H, Rich V, Schaffelke B, Bourne D, Tyson G (2016) Marine microbiomes of the Great Barrier Reef lagoon are influenced by riverine floodwaters and seasonal weather events. PeerJ 4:e1511; doi10.7717/peerj.1511

Herzfeld M, Andrewartha J, Baird M, Brinkman R, Furnas M, Gillibrand P, Hemer M, Joehnk K, Jones E, McKinnon D, Margvelashvili N, Mongin M, Oke P, Rizwi F, Robson B, Seaton S, Skerratt J, Tonin H, Wild-Allen K (2016). eReefs Marine Modelling: Final Report (January 2016). CSIRO, Hobart (497 p) https://research.csiro.au/ereefs/models/

Lønborg C et al. (2015) Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Program. Annual Report of AIMS and JCU Activities 2014 to 2015 - Inshore water quality monitoring. Report for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Australian Institute of Marine Science and JCU TropWATER, Townsville (170 p)

Rigby P, Steinberg C, Williams DK, Brinkman G, Brinkman R, Tonin H, Hughes D (2014) Real-Time Marine Observing System: Challenges, Benefits and Opportunities in Australian Coastal Waters. Australian Journal of Civil Engineering. Engineers Australian Technical Journals Vol 12(1): 83-99