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John Luick

John Luick

Areas of expertise

Analysis and modelling of ocean circulation, waves, and tides.

Countries of work experience

  • Australia
  • USA
  • Philippines
  • Malaysia
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Pacific Islands
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Saudi Arabia
  • United Arab Emirates

Experience and qualifications

John has over twenty years experience in projects related to ocean monitoring, tidal analysis, and hydrodynamic modelling. He has numerous publications and technical reports as well as wide experience in teaching, consulting, and shipboard observations.

Since joining SARDI in mid-2007, he has been involved with the new Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) network as well as three other ongoing projects: Risk and Response, Environmental Variability, and Innovative Solutions II. These latter are SARDI projects concerned with how environmental factors influence marine life and biological productivity. IMOS is a national program for monitoring Australia’s coastal seas and the exchange of nutrients and water properties across the shelf.

His diverse background includes several years in north Queensland modelling residence times in the Great Barrier Reef lagoon, half a year each in Canberra and India modelling coastal freshwater aquifers, and a similar amount of time in Alaska co-authoring a book on tides. His previous shipboard research has taken him on two long expeditions through the islands of Indonesia and The Philippines, several crossings of the Tasman Sea, and over a dozen cruises in the Gulf of Alaska. He has also conducted workshops in nine different Pacific Island nations as part of an AusAID program designed to promote local environmental management. However, his most extensive experience is with the analysis of tides and sea level, gained over his years with the National Tidal Facility (Flinders University) in Adelaide.

Professional appointments

  • 2007-present: Oceanographer, SARDI (Leader, Hydrodynamic Modelling Subprogram)
  • 2005-2007: Senior Research Fellow and Lecturer, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland
  • 1993-2005: Oceanographer, Flinders University (National Tidal Facility)

Publications and technical reports

  • O’Connell, L.G., James, N.P., Doubell, M., Middleton, J.F., Luick, J.L., Currie, D.R., Bone, Y. (2014)Oceanographic Controls on Shallow-Water Temperate Carbonate Sedimentation: Spencer Gulf, South Australia. Submitted for publication to Sedimentology.
  • Middleton, J.F., Luick, J.L., James, C. (2014) Carrying Capacity for Finfish Aquaculture, Part II – rapid assessment using hydrodynamic and semi-analytic solutions. Accepted for publication in Aquaculture Engineering.
  • James, C., Ghantous, M., Doubell, M., Luick, J. Middleton, J., Babanin, A. (2014) Enhanced physics in ROMS/SWAN coupled biogeochemical model, Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (oral presentation).
  • Doubell MJ, James C, Luick J, Dixon C, Midddleton JF (2014) Simulations of prawn and crab larval dispersal and settlement in Spencer Gulf, South Australia. In XXXX et al. (2014). Prawn and crab harvest optimisation: a biophysical management tool. Final report for the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2014/xxxx. SARDI Research Report Series No. XXX. XX pp. (in preparation).
  • Mao, Y. and Luick, J.L. (2014) new mechanisms for stratification in the southern Great Barrier Reef identified in HF Radar and in situ data. Poster presented at Australian Meteorological and oceanographic Society (poster presentation).
  • Middleton, J, M. Doubell, C James and J. Luick (2014) Carrying Capacity for finfish aquaculture. Part I&2 – rapid assessment using hydrodynamic and semi-analytical solutions. World Aquaculture Conference, Adelaide June 2014 (oral presentation).
  • Doubell, M.J., James, C., van Ruth, P., Luick, J., and Middleton, J. (2014) Development of a biogeochemical model for Spencer Gulf, South Australia: Application and implications for aquaculture development and sustainability. World Aquaculture Conference, Adelaide, South Australia, 7-11 June 2014 (oral presentation).
  • Middleton J, James C, Luick J, Doubell MJ. (2014) A graphical user interface: A tool for the management of finfish carrying capacity: CarCap 1.0. World Aquaculture, Adelaide, Australia, June 7-11.
  • Mao, Y. and Luick, J.L. (2014) Circulation in the southern Great Barrier Reef studied through an integration of multiple remote sensing and in situ measurements. Journal of Geophysical Research. 10.1002/2013JC009397
  • Middleton, J., Doubell, M., James, C., Luick, J. and van Ruth, P. (2013). PIRSA Initiative II: carrying capacity of Spencer Gulf: hydrodynamic and biogeochemical measurement modelling and performance monitoring. Final Report for the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2013/000311-1. SARDI Research Report Series No. 705. 97pp.
  • Luick, J., Doubell, M.J. and Middleton, J. (2013) A validated hydrodynamic model for Spencer Gulf and connectivity studies. In Middleton et al. (2013). PIRSA Initiative II: Carrying Capacity of Spencer Gulf: Hydrodynamic and Biogeochemical Measurement Modelling and Performance Monitoring. Final report for the Fisheries Research and Development corporation. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2013/000311-1. SARDI Research Report Series No. 705. 96 pp.
  • Doubell M.J., Luick J., James C., Dixon C., Roberts S and Middleton J (2013) Simulations of larval dispersal and settlement in the large inverse estuary of Spencer Gulf, South Australia. Fisheries Oceanography (submitted)
  • Doubell MJ, Dixon, C, Middleton J, Luick J, Roberts S, James C. (2012) Modelling the larval dispersal and recruitment of western king prawns, Penaeus Latisculcatus, to nursery grounds in Spencer Gulf, South Australia. Australian Society for Fish Biology and Oceania Chondrichthyan Society Joint Conference and Symposium, Adelaide, Australia, July 16 (oral presentation).
  • Doubell, M. J., James, C., van Ruth, P. D., Luick, J., and Middleton, J. F. 2013. Modeling biogeochemical cycles in Spencer Gulf: Development of a nitrogen based ecosystem model and implications for aquaculture. In Middleton, J. F, (Ed.) PIRSA Initiative II: carrying capacity of Spencer Gulf: hydrodynamic and biogeochemical measurement, modelling and performance monitoring. FRDC Project No. 2009/046. SARDI Publication. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2013/000311-1. SARDI Research Report Series No. 705. 97 pp.
  • Doubell MJ, James C, Luick J, Middleton J. (2014) Development and application of ROMS based models for the South Australian region. Australia Coastal and Oceans Modelling and Observations (ACOMO) Workshop, Canberra, Australia, October 3-4. (poster presentation)
  • Hinwood, J., and Luick, J.L. (2012) Closed basin modes of a dual basin harbour. Pure and Applied Geophysics. DOI 10.1007/s00024-012-0611-4.
  • Middleton, J.F., James, C.E., Luick, J.L., Goldsworthy, S., Tsolos, A., Teixeira, C.E.P. and Richardson , L. (2011). Survey of Sonar Test Sites, Phase 1, Literature Review. Final Report for the Defence Science and Technology Organisation. SARDI Publication No. F2011/000212-1. SARDI Research Report Series No. 566. 67pp.
  • Dixon C, Doubell MJ, Roberts S, Luick J, James C, Middleton J. (2011) Development of a larval dispersal model for the optimisation of pre-Christmas harvest strategies for western king prawns in Spencer Gulf, South Australia. Australian Marine Sciences Association (AMSA) Annual Conference, Freemantle, Australia, July 3-7. (oral presentation)
  • Sophie C. Leterme, Charles James, Shaun Byrnes, John Luick and John Middleton (2011). Microbial communities of the South Australian Shelf Waters, a SAIMOS study. AMSA 2011 Contribution. (poster presentation)
  • John Middleton*, John Bye*2, Laura Richardson*1, Charles James*, John Luick*, Carlos Teixeira*^, Sophie Leterme*3 (2011) A Review of the Physical Oceanography of the Great Australian Bight. Aust. Mar. Sci. Assoc. Contribution. (oral presentation)
  • Petrusevics, P., J.A.T. Bye, J. Luick, and C. Teixeira (2011) Summer sea surface temperatures and elevated chlorophyll-a in the entrance to Spencer gulf, South Australia. Continental Shelf Research, 31, 849-856.
  • Seuront L, Leterme SC, Middleton J, Byrnes S, James C, Luick J, Nedoncelle K, Paterson J, Teixeira C & van Dongen-Vogels V (2010) Biophysical couplings in South Australian shelf waters under conditions of summer upwelling and winter downwelling: results from the Southern Australia Integrated Marine Observing System (SAIMOS). In: Hall, J., Harrison D.E. & Stammer, D., (Eds.), Proceedings of the “OceanObs’09: Sustained Ocean Observations and Information for Society” Conference, Venice, Italy, 21-25 September 2009, ESA Publication WPP-306, 2010.
  • van Dongen-Vogels, V, Leterme SC, Paterson J, James C, Luick J, Middleton J, and Seuront L (2009) Influence of the structure of the water column on the dynamics of picophytoplankton communities across a continental shelf (South Australia). Australian Marine Science Association 2009, “Marine Connectivity”, Adelaide. (oral presentation)
  • Luick, J.L. and J. Middleton (2009) Meteorological Forcing of South Australian Shelf and Gulf Waters. SARDI Internal Technical Report.
  • James, C., S. Leterme, J.L. Luick, J. Middleton, and L. Seuront (2009). Seasonal Variations in Physical Characteristics of the South Australian Shelf Waters. Poster, European Geophysical Union, General Assembly 2009, Vienna, Austria.
  • Middleton, J., L. Seuront, J. Luick, C. James, and C. Teixeira (2009) The biophysical landscape of the southern Australian shelves: modelling, climate, and climate change. Australian Marine Sciences Association, 46th Annual Conference, Adelaide.
  • James, C., S. Leterme, J.L. Luick, J. Middleton, and L. Seuront (2009) Introducing the Southern Australian node of the Integrated Marine Observing System, SAIMOS. Australian Marine Sciences Association, 46th Annual Conference, Adelaide.
  • James, C., S. Leterme, J.L. Luick, J. Middleton, and L. Seuront (2009) Seasonal Variations in Physical Characteristics of the South Australian Shelf Waters (poster). European Geophysical Union, General Assembly 2009, Vienna, Austria, 19 – 24 April 2009
  • James, C., C.D. Dixon, A.J. Fowler, A. Linnane, J.L. Luick, S. McClatchie, R. McGarvey, J.F. Middleton, M.A. Steer, and Y. Wu (2009) Effects of environmental variability on recruitment to South Australian fisheries. SARDI Publication No. F2009/000403-1, FRDC Project No. 2006/046.
  • Seuront, L.S., J. Middleton. C. James, and J. Luick (2008) The South Australian Integrated Marine Observing System. Australian Institute of Physics.
  • Luick, J.L. (2008) Physical oceanographic survey of Hessen and Sachsen Bays of Exploration License 1305 – Morobe (PNG) Chromite Project. OM Materials Singapore. 47 pages.
  • Luick (2008) Review of “Ebb and Flow – Tides and Life on our Once and Future Planet”. Oceanography, pp 77-78.
  • Herzfeld, M., J.F. Middleton, J.R. Andrewartha, J. Luick, and L. Wu (2008) Numerical Hydrodynamic Modelling of the Tuna Farming Zone, Spencer Gulf. Aquafin CRC Project 4.6, 100 pages.
  • Luick, J.L. and J.B. Hinwood (2008) Water levels in a dual basin harbour in response to infragravity and edge waves. Progress in Oceanography. doi:10.1016/j.pocean.2006.04.002.
  • Luick, J.L., Mason, L.B., Hardy, T., and Furnas, M. (2007) Circulation in the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon using numerical tracers and in situ data. Ctl Shelf Res., 27, 757-778.
  • Kumar, V., and J.L. Luick (2004) Effect of various parameters on the size of freshwater lens in Home Island. J. of Applied Hydrology, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 69-78
  • Luick (2004) Thistle Island tidal and storm currents.
  • Luick, J. (2004) Australian Tidal Handbook. Bureau of Meteorology, National Tidal Centre, 104 pages.
  • Luick, J. (2004) Australian Tides Manual. Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping, Permanent Committee on Tides and Mean Sea Level, Woolongong. www.icsm.gov.au/icsm/tides/SP9/SP920041116.html
  • Unnikrishnan, A.S., and J. Luick (2003) A finite element simulation of tidal circulation in the Gulf of Kutch, India. Estuarine, Coastal, and Shelf Science, vol. 56, pages 131-138. doi:10.1016/S0272-7714(02)00135-X.
  • Luick (2003) The oceanographic argument for continued support of the Solomon Islands Seaframe.
  • Luick, J. (2002) Ocean currents in the vicinity of Trinidad and Tobago.
  • Luick, J. (2002) Pacific Country Report for Tuvalu (2002). (a survey of the climate, oceanography, sea level variations, and extreme events for Tuvalu). National Tidal Facility. (NOTE: Similar reports written for Tonga, Niue, Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Kiribati, PNG, Marshall Islands, FSM, and Palau.)
  • Anonymous (2002) Equipment Replacement Strategy for the South Pacific Sea Level and Climate Monitoring Project. Client Report to AusAID.
  • Anonymous (2002) “Monitoring Sea Level Trends – a Decade of Excellence”. South Pacific Sea Level and Climate Monitoring Project Newsletter #1.
  • Anonymous (2002) Fleurieu Peninsula artificial reef project tidal and wind-driven current assessment.
  • Luick, J.L. (2002) Introduction to Tidal Theory. Short Course prepared for the PCTMSL Workshop on Tides, October 2002.
  • Anonymous (2002) Tsunamis. Information flyer for the South Pacific Sea Level and Climate Monitoring Project. 4 pages.
  • Anonymous (2002) “Country Reports presented to Delegates of South Pacific Forum”. South Pacific Sea Level and Climate Monitoring Project Newsletter #2.
  • Luick, J.L. (2002) Analysis of sea level and wind stress curl in the Tuvalu region of the South Pacific during the 1997/1998 El Niño. J. of Geophys. Res. 107(C11), 3201, doi:10.1029/2001JC001080.
  • Luick, J. (2001) An Evaluation of Sea Level and Wind Stress Variations during the 1997/1998 El Niño using the NOAA Ocean Analysis System. Proceedings, Pacific Islands Conference on Climate Change, Climate Variability, and Sea Level Rise, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 3-7 April 2000, edited by M. Grzschnik, National Tidal Facility.
  • Scherer, W., and Luick, J. (2001) The need for absolute sea level. Proceedings, Pacific Islands Conference on Climate Change, Climate Variability, and Sea Level Rise, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 3-7 April 2000, edited by M. Grzschnik.
  • Luick, J. (2001) A review of the physical oceanography of Astrolabe Bay and coastal northeast PNG with reference to proposed submarine discharge of mine wastes.
  • Luick, J., (2001) An analysis of variance in Pacific tide gauge data, Part 1: Comparison of collocated gauges. Part 2: Low frequency variability at Rarotonga and Nuku’alofa. Sea-Level Changes and Their Effects, World Scientific Singapore. ISBN 981-02-3618-2.
  • Luick, J., and G.R. Cresswell (2001) Current measurements in the Maluku Sea, J. of Geophys. Res., 106, 13,953 – 13,958.
  • Cresswell, G.R., and J. Luick (2001) Current measurements in the Halmahera Sea, J. of Geophys. Res., 106, 13,945 – 13,951.
  • Hinwood, J., and J. Luick (2001) Long period waves in an island reef harbour. Coral Reefs, 20, 423 – 432.
  • Luick, J. (2000) Western Australian Sea Level due to Tides, Weather, and Extreme Events. Report to the WA Department of Transport.
  • Luick, J.L. and R.F. Henry (2000) Tides in the Tongan region of the Pacific Ocean. Marine Geodesy 23, No. 1, pages 17-30.
  • Luick, J., (2000) Seasonal and interannual sea levels in the western Equatorial Pacific from Topex/Poseidon. J. of Climate, 13, No. 3, 672-676.

Research Projects

For an overview of the Subprogram’s activities, including a list of current and past research projects, please visit SARDI’s website

Contact

Dr John L Luick

International: 61483774804

Australia: 0438774804

john.luick (at) austides.com