Contact Details
Office 360 Leith Street, room 1.S12
Tel +64 3 479 5453
Email liv.cornelissen@otago.ac.nz
Academic Qualifications
BSc Astro- and theoretical physics (Hons) Radboud University, NL (2021)
MSc Climate Physics, Utrecht University, NL (2022)
PhD Physical Oceanography – current
Research Interests
- Observational physical oceanography
- Ocean modelling
- Marine heat waves
- Polar oceanography
Liv is a PhD candidate investigating the role of coastal polynyas and water mass formation in the Ross Sea sector, and how these processes may evolve in a changing climate. Her research combines observations from a decade-long mooring time series near the Drygalski Ice Tongue with numerical modelling of the Terra Nova Bay polynya to examine polynya events, mixing processes, and interannual variability.
Coastal polynyas are key regions of dense water formation, contributing to global thermohaline circulation, and her work aims to improve understanding of how these systems influence large-scale ocean dynamics and future climate projections.
Liv also worked on marine heatwaves around Aotearoa New Zealand, using a global ocean model to investigate the role of stratification in intensifying extreme temperature events.
Alongside her academic work, Liv also hosts the monthly NZ physical oceanography meetings and was involved with the Ross Sea Working Group from Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS).
Courses
MARI201 Oceanography: The Physical Ocean
MARI322 Coastal and Shelf Seas Oceanography
Publications
Cornelissen, L., Behrens, E., Fernandez, D., & Sutton, P. J. H. (2025). Increased stratification intensifies surface marine heatwaves north-east of Aotearoa New Zealand in New Zealand's earth system model. Journal of Southern Hemisphere Earth Systems Science, 75, ES23030. doi: 10.1071/ES23030 Journal - Research Article
Stevens, C., Yoon, S.-T., Zappa, C. J., Miller, U. K., Wang, X., Elliott, F., Cornelissen, L., … Lee, W. S. (2024). Ocean processes south of the Drygalski Ice Tongue, western Ross Sea. Deep Sea Research Part II, 217, 105411. doi: 10.1016/j.dsr2.2024.105411 Journal - Research Article