Olaf Boebel

Dr. Olaf Boebel is a Researcher at the Alfred Wegener Institute's Physical Oceanography department in Bremerhaven, Germany. He leads the Ocean Acoustics Group and specializes in ocean acoustics and the physical oceanography of the Weddell Sea. His work integrates acoustic monitoring, physical oceanography, and climate science to study Southern Ocean dynamics, ice shelf interactions, and marine biodiversity.

• Affiliations: Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
• Key Roles: Head of Ocean Acoustics Group, Principal Investigator for Weddell Sea expeditions

His research focuses on understanding Weddell Gyre circulation, under-ice shelf eddies, and acoustic tracking of marine mammals. He has led major projects like the MOSAiC expedition and contributed to acoustic monitoring frameworks for global ocean observation networks. Boebel's work bridges observational data (e.g., moored instruments, Argo floats) with climate modeling to address pressing environmental questions.

Publications emphasize integrating acoustic data from Southern Ocean moorings with satellite observations, advancing techniques for whale presence detection, and analyzing hydrographic patterns influencing nutrient distribution. His contributions are critical to the Weddell Gyre Upwelling and Dynamical Processes (WedUP) initiative and global ocean sound monitoring efforts.