Cloud Brightening Fieldwork & Research Updates

Townsville (3–8 Feb 2025)
Cheng’s team mobilized field operations aboard the Guardian Riverside Marine Vessel in Townsville, meticulously preparing equipment and managing logistics for the upcoming marine cloud brightening and fogging operations.

Fantome Island (9–22 Feb 2025)
At Fantome Island, the team operated an electric drive high-pressure fogging system while conducting rigorous engineering data analysis alongside colleagues. Their efforts are focused on validating fogging as a feasible and scalable method to mitigate coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef.

Broadhurst Reef (Upcoming: 23 Feb–13 March 2025)
From 23 February to 13 March, Cheng will be deploying marine cloud brightening prototypes at Broadhurst Reef. These prototypes harness natural sea salt spray to enhance cloud reflectivity—a technique that could deflect sunlight and reduce ocean heat stress, offering a promising approach to protect vulnerable coral ecosystems.

Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences (13–19 Jan 2025)
In January, Cheng attended the Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences (XMAS 2025) in China, where he presented the project’s innovative work on marine cloud brightening as a strategy to safeguard the Great Barrier Reef. He also visited the State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science at Xiamen University to discuss exciting future collaborations.

Building the Diesel Direct Drive Fogging System (6–12 Jan 2025)
Earlier in January, Cheng joined project partners in Coffs Harbour to assemble a diesel direct drive high-pressure pump fogging system. This critical phase of system assembly lays the foundation for upcoming field trials, ensuring that the project’s technological capabilities are robust and ready for deployment.