From Observations to Impact THE FIRST DECADE OF IMOS This document is dedicated to Dr Gary Meyers, the foundation IMOS Director, who led IMOS through its establishment phase from 2007 to 2009.

Cover: Clive McMahon, Sydney Institute of Marine Science b | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS Anita Slotwinski, CSIRO

1 Anita Slotwinkski, CSIRO

2 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS The Australian 2015 National The IMOS partners have established A note from Innovation and Science Agenda an observing system focused on the ten-year commitment to continue contemporary needs of an extensive the Chair funding research infrastructure user and stakeholder base by providing and the subsequent 2016 National high-performing research infrastructure Research Infrastructure Roadmap capability that is connected to research provides an opportunity to reflect on of relevance across various sectors the value of ’s Integrated of government, industry and society. Marine Observing System (IMOS) IMOS has provided a quantum leap nationally and internationally. in the availability of ocean data in Australia. Data used in the assessments Over the past 10 years IMOS has and models of ocean state and become an international leader in ocean health, from the Great Barrier Reef to observing building on the Oceans Antarctica leading to improvements Policy Science Advisory Group 2005 in understanding climate and weather vision for an Australian Integrated forecasting, industry practice and Ocean Observing System (AusIOOS). the sustainable management of IMOS has brought together eleven Australia’s marine estate generally. partner organisations from the This is evident from many submissions Australian marine science community to the 2016 Roadmap highlighting to provide an unprecedented level of not only the ongoing requirement for open access research infrastructure, sustained ocean observing but the producing data used by around 200 need to grow and enhance IMOS to full national and international partner or coverage of Australia’s estuaries, coast, collaborative organisations, across shelf and oceans, and the planned academia, government and industry. incorporation of novel technologies IMOS is committed to scientific to improve quality and efficiency. and technological excellence but Through IMOS, the Australian marine also impact. Impact driven by an science community has an essential understanding of the current and role in helping to ensure the nation evolving needs of the users of benefits from sustainable growth marine science and by ensuring opportunities provided by a vast IMOS data is high quality, open marine estate expected to make an access and synthesised into useable annual contribution to the Australian information in a timely manner. economy of $100 billion by 2025.

Our vision is that by 2025 Australia will have a continuously growing time series of essential ocean variables for estuary, coast, shelf and ocean environments. This will enable cutting edge research on contemporary problems, and provide a scientific basis for informed decision making.

Dr Ian Poiner Independent Chair IMOS Advisory Board

3 Warrick Glynn, Marine National Facility

4 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS History of IMOS The Global Ocean Observing System was created in March 1991 in response to calls from the Second World Climate Conference a year before. Australia’s involvement in early global ocean observing programs was through the Bureau of Meteorology and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Sampling requirements for ocean applications to meet various societal needs were developed during the late 1990s, including at the seminal OceanObs’99 conference held in Saint-Raphael, France.

Australia’s Oceans Policy was In February 2006 Australian released in 1998 with the objective Government announced a completely of positioning our nation as a world different approach to national research leader in implementing integrated infrastructure investment through oceans planning and management. its National Collaborative Research Oceans Policy was accompanied by Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). NCRIS a Marine Technology and Science set out a relatively small number of Plan which set out national marine national priorities, and sought single, infrastructure requirements - skills, collaborative proposals from science platforms and equipment, long term communities aided by expert facilitators. monitoring programs, and marine It funded at scale ($500 million was data management. For the first time available over five years) and considered ever there was the national policy and the full cost of infrastructure including planning framework required to support both capital and operating costs. monitoring and understanding of global ocean processes that influence An integrated marine observing system Australia’s marine and terrestrial was one of sixteen national priorities environments. However while Oceans identified in the first NCRIS Roadmap. Policy was adopted by Australian A consortium led by the University of Government, the Marine Technology Tasmania developed an investment and Science Plan was never funded. plan which was submitted in November 2006. The plan was accepted and Meanwhile, development of national a $50 million five-year contract was and regional ocean observing systems signed in May 2007 to create IMOS. to complement global programs continued apace. In the United States It is important to note that it was an Ocean U.S. Office was established this combination of national marine in March 2000 and an Integrated science community coordination, and Ocean Observing System (IOOS) was thoughtful program design through designed and implemented. Cognizant NCRIS, that created the conditions of developments in other nations for IMOS to come into being. with ocean-influenced economies, Many people have contributed to the Oceans Policy Science Advisory the success of IMOS over its first Group (now known as the National decade, though a few warrant special Marine Science Committee) set itself mention here. Dr Trevor Powell was the task of scoping an Australian appointed to facilitate development Integrated Ocean Observing System of an IMOS Investment Plan which (AusIOOS). The AusIOOS Working was submitted and subsequently Group published its final report in May approved. Trevor went on to become 2005. At this point, the Australian the inaugural Independent Chair of the marine science community had IMOS Advisory Board from 2007–11. readied itself to put in place a national Dr Gary Meyers was the foundation ocean observing system in response Director of IMOS, from February 2007 to global and national drivers. to June 2009, guiding the program

5 FEBRUARY 2006 MAY 2009 $52 million for IMOS from MAY 2012 IMOS ‘circle diagram’ first used to National Collaborative the Education Investment Fund (EIF) explain how we go ‘from observation to impact’ Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) released JULY 2009 Ocean SEPTEMBER 2012 First online Data Reports Portal launched produced showing status of data holdings

NOVEMBER 2006 SEPTEMBER 2009 IMOS OCTOBER 2012 First Australian IMOS investment Five Year Strategy released Coastal and Oceans Modelling and plan submitted Observations (ACOMO) workshop SEPTEMBER 2009 OceanObs’09 conference

ESTABLISHING GROWING CONSOLIDATING

MAY 2005 AusIOOS MAY 2007 $50 million NCRIS SEPTEMBER 2011 First online Working Group final funding to create IMOS Science Output Reports produced report published from the ‘publications’ database

through its formative years. Gary Portal in July 2009 was a significant to make IMOS a successful national passed away in April 2016 and this milestone in the history of IMOS. collaborative research infrastructure. publication is dedicated to his memory. Jo Neilson joined in March 2007 to The early years were also about The Marine and Climate Super Science set up the IMOS Office and continues building the relationships required Initiative of May 2009 provided $52 as Project Manager to this day. to successfully operate and sustain million for IMOS from the Education a national collaborative research Investment Fund (EIF). This investment The early years (2007–9) were about infrastructure. An explicit objective of did two important things. It grew annual establishment. Existing observing NCRIS was to develop capability within funding by 80% (from $10 million programs brought into IMOS needed to the University sector. The University to $18 million per annum) with an be integrated and put on a sustained of Tasmania was asked to lead IMOS, increased emphasis on the Southern footing. In some cases, new sites and seven other universities took Ocean and Northern Australian waters, needed to be occupied with proven responsibility for operating parts of the and it extended the timeframe from technologies. In other cases, new system – University of five years (ending June 2011) to instruments needed to be acquired, and Curtin University, University of New seven years (ending June 2013). tested and made to work reliably in the South Wales, University of Sydney, field, some for the first time in Australian Macquarie University and University An IMOS Five Year Strategy called waters. An overarching element of Technology Sydney (collectively ‘Building on our strengths’ was was building the marine information through the Sydney Institute of developed to guide this new investment, infrastructure required to make all of the Marine Science), and James Cook and science and implementation data collected by all of the instruments University. The CSIRO and Bureau of plans were rewritten and put through openly accessible to the whole Meteorology also took on major roles, international peer review. Particular community. This was key to the vision along with Geoscience Australia. The emphasis was placed on strengthening of IMOS as a data-centric research Australian Institute of Marine Science the integration across scales (open infrastructure, operated by a small brought significant capability in tropical ocean, continental shelf, and coastal number of institutions but able to be Australia, and the South Australian zone), and across disciplines (physics, used by all through community-driven Research and Development Institute chemistry, and biology). In response science planning and open data access. brought capability across the southern to feedback from international peer Dr Roger Proctor joined in 2008 to lead margin. These different organisations reviewers, greater attention was also this effort and continues as Director needed to come together and work paid to working more closely with the of the Australian Ocean Data Network with other users and stakeholders ocean modelling community, and to to this day. Launching the Ocean in an unprecedented way in order embracing the global Framework for

6 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS FEBRUARY 2013 $7.2 million MAY 2015 NCRIS 2015 Collaborative Research Infrastructure funding of $14 million Scheme (CRIS) funding JULY 2015 Inaugural Australian Forum for Operational Oceanography meeting Renewed AUGUST 2013 Decadal (2015-25) NCRIS funding of $18.4 million AUGUST 2015 National Marine Science Plan released

DECEMBER 2015 National Innovation and Science Agenda released

SUSTAINING

OCTOBER 2014 Second JULY 2016 National Research Infrastructure ACOMO workshop Roadmap capability issues paper released

JUNE 2014 IMOS formally recognised by JULY 2016 NCRIS Agility the IOC as a GOOS Regional Alliance funding of $1.4 million

FEBRUARY 2014 new MARCH 2016 NCRIS 2016 Ocean Portal launched funding of $14.2 million

Ocean Observing that emerged from National Innovation and Science System. July 2015 saw IMOS play a lead the OceanObs’09 conference held Agenda provided a very welcome role in establishing an Australian Forum in Venice. The period 2009–11 was ten-year commitment to NCRIS. The for Operational Oceanography aimed therefore focused on implementing 2016 National Research Infrastructure at improving the safety and efficiency EIF-funded growth and creating Roadmap sets out a structured of marine industries. In August 2015, IMOS as we know it today. process with which to engage and the National Marine Science Committee articulate future requirements. released a decadal plan (2015-25) During 2011–13 the focus began to highlighting the immense benefits shift towards consolidation. IMOS Notwithstanding the uncertainty of delivered by IMOS to date and calling for developed four clear performance those years, IMOS continued to attract it to be sustained and expanded. indicators – deployment and recovery allocations of available funding and high of equipment, open access to data, levels of co-investment. It continued to The need for a globally connected uptake and use of data, and relevance deliver high quality national research and nationally coordinated effort in and impact of scientific outputs. infrastructure to the Australian marine observing Australia’s marine estate Milestone management systems were and climate science community and began to emerge 25 years ago. The improved, data reporting automated, a its international collaborators. Key significant public funding provided to science outputs database developed, relationships were actually strengthened create, develop, and maintain IMOS and research partnerships formalised. in the face of uncertainty and new over the last decade has presented a In May 2012, the IMOS ‘circle partnerships established as IMOS tremendous opportunity to address diagram’ was first used to explain endured and became part of the this need. The Australian marine and how we go ‘from observation to national marine science fabric. climate science community has made impact’, and the inaugural Australian every effort to seize this opportunity with Coastal and Oceans Modelling and In February 2014 a new Ocean Portal both hands, rising above institutional Observations (ACOMO) workshop was launched, enabling much more and disciplinary perspectives to get was held at the Australian Academy powerful discovery and access based behind the concept of a national of Science in Canberra in October. on user feedback. In June 2014, marine observing facility that can IMOS was formally recognised by the be used by all to deliver impactful Due to ongoing uncertainty about Intergovernmental Oceanographic science in the national interest. future funding the period 2013–16 Commission of the United Nations was challenging for all national Educational, Scientific and Cultural research infrastructures, including Organization (UNESCO) as a Regional Tim Moltmann IMOS. However, the December 2015 Alliance of the Global Ocean Observing IMOS Director – July 2009 to present

7 Need Why should government Australia is a marine nation, with the Addressing these big science questions invest in national research third largest ocean territory on Earth. requires the most up-to-date research We generate massive wealth from the infrastructure for systematic collection infrastructure on behalf of blue economy, with marine industries of observations, and management the Australian people? It is valued at $47.2 billion per annum and and analysis of resulting data sets. It reasonable to do so where growing rapidly. As an island continent requires an IMOS. Only by creating our borders are maritime and we are time series of key marine and coastal there are social, economic, connected to our neighbours by the variables can we properly understand and environmental drivers of ocean. We have a highly urbanised the nature and rate of change in population with more than 85% of marine systems, and its attribution to national consequence; where people living in coastal cities and natural and anthropogenic causes. research has a clear role in consuming a wide range of ecosystem Pre-IMOS, marine observing in responding to these drivers; services from the marine environment. The Australian continent is extremely Australian waters was woefully and where infrastructure sensitive to ocean-influenced climate inadequate in time and space, it was fragmented across institutions, required to undertake the and weather, through drought, flood, cyclones and storms. Our ocean and it stopped and started due to research would not otherwise territory contains marine biodiversity short-term project funding. The exist. The need for IMOS of globally significant conservation Australian marine and climate science community has dealt with these satisfies these three criteria. and tourism value, ranging from the high tropics to Antarctica. Collectively problems by systematically planning these are the social, economic, and and implementing an integrated environmental drivers for IMOS. portfolio of national scale observing facilities, with an online data portal There is much that is yet to be known providing open access to all data for and understood about our ocean use and reuse in perpetuity. No one territory, and new knowledge allows jurisdiction or institution, public or social, economic and environmental private, had the capability, capacity, benefits to be realised by current resources or mandate to do this job and future generations. Marine and alone. IMOS has demonstrated that climate science therefore has a key a national collaborative approach role to play in Australia’s national is particularly suitable for marine wellbeing, as reflected in the health observing and data management. and lifestyle of the population and the security and sustainability of This national need should also be the environment in which we live. considered within an international context. The ocean is a globally There is a need to study ocean connected system, and marine change on multi-decadal timescales, observing is an international endeavour. to fully understand the ocean’s role By giving it priority at the national level in climate variability and extreme we attract significant collaboration from weather, to monitor ocean processes the world’s most scientifically advanced that link global phenomena to nations, and establish a scientific regional and local impacts, and to leadership position in our region. understand and eventually be able to forecast the responses of marine ecosystems to variability and change.

8 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS Rob Harcourt, Macquarie University

9 Capability

IMOS has provided Australia with a step-change increase in its marine observing capability over the last decade. This has involved establishing a portfolio of platform-based Facilities to acquire the observations, an integrated set of science Nodes to guide the design and drive the uptake, and a clear focus on Data to enable ready access, use and reuse. Kim Brooks, AIMS Kim Brooks, Marine National Facility Marian Wiltshire,

FACILITIES NODES DATA IMOS currently has a portfolio of ten The Australian marine science and A key element of IMOS is that all Facilities that undertake systematic stakeholder community is large, observations are turned into data and sustained observing of Australia’s diverse, and dispersed. Nodes provide that can be discovered, accessed, marine environment, across scales the means for IMOS to undertake downloaded, used and reused in (from open ocean, onto the continental national science and implementation perpetuity. Datasets and time series are shelf, and into the coast), and across planning, integrated across regions. essentially the research infrastructure disciplines (physics, biogeochemistry, They identify the major research that is being created and developed. and biology and ecosystems). themes and science questions, and This has been achieved by having a determine what we need to observe, separate Data Facility, the Australian These Facilities have operating where, when and how. IMOS Node Ocean Data Network (AODN), that is institutions (see logos below right), science and implementation plans responsible for building and maintaining which include seven Universities, three have continued to be reviewed and a national marine information publicly funded research agencies developed over a number of years. In infrastructure. The infrastructure (PFRAs), two federal, one state, and our total, they represent 650 pages of high includes a geospatial portal as well national metocean agency. Collectively, quality, internationally peer reviewed as a metadata system, file formats, they provide a capability that was planning that provides a tremendously controlled vocabularies, file storage, unimaginable before NCRIS was strong scientific underpinning for IMOS. servers, web services, and data tools. established and provided the incentive to build national research infrastructure The current IMOS Nodes are: through collaboration, not competition. 1. Bluewater and Climate Node The current IMOS Facilities are: 2. Queensland’s Integrated Marine 1. Argo Floats Observing System (Q-IMOS) 2. Ships of Opportunity 3. New South Wales Integrated Marine Observing System (NSW-IMOS) 3. Deep Water Moorings 4. Southern Australian Integrated 4. Ocean Gliders Marine Observing System (SAIMOS) 5. Autonomous Underwater Vehicles 5. Western Australian 6. National Mooring Network Integrated Marine Observing 7. Ocean Radar System (WAIMOS) 8. Animal Tracking 6. South East Australia 9. Wireless Sensor Networks IMOS (SEA-IMOS) 10. Satellite Remote Sensing

10 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS BY NUMBERS

DEEP WATER SENSOR PACKAGES ON SATELLITE RECEPTION 10 MOORINGS 35 SHIPS OF OPPORTUNITY 6 & VALIDATION SITES 2,580 QC’d data files 219,676,244 measurements SST, ocean colour, altimetry

REEF TRANSMITTING STATIONS 13 79,664,656 measurements

ARGO FLOATS 146,113,673 370 measurements

ACOUSTIC RECEIVERS 72,521,372 detections 650

OCEAN RADARS OCEAN GLIDERS 12 26 145,132,349 4,433,177 files measurements AUTONOMOUS 1 UNDERWATER VEHICLE 3,712,769 images

COASTAL MOORINGS 40 6,630 QC’d data files

SATELLITE TAGS 54 3,977,962 measurements This data is used and taken up in the following scientific outputs:

663 JOURNAL ARTICLES 349 RESEARCH PROJECTS 224 POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS 143 CONFERENCE PAPERS 55 DATA PRODUCTS

www.imos.org.au

IMOS is a national collaborative research infrastructure, supported by Australian Government. It is led by University of Tasmania in partnership with the Australian marine & climate science community.

11 Scott Bainbridge, Australian Institute of Marine Science

BRINGING IT TOGETHER AS A NATIONAL CAPABILITY Our Facilities and Nodes encompass a deep, complex and ever changing. Marine science and technology are wide range of research and user needs Yet it is largely ‘out of sight and dynamic and will inevitably drive the across disciplines and jurisdictions. out of mind’ for urban and regional evolution of observational and data As a result, IMOS has become an Australians on a daily basis. Successful management capability into the future. essential component of the national implementation of IMOS has required an IMOS manages this evolution by research fabric, and Australia has unprecedented level of multi-institutional routinely assessing its portfolio from become a highly valued partner in the collaboration, significant growth in the perspective of ‘readiness’, as global ocean observing enterprise. technical and engineering capacity recommended by the Global Ocean (~80 FTE funded through IMOS), Observing System. This ensures that It can be difficult to convey how greatly enhanced cooperation with IMOS capability will continuously evolve significant an achievement this really is. government and industry partners, and to meet current and future needs. Australia’s marine domain is vast, wild, extensive international collaboration.

12 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS Impact Bringing need and capability IMOS has achieved this by: bringing Much has been achieved over the first together the Australian research decade of IMOS. In deciding how to together in a way that has institutions most capable in marine tell this story ‘from observations to high impact at national observing to operate a single, national, impact’, we asked people involved scale requires clear strategy, collaborative entity; making all of the with the program to provide their data collected openly accessible to experiences and perspectives. What strong leadership, and entire research community and other we heard clustered around two good governance. users; establishing multiple pathways fundamental issues: the places in for uptake and use of data to generate which IMOS has made a difference a wide range of science outputs; and as a national research infrastructure; ensuring relevance of those outputs and the partnerships it has enabled by aligning with national priorities as a national collaboration. and partnering with major research programs across all relevant sectors of government, industry and society.

PLACES Australia has the third largest ocean territory on Earth, ranging from the high tropics to Antarctica. IMOS was established to routinely operate a wide range of observing equipment throughout Australia’s coastal and open oceans, making all of its data accessible to the marine and climate science community, other stakeholders and users, and international collaborators. IMOS observations and data have delivered impact in many places throughout Australia’s vast and valuable marine estate. The following stories provide some specific examples. Collectively they provide a rich mosaic of impact, across spatial scales and across end-user applications.

Marian Wiltshire, Marine National Facility

13 Alicia Navidad, CSIRO OPEN OCEAN A distinct rise in global ocean temperatures detected by the Argo array.

Since it first began 18 years ago, the CSIRO’s Dr Susan Wijffels, who is the global Argo network has grown to co-chair of the global Argo program provide a revolution in our capability and also leads Argo Australia says to monitor the largescale temperature “The key thing that matters for the and salinity structures of the global Earth is how much extra heat is ocean to 2,000 metres depth on retained in the system. When you get seasonal timescales and in near real below depths of a couple of hundred time. The IMOS Argo Australia Facility is metres you see the inexorable growth embedded in this global Argo network, of global warming happening in and is the second largest contributor to the oceans. That’s driving a good the global array after the United States. chunk of the sea level rise. It is telling us what the radiation imbalance is Historical measurements of the sub- at the top of the atmosphere.” surface ocean come largely from the northern hemisphere. Argo has “Once that heat and that carbon is been critically important for Australia down there in the deep ocean it’s and the southern hemisphere there for decades – if not longer – because it has ‘bootstrapped’ our and it’s locking in that warming. We subsurface observing capability see that warming in Argo right down in a relatively short period of time to the depths of our measurement and at a relatively low cost. – right down to two kilometres and it’s probably extending further.” Tracking and understanding the processes by which heat and carbon The ability to consistently detect are sequestered into the global a global ocean heat gain is oceans is essential for the detection, historically unprecedented, and is interpretation and projection of climate due to the homogeneous global change. A comprehensive study of coverage, high data quality, and the world’s oceans made possible by temporal resolution of seasonal the global array of profiling Argo floats and interannual fluctuations made has revealed the ongoing and steady possible by the Argo observations. rise of global ocean heat content. Temperature and salinity data from the 3,822 Argo floats that make up the global array show that the warming signal extends to 2,000 metres and deeper, and that it is occurring predominantly in the Southern Hemisphere ocean south of 20°S.

“The key thing that matters for the Earth is how much extra heat is retained in the system. When you get below depths of a couple of hundred metres you see the inexorable growth of global warming happening in the oceans. That’s driving a good chunk of the sea level rise. It is telling us what the radiation imbalance is at the top of the atmosphere.”

Dr Susan Wijffels, CSIRO

15 DARWIN, Delivering data for safer shipping in

The ability to monitor and predict ocean best use of resources to facilitate the AIMS scientists based in Darwin conditions in Darwin Harbour is crucial growing industrial and recreational and Townsville interpret the data for maritime safety. Darwin is a major use of the harbour, while protecting and make it available for a variety of multi-modal port serving shipping and its significant marine biodiversity. users, including for oceanographic cargo markets. The port conveys a and climate research. The addition of the second mooring wide range of exports and provides in the Beagle Gulf has expanded services for offshore oil and gas rigs. “Accurate, real-time data about understanding of the factors influencing harbour and ocean conditions allows Building on existing IMOS observing coastal systems and serves as an us to create models to predict the infrastructure within the harbour, a early warning system. It provides alerts weather in shipping channels. These second monitoring station in Beagle of approaching weather and allows models inform decisions on ways Gulf was added in 2015 through a forecasting of waves and currents at to improve harbour safety and to new, research-industry partnership. key sites along the shipping channel. conserve the rich biodiversity in this Together these two sites have area,” says John Gunn, CEO of AIMS. CEO of Darwin Port Corporation, provided detailed information to Terry O’Connor, said “Our investment assist decisions affecting commercial While navigating ships in Darwin in the national reference station shipping and recreational boating. Harbour, pilots can use the near with IMOS and AIMS as partners real-time data via the internet. As The partnership between IMOS, has resulted in significant value for well as supporting safer shipping, the Australian Institute of Marine the Darwin Port Corporation.” these near real-time observations Science (AIMS) and the Darwin Port can aid the general public. Examples “Investing in a second mooring has Corporation has enabled a better include recreational activities, increased our ability to monitor and understanding of factors affecting the improved safety from storm events, predict conditions in the harbor, harbor such as tides, currents, wave protection for public health and helping us to manage safe and height and movement of sediment. healthy ecosystems. The data could efficient shipping,” he says. also assist authorities in emergency The Darwin National Reference Station, response operations and support. is one of only seven such facilities in Australia. Deployed on a channel marker at the start of the fairway, it has been providing valuable information to the Darwin Port Corporation since 2009. Sensors on the reference station provide data on over 30 parameters every 30 minutes. These include wind direction and speed, wave height and water velocity.

The maritime safety and ecological conservation of Darwin Harbour depend on a range of factors. An understanding of these ensures the

Paul Rigby, Australian Institute of Marine Science

16 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS GREAT BARRIER REEF eReefs glides into new levels of reef monitoring

Australia’s marine estate is home to eReefs uses the latest technologies to some of the world’s most iconic and collate data with new and integrated diverse marine habitats, including the modelling, to produce powerful world’s largest coral reef ecosystem, visualisation, communication and the Great Barrier Reef. The total reporting tools. eReefs has used Australia-wide value-added economic a number of IMOS data streams contribution generated in the Reef from moorings, ships of opportunity, catchment in 2012 was $5.7 billion and satellite remote sensing to (Deloitte Access Economics 2013) validate oceanographic models which includes tourism, recreation, and develop online tools for use commercial fishing and scientific by reef management agencies. research and management. Building on these observations, eReefs Agricultural and land management started incorporating new real-time activities within the catchments that information about water quality from drain in to the Great Barrier Reef IMOS ocean gliders in 2016. The ocean have adversely impacted coastal gliders were deployed in less-studied water quality and marine ecosystem areas of the Great Barrier Reef. health. Although the Great Barrier Reef is recognised as one of the best eReefs Project Director Dr Cedric managed reef systems in the world, Robillot is encouraged by the coral cover has declined over the last early success of the initiative. decades at rates similar to less well “Glider technology allows real- managed reefs. The development time information to be gathered in of models and information systems a cost-efficient way by reducing to guide the management of the the need for marine scientists to reef is therefore essential to its spend significant periods of time protection and preservation. in the field,” Dr Robillot said.

eReefs is a six year $30 million “We’ll use the additional information collaborative project between the the gliders are able to collect at various Great Barrier Reef Foundation, Bureau water depths to improve both our of Meteorology, CSIRO, Australian eReefs visualisation tools and our water Institute of Marine Science and the quality models. These models help us Queensland Government, supported assess the impact of land management by funding from the Australian strategies on Reef water quality, but Government’s Caring for our Country, also allow us to predict the effects of Queensland Government, BHP floods, storms, bleaching events and Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance and the temperature changes on the Reef.” Science Industry Endowment Fund.

Aaron Chai, University of Queensland

17 TASMANIA An important spot on the map for international satellite missions

High precision satellite altimeter Sea level change is an issue of missions have contributed fundamental global significance. Dr. Watson and advances in our understanding of his colleagues at the University of the ocean’s role in the Earth’s climate Tasmania and CSIRO have used system. Altimeters measure the height space geodetic and various in situ of the ocean surface at unparalleled datasets to produce a refined sea spatial and temporal resolution. level record over the satellite era, These measurements capture global which spans the last 20 years. to regional scale variability in sea level that assists in understanding “We know without doubt that sea level ocean circulation and sea level rise. is rising. We’re now getting a sense that sea level is accelerating over the Precise measurement from space satellite period. Our work enabled by pushes these satellite systems to IMOS really has brought this to the their limits – ongoing calibration and attention of the global community validation using in situ observations is – we’re eagerly awaiting more data a vital component of the success of to see how this is expressed.” these missions. State-of-the-art moored oceanographic instrumentation and Understanding the rate and extent GPS equipped buoys maintained in of sea level rise is important by IMOS provide the only for society as a whole, and altimeter calibration and validation especially for policy makers. site in the Southern Hemisphere. “There will be a broad spectrum of “Australia doesn’t have a national impacts across the coastal zone. In research satellite capability and so Australia, it is estimated that around the role of IMOS is to enable closer $226 billion of infrastructure lies within collaboration with international space reach of the upper bound of sea level agencies and mission science teams rise forecast by 2100. Current ‘once – this helps to validate and improve in a lifetime’ coastal flood events their data while helping Australian will occur much more often. Coastal researchers to make the most of these ecosystems will need to adapt, and data for research in the Australian in some regions, populations will be region,” says Dr Christopher Watson, of displaced. I want to contribute to the University of Tasmania’s Discipline understanding the data we have, so of Geography and Spatial Sciences. we can plan ahead,” says Dr Watson.

“We know without doubt that sea level is rising. We’re now getting a sense that sea level is accelerating over the satellite period. Our work enabled by IMOS really has brought this to the attention of the global community – we’re eagerly awaiting more data to see how this is expressed.”

Dr Christopher Watson, University of Tasmania

Carlie Devine, CSIRO

18 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS 19 Smart science supporting sustainable development of the Great Australian Bight

The Great Australian Bight is one “This was the third and final mission productivity of the Great Australian of Australia’s most valuable marine of the ocean gliders into the Great Bight that underpins South Australia’s ecosystems. It supports globally Australian Bight for the research important fishing industry. significant populations of seabirds program to reveal the secrets from and marine mammals, diverse and the deep regarding this dynamic This research is building a greater endemic benthic assemblages and amazingly productive body of understanding of the unique and important fishing, aquaculture water,” said Dr Steve Lapidge, the ecosystems of the Great Australian and ecotourism industries. program’s Research Director. Bight, which is critical for ensuring that future development in this The Great Australian Bight Research The three glider missions into the region is ecologically sustainable. Program is a four-year $20 million Great Australian Bight have helped research program which aims identify the major current systems, The Program’s 2016 Progress Report to provide a whole-of-system including an eastward flowing notes that “Of course, a program of understanding of the environmental, South Australian current and the this size does not happen in isolation. economic and social values of the westward flowing Flinders Current, The Great Australian Bight Research region, providing an information source which can be distinguished based Program partners acknowledge for all to use. It is a collaboration on depth integrated currents and our important partnerships with the between BP, CSIRO, the South temperature/salinity signature. Integrated Marine Observing System Australian Research and Development (IMOS), the Australian Ocean Data Institute (SARDI), the University of Combined, the results of the Network (AODN), the Marine National Adelaide, and Flinders University. geographically separated glider Facility, the South Australian Museum, missions have provided valuable Museum Victoria, the Bureau of Multidisciplinary research teams are information about the origin of cold Meteorology and many others”. studying the oceanography, ecology, water which results in the high biodiversity, petroleum geochemistry and socio-economic value of the region. The research has made extensive use of data from IMOS, and will further extend collection of data in the Great Australian Bight from a variety of platforms including; ocean gliders, moorings, Ships of Opportunity as part of the Australian Plankton Survey, and satellite tagged Australian sea lions.

IMOS data streams have been used to improve outputs from the program including; hydrodynamic model development and validation, assessments of the drivers of change in lower trophic ecosystem dynamics in the region, analysis of foraging habitats of tagged apex predators, and in the development and validation of regional trophodynamic models.

Recently, one of the IMOS ocean gliders returned from a mission that saw it complete 344 dives. The glider, which traversed over 1,800 km in the eastern Great Australian Bight, collected data on temperature, salinity and other variables from the ocean surface to a depth of 1,000 metres.

Australian Institute of Marine Science

20 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS WESTERN AUSTRALIA Cascades of water discovered by ocean gliders

Australia is located in the region of the These slow moving cascades provide ocean glider observations have global ocean that is most dominated an effective mechanism for the transport discovered them in low latitudes. by evaporation. It has a large and of water, heat, salt, phytoplankton, Locally, they were first documented by varied continental shelf environment; nutrients and pollutants from shallow ocean gliders in Western Australia at broad and shallow in the tropical north, coastal regions into the deep ocean. Two Rocks and the Pilbara. Analysis and narrow on the sub-tropical east from over 100 ocean glider missions and west coasts. IMOS technology “Coastal regions are heavily influenced by researchers at the University of has provided a step-change increase by humans through the introduction of Western Australia has since confirmed in our understanding of the ocean wastewater and other pollutants. They the existence of the cascades at many processes that occur around Australia’s are also highly productive biological places around Australia, including off continental shelf and coastal zone. systems. Transport of water offshore the Kimberley coast, in the Great Barrier across the continental shelf is important Reef, off Port Stephens in NSW and the Data collected by the IMOS fleet of to maintain high water quality at the in South Australia. ocean gliders have provided new coast and for the dispersal of material insight into a process known as introduced at the coastal margin,” The use of ocean gliders as an dense water shelf cascades. These says Charitha Pattiaratchi, Professor of observational platform enabled the cascades are formed when evaporation Coastal Oceanography at the University shelf waters to be sampled at high in summer and subsequent cooling of Western Australia and the leader temporal and spatial resolution and towards winter produce higher of the IMOS ocean glider facility. also under weather conditions which density waters closer to the coast would have precluded traditional that sink to the bottom and flow Until recently these cascades were ship-borne measurements. offshore across the continental shelf, most commonly found in high latitudes interacting with the ocean currents. as a result of ice formation, but the Development of seasonal dense water shelf cascades in Western Australia; summer evaporation increasing salinity, and winter cooling increasing density forming the cascade.

SUMMER

Thisara Welhena, the University of Western Australia WINTER

21 22 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS ANTARCTICA Elephant seals collect crucial data for understanding the global climate

The Antarctic and surrounding “If this production of Antarctic are one of the most bottom water weakens, it leads important, yet least observed of to changes in global ocean marine habitats. Connecting all the circulation patterns that can lead to world’s oceans, the physical structure changes in the global climate.” of the Southern Ocean profoundly influences world climate and ecology, In 2011, the same team of researchers and plays a key role in global climate. discovered an important fourth source of this cold, salty and dense water, IMOS has been tagging elephant known as Antarctic bottom water, seals since 2011 to collect important off Cape Darnley in East Antarctica. data on ocean properties throughout The latest research included an the Antarctic winter – data previously additional two years of data and unavailable but crucially important to shows that Prydz Bay makes an oceanographic and climate studies. important secondary contribution to Cape Darnley bottom water. Recently, a study using IMOS data from elephant seals discovered “However we found that the that fresh water from Antarctica’s contribution from Prydz Bay is melting ice shelves slows the less salty and dense due to the production of powerful deep-water influence of fresh water from nearby ocean currents responsible for ice shelves,” Dr Williams said. regulating global temperatures. “We can easily imagine that the The findings of the research led by production of these global ocean Dr Guy Williams from the Institute currents will slow as the rate of ice for Marine and Antarctic Studies and shelf melting all around Antarctica Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems continues to increase.” CRC, raised questions about potential future changes in the global This study would have been impossible ocean and climate systems. without help from the seals, who gather oceanographic data from “Antarctica and the Southern Ocean areas that tend to be very difficult to are like a beating heart, producing access in research ships. Seals have deep and powerful currents of the advantage of continuing to forage cold water that drive global ocean and record ocean properties through mixing and regulate atmospheric the winter, exploiting small cracks and temperatures,” Dr Williams said. leads in the sea ice cover to breathe and allow for data transmission. “These currents begin with intense sea ice formation around Antarctica “The seals are doing an outstanding job in winter, which creates cold, salty and the result is an important advance and dense water that sinks and in our understanding of the global flows away from the continent in ocean system,” Dr Williams said. enormous volumes.”

“Antarctica and the Southern Ocean are like a beating heart, producing deep and powerful currents of cold water that drive global ocean mixing and regulate atmospheric temperatures.”

Dr Guy Williams, IMAS Clive McMahon, Sydney Institute of Marine Science

23 PARTNERSHIPS IMOS is a collaboration of partners

IMOS is a network of organisations and programs collaborating to observe Australia’s ocean estate. Partnerships are fundamental to the success of IMOS. Partner organisations and programs provide the observing capability, invest in the program (both cash and in-kind), use the observations and data to undertake research, and apply the observations and data to deliver societal benefit. Our partnerships extend beyond Australia’s borders, and like the oceans themselves, IMOS is globally connected.

Tim Fountain, CSIRO

24 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS INDUSTRY IMOS collaborates with industry in a number of ways. Industry support for data collection from fishing vessels, merchant vessels and ferries via the Ships of Opportunity (SOOP) Facility is one mechanism.

Austral Fisheries has been working closely with IMOS as we believe it is the most valuable data repository and analytical tool we can link with, to facilitate researchers in evaluating aspects of fisheries and ecology in the regions we operate both nationally, and internationally. Gloria Salgado, Marine National Facility

We provide calibrated and verified data on such varied topics as weather information, acoustic survey data for micro-neckton and mid-layer analyses in the Southern and Southern Ocean, and standard fisheries data. Combined, that helps inform the many different stock assessment and ecological models which, in turn, help drive efficient, sustainable, management of our fisheries.

We are also facilitating extension to the current oceanographic and fishery data capture programs by our international industry peers, to look at climate change impacts on fisheries in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic, as well as to inform climate science more generally.

We strongly support the critical link that IMOS makes to marine Another mechanism is use of IMOS infrastructure in research research in Australia and globally. partnerships with strong industry engagement, such as the Great Australian Bight Research Program. Martin Exel General Manager Environment Having established credibility at the research-industry interface, and Policy, Austral Fisheries IMOS played a leading role in establishment of an Australian Forum for Operational Oceanography (FOO) in July 2015. The Forum is bringing research, government and industry together in a manner which is unprecedented in Australia. Its aim is to improve the safety and efficiency of marine industries through operational oceanography, using a ‘value chain’ approach that enables better decision making based on a solid foundation of world class research and development.

25 RESEARCH TRAINING IMOS has played an important role in the training and development of young scientists. Some 224 students have been guided through their postgraduate projects so far, using IMOS data to undertake their research and developing marine-STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Maths) skills for application in Australia’s blue economy. Associate Professor Moninya Roughan Dr Kate Lee

Associate Professor Moninya With a flood of ocean observations completion of her PhD she has Roughan from the University of coming in, I was able to grow a returned to do a post-doctorate New South Wales leads the IMOS vibrant team of postdocs, students through the Sydney Institute of NSW Moorings program. She and technical staff. My team stuck Marine Science. Turning her attention has driven a significant research it out through a number of years to larger sharks, Kate will be looking training effort through her group, of insecure funding where we at their distribution in the near-shore and is a strong advocate for the consolidated our efforts and focussed area to help us better understand promotion of women in science. on high quality science outcomes. movements of the apex predators in environments shared with humans. I spent four years at the Scripps We designed the observing system Institute of Oceanography in California to enable questions that we didn’t I’ve been using IMOS data since I where I was in awe of their capacity know we had. When I look back started my PhD in 2009. Having a for multi institutional, large scale on the design and our research national database for all the passive coastal ocean observing. I arrived questions, we have exceeded our acoustic telemetry data collected back in Australia in 2006 right at the expectations of what we thought we around the country has allowed start of the IMOS planning phase. could achieve. The NSW-IMOS node me to integrate data collected To be able to help design an ocean is a dynamic and active collaboration from receivers deployed for other observing system in my own country of many passionate scientists. projects with data we collected. was an incredible opportunity. This has been particularly important Although I was quite junior (starting Dr Kate Lee completed her when looking at broad-scale my first academic job) I was one of undergraduate degree in Biological movements of large sharks, such the only coastal oceanographers on Sciences at Kings College London, as bull sharks tagged by NSW DPI, the east coast and I knew I had to England and decided to pursue where the data would be otherwise step up. I threw myself at the task a career in science by studying much more spatially limited. of designing a world class observing for a PhD in Marine Ecology. Kate The AODN Portal will be imperative system for the highly populated wanted to further our knowledge and to the work I’ll be doing for my coastline of SE Australia, bathed by understanding of shark distribution postdoc by providing a ‘one-stop- the dynamic East Australian Current. and migration so she chose to focus shop’ for numerous environmental on the wobbegongs of Cabbage variables that would otherwise be Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve at Manly very time consuming to collate. in Sydney. Following successful

26 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS 27 A SCIENCE AND STAKEHOLDER COMMUNITY IMOS observations are guided by science planning undertaken collaboratively across the Australian marine and climate science community. This is a large, diverse, dispersed community of scientists, academics, students, users and stakeholders. It has therefore made sense to develop the science planning through a series of integrated Nodes.

There is a Bluewater and Climate This effort is led by the National Marine the Marine and Climate Super Science Node covering the open ocean, and Science Committee (NMSC), a network Initiative. Continued and strengthening five Regional Nodes which collectively of 25 organisations conducting and support for IMOS in NMSC’s ‘Marine cover Australia’s shelf and coastal using marine research across Australia. Nation 2025’ document in 2013 and oceans i.e. Queensland, Western For many years the NMSC (and its the more recent ‘National Marine Australia (across to Darwin), New predecessor committees) has sought Science Plan 2015-2025’ provides clear South Wales, Southern Australia and to provide a single voice for marine evidence of the broad base of support Southeast Australia. Node science science into Australian Government for IMOS, and the key role it is playing and implementation plans have been and other key stakeholder groups. in national collaborative marine science. developed over many years through broad consultation, and include an NMSC sponsored the working important section on socio-economic group that first scoped an Australian integrated ocean observing system Australia has benefited immensely context which sets out why the science from the development of an is relevant and how it will have impact. in 2005, laying the platform for a successful bid that established IMOS Integrated Marine Observing Over a decade the IMOS community in 2006. Its 2009 ‘Marine Nation’ System (IMOS), and its success has become an increasingly important document provided a framework for provides the impetus and part of a connected and collaborative investment that influenced the second opportunity to bring a range of Australian marine science community. stage of investment in IMOS through disparate monitoring efforts into a coordinated, long-term national marine system monitoring program.

The NCRIS investment and the IMOS collaborative model have provided a quantum leap in the availability of ocean data in Australia, and in the collaborative partnerships between data users across the university, government and industry sectors.

National Marine Science Plan 2015–2025: Driving the development of Australia’s blue economy (2015)

Warrick Glynn, Marine National Facility

28 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS The ocean is a globally connected system, and international collaboration is essential to the marine observing enterprise. International collaboration enabled through IMOS provides both significant benefit to Australia and a basis for Australian science to contribute to questions of global significance.

Collaboration with international space and the National Institute of Water agencies such as the European and Atmosphere (NIWA). Both the United States and Space Agency (ESA) and the Australia have invested in ocean National Aeronautics and Space As one of thirteen Regional Alliances observing programs that support Administration (NASA) is one important of the Global Ocean Observing global, regional and national dimension. Another is partnering in System (GOOS), IMOS contributes to scales. The United States global observing programs such as the collection and sharing of marine Integrated Ocean Observing Argo and Ships of Opportunity. data for the global ocean. It has System (IOOS®) and Australia’s benefited tremendously from bi-lateral IMOS have developed a strong This is undertaken with overseas engagement with other national/regional partnership and collaborative effort. partner institutions, including the observing systems such as the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Integrated Ocean Observing System Both programs have the goal, Administration (NOAA), the Scripps (IOOS) and the European Global Ocean at their core, to integrate ocean Institution of Oceanography (SIO), Observing System (EuroGOOS). information so it can be used across many sectors. IOOS and IMOS continually learn from each other and have agreed to common data standards.

Beyond the programmatic, cooperation has been the personal engagement between IOOS and IMOS partners and stakeholders, an invaluable commodity that can’t be overlooked.

Zdenka S. Willis Director, US IOOS

Steve Rintoul, CSIRO and Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre

29 MULTIPLIERS OF COLLABORATION collaboration squared | collaboration cubed IMOS has prospered not only from incentives introduced by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). Other incentives within Australia’s national innovation system have presented opportunities to multiply the benefits of collaborative marine science.

Various investments made by Australian Working to establish effective and State/Territory Governments have As the Chair of the Scientific collaboration as a research created an environment in which IMOS Advisory Committee of the recently infrastructure is fundamentally has been able to partner with clusters formed Sydney Institute of Marine important, but of itself this is not of excellence in marine science across Science in 2006, it was clear that enough. Research infrastructure the country. This has accelerated multi- IMOS was something that SIMS needs to be used by research institutional collaboration which would needed to be involved in. We have providers in order to deliver impact have been difficult if not impossible to been the Operator of the NSW- into the user and stakeholder base. build organisation by organisation. IMOS Node of IMOS ever since. Examples of research partnerships that Examples include the Sydney Institute In the succeeding 10 years, SIMS have come to rely on multi-institutional of Marine Science (SIMS), AIMS@ and IMOS have grown up together, IMOS observations and data include JCU, the Institute for Marine and and the relationship has been the following – National Environmental Antarctic Studies (IMAS), the Indian enormously beneficial for SIMS. Science Programme (NESP) Marine Ocean Marine Research Institute IMOS provided the observations Biodiversity Hub and Earth Systems (IOMRC), and Marine Innovation for SIMS’ first major scientific & Climate Change Hub, Australian Southern Australia (MISA). program, at a time when SIMS was Antarctic Science Program (AASP) a fledgling organisation. It continues and Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Partnering with these initiatives has to be one of our largest programs, Cooperative Research Centre (ACE added major value to IMOS, and to and as the relationship and the CRC), Bluelink Ocean Forecasting the collective of institutions involved in science have evolved over the project, Western Australian Marine these collaborations. We have come to years IMOS has been instrumental Science Institution (WAMSI), Great think of this as ‘collaboration squared’. in helping place SIMS on the state Australian Bight Research Program, and and national stages, key goals for eReefs modelling and reporting project any new science organisation. focused on the Great Barrier Reef.

IMOS has also provided a major Partnering with major multi-institutional unifying mechanism for marine research programs that need marine science and scientists across NSW, observations and data in order to in a way that had not previously deliver to users and stakeholders happened. This collaborative has presented an opportunity for approach across diverse disciplines IMOS to further drive its uptake is fundamental to the vision of and use, and increase its relevance SIMS, as it is to the IMOS vision. and impact. Access to the IMOS research infrastructure has also been Professor Peter Steinberg incredibly valuable to these research Director and CEO, Sydney programs. We have come to think institute of Marine Science of this as ‘collaboration cubed’.

Images: Anita Slotwinski, CSIRO

30 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS IMOS has made a significant The Hub recognises that IMOS contribution to the Marine provides a range of additional tools Biodiversity Hub and to our such as gliders and acoustics, understanding of the biodiversity and as programs adapt to meet values of shelf waters in general. the emerging needs of the Hub’s In particular, the IMOS Autonomous major stakeholder, the Department Underwater Vehicle (AUV) has of Environment and Energy, there allowed us to capture precisely will undoubtedly be increasing located, high resolution imagery utilisation of these tools as well. of the seabed and associated Partnering with biological communities. Dr Neville Barrett Research Providers Research Theme Leader in the through clusters of The AUV has been successfully NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub. excellence in marine used to undertake an inventory science gives us and in the monitoring of the COLLABORATION biodiversity values of the new SQUARED Commonwealth Marine Reserves network around Australia, allowing us to accurately and quantitatively describe the cover of seabed fauna.

U As we enter the third phase of the P T A Hub, we are further refining use of K E the AUV facility to reliably detect A IMOS Research N change in key indicator metrics by D Infrastructure examining results from a repeat time U S series of observations, facilitating Marine E a national network of AUV Research researchers and programs to build a Providers national marine monitoring program.

Users and stakeholders of marine science Partnering with multi-institutional research programs delivering to R EL EV users and stakeholders gives us AN CE COLLABORATION CUBED AND IMPACT

31 Partners

OPERATING INSTITUTIONS INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATORS INVESTORS University of Tasmania National Oceanic and Tasmanian Government, Atmospheric Administration Department of State Growth Australian Institute of Marine Science National Aeronautics and Government of Western Australia, Bureau of Meteorology Space Administration Department of Premier and Cabinet Commonwealth Scientific and National Science Foundation Queensland Government, Industrial Research Organisation Department of State Development, Scripps Institution of Oceanography Curtin University Infrastructure and Planning Ocean Tracking Network Sydney Institute of Marine Science NSW Government, Department Sea Mammal Research Unit of Trade and Investment South Australian Research & Development Institute European Space Agency South Australian Government, Department of State Development The University of Western Australia French National Centre for Scientific Research Northern Territory Government, James Cook University (2007–2014) Darwin Port Corporation French Polar Institute Geoscience Australia (2007–2011) First Institute of Oceanography RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS National Institute of Water and OPERATIONAL PARTNERS Atmospheric Research Australian Antarctic Science Program Australian Antarctic Division Sealord Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Marine National Facility Cooperative Research Centre Southern Ocean Observing System Royal Australian Navy BlueLINK Ocean Forecasting Global Ocean Observing System- Defence Science and Technology Group as a Regional Alliance National Environmental Science Programme Marine Biodiversity Hub Sydney Water Corporation National Environmental Science Programme NSW Office of Environment and Heritage Earth Systems & Climate Change Hub NSW Department of Primary Industries Reef 2050 Integrated Monitoring and Reporting Program Department of Fisheries Western Australia eReefs Environmental Protection Authority Victoria Great Australian Bight Research Program Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies Western Australian Marine Science Institution Austral Fisheries Fisheries Research and Development Corporation Australian Research Council

32 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Hundreds of people have come together to make IMOS work as a national collaborative research infrastructure. Facility Leaders and Sub-Facility leaders. Project scientists, technicians, engineers, and vessel operators. Node leadership teams, and Task Teams. IMOS Office staff, Advisory Board members, Operator Representatives, and legal professionals. Program managers in the Department of Education and Training, and its forerunners. Their names form an ocean in the image below, and we thank each and every one of them for their contribution.

Abe Passmore, Adam Lewis, Agi Gedeon, Alan Poole, Alessandra Mantovanelli, Alex Hendry, Alex McKeown, Alexander Gavrilov, Alicja Mosbauer, Alistar Robertson, Allan Canty, Alvaro Santamaría-Gómez, Amandine Schaeffer, Amy Nau, Ana Lara-Lopez, Ana Redondo Rodriguez, Andre de Jager, Andre Steckenreuter, Andrea McAuliffe, Andreas Schiller, Andrew Boomer, Andrew Davidson, Andrew Durrant, Andrew Middleditch, Andrew Walsh, Andy Steven, Angus Scheibner, Anita Slotwinski, Ankit Bhasin, Ann Thresher, Anne Domaradzki, Anne-Marie Landsown, Anthony Richardson, Ariell Friedman, Arnold Dekker, Arnstein Prytz, Barry Hanstrum, Ben Hollings, Benedicte Pasquer, Benjamin Arthur, Benoit Legresy, Bernadette Sloyan, Beth Strain, Boris Kelly-Gerreyn, Brendon Ward, Brett Baker, Brett Brace, Brigid Heywood, Bronte Tilbrook, Bruce Mapstone, Catriona Jackson, Charitha Pattiaratchi, Charles James, Charlie Huveneers, Cheryl Kut, Chloe Cadby-Bibari, Chris Bartlett, Chris Cocklin, Chris Marlin, Chris Simpson, Chris Watson, Christian Lees, Christine Erbe, Christine Hanson, Christopher Griffin, Claire Davies, Clare McLaughlin, Clive McMahon, Colin Simpfendorfer, Craig Hanstein, Craig Johnson, Craig Jones, Craig Neil, Craig Steinberg, Curt Chalk, Dan Atwater, Dan Fruehauf, Daniel Ierodiaconou, Danielle Farrow, Darren Moore, Dave Minchin, David Antoine, David Boadle, David Carter, David Griffin, David Hughes, David Jarratt, David Lyons, David Nahodil, David Smith, David Williams, David Wilson, Denbeigh Armstrong, Dennis Stanley, Diana Davies, Dirk Slawinski, Ditta Zizi, Donna Harris, Donna Saward, Duncan Mercer, Edward King, Emma Sommerville, Eric Schulz, Erik van Ooijen, Esme Van Wijk, Felicity McAllister, Felicity McEnnulty, Frances Hutchinson, Frank Coman, Gary Kendrick, Gary Meyers, Gavin Begg, Geoff Page, Geogg Williams, George Powell, Gordon Keith, Graham Hosie, Greg Coleman, Guillaume Galibert, Gwen Fenton, Helen Beggs, Helen Cleugh, Iain Suthers, Ian Darby, Ian Poiner, Irena Zagorskis, Jack Beardsley , Jacqui Hope, James Laduke, James McLaughlin , James van den Broek, Jamie Derrick, Jamie Oliver, Janice Sisson, Jason Everett, Jason Everett, Jason Middleton, Jeff Bronstein, Jeff Loughran, Jenny Lovell , Jeremy Randle, Jess Tyler, Jessica Benthuysen, Jim La Duke, Jim Pettigrew, Jo Laybourn-Parry, Jo Neilson, Joe Adelstein, John Akl, John Church, John Gould, John Gunn, John Luetchford, John Middleton, John Parslow, Jon Burgess, Jorja Martin, Julian Atkinson, Julian Partridge, Julian Uribe, Julie Hiscock, Kah Kiat Hong, Karl Forcey, Kate Reid, Kate Roberts, Katherine Tattersall, Kathy Ophel Keller, Katy Hill, Ken Lee, Ken Ridgway, Ken Suber, Kerrie Swadling, Kim Finney, Kim Klaka, Kirsty Douglas, Kylie Dobson, Laurent Besnard, Laurent Seuront, Lee Astheimer, Leeying Wu, Leigh Gordon, Leon Majewski, Lesley Clementson, Lev Bodrossy, Lindsay Morgan, Louise Renfrey, Lucy Wyatt, Luke Edwards, Lyndon Llewellyn, Madeleine Cahill, Mal Heron, Mal Perry , Margot Hines, Marian Wiltshire, Mark Baird, Mark Brown, Mark Doubell, Mark Scognamiglio, Mark Snell, Mark Tonks, Mark Underwood, Martin Exel, Martina Doblin, Marty Hidas, Matias Bonet, Matt King, Michelle Heupel, Miles Furnas, Ming Feng, Moninya Roughan, Monique Breslin, Mun Woo, Natalia Atkins, Neville Smith, Nic Perkins, Nick D’Adamo, Nick Gales, Nick Hardman-Mountford, Oscar Pizarro, Paddy Nixon, Partick Gorringe, Paul Cornell, Paul Dirks, Paul Hallum, Paul Lethaby, Paul Malthouse, Paul Rigby, Paul Rigby, Paul Thomson, Paul Van Ruth, Pauline Mak, Pauline Mooney, Penny Lyle, Pete Jansen, Pete Strutton, Peter Blain, Peter Davies, Peter Doherty, Peter Hughes, Peter Rogers, Peter Steinberg, Peter Thompson, Peter Turner, Phil de Boer, Philip Bohm, Phillip McDowall, Randall Lee, Rebecca Cowley, Richard Brinkman, Richard Coleman, Rick Bailey, Rob Harcourt, Rob Lewis, Rob McCauley, Robin Robertson, Robyn Owens, Robyn Phillips, Roger Proctor, Roger Scott, Ron Plaschke, Rudy Kloser, Russ Babcock, Ruth Eriksen, Ruth Gongora_Mesas, Ryan Crossing, Ryan Downing, Samantha Woodford, Scott Bainbridge, Scott Gardner, Sebastien Mancini, Shaun Byrnes, Shavawn Donoghue, Simon Allen, Simon Goldsworthy, Simone Cosoli, Sophie Leterme, Stefan Williams, Steve Cameron, Steve Rintoul, Stewart Wilde, Stuart Barr, Stuart Milburn, Stuart Minchin, Sue Barrell, Susan Wijffels, Thomas Schroeder, Tim Austin , Tim Ingleton, Tim Lynch, Tim Moltmann, Tim Ryan, Timothy Fountain, Tom Trull, Tommy Fotak, Toni Moate, Tony Rothnie, Tony Worby, Trevor Powell, Valerie Latham, Vanessa Lucieer, Vic Peddemors, Virginia Bowen, Vittorio Brando, Warrick Glynn, Wayne Rochester, Wenneke ten Hout, Wiebke Ebeling, Xavier Hoenner, Yi Qin, Zhihong Li

Anita Slotwinkski, CSIRO

33 The Operators of the IMOS infrastructure are:

IMOS is a national collaborative research infrastructure, supported by Australian Government. It is led by University of Tasmania in partnership with the Australian marine & climate science community. www.imos.org.au Text: Tim Moltmann, Ian Poiner, Marian Wiltshire and Warrick Glynn, IMOS, University of Tasmania, Hobart | Design: Lea Walpole, Tasmania.