IMOS is supported by the Australian Government through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy and the Super Science Initiative
NCRIS CAPABILITY 5.12 2008/09 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS: 1 Executive summary 2 2 Description of activities: 3 2.1 Research infrastructure 3 2.2 Access and pricing 14 2.3 Performance indicators 14 2.4 Governance 15 2.5 Promotion 15 3 Description of progress against milestones 17 4 Discussion of deviations from the Project Plan 17 5 Discussion of financial and human resources 17 6 Audit statement 17 7 Confidential information 17
APPENDICES: A Facility Reports: 18 A.1 Argo Australia 18 A.2 Enhanced Measurements from Ships of Opportunity (SOOP) 31 A.3 Southern Ocean Time Series (SOTS) 48 A.4 Australian National Facility for Ocean Gliders (ANFOG) 51 A.5 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Facility (AUV) 57 A.6 Australian National Mooring Network (ANMN) 67 A.7 Australian Coastal Ocean Radar Network (ACORN) 84 A.8 Australian Acoustic Tagging and Monitoring System (AATAMS) 89 A.9 Facility for Automated Intelligent Monitoring of Marine Systems (FAIMMS) 97 A.10 electronic Marine Information Infrastructure (eMII) 102 A.11 Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS) 112 B Node Reports: 123 B.1 Bluewater and Climate Node 123 B.2 Great Barrier Reef Ocean Observing System (GBROOS) 124 B.3 New South Wales Integrated Marine Observing System (NSWIMOS) 127 B.4 Southern Australian Integrated Marine Observing System (SAIMOS) 130 B.5 West Australian Integrated Marine Observing System (WAIMOS) 133 C Milestone Report 136 D List of Acronyms 143 E Financial Statements 148
Annual Progress Report 2008/09 Page 1 of 156 1. Executive summary
In the past year, installation of the majority of equipment in the Integrated Marine Observing System has been completed. The year culminated with the launch of the IMOS Ocean Portal, an innovative system that provides free and public access to all IMOS data via the internet. IMOS facilities will now undergo a transition from ordering, testing, and deploying equipment, to producing data streams and refining sampling strategies and data quality control methods. The creation and development of a long-term, nationally-integrated, marine and climate research data infrastructure has now begun in earnest.
Data streams from all but one IMOS Facility are now available via the Ocean Portal, and it is expected that all IMOS data will be on line before the end of 2009. The manner of data delivery has attracted the attention of several other NCRIS capabilities (AuScope, TERN, Atlas of Living Australia) and steps are being taken to explore how the IMOS data delivery mechanism, which involves integration of the Portal, the Metadata Entry and Search Tool, and the national Data Fabric storage, can be shared with other capabilities.
In the May 2009 Federal Budget, IMOS was awarded a further $52million under the Marine and Climate Super Science Initiative, with funding from the Education Investment Fund. This decision, along with related marine and climate science initiatives, is a significant milestone in the creation and development of the infrastructure required to enable sustained observation of Australia’s vast ocean territory under changing climatic conditions. The Director and Advisory Board, in consultation with the research community and its stakeholders, are working on development of a Five Year Strategy (2009-13) which will establish an agreed approach to ocean observing that builds on the strengths of national collaboration, adapts to new knowledge learned as our oceans are observed, and responds to emerging global trends.
Major highlights of the 2008/09 year are as follows: • The IMOS Ocean Portal was launched on 29 June 2009, which means that IMOS data is now available to users. • Argo Australia surpassed its goal of deploying 50 floats during the year, with 69 deployments due to increased co-investment and longer float survival rates resulting from early adoption of new battery technology. There are now 225 active Australian Argo floats, exceeding the 180 float target for the array. • Significant progress was made in the delivery of real time data-streams from the Ships of Opportunity (SOOP) Facility, including to the Global Time Series. The increasing participation of commercial vessels, as well as research vessels, is particularly pleasing. • Success in Argo and SOOP mean that IMOS data is being taken up by databases, operational forecasting systems, and modelling activities around the world, which directly benefits understanding of the Australian region, and increases our leverage as a global leader in the under-sampled Southern hemisphere. • The Southern Ocean Time Series (SOTS) Facility successfully deployed two test versions of the Pulse mooring and is on track to deploy the production version in September 2009.
Annual Progress Report 2008/09 Page 2 of 156 • Regular deployment of gliders into the Regional Nodes commenced in November 2008, and has continued throughout the reporting period. Simultaneous deployment of five gliders in four regions was achieved. • The Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) conducted a further four deployments, with a focus on describing biological assemblages on rocky reef systems in Marine Protected Areas of southern Tasmania, and on deep coral reef systems at Scott Reef in Western Australia. The high resolution stereo imagery and 3D reconstructions produced by the Facility are considered to be world-leading. • The Australian National Mooring Network (ANMN) has now begun to operate as a national observing system based on moored infrastructure, with deployment and recovery of gear and up-load of data from all four regional arrays, the National Reference Stations, and the acoustic observatories. This is a significant achievement. • The Coastal Radar Facility completed its second and one-half of its third of six installations. • The Australian Acoustic Tagging and Monitoring System (AATAMS) Facility has deployed 330 receivers, including new lines off Perth and Sydney. The Ningaloo array has logged more than two million detections. • The world’s first large-scale coral reef wireless sensor network has been deployed on the reefs of the southern Great Barrier Reef (GBR), with deployments in the central and northern GBR to come. • The Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS) Facility is producing new sea surface temperature products, and the Distributed Active Archive Centre (DAAC) is close to coming on line.
2. Description of activities:
2.1 Research infrastructure The 11 IMOS Facilities are grouped according to similarity of activity, measurements and observed phenomena as follows: • Data management (eMII, SRS) • Bluewater and climate (Argo, SOOP, SOTS) • Coastal currents and water properties (ACORN, ANFOG, ANMN) • Coastal ecosystems (AATAMS, AUV, FAIMMS)
Data management • eMarine Information Infrastructure (eMII) • Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS)
Background The aim of IMOS is to make free, open and timely data and enhanced data products available to users. The eMII and SRS facilities are the fundamental linking component to all other investments in IMOS since it is the means by which IMOS data and satellite data from a variety of sources will be accessed and distributed. The eMII and SRS provide access to the IMOS streams of data and will develop interoperability across data streams and value added data-products.
Annual Progress Report 2008/09 Page 3 of 156 Although the IMOS facilities are single function and widely distributed about Australia, IMOS is essentially implemented as a multidisciplinary observing system on a regional basis, with the main Nodes being the oceanic climate and bluewater component interfaced with continental shelf and coastal components in Western Australia (WAIMOS), Southern Australia (SAIMOS), New South Wales (NSWIMOS) and the Great Barrier Reef (GBROOS). Through the data management components of eMII and SRS these systems are integrated to provide a single national capability for observing and monitoring the oceans and seas around Australia.
The activities build upon the work by the Australian Ocean Data Centre Joint Facility (AODCJF) and the BlueNet Project. AODCJF is a joint venture between six Australian Government marine data agencies – Australian Institute of Marine Science, Australian Antarctic Division, Bureau of Meteorology, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Geoscience Australia and the RAN Directorate of Oceanography and Meteorology. The BlueNet project (completed March 2009) extended the AODCJF initiative by linking universities to the AODCJF virtual data facility to establish a national distributed marine science data network supporting the long term data curation requirements and data access needs of Australia’s marine science researchers. Recently, unspent funds from the BlueNet project have been allocated to eMII to establish the Australian Ocean Data Network (AODN) Development Office. These funds will be used to engage the agencies of AODCJF and universities in the culture of data sharing and facilitate an Australia-wide oceans data network.
Implementation progress eMII has now established a working infrastructure for end-to-end data management, search, discovery and access to IMOS data. See Appendix A.10, which outlines the significant achievements of eMII during 2008/09. The Ocean Portal can be accessed through the IMOS website (www.imos.org.au) or via http://imos.aodn.org.au and the IMOS MEST via http://imosmest.aodn.org.au.
The SRS activities are intended to bolster the Australian satellite reception system, create new marine data products, and make these products available to scientific users. See Appendix A.11 for details of 2008/09 achievements
Problems and changes in the plan Recruitment, although not as big a problem as in the past, is still an issue for eMII. During the year there were eight new appointments and three resignations. This has impacted on developments of the MEST, on standards and on documentation.
Non-delivery of the Oceans Portal, a project managed through the National Oceans Office and a key component of the AODN infrastructure, resulted in significant additional work to develop the IMOS Ocean Portal.
There are unfortunately some areas of the data flow of SRS which were not captured in the setting up of the Facility. The organization of flow of data from the reception stations into the processing streams is not part of the role of the SRS and in the case of “ocean colour” organisation of those processing streams has also been an issue. The latter is being addressed by additional recent funding for
Annual Progress Report 2008/09 Page 4 of 156 Curtin University to produce a national standard ocean colour product and by the AO-DAAC sub-facility getting some other ocean colour datasets online. The task of organising reception station schedules and bringing these data together is still an issue for MODIS data but is likely to be resolved in conjunction with TERN.
The refurbishment of the drive controller hardware at TERSS has still not been completed. The issue of compatibility with the new and old systems has been referred back to the manufacturer (MOOG) and has not yet been resolved. MOOG is working on the issue. The old controllers are still functioning and the antenna operation has not been compromised. The new AIMS reception system is fully operational.
Capability building eMII has started delivering IMOS Data Users Workshops to introduce people to the Ocean Portal and hence IMOS data, and the AODN. The first of these was on 30 June 2009, with thirty five participants attending. The participants included post-graduate students, established researchers, data managers and state department officials. Workshops will be conducted every year and, in association with the IMOS Office, every attempt will be made to make all parts of the Australian community aware of IMOS data.
In addition, presentations on AODN/IMOS-eMII have been made at the following meetings/conferences: AMSA 2008, Christchurch, New Zealand; Met-Ocean Conference, Central Weather Bureau, Taiwan; eResearch’08, Melbourne; Eurogoos annual meeting, Galway, Ireland; Northwest European Shelf Operational Oceanography System annual meeting, Brest, France; American Geophysical Union, Fall meeting, San Francisco, USA; ROMS/TOMS meeting, Sydney; Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory, Liverpool, UK; European Geophysical Union annual meeting, Vienna, Austria.
Also, eMII participated in the CMAR Data Management Review and the WAMSI/WASTAC Annual Data Management Meeting.
Furthermore, eMII has engaged meaningfully with NCRIS area 5.16 (Platforms for Collaboration) through a) collaborating on use of the Australian Research Collaboration Service (ARCS) Data Fabric for storage and distribution of IMOS data , b) on the NeAT project MACDDAP and c) on establishing the AODN Development Office in association with the Australian National Data Service (ANDS).
Work is progressing at Curtin University, WA to deliver SRS a national “standard” ocean colour dataset.
Impact The IMOS Ocean Portal allows easy discovery and access to most of the IMOS datastreams, and it is expected that all IMOS data will be on line before the end of 2009. The manner of data delivery has attracted the attention of several of the NCRIS capabilities (AuScope, TERN, Atlas of Living Australia) and steps are being taken to explore how the IMOS data delivery mechanism (the integration of
Annual Progress Report 2008/09 Page 5 of 156 the Portal, the MEST, and the ARCS Data Fabric storage) can be shared with other capabilities.
The MEST has emerged as an attractive metadata tool which other groups (ANZLIC, OSDM) have adopted. The MEST has already been selected as a key element of data management by the NCRIS capability AuScope.
The IMOS Ocean Portal and MEST will provide the backbone infrastructure of the AODN, which is fundamental to the delivery of the AODN.
Bluewater and climate – • Argo Australia • Enhanced Measurements from Ships of Opportunity (SOOP) • Southern Ocean Time Series (SOTS)
Background The Bluewater and Climate Facilities are enhancing existing monitoring systems in the oceans around Australia by increasing the number of Argo floats in our region, increasing the number and type of measurements made from Ships of Opportunity (SOOP) and establishing the SOTS platforms for ocean-atmosphere measurements in the Southern Ocean. The Argo floats continue to provide an unprecedented volume of temperature and salinity profiles to a depth of 2000 m. SOOP provides temperature profiles to 800 m, biogeochemical measurements of surface water, phytoplankton and zooplankton collections, high quality sea surface temperature (SST) data for calibration of satellite observations; data to calibrate satellite ocean colour and high quality data to calculate air-sea heat and freshwater fluxes. SOTS is pioneering interdisciplinary observations in one of the most remote and hostile regions of the global ocean. While all these observations are useful in their own right, their strengths lie in their synergies. For instance, the high temporal density of observations from SOTS is complemented by the spatial coverage of the multidisciplinary observations on RSV l’Astrolabe, which takes sections across the Southern Ocean.
Implementation progress Significant progress has been made in the delivery of data-streams; especially in real time, to the GTS. This means that the data is taken up by databases, operational forecasting, and modelling activities around the world.
As of July 2009, Argo Australia had 225 active floats in the water, compared to 163 at the same time last year. This far exceeds the target of 180 floats, which is in part due to the longer than expected lifespan of Australian floats, due to the early adoption of Lithium battery packs. The Australian Argo program delivered 7124 ocean profiles to IMOS eMII, the Global Telecommunications System (GTS) and the international Argo Global data acquisition centres between July 2008 and June 2009 and has delivered a total of 22913 profiles to date. This is an increase of 1824 profiles compared to last year.
XBT operations have been successfully ticking along on all bar one of the hi- density XBT lines. Data delivery has also been improved from SOOP XBT sections by getting Iridium transmitters fitted to all our XBT systems on high
Annual Progress Report 2008/09 Page 6 of 156 density XBT routes. The data is now received in real-time and sent straight to the GTS. The partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) systems on RV Southern Surveyor and RSV l’Astrolabe are installed and operating. In the case of l’Astrolabe, major plumbing changes were needed, and the system will be tested in the 2009-10 season. Data from both ships will be available in near real time.
Two successful tows of the CPR have been completed on the Brisbane – Sydney – Melbourne route, and sample sorting has commenced. Several tows have also been completed on the RSV Aurora Australis.
The installation of the underway system has been completed on both the RV Cape Ferguson and RV Solander. The system on the RV Cape Ferguson is being used on an irregular basis, being dependant on the track crew onboard the ship.
Six Australian vessels now contribute real-time and near real-time, high-quality SST. The Air Sea Flux sub-facility has also successfully provided a real-time, quality assured data stream from the RV Southern Surveyor for the last 12 months. The RSV Aurora Australis was unable to provide real-time data over the last year, but it is hoped that this will be rectified in 2009-2010.
Construction commenced on the platform 1, the SOFS mooring in February 2009, with an estimated delivery date of April 2010. Test deployments for platform 2, the Pulse mooring have been carried out, and the selected design will be deployed in September 2009. Platform 3, the sediment trap mooring was deployed in October 2008 for recovery in Sept 2009, and sediment trap data and samples will be available to the community.
Problems and changes in the plan While significant progress has been made in all the Facilities, some technical and logistical issues have highlighted the challenges associated with delivering the high quality data required to understand Australia’s oceans.
A major issue has arisen with respect to pressure sensors on Argo floats. Recent batches of Druck pressure sensors used by Seabird Electronics have recently been shown to reach as high as a 30% failure rate due to an oil micro-leak inside the sensor. All deployments globally were halted, and a recall of installed CTDs on un-deployed floats (800 globally) is underway. IMOS Argo currently have 30 floats in the laboratory, 30 floats at the manufacturer about to be shipped and another 46 floats to be ordered in the near term. It is anticipated that deployments will begin again towards the end of this year as CTD heads are cycled through Seabird for pressure sensor replacement. For IMOS Argo, 8 floats are urgently required for a one-off deployment opportunity in the mid-Pacific Ocean and we have arranged for these to receive priority treatment to meet the cruise. Deployed floats from suspect sensor batches have been identified, and the treatment of data is adjusted as drift errors arise.
The ship used for the PX34 high density XBT section from New Zealand to Sydney changed its route and came across the northern tip of the North Island instead of between the north and south Islands. A different ship, the MSC Hobart has been recruited, which uses the preferred route.
Annual Progress Report 2008/09 Page 7 of 156
Real time pC02 data will be available from the RSV l’Astrolabe as an enhancement to the original plan. However, it looks likely that RSV L’Astrolabe can not be used to tow a CPR because of the occupational health and safety issues with deploying the device off the rear of the vessel. Other options for collecting plankton data from this ship are currently being investigated including collecting plankton from the ship’s water intake system. In addition, a fast repetition rate fluorometer has been purchased for the RSV l’Astrolabe. The installation of this is planned for 2009-10.
The installation on the RV Solander process was slow due to the remote location of the vessel (Broome, Scott Reef, North West Cape) for much of the year, the large number of sea days and the necessity to fit IT infrastructure and survey- compliant wiring and plumbing to a new vessel. Intermittent IT work is being undertaken to improve the operation of the systems and make them available for remote checking and operation via the ships 3G phone system when in phone range. Minor problems with plumbing are currently being repaired.
A thermosalinograph was not installed on Gladstone to Heron Is Ferry as planned due to owners planning to sell vessel. An alternative vessel was sourced whose owners are willing to have a thermosalinograph installed – Quicksilver Connections have catamarans going between Port Douglas and Agincourt Reef (72 km each way). We hope to have a thermosalinograph installed by end of 2009.
The SOOP Facility is working with the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) to expedite the current problems in the observing system. Some IMOS instruments were deployed in the second half of the last season, but there have been some issues with operating the instrumentation which has resulted in poor quality or no observations being recorded. The AAD is currently working to rectify theses issues, and to also implement a solution to allow near-real-time data telemetry from the ship to shore.
The SOTS program deployed two Pulse test moorings (5H and 5L) to accelerate our development program, and the engineering test motion reference unit acceleration data has been converted into wave height and period estimates and will thus be able to provide additional useful data streams from the operational Pulse mooring for use in air-sea flux and wave modelling studies.
The proposed tethered profiler will be replaced by frequent launching of untethered profilers to achieve higher reliability and additional spatial context. Two floats are scheduled for deployment in September 2009. Two proposed to be delivered in January 2009 are delayed, but should be delivered by late 2009.
Capability Building Through International Argo Science Team meetings, Argo Australia continue to support other Argo programs that use APEX floats in reprocessing old data with uncorrected pressure biases. To this end, Ann Thresher has assisted India in improving their data stream throughput and accuracy by the implementation of the Australia real-time Argo data software. The key importance of the Indian Ocean
Annual Progress Report 2008/09 Page 8 of 156 for Australian climate means that maximizing Argo data output from this region is well worthwhile.
For SOOP, as data systems become operational, staff requirements and training are continuously assessed. A biogeochemistry technician has been employed to maintain pC02 equipment and reduce data backlog. The CPR group have been using a number of opportunities to support training of staff including Gustaff Hallegraeff's phytoplankton taxonomy course at the University of Tasmania. In addition, two members of staff went to Sir Alistair Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science (SAHFOS) in Plymouth to train in CPR logistics. The group have also developed a new microscope for phytoplankton counting and another two microscopes have been purchased.
Additional users of the underway system on tropical vessels are being trained and operations software has been upgraded to make the system more easily used. The logging computer has also been interfaced to the ship’s network to allow remote access (operation, testing, data downloads) via the ship’s 3G phone connection when in phone range.
Impacts Combining physical data from these facilities improves understanding of the ocean climate and circulation around Australia, and combined with the biogeochemical observations (pC02 from SOOP, the SOTS Pulse and Sediment Trap moorings, and the CPR data) are beginning to provide the data needed to understand the response of biological systems to physical conditions. For instance, by combining EAC transport estimates from XBTs with the CPR data on plankton assemblages, the relationship between the strength of the EAC and plankton biomass and species distribution can be identified.
Australia is one of the front runners internationally in Southern Hemisphere ocean observations; and this presence means that effort from Northern Hemisphere countries can be leveraged. Argo Australia is the third largest contributor to the International Argo program, after the USA and Japan. SOTS is a contribution to the International OceanSITES program, and SOOP contributes to a number of international programs such as the Global High Resolution SST pilot project (GHRSST), International SOOP program, and Shipboard Automated Meteorological and Oceanographic System (SAMOS).
The output from these datastreams provides the data required for broad scale analysis and products. As Argo, XBT, and SST data are available in near real-time on the GTS, the data are already being ingested into many international data bases, satellite validation systems and operational systems such as BLUElink and OceanMAPS. These data streams also provide the broad scale observations which put IMOS regional observations into context.
The utility of IMOS data is being brought to the attention of agencies within Australia. The underway system on tropical research vessels has been brought to the attention of GBR Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) with regard to its potential for monitoring and studying regional water quality issues. With the
Annual Progress Report 2008/09 Page 9 of 156 launch of the IMOS Ocean Portal in June 2009, it is expected that awareness of the applications of IMOS data will increase substantially during 2009-2010.
Coastal currents and water properties – • Australian Coastal Ocean Radar Network (ACORN) • Australian National Facility for Ocean Gliders (ANFOG) • Australian National Mooring Network (ANMN)
Background These Facilities are bringing powerful observational methods into widespread usage in Australian marine research. They are applied to observe the coastal and shelf currents, wave field and water properties (physical, chemical and biological), as well as the major offshore boundary currents. As such, they are providing new capabilities within Australia to observe and understand the impacts of ocean- climate on the coastal environment.
Ocean gliders are autonomous vehicles designed to operate in water depths up to 1000 metres. By changing its buoyancy, the glider is able to descend and ascend. This momentum is converted to forward motion by its wings. The glider can be navigated to a series of pre-programmed waypoints, measuring currents and water properties along the way. The glider path is also influenced by the prevailing current regime. The Slocum glider is designed to operate to a maximum depth of 200m and a maximum endurance of 30 days, whilst the Seaglider is able to operate to a maximum depth of 1000m and a maximum endurance time of up to 6 months, although this planned duration has proven overly optimistic in Australian conditions. Duration is dependent on how often they dive to make a profile and the sensor sampling regime. The IMOS gliders have sensors to measure conductivity (for salinity), temperature, dissolved oxygen, fluorescence, turbidity and CDOM (dissolved organic matter) with depth. Satellite communications allows near real time data processing at the glider laboratory at University of Western Australia.
High frequency ocean radars are land-based and receive echoes from the rough sea surface at distances up to 150 km from the shore. They operate in pairs to ‘look’ at each point on the ocean surface from a different angle, thus giving a measure of the current vector and directional wave propagation. The radars are programmed to sample the ocean surface and produce ocean surface parameters on a grid of points spaced about 3 km apart. The time between samples varies between 10 minutes and 2 hours, depending on the type of radar and the parameter being measured.
Moorings represent a tried and tested method to position sensors at defined positions in the oceans and maintain observations over periods of months and years. The IMOS array of regional and national moorings has been designed and implemented taking into account the logistics of each reach region. Recent changes in commercial communications infrastructure in the form of iridium satellite communications and the Next G mobile phone network have reduced the barrier to real time data transmission. Where a surface buoy is prudent these services are being used to provide real-time data streams.
Annual Progress Report 2008/09 Page 10 of 156 Implementation progress ANFOG - In August 2008 the Australian National Facility for Ocean Gliders fleet reached full strength with four Slocum gliders and 5 Seagliders. The ANFOG staff was also complete in June 2009 with five staff. Regular deployments in the regions designated started in November 2008. Data from Seaglider missions is available through the IMOS Ocean Portal and data from the Slocum missions is with eMII while display and analysis tools are developed.
ACORN - The Great Barrier Reef coastal radar is operational. The WA SeaSondes are installed and undergoing commissioning. The WA WERA radar is partially installed and expected to be operational by year end, subject to final site approval by Freemantle City Council. Radio frequency licenses have been issued for all remaining installations and all sites have been surveyed. In SA around the Spencer Gulf, installation of the base stations has started with solar and off-grid power scheduled for installation at Cape Wiles by the end of August.
ANMN - 35 moorings are in place across five states through ANMN, and the capability to deploy the remainder of the ANMN mooring array is in place. A common approach to data management and data QA has been adopted across the financially independent sub-facilities. eMII provided expertise in developing a common toolbox for the QC of mooring data. For the National Reference Stations a common physical sampling methodology has been developed and implementation achieved from small coastal vessels of convenience. The Maria Island National Reference Station (NRS) has been developed as the first real-time NRS and the program of role out of surface floats to other NRS has started.
Problems and changes in the plan Across the Facilities delays in the delivery of equipment from manufacturers struggling to cope with increased global demand have continued and massive currency fluctuations have been experienced. Some ANMN equipment problems and losses have been experienced, but no more than anticipated in a facility with $7M of capital assets for field deployment. Contractual delays, followed by global equipment shortages have hindered progress with the roll out of moorings in NSW.
Capability building All initially planned staff positions are filled, but some new positions have been developed to cope with the remoteness of some deployments, which are currently being filled. Financially these fit within the overall budget envelope, but introduce a ‘back-end’ loading which will have implications for the temporal extension of the data streams.
For the calibration of the standard instruments each mooring sub-facility is entering into an agreement with CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research in Hobart for the undertaking of calibrations. This represents a requirement to increase both the capacity of the calibration facility and to extend the range of sensors calibrated. This move is likely to have positive effects across a number of other facilities requiring the calibration of similar instruments, and is a genuine growth in Australia’s capability for oceanographic instrument calibration.
Annual Progress Report 2008/09 Page 11 of 156 South Australia has now an established moorings group, Perth now houses an operational glider facility and gradually the HF radar stations are coming online. The goal of IMOS to develop ocean observation capability in Australia is being realised.
Impacts The Australian Marine Science Association 2009 conference in Adelaide featured scientific research presentations utilizing both mooring and glider data.
A significant anomaly in the interaction between the Leeuwin current and the East Australia Current around Australia was observed by the Satellite Remote Sensing facility and validated in real time using data from the Maria Island National Reference Station. The water temperatures at Maria Island were over one degree Celsius above the long term average. This event shows the importance both of integrated observing and long-term records in deciphering the changing environment.
Approximately 6000km of glider transects have been undertaken delivering over 38,000 vertical profiles measuring temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, fluorescence, and dissolved organic matter with depth. These observations are revealing physical structures in the waters around Australia that have not been seen before. The vertical structure revealed by these observations and the density of observations represent new ways to validate ocean forecasting models.
Ocean modellers and IMOS facilities are in open dialogue ensuring that the installed infrastructure is optimally placed. This has been highly significant in the placement of the NSW SeaSonde which has been placed at a point located to reduce the downstream uncertainty in the EAC flow prediction, and once assimilated into operational modelling, may increase the reliability of prediction of cold water upwelling near the coast.
Marine National Facility voyages have been completed incorporating expected delivery of glider and mooring data to understand the processes being studied. These voyages are maturing and the focus is now moving to defining the additional information needed to be collected to fully utilize the remote assets deployed.
Coastal ecosystems – • Australian Acoustic Tagging & Monitoring System (AATAMS) • Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) • Facility for Automated Intelligent Monitoring of Marine Systems (FAIMMS)
Background IMOS is delivering national capacity in ocean observation through the development of regional Nodes and technology or application based Facilities. The Nodes provide a geographic focus applying a number of technologies, provided through the Facilities, to issues relevant to that area. Facilities monitoring coastal ecosystems consist of two fixed networks for electronic data acquisition (AATAMS and FAIMMS) and one mobile observing platform (AUV).
Annual Progress Report 2008/09 Page 12 of 156 AATAMS is deploying a national network of acoustic listening stations that track mobile marine targets such as fish, whales, turtles, rays and other marine species. As tagged animals pass listening posts, the data recorded provides unique information on target species such as migration, daily movements and events such as swarming and mating. AATAMS will provide the large scale movement information vital to understanding how ecosystems connect as well as providing smaller scale information about daily, weekly and annual patterns of movement. The facility links into international efforts such as the Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) and the Pacific Ocean Shelf Tracking (POST) projects.
The AUV facility provides a unique platform for exploring systems that are beyond the reach of conventional investigation and which currently are poorly sampled or understood. The IMOS funding makes this platform available to the research community as a completely funded package. The AUV has variable payload depending on the cruise but can include biophysical probes, acoustic mapping tools and high-resolution stereo cameras. The stereo imagery is unique and can be used to produce high-resolution three-dimensional maps of the sea floor. Standard equipment includes terrain-following sonar, forward looking obstacle avoidance sonar, Doppler Velocity Log, and an Ultra Short Baseline Acoustic Positioning System.
The FAIMMS facility is deploying sensor network technologies into seven reef sites along the Great Barrier Reef. Sensor networks offer real-time data from a range of sensors deployed in remote locations. FAIMMS will install the infrastructure to support a range of real-time sensing systems to investigate issues such as climate change, ocean processes, within reef water dynamics and ocean acidification. It will also showcase the use of real-time technologies including streaming data and will look at the use of smart adaptive sampling systems and the integration of real-time data into modelling and management systems.
Implementation progress, problems and changes in the plan, capability building The 2008-09 financial year marks the second year of operation for these Facilities with most now moving from an initial deployment phase into an operational one. The AATAMS Facility has some 330 receivers deployed, including new deployments off Perth and Sydney, which have logged up more than two million detections. The AUV has conducted a further four deployments ranging from monitoring nocturnal feeding habits of sea urchins in southern Tasmania to habitat mapping at Scott Reef, Western Australia. The FAIMMS Facility has deployed the worlds first large-scale coral reef wireless sensor network in the reefs of the southern Great Barrier Reef (GBR) with deployments in the central and northern GBR to come.
All Facilities are on track after some initial reliability issues with the FAIMMS designs and the AATAMS moorings and slight damage to a surface based tracking component of the AUV. All of these issues have been resolved with all Facilities achieving their designated milestones. Each Facility now has data available through the eMII Facility of IMOS including metadata and on-line access via the Ocean Portal. This last step represents a major advance, not only in the collection of ocean data but also in making this data available to users, and so moves each of these Facilities into operational mode.
Annual Progress Report 2008/09 Page 13 of 156 2.2 Access and pricing
All of the IMOS equipment has now been allocated until mid 2011. The AUV facility has an ongoing call for proposals, and is looking to solicit further proposals from the marine science community and to continue to engage with end users interested in using this Facility as part of their research.
All of the data collected by IMOS is openly and freely available in a timely manner to all users through the IMOS Ocean Portal. This includes users for research, as well as operational activities such as BLUElink and seasonal climate forecasting and industrial applications. The highest priority for eMII is completing the framework to ingest and provide access to and interoperability across the IMOS data streams, then production of value-added products. Finally, in collaboration with NeAT, researchers in future years will have access to commonly used marine and climate data libraries in an interoperable framework with the IMOS data streams.
More detailed information for each Facility's access and pricing can be found in the Facility Reports (Appendix A).
2.3 Performance indicators Details on performance indicators are given in the reports from each of the facilities in Appendix A. Some facilities have developed unique, quantitative indices of performance, while others are still in the process of doing this. See the reports for details.
Providing research infrastructure A detailed list of the Capital purchases is given in Appendix E Note B. In 2008/09 a total of $8,133,002 of capital was purchased with DIISR funds, and once co-investment is included a grand total of $11,374,913 of capital purchases were made.
Meeting researcher needs The facility reports in Appendix A identify 56 projects using IMOS data, and 40 PhD projects. With the recent launch of the IMOS Ocean Portal, the data is freely available now for use in further projects. The eMII facility has already run two Data User Workshops that have attracted post-graduate students, researchers, data managers and state department officials. The workshops provided background information to IMOS and explored the IMOS data through the IMOS Ocean Portal.
Quality of research infrastructure IMOS is regarded internationally as a leading component of the Global Ocean Observing System (www.ioc-goos.org), and all of the facilities provide a benchmark for their research infrastructure in the facility reports in Appendix A.
Fostering Collaborative development of infrastructure The IMOS facilities are linked or indeed have leadership roles in numerous international bodies engaged in similar activity, including the International Argo Science Team, the Global Temperature and Salinity Profile Program, the
Annual Progress Report 2008/09 Page 14 of 156 International Ocean Carbon Coordination Program, Shipboard Automated Meteorological Oceanographic System, OceanSITES (global deep ocean moored observatories), Pacific Ocean (acoustic) Shelf Tracking, Ocean Tracking Network, Coral Reef Environmental Observatory Network, and the Global Telecommunications System.
IMOS has brought the Australian marine research community together on a national scale, to work towards common goals. Ultimately, this collaboration will provide important benefits to Australia, through world-class research and support for a strong marine industry sector.
Fostering interdisciplinary and world-class research The international community has used Argo data to produce 121 peer-reviews articles in 2008, reflecting the global scope of the Argo program. Across all of the IMOS facilities 30 papers have been published using IMOS data. Staff from the facilities have participated in many workshops and conferences. Refer to the Facility reports for details (see Appendix A).
2.4 Governance The governance structure of IMOS has remained unchanged and is functioning well. The Advisory Board met in September 2008 in Adelaide to approve the Annual Progress Report 2007/08 and in March 2009 in Perth to approve the Annual Business Plan 2009/10. Eight Board members attended the Annual Planning Meeting in February 2009 in Sydney. The Board also held a teleconference in May 2009, to discuss the implications of the $52M IMOS funding announced in the Federal budget. The next meeting will be in September 2009 with main agenda items being to approve this 2008/09 Annual Progress Report 2008/09, and the IMOS Five Year Strategy 2009-13.
The IMOS Review was held during late 2008, with the formal review panel meeting being held 11-12 December 2008. The Panel Report was released publically in January 2009, and the full report can be viewed at www.imos.org.au. The Responses by Node and Facility Leaders to the Review Recommendations were provided with the 2009/10 Annual Business Plan. All facilities have reviewed their milestones and budget for the remainder of the IMOS funding period as part of the 2009/10 business plan, and any recommendations have been incorporated into that business plan.
The Steering Committee met via teleconference in December 2008 to receive an update on the Review Panel Meeting, provide an update on their respective nodes and to approve two IMOS Policy documents (Acknowledgement of Use of IMOS Data and IMOS Visual Identity Guidelines). They also met in May 2009 to discuss the new EIF funds prior to the submission of the preliminary plan to DIISR.
2.5 Promotion The key forum for promotion of IMOS to the research community was via Node meetings held around the country - see Appendix B for details. In addition, IMOS personnel presented at a number of national and international conferences
Annual Progress Report 2008/09 Page 15 of 156 either during or just subsequent to the reporting period. Detail is given in the individual Facility and Node reports (Appendices A and B respectively).
The IMOS Office has also been involved in promotional activities throughout the reporting period including: • Launch of the IMOS Ocean Portal: On June 29th IMOS launched the public access to all of its data-holdings through the IMOS Ocean Portal, an innovative system that provides ocean data freely via the internet. Over 100 guests attended the launch at CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research (CMAR) in Hobart. Proceedings were started by the outgoing Director, Gary Meyers, followed by speeches from Dr Steve Rintoul (Acting Chief of CMAR), Dr Trevor Powell (Chair of the IMOS Advisory Board), Professor Jo Laybourn-Parry (Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research), University of Tasmania) and the Hon Duncan Kerr SC MP (representing Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research), who then launched the IMOS Ocean Portal. • Facility Fact Sheets: the IMOS Office produced a set of fact sheets. Each factsheet outlines for each Facility the instrumentation, data, applications of the data, focus and priorities. These were distributed at the IMOS Launch and to the IMOS Facilities and Nodes. They are also available electronically on the IMOS website. • IMOS promotional movie: for the IMOS Launch a 6 minute promotional movie “Observing Australia’s Oceanic Domain” was produced. It will be a useful resource for conference displays and public presentations. • The Journal of Ocean Technology Volume 3 July-Sep 2008: Community profile on IMOS. • Marine Matters: the IMOS Office published 2 issues of the newsletter during the year. These are published on the IMOS website and paper copies are distributed widely amongst the IMOS Nodes and Operators. • IMOS website: Facilities and Nodes have been adding and updating content, and regularly adding news items which are featured on the front page of the website. During the reporting period the IMOS website had over 20,000 unique visitors, an average of 1.9 visits per visitor, 5.2 pages per visit were viewed and 16.9 hits per visit. With the launch of the new IMOS Ocean Portal the linkages between the two web sites will be reviewed to ensure a coherent web presence. • OCEAN INNOVATION 2008 World Summit: Ocean Observing Systems 19-22 October 2008 St John’s NL, Canada. Director Gary Meyers an invited speaker. • Australian Marine Sciences Association Annual Conference 6-9 July 2008, New Zealand: An overview of IMOS and eMII was presented. • Greenhouse 2009 – 23-26 March, Perth, IMOS sponsored six PhD students to attend. Two of the students presented research using IMOS Data, Conrad Speed (AATAMS) and Paul Durack (Argo). Director Gary Meyers was invited to participate in the panel discussing Climate change and the oceans. • 9th International Conference on Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography - Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society Annual Conference February 9-13 2009, Melbourne. Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) session included presentations from the five
Annual Progress Report 2008/09 Page 16 of 156 Science Nodes (GBROOS, NSW-IMOS, SAIMOS, WAIMOS and Bluewater) and the ACORN, ANMN, SOTS, SOOP, and SRS facilities.
3. Description of progress against milestones The milestone report is in Appendix C. Details are given on the status of each milestone by Facility and Operator, a description of what has been achieved and any relevant comments that will affect the completion of the milestone. In summary, 24 milestones were achieved, 14 are in progress (most to be finished before the end of 2009) and 7 transferred to the 2009/10 Annual Business Plan.
4. Discussion of deviations from the Project Plan As noted above and detailed in the Milestone Report in Appendix C, of the 46 Milestones set for 2008/09, all achieved except for 14 which are in progress and 7 transferred to 2009/10, along with reasons for these delays. We are confident that IMOS is on track to achieve its goals.
5. Discussion of financial and human resources The financial statements have been provided at Appendix E. The key items of note are: • 2008/09 saw the purchase of the full suite of IMOS equipment almost completed, and most Facilities now have close to full staffing levels – see Apx E, Notes B and C for details • 2008/09 expenditure was around 92% of budget, a marked improvement on previous years which were around 10% and 35% respectively. • Interest earnings were lower than in previous years, due to the combined effect of lower interest rates and a much increased rate of expenditure • Cash co-investments were 163% of budget, and in-kind co-investments were 113%, both as a result of the much increased workplan this year. The only significant cash co-investment variation was the OTN funding for AATAMS, which commenced during the period, and it on-track to being achieved in 2009/10. For in-kind, none of the variations are likely to result in significant delays in the implementation of the Project.
6. Audit statement In reference to clause 12.6 of the IMOS Funding Agreement dated 22 May 2007, the University of Tasmania is audited by the Tasmanian Auditor-General and the income and expenditure of IMOS is subject to these audits. Therefore, instead of the certificate and audits required under clause 12.2, the financial statements discussed at part 5 above, and included at Appendix E, have been endorsed as per clause 12.6
7. Confidential information None of the material in this report is to be treated as confidential. Information on the IMOS Risk Assessment is regarded as confidential and will be provided to DIISR separately.
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APPENDIX A FACILITY REPORTS
Facility: Argo Australia
Facility Leaders: Susan Wijffels and Ann Thresher
Contact: Phone: 03 62325450 Email: [email protected], [email protected]
UPDATE ON FACILITY
Overview of status of Facility Argo Australia met its goal of deploying over 50 floats in this year with 69 deployments. There are now 225 active Australian Argo floats exceeding our target of a 180 float array by June 2009.
Figure 1: Location of active Argo floats coded by deploying country.
The larger than expected active array size achieved is due both to higher acquisition and deployments due to unanticipated Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACE CRC) contributions and due to greater than expected float survival rates in the Australian array due to early adoption of the use of lithium batteries in Autonomous Profiling Explorer (APEX) floats by the program. We now have a cohort of floats operating well past 6 years since deployment.
The Australian Argo program delivered 7124 ocean profiles to IMOS eMII, the Global Telecommunications System (GTS) and the international Argo Global data acquisition centres between July 2008 and June 2009 and has delivered a total of 22913 profiles to date. This is an increase of 1824 profiles compared to last year. Globally Argo is delivering over 10,000 ocean profiles per month in real-time (Figure 2)
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Figure 2: History of the number of profiles collected by the Argo program per month. Note that in the Australian Sector of the Southern Hemisphere, Argo IMOS only collects half the required profiles with international partners contributing the other half. The equity of Northern versus Southern Hemisphere profiles implies an ongoing oversampling of the Northern Hemisphere Oceans which comprise a much smaller portion of the global open ocean.
Delayed-mode quality processing remains near international benchmarks at around 60% of eligible profiles, which we expect to increase soon. Our process for Delayed Mode Quality Control (QC) of the data has been rewritten, consolidated and updated, giving a simpler interface with greater automation of the document and plot generation required to assess data quality and trends. This has been a significant improvement that will speed delivery of the highest quality data to Argo. Considerable effort has gone into the documentation of Argo quality control decisions for each float - now available via the IMOS Argo Facility web page ( http://imos.org.au/dataaccess.html ).
The IMOS Argo Facility website has been upgraded with links to technical monitoring and real-time monitoring pages, as well as links to the new global climatology based on the CSIRO Atlas of Regional Seas (CARS) method using the Argo data set.
A single float was recovered this year, returned to CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research (CMAR) when the wife of a fisherman saw a television program about Argo and realized that they had a float in their shed at Dover in southern Tasmania. This float failed on deployment and washed ashore on King Island. It is undergoing testing in our laboratory.
Description of activities undertaken to establish and operate the infrastructure Despite the rapid fall in the value of the Australian dollar, and because of conservative planning, this year we have ordered 60 floats (including 20 from CSIRO Science Investment Process funds as co-investment) and deployed almost 70. The infrastructure roll-out is proceeding to plan.
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Operational Changes: Implementation of Iridium communications During the course of the year, we deployed our first float equipped to use the Iridium Satellite system. The primary advantage of Iridium is that due to its high bandwidth compared to Service Argos, high resolution (2db) vertical profiles can be obtained from the float (1000 points versus 70 on Service Argos equipped floats). Iridium’s faster communications reduces surface times from 18 hours to 5 minutes, thus decreasing the likelihood of drift into shallow waters and biofouling. Communications with Service Argos is often patchy at equatorial latitudes, requiring very long transmission times.
Currently IMOS Iridium floats call into a modem bank at CSIRO with a backup bank hosted by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), in case of power outage in Hobart. Real- time processing software was extended to handle the Iridium data stream. Iridium floats are also capable of storing profiles on board so that if they get stuck under ice or fail to communicate because of bad weather, we receive the missed profiles when next they can communicate with the modem.
The main risk around dependency on the Iridium System is that unlike Service Argos, the company is not underwritten by governments. To spread the risk around commercial failure of the Iridium System, we therefore plan to convert only half of future acquisitions to use it.
Operational Changes: Pressure sensor failures and deployment halt Pressure sensor failures have again become a pressing issue for Argo. Recent batches of Druck pressure sensors used by Seabird Electronics on float conductivity temperature depth instruments (CTDs, used on nearly all Argo floats) have recently been shown to reach as high as a 30% failure rate due to an oil micro-leak inside the sensor. When this was identified, Argo called for all deployments to be halted late March/early April while the company and Argo engineers investigated the cause and potential solutions. The problem is now diagnosed and test procedures are in place to identify sensors with microleaks. Druck has amended its manufacturing processes to avoid the problems. A recall of installed CTDs on undeployed floats (800 globally) is underway. The Argo Steering Team is assisting SeaBird and float suppliers in prioritizing community access to ‘vetted’ sensors for deployments in hard to get to regions. Mark Underwood and Vito Dirita (Argo Engineers) have been in close contact with SeaBird and the University of Washington’s Dana Swift regarding the cause and solutions to this major sensor problem. Suspect sensor batches have been identified and we are paying close attention to the behaviour of these floats in the field, adjusting our treatment of their data streams as pressure drift errors are identified.
For IMOS Argo, several Ships of Opportunity (SOOP) deployments were suspended and floats returned to Hobart. We currently have 30 floats in the laboratory, 30 floats at the manufacturer about to be shipped and another 46 floats to be ordered in the near term. Eight of these are urgently required for a one-off deployment opportunity in the mid- Pacific Ocean on a repeat hydrographic long-line. We have made arranged for these to receive priority treatment to meet the cruise. It is anticipated that deployments will begin again towards the end of this year as CTD heads are cycled through Seabird for pressure sensor replacement.
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Operational Changes: Battery testing and full lithium installation We continue to re-battery all floats before testing and deployment. All IMOS Argo floats are now deployed with a full complement of load-tested lithium battery packs, in order to avoid the past float failures which occurred due to unreliable alkaline battery behaviour.
Global pressure bias issues Through participation in Argo data and Steering Team meetings, we continue to help Argo programs that use APEX floats in reprocessing old data with uncorrected pressure biases. To this end, Ann Thresher has assisted India in improving their data stream throughput and accuracy by the implementation of the Australia real-time Argo data software (and back-processing incompletely and incorrectly decoded past data). The key importance of the Indian Ocean for Australian climate means that maximizing Argo data output from this region is well worthwhile.
Outlook: Future deployments may double in the next fiscal year due to the enhanced IMOS EIF funding. Achieving these extra deployments will require some investment in shiptime for deployments in difficult regions. We are in negotiations with National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), New Zealand regarding a shared lease of the RV Kaharoa with the US Argo program. This cruise will secure deployments of hundreds of USA Argo floats, as well as Australian floats in the oceans around Australia. Achievement of these goals will be subject to how quickly the sensor and float manufacturer can clear the backlog of CTD heads requiring new pressure sensor installations.
Discussion level of cash and in-kind co-investment received against expected levels Contributions to IMOS Argo by the Department of Climate Change and CSIRO via the Australian Climate Change Science Program (ACCSP) underwent a slight cut due to flat- line funding and prioritization of the development of climate modelling system.
The ACE CRC continued to support an Argo QC expert this year – an unanticipated extension of an in-kind contribution.
CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research continued to support IMOS Argo with contributions of 10 normal and 10 oxygen-equipped Argo floats.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Providing research infrastructure o Details of new infrastructure In total, 40 floats for IMOS were ordered, though 20 have been held at the factory pending pressure sensor replacement – see the discussion above. This has not impacted on delivery of the infrastructure as we currently have adequate floats prepared in the laboratory to meet deployment needs. A complete list of deployments for 2008-09 is appended and shown in Figure 3.
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Figure 3: Locations of deployments for 08/09 (green ‘x’) and planned deployments: yellow ‘x’s are planned deployment positions for floats either in the laboratory or already on order, blue ‘x’s show the positions of 46 floats to be ordered as part of the new IMOS EIF initiative.
Coverage in the Coral Sea, North West Shelf and Southern Ocean has either expanded or will do so shortly when deployments resume (Figure 3). A further 40 floats will be ordered as part of the 09/10 IMOS funding and these will be deployed to further fill existing gaps in the Argo array, particularly in the Southern Ocean and central Indian Ocean. o List of data streams that are available for use in research The Argo Australia and international Argo real-time and delayed model data stream is available in several formats and at several sites: 1. through the IMOS Ocean Portal in the Argo netcdf format comprising profile files containing the pressure / temperature / salinity data in either real-time (automatically quality controlled) or delayed mode (higher level quality control including sensor drift corrections), metadata files with information about the float sensors and missions, technical data files in a new and improved format with standardized names for the various technical variables and trajectory files with information about float movements. 2. as Argo netcdf data files as per the Argo Data System (www.argo.net) – from the international Global Data Acquisition Centres at the USA Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE: http://www.usgodae.org ) and at Coriolis (http://www.coriolis.eu.org/). 3. profile data is available via a CSIRO matlab format from the Argo Australia web site (linked to the IMOS Argo facility page). APX A Facility Reports 1 Argo Page 22 of 156
4. available to all meteorological and operational centers via the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) GTS. o Outline the continuity of one key time series of data to be assessed against an appropriate benchmark for this facility. Through IMOS and with international partners, Argo Australia has maintained design density in the Australian sector of the Southern Hemisphere since late 2007 – the first region in the Southern Hemisphere to reach this goal (Figure 4)
Figure 4: Fractional coverage compared to Argo design density in open ocean (>2000m depth) regions. A fraction of 1 indicates optimal coverage. IMOS Argo aims to 1) keep coverage in the Australian sector near 1; and then 2) achieve adequate coverage in the South Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Meeting researcher needs o Ongoing and new research projects and PhD students using IMOS data This is a very difficult list to compile, as Argo data are now being used routinely by many researchers nationally and globally. Argo is also indirectly used by many groups via ocean reanalyses such as Australia’s Bluelink Reanalysis (BRAN), Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA), Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Oceans (ECCO) etc. In addition, we are providing a new gridded global climatology based on Argo and the CARS (Dunn and Ridgway, 2007) averaging method (links via Argo Facility website)
Research Projects: • Determining the ongoing rate of ocean warming and ocean thermal expansion and sea level rise – Domingues, Church, White and Wijffels, Barker, Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research (CAWCR) • Global Ocean Temperature Trends - Wijffels, Cai and Feng, CSIRO • BlueLink Ocean Prediction - led by David Griffin, CSIRO and Gary Brassington, BOM
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• Mixed-layer Structure and Biogeochemistry in Australia’s Sub-Antarctic Zone - Tom Trull, Brian Griffiths and Bronte Tilbrook, CSIRO • Ecosystem Modelling Team - Beth Fulton, Scott Condie, Donna Hayes, Eric Grist, Penny Johnson, Randall Gray and Roger Scott, CSIRO • Eco-space modelling applications - Cathy Bulman. CSIRO • Seasonal climate forecasting research and applications, Predictive Ocean Atmosphere Model for Australia (POAMA) group, CAWCR. • Dynamics of Antarctic Circumpolar Current – Steve Rintoul and Serguei Sokolov, CAWCR • Mean circulation around Australia – Jeff Dunn and Ken Ridgway, CAWCR • Annual and inter-annual salinity variations in the Indian Ocean – Helen Phillips (University of Tasmania, UTAS) and Susan Wijffels (CAWCR) • Mixing in Sub-Antarctic Waters around Keguelan – Bernadette Sloyan (CAWCR) Helen Phillips, (UTAS), and international partners. • Production of Sub-Antarctic Mode Waters – JB Sallee, S. Rintoul, S. Wijffels, (CMAR/CAWCR) • New global climatologies: Jeff Dunn, Paul Barker, CMAR
PhD Projects: • Determining changes in global ocean water mass properties with inferences for changes in air sea fluxes of heat and water. Kieran Helm. UTAS • Long-term Salinity Changes and its Relationships to Atmospheric Forcing. Paul Durack, UTAS • Variability of Sub-Antarctic Mode Water and Antarctic Intermediate Water in the Australian sector of the Southern Ocean, Laura Herraiz Borreguero, UTAS • New ocean inverse methods: Jan Zika, UTAS.
International Research using Argo on the Oceans Surrounding Australia: • Too numerous to list here - 121 direct Argo publications in 2008. See the Argo bibliography http://www-argo.ucsd.edu/Bibliography.html • Numerous publications also exist using ocean reanalysis data sets that ingest Argo.
Quality of research infrastructure o Benchmark against other similar overseas infrastructure Argo Australia’s technical performance continues to outstrip the global average in float survival and longevity (see float decay plots below). This reflects investments in careful testing and re-batterying before deployment.
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Figure 5: Benchmarking the reliability of the IMOS Argo array. Plots show the percent of floats deployed in a given year versus number or profiles achieved. Top panel is for IMOS Argo and bottom panel is for the global array (source: Argo Information Centre). IMOS Argo shows much higher reliability for all years past 80 profiles. In 2004 very few floats were deployed due to a sensor problem, which resulted in many floats being recalled and failing. Even so, IMOS Argo had a lower failure rate than the global array.
Figure 6: Timeliness of Argo Australia data (orange) compared to other centers (source: Argo Information Centre and MEDS Canada). Except for October 2008, Australia remains near international benchmarks.
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Fostering Collaborative development of infrastructure o Participation in international programs collecting similar data streams Argo Australia contributes to and participates in the international Argo program in the following ways: 1. helps guide, coordinate and improve the Argo program by participating in the International Argo Steering Team (IAST) meetings (represented by Susan Wijffels), as well as being a member of the Argo Executive team. IAST sets the scientific goals, guides the data system and oversees Argo implementation. 2. helps support the international infrastructure required by Argo - the Argo Information Centre (and technical coordinator) - required to track and coordinate the global array and satisfy issues surrounding international law under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and notification of float deployment near a country's Exclusive Economic Zone. 3. participates in the development and improvement of the Argo data system by contributing to and attending Argo Data Team meetings (represented by Ann Thresher), and Argo delayed-mode data workshops. 4. co-operates with partner Argo countries to assist in the implementation of Argo through - assisting the UK in monitoring the engineering data from the UK APEX array - auditing the global APEX data stream (60% of the global array) to check on how pressure corrections have been applied to Argo profiles, identifying errors, informing the relevant National Data Centers, assist in fixes, and leading an international working group on quantifying Argo pressure accuracy. - assisting the Indian program by providing and helping implement Australia’s realtime software, and will now also assist India in delayed mode processing.
All reports concerning Argo can be found on the IAST website at www.argo.net o Other collaborations • We assisted Dr. Helen Phillips in the preparation and deployment of floats equipped with electromagnetic velocity sensors for a mixing process study around the Kerguelan Plateau. These will shortly be transferred to the IMOS Argo project and become part of our Argo fleet. • We assist the IMOS Southern Ocean Timeseries (SOTS) Facility in float purchase and technical advice. • We assisted the US Argo program in deploying floats along a recent long-line repeat hydrographic section.
Fostering interdisciplinary and world-class research o List of publications using IMOS data According to the Argo Project Office, 121 peer-reviewed articles used Argo data in 2008, and 34 so far in 2009. http://www-argo.ucsd.edu/FrBibliography.html
Australian publications: • Cai, W., A. Pan and D. Roemmich, 2009: Argo profiles a rare occurrence of three consecutive positive Indian Ocean Dipole events, 2006-2008. Geophys. Res. Letters, 36:L08701
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• Boning, C. W., A. Dispert, M. Visbeck, S. Rintoul, 2008: The response of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current to recent climate change. Nature Geoscience, 1(12),864-869. • Brassington, G.B., P. Divakaran, 2009: The theoretical impact of remotely sensed sea surface salinity observations in a multi-variate assimilation system. Ocean Modelling, 27 (1-2), 70-81. • Schiller, A, P. R. Oke, G. Brassington, et al: 2008: Eddy-resolving ocean circulation in the Asian-Australian region inferred from an ocean reanalysis effort. Prog. Oceanogr., 76(3) , 334-365. • Oke, P. R., G. B. Brassington, D. A. Griffin, et al., 2008: The Bluelink ocean data assimilation system (BODAS). Ocean Modelling, 21(1-2), 46-70. • Gronell, A., and S.E. Wijffels, 2008: A Semiautomated Approach for Quality Controlling Large Historical Ocean Temperature Archives. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 25 (6), 990-1003. • Wijffels, S., J. Willis, C. Domingues, et al, 2008: Changing Expendable Bathythermograph Fall Rates and Their Impact on Estimates of Thermosteric Sea Level Rise. Journal of Climate, 21 (21), 5657-5672. • Domingues, C.M., J.A. Church, N.J. White, et al, 2008: Improved estimates of upper-ocean warming and multi-decadal sea-level rise. Nature, 453 (7198): 1090- 96. • Tomczak, M., 2007: Variability of Antarctic intermediate water properties in the South Pacific Ocean. Ocean Sciences., 3, 363-377. • Power, S. B., N. Plummer and P. Alford, 2007: Making climate model forecasts more useful., Workshop on Impact of Climate Change/Variability and Medium- to Long-Range Predictions for Agriculture. Australia Journal of Agricultural Research, 58(10) , 945-951. • Oke, P. R. and A. Schiller, 2007: Impact of Argo, SST, and altimeter data on an eddy-resolving ocean reanalysis. Geophys. Res. Letters, 34: L19601. o Details of participation in other conferences, symposia or workshops in relation to this facility • Argo Delayed-Mode Quality workshop, September 2008, Seattle, USA (Van Wijk – data expert, presented) • Argo Data Management Team, October, November 2008, Hawaii, USA (Thresher attended, presented) • International Argo Executive and Team Meeting #10 , March 2009, Hangzhou, China (Van Wijk represented Australia) • Third Argo Science Workshop, March 2009, Hangzhou, China (Van Wijk attended and presented) • Argo Australia National meeting, May 2009, RAN, Sydney (Wijffels and Thresher, attended, chaired)
OTHER MATTERS
Occupational Health and Safety Following on from last year’s note, we have implemented CMAR’s sea safety strategy for all Argo deployment voyages.
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Access and Pricing Argo data are freely available in real time via manual or automatic (machine to machine) download from either the international Global Argo Data Centers or via the IMOS Ocean Portal webpage. Both CSIRO and the BOM maintain automatic mirrors of the global data set for quicker access by their staff. CSIRO makes its mirror available via the IMOS web site. See list of research projects for usage. Argo data are also used indirectly via ocean reanalysis products that ingest Argo data (http://www.godae.org/Ocean-products.html )
Appendix 1: Details of all Australian Argo deployments from July 2008 – June 2009
launch date (yyyymmddhhmmss) latitude longitude WMO id 20070814072700 -17.43 161.95 5901626 20070817021300 -14.52 154.02 5901627 20070829201500 -15.10 104.73 5901628 20070830115800 -11.00 105.10 5901629 20070831085000 -8.00 100.80 5901630 20071015204200 -39.25 136.00 5901631 20071016112900 -38.50 129.98 5901632 20071017012700 -37.80 124.00 5901633 20071017133500 -37.00 119.00 5901634 20071114120100 -30.54 112.88 5901635 20071115090300 -27.19 106.56 5901636 20071115090000 -23.43 100.01 5901637 20071117152500 -19.28 92.80 5901638 20071118012000 -17.73 90.25 5901639 20071118130600 -16.26 87.59 5901640 20071118133300 -16.17 87.44 5901641 20071121182600 -6.98 74.61 5901642 20071122053000 -4.04 70.37 5901643 20071217084200 -44.87 145.53 5901644 20080108074200 -41.23 63.19 5901645 20080108164400 -43.00 64.11 5901646 20080113144200 -44.32 72.16 5901647 20080117121400 -47.87 76.78 5901648 20080221121700 -51.98 30.01 5901649 20080222024500 -53.00 30.00 5901650 20080223082000 -55.02 29.99 5901651 20080224140600 -57.00 29.99 5901652 20080407102200 -56.41 140.09 5901653 20080405044500 -53.14 142.02 5901654 20080410135900 -50.99 143.35 5901655 20080412155900 -48.33 144.54 5901656 20080414220200 -44.74 146.02 5901657 20080416145200 -33.15 154.00 5901658 20080417063100 -32.37 157.00 5901659 20080427212900 -24.91 164.99 5901660 20080430202600 -22.00 170.00 5901661 20080502145700 -20.67 172.00 5901662
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20080728233200 -25.04 62.00 1901119 20080729165600 -27.72 66.99 1901120 20080730083100 -27.36 72.00 1901121 20080731014900 -30.99 77.87 1901122 20080731134000 -31.97 82.02 5901663 20080803070100 -35.17 106.04 5901664 20080803210700 -35.71 111.30 5901665 20080810080900 -32.09 176.86 5901666 20080811044900 -24.13 177.49 5901667 20080924214400 -27.98 184.82 5901668 20081026184200 -20.57 60.00 1901123 20081027063600 -21.69 64.00 1901124 20081027211400 -23.06 69.00 1901125 20081028143500 -24.69 74.99 1901126 20081029043600 -26.03 79.98 1901127 20081029190400 -27.35 84.99 5901669 20081101131400 -33.40 108.50 5901670 20081105191300 -40.50 36.01 1901128 20081107032400 -41.91 43.68 1901129 20081107160200 -42.35 46.00 1901130 20081108201100 -43.41 52.00 1901131 20081109061500 -32.01 113.91 5901671 20081109160200 -44.12 56.00 1901132 20081109122800 -30.00 113.13 5901672 20081109142300 -29.41 112.90 5901673 20081110074300 -23.98 110.90 5901674 20081110105300 -23.02 110.54 5901675 20081110140600 -22.03 110.19 5901676 20081110235400 -18.94 109.10 5901677 20081111030300 -17.94 108.74 5901678 20081111110000 -15.38 107.86 5901679 20081111121100 -15.00 107.73 5901680 20081111165200 -13.52 107.22 5901681 20081111225700 -11.62 106.58 5901682 20081112050200 -9.73 105.94 5901683 20080618074000 -36.55 126.34 5901684 20081126042200 0.00 144.00 5901685 20081126090400 1.00 143.50 5901686 20081126134700 2.00 143.00 5901687 20081126182400 3.00 142.50 5901688 20081127003200 4.00 141.50 5901689 20081127063700 5.00 140.50 5901690 20081123180000 -43.90 68.12 1901133 20081124114800 -43.77 68.73 1901134 20081126052000 -44.02 72.22 1901135 20081225015900 -59.10 142.74 5901691 20081225235000 -54.88 144.33 5901692 20081226195500 -51.00 145.48 5901693 20081231054400 -36.00 112.77 5901694 20081231190100 -38.00 111.40 5901695
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20090101110800 -39.99 110.28 5901696 20090102072200 -44.00 110.02 5901697 20090103060700 -48.00 110.00 5901698 20090104035200 -51.98 110.09 5901699 20090128165000 -37.84 161.51 5901700 20090129132300 -38.83 166.01 5901701 20090217020600 -34.00 190.00 5901702 20090219150300 -30.00 189.99 5901703 20090221211100 -25.99 190.02 5901704 20090220015200 -49.07 146.02 5901705 20090220212800 -53.02 144.87 5901706 20090221055500 -57.08 143.17 5901707 20090224095300 -22.15 190.01 5901708 20090409025800 -44.20 146.45 5903218 20090424051800 -13.00 120.02 5903219 20090424143700 -13.25 118.50 5903220 20090425053900 -13.50 116.01 5903221
20090425120400 -13.75 115.01 5903222
20090425202600 -14.02 114.00 5903223
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Facility: Enhanced Measurements from Ships of Opportunity (SOOP)
Facility Leader: Ken Ridgway
Contact details: Phone: 03 622325226 Email: [email protected]
Sub-facility Leaders: Sub-facility Abbreviation Sub-Facility Leader Operator
2a Multidisciplinary 2a Underway Ken Ridgway CSIRO Underway Network Network -XBT Ann Thresher -Biogeochemical (BGC) Bronte Tilbrook -Plankton (CPR) Anthony Richardson 2b Sensors on tropical 2b Tropical Miles Furnas AIMS research vessels Vessels 2c Sea Surface 2c SST Helen Beggs BOM Temperature Sensors 2d Research Vessel 2d Air-Sea Eric Schulz BOM Real-Time Air-Sea Flux Flux
UPDATE ON FACILITY
Overview of status of Facility
Specifics for each Sub-facility are itemized in the following sections. In this section, the status is summarized from a systems viewpoint.
1) Observing changes in the East Australia Current The high resolution XBT sections across the Tasman Sea (PX30 from Brisbane to Fiji, and PX34 from Sydney to Wellington) enable the transport of the East Australia Current to be monitored. This complements the CPR route along the path of the East Australia Current (EAC) (from Brisbane, via Sydney to Melbourne). This provides information on the distribution of plankton species along the EAC, and how they are related to changes in EAC strength. An important XBT section for observing the EAC, the Sydney to Wellington line, had to be transferred to another ship, the MSC Hobart, as the previous ship changed its route to go north of New Zealand. A successful partnership has been established with the new crew. In addition, a successful CPR tow has been performed along the EAC, after one failed tow. Samples are currently being analysed. This year, the Southern Surveyor has spent most of it’s time in the Tasman Sea, even stepping in to perform the Sydney to Wellington XBT line, while an alternative commercial ship was found for that route.
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2) Changes in tropical reef systems. The sensors and tropical research vessels provide a range of biophysical measurements in tropical Australian waters, including temperature, salinity, fluorescence and turbidity. The RV Solander spends most of its time in the GBR region, while the RV Cape Ferguson focuses on the northwest region (North West Cape to Broome). The underway systems on both of these vessels are now operational, but it is not continuously operating on the RV Solander, as it depends on the ship’s track and the availability of trained staff onboard. Operations on the tropical research vessels have been hampered by a shortage of trained crew, so they are working to identify and train an expanded group of underway system users, and streamline the operating system. It is expected that the AIMS Water Quality Group will regularly operate the systems on their longer voyages and will carry out validation activities on these trips.
This year, the RV Southern Surveyor worked extensively in the GBR region, providing complementary partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) and air sea fluxes data. Data from 2008 is now available.
The underway systems on tropical research vessels has been brought to the attention of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Agency Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) with regard to its potential for monitoring and studying regional water quality issues. It is expected that GA will be using the RV Solander underway system during their charter in the Kimberley coast region.
3) Changes across the Southern Ocean RSV L’Astrolabe is the most highly instrumented vessel in the Ships of Opportunity program, delivering XBT, CPR pCO2 and air-sea fluxes data as well as sea surface temperature for satellite calibration. This facilitates biophysical analysis of processes across the Southern Ocean’s water-mass and frontal systems. The pC02 system has been successfully deployed after some major plumbing work, and will be tested in the 2009-10 field season. Data will be available in real-time. However, RSV L’Astrolabe may no longer be able to tow the CPR due to occupational health and safety issues. Other options are being investigated, including collecting samples from the ship’s water intake. A fast repletion rate fluorometer has been purchased for RSV l’Astrolabe. The fluorometer is one of a suite of emerging more quantitative bio- optical methods, and provides direct information about the photosynthetic potential of phytoplankton. This deployment is a cost effective way to assess its utility against the full range of instrumentation on RSV l’Astrolabe, which will include plankton counts.
The RSV Aurora Australis also delivers air-sea flux data from the Southern Oceans, while it goes about its business to and from the Australian Antarctic bases, although not in realtime. This spatial coverage complements the repeat coverage of the RSV l’Astrolabe.
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4) Other developments of note In addition to RSV l’Astrolabe and RV Southern Surveyor, 4 ferries around the coast of Australia have been installed with hull contact SST sensors, delivering high quality real time and near real time SST to the GTS and eMII to support calibration of satellite SST in Australian waters. The Global High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) project combines several complementary satellite and in situ SST data streams together and delivers integrated SST products to the international research community. GHRSST is particularly interested in ship SST data from the data-sparse Southern Ocean and Western Pacific Tropical Warm Pool regions for both validation of satellite SST and diurnal warming studies (in Tropical Warm Pool).
Overview of status of Sub-facility
2a Underway Network XBT- SOOP/XBT has had a successful year after a complicated start. The ship we use for the PX34 high density XBT section from New Zealand to Sydney changed its route and came across the northern tip of the North Island instead of between the north and south Islands. This meant it didn’t cut the area of most interest. We had to use this route in October 2008 but used the RV Southern Surveyor transit from Sydney to New Zealand, which took the ‘right’ track, to carry out the section in February 2009. We have since recruited a different ship, the MSC Hobart, which uses the preferred route. This looks like it will be a very useful partnership with a very willing crew.
A highlight was getting Iridium transmitters fitted to all our XBT systems on high density XBT routes. The data is now received in real-time and sent straight to the GTS. In addition, it is now possible to receive text messages from the ship using the Devil system, thereby improving communications with our staff. We are still negotiating with BOM to get transmitters fitted to their systems but they are reluctant to make changes to a working system. All their data is transmitted in real-time using the Argos satellite system so this change is less urgent.
BGC - The partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) system on RV Southern Surveyor is installed and operating. Data are displayed on the web with updates every few hours. The data for 2008 is available through eMII and 2009 data will soon be delivered on a regular basis.
A new pCO2 system has been installed on RSV l’Astrolabe. Major plumbing changes were needed in 2008-09 to the underway seawater supply line on RSV l’Astrolabe. These were completed and appear to be working with some final testing required early in the 2009-10 field season. There were no plans to make these data available in near real-time as on Southern Surveyor. However, we will add this capability in 2009-10. Data formats are finalised and data for 2009-10 should be delivered on time to eMII.
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Figure 1: Southern Surveyor tracks, showing where pCO2 have been collected.
CPR - The first tow of the CPR from the ANL Windarra in April 2009 resulted in damage to the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) sourced unit and no data resulted from this tow. The exact cause of the failure could not be completely determined, but rough seas, the way the instrument was deployed, possible limitations of the unit and debris in the water may have all played a part. It was thus decided to use a North Atlantic CPR for the next deployment, which occurred in 27-30 June 2009, when two tows were successfully completed from Brisbane to Sydney, and Sydney to Melbourne. Sample sorting will begin at the end of July and the next deployment on the ANL Windarra occurred on 26 July 2009.
Several tows were completed in the Southern Ocean behind the RSV Aurora Australis. Unfortunately it looks likely that RSV L’Astrolabe can not be used to tow a CPR because of the occupational health and safety issues with deploying the device off the rear of the vessel. Other options for collecting plankton data from this ship are currently being investigated including collecting plankton from the ship’s water intake system.
2b Tropical Vessels RV Cape Ferguson: The underway system was installed and commissioned in February 2008. Underway testing was carried out with collection of validation samples. The system is now being used on an irregular basis, depending on the ship’s cruise track and scientific crew aboard. Additional users are being trained. The operations software has been upgraded to make the system easier to use. The logging computer has also been
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interfaced to the ship’s network to allow remote access (operation, testing, data downloads) via the ship’s 3G phone connection when in phone range.
RV Solander: The underway system was first used in June 2009. Data was collected on transit between Scott Reef and Broome, and initial validation samples were collected. The installation process was slow due to the remote location of the vessel (Broome, Scott Reef, North West Cape) for much of the year, the large number of sea days and the necessity to fit IT infrastructure and survey-compliant wiring and plumbing to a new vessel. Minor problems with plumbing are currently being repaired. Documentation for operation of the system is currently being prepared.
The AIMS Data Centre has commissioned the local data system (version 1) for the underway temperature / salinity / chlorophyll data collected on AIMS vessels to handle the initial data storage, assimilation and processing, from which it will be transmitted to the eMII. The system is being used and tested locally. Further testing by remote users is required to check robustness and operational ease.
2c SST The SOOP Sea Surface Temperature (SST) sensors sub-facility made great progress in 2008/09. The sub-facility has facilitated six Australian vessels to contribute real-time and near real-time, high-quality, QA'd SST data to the Global Telecommunications System (GTS) and to IMOS eMII. The data is being used in the Bureau's operational SST analyses and to validate the operational ocean forecasts (OceanMAPS). We plan for the data to be used in 2009 for operational validation of the Bureau's satellite SST products. Through it’s availability in near real-time on the GTS, the data are already being ingested into many international data bases, satellite validation systems and operational systems.
Initial assessment of data from two of the temperature sensors (Sea Bird Electronics (SBE) 3 on RV Southern Surveyor and SBE 48 on MV Spirit of Tasmania II) using a three-way comparison between ship SST, satellite Advanced Along Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) SST and drifting and moored buoy SST indicates comparable or lower errors than those available from drifting buoys. Although further tests are required, it would appear that the new IMOS ship SST data streams are suitable for calibration and/or validation of satellite SST observations, thereby considerably increasing the spatial and temporal coverage of available validation data.
BOM (Helen Beggs/Alan Thomas/Martin Buggellen): During the last 12 months two SBE 48 hull-contact temperature sensors have been successfully installed on the Bass Strait Ferry (MV Spirit of Tasmania II) on 10 December 2008 and MV Portland on 20 June 2009. The hourly SST data are routinely QC’d and available in real-time to the GTS and eMII. Work is underway to install hull-contact sensors on MV Highland Chief and MV Stadacona.
BOM/CMAR (Helen Beggs/Matt Sherlock/Alan Thomas/Ruslan Verein): Since 30 December 2008, the hourly SST observations from the CMAR-owned SBE 38 sensor on
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RV L’Astrolabe have been routinely sent to BOM in real-time. The hourly SST data is QC’d and supplied to the GTS and eMII in the appropriate formats.
BOM/CMAR (Helen Beggs/Eric Schulz/Mark Underwood/Ruslan Verein): Since 4 February 2008, CMAR has supplied one minute averaged SST data from an SBE 3 temperature sensor installed in the thermosalinograph intake pipe on the RV Southern Surveyor. These data are transmitted to BOM every 6 hours where they are QC’d and reformatted into Trackob format for the GTS and netCDF format for the eMII. This work is done in collaboration with Eric Schulz’ IMOS 2d sub-facility. Supplying the RV Southern Surveyor SST data to the GTS in near real-time in Trackob format has enabled the high-quality SST data to be ingested into various data bases around the world which store real-time thermosalinograph data (eg. Fisheries and Oceans Canada Integrated Science Data Management website at http://www.meds-sdmm.dfo- mpo.gc.ca/MEDS/Databases/TrackOB/Trackob_e.htm).
CMAR (Ian Barton): The Rottnest Island Ferry (MV SeaFlyte) has been routinely transmitting SST data daily to the Bureau since 23 September 2008. At the Bureau, the data are QC’d and converted into one minute averaged Trackob files and sent to the GTS. The data are also sent to eMII in their netCDF format.
AIMS (Craig Steinberg/Mike Mahoney): Currently re-calibrating the bulk SST and radiometer sensors which were installed on the Whitsunday Ferry since November 2008. The two sensors will be re-installed on the ferry by mid-August 2009 and near real-time data transmission system to eMII via BOM should commence by end of Aug 2009. Delayed mode radiometer and engine intake temperatures back to 20 November 2008 have already been sent to BOM where they have been QC’d, reformatted to eMII netCDF format and supplied to eMII.
2d Air-Sea Flux The sub-facility has successfully provided a real-time, quality assured data stream from the research vessel Southern Surveyor for the last 12 months. The RV Aurora Australis was unable to provide real-time data over the last year.
Description of activities undertaken to establish and operate the infrastructure 2a Underway Network XBT - 4 voyages were undertaken on each of the Tasman Sea lines in the year 2008-09. Each returned excellent data. 6 sections have been carried out by volunteers on the Southern Ocean line using RSV l’Astrolabe – again, the data was excellent despite some gaps caused by adverse weather. Our partners Scripps Institute of Oceanography and BOM have similarly occupied the sections they provide as co-investment, completing the operational plan.
BGC - The main instrumentation (pCO2) was installed and made to function on both ships. A need to fix the seawater supply lines on RSV l’Astrolabe with the installation of new stainless steel lines and commercial debubblers caused some delays, but these have been overcome. The instrumentation installed on RSV l’Astrolabe is also being integrated
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with the ship’s scientific network to make transmission of the data each day a possibility. This will be tested in 2009-10 and is an enhancement over the original proposal. The RV Southern Surveyor’s seawater supply line is workable, but not optimal due to a long travel time between the intake and instrumentation. We have worked with the engineers to reduce this travel time, but it has not been successful because the ship is so old nobody can work out the flow paths for the seawater line. In August 2009, when the ship is in Hobart we will be working on testing the pressure and flow from the same water line that flows to the ship’s thermosalinograph. This will be a much better supply.
Long discussions were held to establish and conform to the data reporting requirements for eMII and these data are now being delivered as requested.
Bronte Tilbrook attended a meeting sponsored by United Nations Environment Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)/International Oceanographic Commission and National Institute of Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan, on the variability on surface ocean pCO2 in the Pacific Ocean. He gave a presentation on the IMOS work being done on Southern Surveyor.
Some of the Southern Surveyor pCO2 measurements made through IMOS were discussed in a media story on ABC’s ‘The 7.30 Report’ (August 4, 2008), featuring Bronte Tilbrook.
A technician to maintain equipment and reduce data has been employed
CPR - We have developed a new microscope for phytoplankton counting.
2b Tropical Vessels The RV Cape Ferguson underway system is now fully operational. It is expected that after minor repairs, the RV Solander underway system will be fully operational in August 2009. Intermittent IT work is being undertaken to improve the operation of the systems and make them available for remote checking and operation via the ships 3G phone system when in phone range.
We are working to identify and train an expanded group of underway system users. It is expected that the AIMS Water Quality Group will regularly operate the systems on their longer voyages and will carry out validation activities on these trips.
In the case of the GBR, we are now bringing the underway system to the attention of GBRMPA with regard to its potential for monitoring and studying regional water quality issues. It is expected that GA will be using the RV Solander underway system during their charter in the Kimberley coast region. At the present time, the RV Cape Ferguson system is not involved in Great Barrier Reef Ocean Observing System (GBROOS) work as the mooring group undertakes its voyages from larger chartered vessels.
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2c SST Dr Helen Beggs presented a poster on the IMOS SOOP SST Sensors at the 9th International Conference on Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography in Melbourne, 9-13 February 2009 and the Global High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) User Symposium in Santa Rosa, USA, 28-29 May 2009.
Dr Beggs gave a presentation at the 10th GHRSST Science Team Meeting (1-5 June 2009) in Santa Rosa, describing the IMOS ship SST products which will be provided to GHRSST via the Global Telecommunications System (GTS) and eMII. GHRSST is particularly interested in ship SST data from Southern Ocean and Western Pacific Tropical Warm Pool regions for both validation of satellite SST and diurnal warming studies.
2d Air-Sea Flux The sub-facility continues to work with the Marine National Facility to maintain the high quality data stream from the RV Southern Surveyor. This includes scheduling of instrument calibration activities and providing feedback on observation/instrument quality. The facility is working with the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) to expedite resolution of the current problems in the observing system. Some IMOS instruments were deployed in the second half of the last season, but there have been some issues with operating the instrumentation which has resulted in poor quality or no observations being recorded. The AAD is currently working to rectify these issues, and to also implement a solution to allow near-real-time data telemetry from the ship to shore.
Discussion of deviations from the Project Plan and 2008/09 Annual Business Plan o Additional activities undertaken 2a Underway Network BGC - a fast repetition rate fluorometer has been purchased for the RSV l’Astrolabe. The installation of this is planned for 2009-10. The instrument is difficult to make work under the conditions in RSV l’Astrolabe.
CPR -Training of staff - Gustaff Hallegraeff's phytoplankton taxonomy course. Visit to Sir Alistair Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science (SAHFOS) to train in CPR logistics by Frank Coman and Claire Davies. Training of Dave McLeod and Anita Slotwinski at SAHFOS in July 2009. Presentation of talk at Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics (GLOBEC).
2c SST A hull-contact sensor was installed on Southern Surveyor in Mar 2008 in order to investigate the performance of the sensor on a vessel in parallel with a calibrated PRT water temperature sensor. A study was undertaken for various cruises in 2008 to determine optimum installation for a hull contact sensor. This study has significantly benefited the 2c sub-facility by indicating the optimum installation for hull-contact sensors on vessels.
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It is planned to also install a hull contact sensor on the MV Cape Ferguson in parallel with the AIMS thermosalinograph for a similar study of SBE 48 performance on a vessel with a thinner hull than the RV Southern Surveyor.
o Agreed activities not completed 2a Underway Network CPR - Plankton tows not completed in April or May, but completed in June and July. 2b Tropical Vessels Installation of the R.V. Solander system was significantly delayed due to the full-time operations of the ship in remote northwest Australia. Broome and Exmouth are expensive and inconvenient locations to do instrument fitting when survey-compliant cabling and plumbing is required.
2c SST AIMS: Thermosalinograph not installed on Gladstone to Heron Island Ferry as planned, due to owners planning to sell vessel.
o Remedial action proposed, including timeframes. 2c SST AIMS: Sourced an alternative vessel whose owners are willing to have a thermosalinograph installed – Quicksilver Connections have catamarans going between Port Douglas and Agincourt Reef (72 km each way). Plan to have thermosalinograph installed by end of 2009.
Discussion level of cash and in-kind co-investment received against expected levels 2b Tropical Vessels Additional in-kind support from AIMS technical personnel (workshop, electronics) was provided to undertake the installation efforts to date
2c SST Co-investment of staff time from BOM and AIMS is 134% ($70k) above expected level, mainly due to additional effort required for testing equipment and installing on ships of opportunity.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Providing research infrastructure o Details of new infrastructure 2a Underway Network XBT -The iridium infrastructure (purchased in the previous assessment period) has been integrated with the Devil data recorder and installed on all high density SOOP ships. Data is now available in real-time via the GTS. We now have 5 transmitters that are rotated and installed on each ship when we carry out our high density XBT voyages. The total value of these transmitters is approx $4000, not including the costs of the transmissions themselves.
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CPR-Assessing North Atlantic CPR, 2 new microscopes purchased (1 IMOS funds; 1 CSIRO funds)
2b Tropical Vessels All hardware ordered and received. All shipboard pumping and plumbing infrastructure installed. Additional capital money to be invested in improving the drainage system on the R.V. Solander during the next yard period and purchasing appropriate spares for underway instruments.
2c SST Purchased remaining 10 SBE48 sensor units October 2008 (value $38,445). Location: One at AIMS for installing on RV Cape Ferguson. Nine at BOM. One on MV Spirit of Tasmania II and one on MV Portland.
Purchased 17 Digi XStream-PKG 2.4 GHz RS-232/485 RF Modems (value $6,290). Location: 8 at BOM, 2 with contractor, 4 on Spirit of Tasmania II, 3 on MV Portland. o List of data streams that are available for use in research 2a Underway Network XBT - The XBT data is organized by voyage and available through the IMOS Ocean Portal and eMII. Each voyage returns between 60 and 120 profiles, depending on the length of the transect. All data from the areas of interest is now available from 2006 to present and earlier data will be uploaded as time permits.
BGC - pCO2 data, and related ships salinity, SST and met data distributed in near real time and eMII are able to access this. Delayed mode QC’d data is sent to eMII from 2008, and is also being sent to international data centres in Europe and USA for distribution. The delayed mode QC data for Southern Surveyor will be delivered to eMII with some delay (few months after collection) due to the need to wait for calibrated ship data for underway salinity and SST. The l’Astrolabe data will be delivered in the same way for 2009-10.
CPR - Phytoplankton colour index (phytoplankton biomass), phytoplankton community (species abundance), zooplankton community (species abundance). All data will be collected monthly.
2b Tropical Vessels The instruments obtain underway observations of temperature, salinity, chlorophyll fluorescence, light absorption and irradiance. Raw and processed data files are available from the AIMS Data Centre.
2c SST Quality controlled SST from six vessels (four with auxiliary meteorological data) have been converted to eMII netCDF format and can be accessed via the IMOS Ocean Portal. The same data is also available in near real-time from the Global
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Telecommunications System (GTS) in a simpler format and at lower precision. Table 1 lists the vessels currently providing SST data to the IMOS Ocean Portal.
Vessel Callsign Data SST Sensor Data Data Start Sensor Depth Interval Uploaded to (m) (minutes) GTS RV Southern VLHJ 4 Feb SBE 3 5.5 1 6 hourly Surveyor 2008 (averaged) (Trackobs) MV SeaFlyte VHW5167 30 Apr SBE 38 0.1 - 0.5 1 daily (Rottnest Is Ferry) 2008 (averaged) (Trackobs) RV L’Astrolabe FHZI 30 Dec SBE 38 4 60 hourly 2008 (instantaneous) MV Spirit of VNSZ 10 Dec SBE 48 1.5 - 2 60 hourly Tasmania II 2008 (instantaneous) MV Fantasea Wonder VJQ7467 5 Nov EI4000.4ZL 0 1 TBD (Whitsundays Ferry) 2008 (radiometer) (averaged)
AD590 1.4 1 Daily (instantaneous) (Trackobs) MV Portland VNAH 20 Jun SBE 48 2 – 8 180 3 hourly 2009 (instantaneous) Table 1. Details of vessels currently providing QC’d SST data streams to IMOS and GTS.
2d Air-Sea Flux Meteorological and underway observations from the RV Southern Surveyor when the ship is at sea. 1-minute averages stored in daily files. Observations include wind, air and sea temperature, humidity, long- and short-wave radiation, pressure, precipitation, plus other observations such as PAR, salinity, and auxiliary observations such as ship speed and course etc.
o Outline the continuity of one key time series of data to be assessed against an appropriate benchmark for this facility. 2a Underway Network XBT - A good example of continuity is the Southern Ocean transects carried out by l'Astrolabe from 1992 to the present, resulting in a 17 year data set from an area where sampling is difficult. Over that time period, we have achieved 6 transects each summer with very few gaps. We believe this time series to be virtually unique and an invaluable tool in studying the Southern Ocean.
BGC - A Surface Ocean Carbon Dioxide Atlas is being assembled for all surface CO2 measurements in the oceans until 2008. This contains over 9.5 million quality controlled measurements and is the data set that will be used for long time series comparisons. It includes data along the l’Astrolabe track in the Southern Ocean since 1984 and data collected around Australia since the early 1980’s. The coverage in our region is sparse, but it will be invaluable for determining if long term trends are occurring in the ocean CO2 sinks around Australia.
CPR - The phytoplankton colour index from the CPR is a measure of phytoplankton biomass and will be assessed against satellite chlorophyll.
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2d Air-Sea Flux The meteorological data from the RV Southern Surveyor has been available in real- time for the last 12 months, or 14 months if we include an initial delayed-mode contribution.
Meeting researcher needs o Ongoing and new research projects and PhD students using IMOS data 2a Underway Network XBT • BLUElink Ocean Prediction - led by David Griffin • EAC Transport Studies - Ken Ridgway • SPICE - international project - study team led by Ken Ridgway and researchers from USA, France, New Zealand. • Indian Ocean Warming - Susan Wijffels, Gary Meyers. • Leeuwin Current Variability - Ming Feng • El Nino-Indian Ocean Dipole Studies - Gary Meyers, Ming Feng, Susan Wijffels • Monitoring the Indonesian Throughflow- Susan Wijffels, Gary Meyers • UTAS Phd student, Katy Hill, is studying the decadal and long-term variability of the South Pacific Gyre and EAC. Tasman Sea XBT data is one of the prime data sources. • UTAS PhD student, Laura Herraiz-Borreguero, is using L’Astrolabe data in a study of Sub-Antarctic Mode Water Variability Influenced by Mesoscale Eddies South of Tasmania. • Several papers have been published within these projects (see below).
BGC • Southern Ocean CO2 air-sea exchange – Bronte Tilbrook, Richard Matear and various researchers from USA (Princeton, NOAA), and EU (U. Pierre et Marie Curie and U. Perpignan, France, U. Bergen, Norway, U. Liege, Belgium). • Southern Ocean phytoplankton research – Simon Wright (AAD), Andrew McMinn (UTAS), Brian Griffiths(CSIRO), Gustaaf Hallegraf (UTAS). • ANU student, Merinda Nash using Southern Surveyor data on CO2 in a study of carbonate sediment dissolution. • Coastal CO2 data from Southern Surveyor used for determining the uptake of CO2 and acidification in Australia’s regional seas and the South Pacific. Bronte Tilbrook, Mareva Kuchinke, Richard Matear, Andrew Lenton, and international researchers. • The data collected on Southern Surveyor and l’Astrolabe will also be used for calibration of sensors at National Reference Sites and the SOTS time series site when the ships visit these sites.
CPR • Data stream will be available from Aug 2009. Other CPR data worldwide has produced multiple PhDs and nearly a hundred publications, so we would expect
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2b Tropical Vessels Data from the IMOS underway system on the RV Ferguson is being compared with data collected by manual sampling and remotely sensed ocean colour imagery.
2c SST • BLUElink Ocean Forecasting Australia Project: As each new ship SST data stream becomes available in near real-time on the Global Telecommunications System (GTS) it is automatically incorporated into BOM SST analyses and all other operational SST analyses using ship SSTs (Eg. Dick Reynold’s NCDC, Met Office’ Operational Sea Surface Temperature and Sea Ice Analysis (OSTIA), Canadian Met Centre). • SOOP SST data are used at the Bureau to validate satellite SST products, analyses and ocean forecasts. • UK Met Office HadSST long term in situ SST analyses • Group for High Resolution SST (GHRSST) research projects now use IMOS ship SST data available on the GTS (Eg. Met.No satellite SST validation at http://saf.met.no/validation; Meteo-France satellite SST validation)
Quality of research infrastructure o Benchmark against other similar overseas infrastructure 2a Underway Network BGC - The RSV l’Astrolabe has the best coverage of any SOOP line in the Southern Ocean for BGC measurements. The Southern Surveyor also provides the only regular coverage in most Australian regional seas. The systems on both ships use equipment and deliver QC data that conforms to the best practices available. Personnel involved with the IMOS data have maintained a leadership role in the international community of development of CO2 observing systems and setting standards for measurement quality.
CPR - Ongoing meetings with the CPR survey in the North Atlantic and Southern Ocean CPR (AAD) to adopt best practice procedures. We attended and contributed to the GLOBEC CPR Workshop to address QC/QA and global standardization.
2c SST Before IMOS commenced placing ship SST data in near real-time on the GTS, researchers and operational agencies had access to minimal ship SST data over the Australian region compared to the northern hemisphere oceans
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VOSClim ship data sets: Require data to be automatically QC’d and metadata provided (including depth of sensor).
Gustavo Goni is currently placing thermosalinograph data (daily in near real-time) on the GTS (see http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/phod/tsg/latest/tsgobs.php for a map of the last 3 months of NOAA thermosalinograph data locations).
Fostering Collaborative development of infrastructure o Participation in international programs collecting similar data streams 2a Underway Network XBT - As part of this investment, we have participated in workshops to assess the quality of the instrumentation and monitor changes through time. We also assist Scripps run its high density XBT sections in the Southern Indian Ocean. As part of the Global Temperature and Salinity Profile Program (GTSPP), we work with other groups to improve data quality and reporting. Further, as part of Argo, we and others partner to provide a complementary data set to the XBT data. Taken together, IMOS XBT and Argo are invaluable contributors to modeling, prediction and monitoring activities carried out both nationally and internationally.
BGC - Data contribute to UNESCO/IOC International Ocean Carbon Coordination Program (IOCCP) program to determine the upper ocean CO2 flux and variability, and the contribution to acidification of the world’s ocean. The IOCCP coordinate the international effort on ocean CO2, including data collection, best practices and data delivery and synthesis
CPR - AusCPR survey is affiliated with other CPR surveys globally (Southern Ocean CPR, North Atlantic CPR).
2c SST SAMOS: Shawn Smith (Florida State University) runs SAMOS (Shipboard Automated Meteorological and Oceanographic System, see http://samos.coaps.fsu.edu ). The Bureau is storing all IMOS met, salinity and SST ship data in SAMOS format.
GOSUD: Global Ocean Surface Underway Data Project based at IFREMER in France archives high quality, QC’d salinity and SST data from thermosalinographs on ships. IMOS contributes SST data from the Rottnest Ferry to GOSUD. See http://www.gosud.org
ICOADS: International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set (see http://icoads.noaa.gov/). IMOS ship SST contributes to ICOADS.
All SOOP GTS data goes onto http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/index.html The one-minute SST observations from RV Southern Surveyor and MV SeaFlyte have been appearing in near real-time on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Integrated
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Science Data Management website (see http://www.meds-sdmm.dfo- mpo.gc.ca/MEDS/Databases/TrackOB/Trackob_e.htm).
GHRSST (Group for High Resolution SST): The Bureau shall contribute the IMOS ship SST data to GHRSST projects to calibrate/validate satellite SST data.
2d Air-Sea Flux Contributing and collaborating with Shipboard Automated Meteorological and Oceanographic System (SAMOS) (http://samos.coaps.fsu.edu/html/).
o Other collaborations 2a Underway Network CPR - We are actively collaborating with the shipping company Australian National Lines (ANL) who are towing the CPR.
2c SST National Oceanographic Centre, Southampton (NOCS): Werenfrid Wimmer has the same hull-contact temperature sensor installed on Pride of Bilbao and has advised on installation of the sensor. Margaret Yelland has shared results of using SBE48 hull contact sensors on SOOP vessels.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute: Barrie Walden and David Hossom have shared results of using SBE48 hull contact sensors on ships of opportunity.
University of Colorado: Bill Emery has shared results of using other hull contact sensor systems on SOOP vessels.
Fostering interdisciplinary and world-class research o List of publications using IMOS data 2c SST Beggs Helen, Ruslan Verein, Hiski Kippo, Mark Underwood, Ian Barton, Craig Steinberg, Eric Schulz, Ross Hibbins, Alan Thomas, and Graeme Ball (2009), Enhancing Ship of Opportunity Sea Surface Temperature Observations in the Australian Region, Final Report on the International GHRSST User’s Symposium, Santa Rosa, USA, 29-30 May 2009 (http://www.ghrsst.org/modules/documents/documents/Final%20Report%20on%20th e%20International%20GHRSST%20User’s%20Symposium%20May%2028.doc). o Details of participation in other conferences, symposia or workshops in relation to this facility 2a Underway Network • Ken Ridgway gave presentation covering all 3 components at 9th Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography Conference, Melbourne, February 2009 • Ken Ridgway presented results from 3 components at Australian Marine Science Association Conference, Adelaide, July 2009
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XBT • Ann Thresher attended and chaired a session of the GTSPP meeting held in Hawaii in November 2008. • Ann Thresher and Alan Poole attended the National SOOP Coordinating Panel meeting held at RAN in Sydney in April 2009 where she presented several reports. BGC • Bronte Tilbrook, Pacific Ocean CO2 Variability meeting, Tsukuba, Japan, March 16-20, 2009. Speaker. • Bronte Tilbrook, Surface Ocean CO2 Variability Atlas (SOCAT) Meeting, June 25-26, 2009, Norwich, UK. Chair of Southern Ocean panel and member of Indian Ocean Panel. CPR • We delivered a presentation on AusCPR at the international Global Ocean Ecosystem conference in Vancouver (Canada) entitled ‘A new plankton observing programme: the Australian Continuous Plankton Recorder (AusCPR) survey’ (Anthony J. Richardson, Graham Hosie, Frank Coman, Claire Davies, David McLeod, Anita Slotwinski) • We also delivered an AusCPR presentation at AMSA in Adelaide entitled ‘The plankton observing system for IMOS: 1. The Australian Continuous Plankton Recorder (AusCPR) survey’ (Anthony J. Richardson, Graham Hosie, Frank Coman, Claire Davies, David McLeod, Anita Slotwinski)
2c SST Helen Beggs presented a poster on the IMOS SOOP SST work during the 9th ICSHMO Meeting in Melbourne, 9-13 February 2009, International GHRSST Users Symposium in Santa Rosa, 28-29 May 2009 and 10th GHRSST Science Team Meeting in Santa Rosa, 1-5 June 2009.
Helen Beggs presented a talk on Australia’s contribution to GHRSST at the 10th GHRSST Science Team Meeting in Santa Rosa, 1-5 June 2009 (see http://www.bom.gov.au/bmrc/ocean/BLUElink/SST/GHRSST10/Beggs_GHRSST10 _Australian_RDAC_Report.ppt ). This presentation included a description of the IMOS sub-facility 2c data sets.
OTHER MATTERS
Access and Pricing 2a Underway Network XBT - Data use is on-going. Data access through the IMOS Ocean Portal / eMII will make it even easier for researchers to obtain data from this facility in a timely manner. Access is free.
2b Tropical Vessels Will be implemented as data comes on line. The working assumption is that processed data will be made available as soon as possible and will be freely accessible through IMOS data centers. Raw data will be made available on request.
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2c SST The SST data from the AVOF and ferries will be freely available in real-time and near real-time via both the Global Telecommunications System (GTS) and eMII’s MEST (via the web). Australian researchers will access the data via the IMOS Ocean Portal whereas international meteorological agencies (eg. NOAA, Met Office, Meteo-France, Met.No) access the data from the GTS (for real-time SST analysis systems and satellite SST validation).
The BOM use the SST data in real-time for validation of satellite SST products, and assimilating into analyses and ocean forecasts. In this way, the data has a direct impact on improving the accuracy of BOMs ocean analysis and forecast system and its Numerical Weather Prediction models. The SST data will also be used for BOM and GHRSST research into diurnal warming of the surface ocean.
2d Air-Sea Flux Access implementation via IMOS and eMII web access.
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Name of Facility: Southern Ocean Time Series (SOTS)
Facility Leader: Tom Trull / Eric Schulz
Contact details:Phone: 03 6226 2988 Email: [email protected] [email protected]
UPDATE ON FACILITY
Overview of status of Facility Platform 1. SOFS - The sub-contract to design and build the SOFS mooring was signed on 23 February 2009. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) immediately commenced construction and have been providing monthly reports on progress. The sub-contract had a delivery date for deployment in April 2010. SOTS was awarded ship time on the SV Southern Surveyor for March 2010. WHOI will endeavor to meet the new deployment date, but cannot guarantee to do so.
Platform 2. Pulse - Two engineering test versions (Pulse 5H and 5L) successfully deployed Oct08-May09. Transmitted current, wave, and stress data via Iridium satellite network that revealed successful decoupling of sub-surface instruments from surface motions. Pulse 5H design selected for construction of operational version (Pulse 6) is on track for deployment in Sept09.
Platform 3. SAZ sediment trap mooring - SAZ-11 deployed Oct08 for recovery in Sept09 with 3 standard McLane conical sediment traps run in time series mode, and augmented with 2 new Indented Rotating Sphere sediment traps operated as in-situ settling columns to estimate in-situ particle sinking rates.
Platform 4. Tethered profiler - Tethered profiler will be replaced by frequent launching of untethered profilers to achieve higher reliability and additional spatial context. First 2 profiling floats on order from Webb Research not yet delivered owing to problems with Wetlabs combination fluorometer and turbidity sensors. Delivery originally expected Jan09, now expected late 2009.
Description of activities undertaken to establish and operate the infrastructure • Deployment of SAZ and 2 Pulse test moorings from RSV Aurora Australis in Oct08 • Recovery of 2 Pulse test moorings from fishing vessel Del Richey II in May09 • Transmission of float accelerations and load data from Pulse test moorings live to ftp site, and for download from eMII in delayed-mode. Accelerations demonstrated to provide useful wave heights and periods. • Construction of Pulse 6 operational mooring for deployment in Sept09.
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Discussion of deviations from the Project Plan and 2008/09 Annual Business Plan o Additional activities undertaken We deployed 2 Pulse test moorings (5H and 5L) to accelerate our development program. We developed a way to convert our Pulse engineering test motion reference unit acceleration data into wave height and period estimates and will thus be able to provide additional useful data streams from the operational Pulse mooring for use in air-sea flux and wave modelling studies. We worked hard to reduce the size of our Pulse instrument pack to limit mooring stresses and improve survivability.
o Agreed activities not completed and an explanation why they were not completed; and Remedial action proposed, including timeframes. The planned deployment of a tethered profiler will be replaced by the deployment of multiple untethered profilers because this is expected to provide both greater reliability and spatial context for observations from the SOFS, Pulse, and SAZ moorings. Two profilers are in Hobart ready for deployment in Sept09. Second set of two are on order with Webb Research but delivery has been delayed from original expectation of Jan09 because of faults with one of the fluorometer and turbidity sensors. The manufacturer now expects delivery in late 2009.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Providing research infrastructure o Details of new infrastructure • Pulse 5H $115,000 and 5L $110,000 test moorings, deployed in the Southern Ocean October 2008-May 2009. Reconfigured for deployment as Pulse 6 in Sept09 $320,000 • Two profiling floats received: APF9I floats with Seabird O2 sensors $56,000. In Hobart ready for deployment in Sept09. • Two profiling floats on order: APF9I with Seabird O2 sensors and Wetlabs fluorometer and turbidity sensors $58,000. • Construction of platform 1 – SOFS commenced. Spent $152,355 USD to end of May 2009.
o Data streams that are available for use in research Pulse 5H and 5L moorings 6 months of GPS positions, Nortek current meter data, Load Cell stresses, Motion Reference Unit acceleration data (including presentation as wave heights and periods). o Outline the continuity of one key time series of data to be assessed against an appropriate benchmark for this facility. Wave heights and periods from accelerometer data from Pulse 5H and 5L moorings – 6 months of data.
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Meeting researcher needs o Ongoing and new research projects and PhD students using IMOS data New project: D.Roberts, W. Howard, S.Bray, T.Trull, studies of Southern Ocean pteropods in the context of the advance of ocean acidification
Fostering Collaborative development of infrastructure o Participation in international programs collecting similar data streams Participation in OceanSITES program of global time series sites (www.OceanSITES.org).
Fostering interdisciplinary and world-class research o List of publications using IMOS data Moy, A.D., Howard, W.R., Bray, S., Trull, T., 2009. Reduced calcification in modern Southern Ocean planktonic foraminifera. Nature Geoscience 2, 276-280, doi: 10.1038/NGEO46.
Cubillos, J.C., Wright, S.W., Nash, G., Salas, M.F.d., Griffiths, B., Tilbrook, B., Poisson, A., Hallegraeff, G.M., 2007. Calcification morphotypes of the coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi in the Southern Ocean: changes in 2001 to 2006 compared to historical data. Marine Ecology Progress Series 348, 47-54, doi: 10.3354/meps07058.
o Details of participation in other conferences, symposia or workshops in relation to this facility • Presentation by SOTS engineer Lindsay Pender on SOTS design goals at the Office of Naval Research/Marine Technology Society/Buoy Workshop 2008 Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, USA, 4-6 March 2009 • Presentation by Chief Investigator Tom Trull on SOTS science goals and design parameters at Changing Times Workshop on Biogeochemical Time Series at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Nov. 5-7, 2008. • Presentation by Chief Investigator Tom Trull on SOTS progress at IMOS meeting at Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Feb. 16-18, 2009.
OTHER MATTERS
Access and Pricing Access implementation via IMOS and eMII web access.
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Facility: Australian National Facility for Ocean Gliders (ANFOG)
Facility Leader: Prof Chari Pattiaratchi
Contact: Phone: (08) 6488 3179 Email: [email protected]
UPDATE ON FACILITY
Overview of status of Facility
Highlights of the Facility are: • The full complement of ocean gliders: 4 Slocum gliders and 5 Seagliders were completed in August 2008. • The full complement of staffing is now complete. Staffing of the Facility now consists of the following: Chari Pattiaratchi (Facility Leader); Ben Hollings (Operations Manager); Mun Woo (data officer and Seaglider pilot); Christine Hanson (biogeochemical data); Dennis Stanley (electronics technician). Stanley started in January 2009 and Hanson in June 2009. • Regular deployment of gliders into the Nodes started in November 2008 and has continued throughout the reporting period (Figure 1 and Table 1 please view these at the following webpage http:imos.org.au/apr_anfog_figs.html). • 5 gliders deployed simultaneously in Western Australia (Slocum), South Australia (Slocum and Seaglider), New South Wales (Slocum) and Tasmania (Seaglider). • Development of real-time web based data visualization system for the display of glider tracks and data plots • Seaglider data available through eMII
Difficulties
One of the major problems encountered by ANFOG and also by other operators of Slocum gliders are water leaks. Due to the high water pressures that ocean gliders have to withstand while repeatedly probing deep into the oceans, it is of no surprise that water leakage has been an all too common problem encountered by gliders everywhere. A water leak midway through a glider mission usually spells the end of the mission and requires emergency retrieval of the glider. ANFOG now pressure test ocean gliders prior to every mission to ensure that leakages will not pose any problems. The pressure testing is performed at a local facility (Begley International) developed for oil and gas industry. The glider is submerged in water in a test tank, which is then pressurised to 290 pounds per square inch. The pressure valve is shut off, and the pressure in the test chamber monitored very closely using very high sensitivity sensors. Any minute water leakage in the glider is detected as a drop in tank pressure. The test is designed to simulate the ocean glider being at a depth of 200 m for 1 hour. ANFOG pressure testing commenced in March this year. All gliders which have been pressure tested prior to deployment have not leaked when put into operation.
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In terms of difficulties the main problem is still the inadequate communications between the Gliders – now limited to Seagliders and the base station. ANFOG is working with the local provider of iridium services, Fastwave Communications and University of Washington (the manufacturer) to resolve the problem.
It was anticipated that the maximum Seaglider deployments would extend up to 6 months. However, the Seaglider deployments to date have revealed that due to shallow depths (shelf-slope regions) and the addition of additional sensors, the maximum length of a deployment is 3 months. As ANFOG currently does not have the expertise to refurbish the Seagliders this has become a problem in terms of Seaglider turnaround. ANFOG has now arranged with University of Washington to undertake a training course so that ANFOG is able to refurbish (change batteries etc) Seagliders in-house thus enabling a more efficient turnaround of Seagliders.
During a severe storm at the end of June a Slocum glider deployed offshore from Two Rocks in Western Australia was lost. The Glider experienced communication problems at the peak of the storm, indicating some damage during the storm. Subsequently, the glider was communicating though the back-up Argos system which indicated the glider to be 2 km within the shoreline and this signal was also lost which led us to believe that the glider had sunk. Expeditions along the shoreline failed to find the glider. It is likely that the glider suffered some damage at the peak of the storm, probably further damage when it was transported across the limestone reef system prevalent in the region and then finally sunk.
Description of activities undertaken to establish and operate the infrastructure Some of the major modifications to the operations of gliders (e.g. pressure testing) has been described above.
All of the personnel within the glider facility have been appointed and now consist of:
Deviations from the Project Plan and 2008/09 Annual Business Plan o Agreed activities not completed and an explanation why not; Assessment of the national capability to use gliders
o Remedial action proposed, including timeframes. A report is to be delivered to the Director, IMOS by December 2009.
Discussion level of cash and in-kind co-investment received against expected levels No major deviations on the level of cash and in-kind co-investment.
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PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Providing research infrastructure o Details of new infrastructure 4 x Slocum Gliders, manufactured by Webb Research, USA ($ 380,937.85) 5 x Seagliders, manufactured by The University of Washington, USA ($700,909.45) All Gliders are located at the University of Western Australia
o List of data streams that are available for use in research The data streams that are available for the following glider deployments include: temperature and salinity with depth, dissolved oxygen, fluorescence, turbidity, and coloured dissolved organic matter.
Slocum: Fremantle: 20 January 2009 Harrington: 17 March 2009 Marion Bay: 28 May 2009 Port Stephens: 25 November 2008
Seaglider: Maria Island: 13 February 2009 Bicheno: 22 April 2009 Perth Trial: 10 February 2009
o Outline the continuity of one key time series of data to be assessed against an appropriate benchmark for this facility. Two Rocks transect, Western Australia, > 75% coverage.
Meeting researcher needs o Ongoing and new research projects and PhD students using IMOS data Glider data off Western Australia will be used by Thisara Welhena as part of his PhD thesis.
Quality of research infrastructure o Benchmark against other similar overseas infrastructure As mentioned above, the main operators of the gliders are Rutgers University, University of Washington (manufacture of Seagliders). We have established contact with both of these operators and have exchanged ideas. Rutgers University have provided software for the development of web-based visualization of glider data.
Fostering Collaborative development of infrastructure o Participation in international programs collecting similar data streams Ben Hollings participated in the European Glider Observatories workshop and glider school in La Spetzia, Italy, October 2008.
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Fostering interdisciplinary and world-class research o Details of public seminars held in relation to this facility Name of Meeting Location Dates Attendee/Title of Paper Presented European Glider La Spetzia, Italy 25-26 October 2007 Attendee: Ben Hollings Observatories Department of the Perth, WA August 2008 West coast currents and coastal Environment, Perth observations Charitha Pattiaratchi Institute of Marine Fremantle, WA May 2009 Ocean Observations using Ocean Engineering, Science and Gliders Charitha Pattiaratchi Technology seminar, Perth o Details of participation in other conferences, symposia or workshops in relation to this facility Name of Meeting Location Dates Attendee/Title of Paper Presented European Glider Observatories La Spetzia, Italy October 2008 Attendee: Ben Hollings Department of the Environment, Perth Perth, WA August 2008 West coast currents and coastal observations Charitha Pattiaratchi Fourteenth biennial international Liverpool, UK September Shelf and slope processes offshore physics of estuaries and coastal seas 2008 Fremantle, Western Australia (PECS) conference, Charitha Pattiaratchi Ninth international conference on Melbourne, Vic February 2009 Ocean Observations using Ocean southern hemisphere meteorology and Gliders Charitha Pattiaratchi oceanography (9ICSHMO), Institute of Marine Engineering, Science Fremantle, WA May 2009 Ocean Observations using Ocean and Technology seminar, Perth Gliders Charitha Pattiaratchi Global Ocean Observing System Perth, WA February 2009 Ocean Observations off Western scientific steering committee workshop Australia Charitha Pattiaratchi
OTHER MATTERS
Occupational Health and Safety ANFOG is fully compliant with the University of Western Australia OH&S. No incidents have been reported.
Access and Pricing No formal research activity using ANFOG data streams have commenced as yet. However, based on the NSW Slocum deployment a paper is been prepared by Mark Baird (CSIRO and UNSW). The data has been given to the researcher directly.
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Table 1 - ANFOG - SLOCUM Deployments Summary (14/08/2009) Deploy # Name Glider Location Deployed Recovered Distance Duration Casts Notes (km) (days) SL0001 TEST unit106 Fremantle, WA 03-Apr-08 05-Apr-08 - - - Recovered due to device error and hardware abort. Problem was caused by incomplete transfer of autoexec.mi file.
SL0002 WAIMOS unit104 Fremantle, WA 21-Jun-08 12-Jul-08 300 14 3350 Aborted due device error & overdepth. Following mission found leak had damaged electronics. Drifted at surface for several days before being recovered 65NM off Geraldton.
SL0003 SAIMOS unit109 Marion Bay, SA 16-Jul-08 24-Jul-08 147.30 5 2138 Aborted due to leak. Flew glider back in nearer to shore for recovery. Following recovery found that only one drop of water was present (leak occurred at sensor location)
SL0004 SAIMOS unit106 Marion Bay, SA Not - - - - Deployment abandoned due to Deployed faulty pressure sensor.
SL0005 NSWIMOS unit109 Port Stephens 25-Nov-08 11-Dec-09 1002.84 16 1484 Competed successfully. NSW
SL0006 SAIMOS unit104 Marion Bay, SA 15-Jan-09 05-Feb-09 518.39 21 3594 Competed successfully.
SL0007 WAIMOS unit106 Fremantle, WA 20-Jan-09 10-Feb-09 486.86 21 2937 Competed successfully.
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Deploy # Name Glider Location Deployed Recovered Distance Duration Casts Notes (km) (days) SL0008 WAIMOS unit106 Fremantle, WA 20-Feb-09 13-Mar-09 444.98 21 3225 Competed successfully. Lost starboard wing during mission.
SL0009 WAIMOS unit104 Fremantle, WA 13-Mar-09 27-Mar-09 347.57 14 2232 Competed successfully.
SL0010 NSWIMOS unit109 Harrington NSW 17-Mar-09 09-Apr-09 705.56 23 1721 Competed successfully.
SL0011 WAIMOS unit106 Fremantle, WA 27-Mar-09 02-Apr-09 - - - Aborted due to LEAK. Was recovered ~55NM WNW from Fremantle, WA
SL0012 WAIMOS unit104 Fremantle, WA 02-Apr-09 27-Apr-09 517.28 25 3939 Competed successfully.
SL0013 WAIMOS unit109 Fremantle, WA 15May09 03-Jun-09 379.99 19 4300 Competed successfully.
SL0014 SAIMOS unit104 Marion Bay, SA 28May09 24-Jun-09 599.77 27 days 3712 Competed successfully.
SL0015 WAIMOS unit130 Fremantle, WA 03-Jun-09 25-Jun-09 459.34 22 3914 Competed successfully, but glider damaged on recovery
SL0016 WAIMOS unit109 Fremantle, WA 25-Jun-09 - - - - Glider lost during a storm.
SL0017 WAIMOS unit106 Fremantle, WA 29-Jul-09 11-Aug-09 194.8 13 2083 Battery ran flat quickly, appears to be due to a faulty brake in the ballast motor. Altimeter also not performing well.
SL0018 WAIMOS unit106 Fremantle, WA TBC
SL0019 SAIMOS unit104 Marion Bay, SA TBC
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Facility: Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Facility
Facility Leader: Dr. Stefan B. Williams
Contact: Phone: 02 9351 8152 Email: [email protected]
UPDATE ON FACILITY
Overview of status of Facility
The IMOS AUV Facility continues to meet its objectives of providing AUV support to the marine science community. The AUV has operated successfully on four major cruises with the support of IMOS over the 2008/2009 timeframe, with a focus on coastal waters off Tasmania and at Scott Reef in Western Australia (WA). These deployments have been undertaken in collaboration and with support from TAFI, UTAS and AIMS. The vehicle itself has repeatedly demonstrated its capacity to collect precisely georeferenced high resolution, near bottom imagery and multibeam data combined with water column measurements of conductivity, temperature, chlorophyll-a, CDOM and turbidity. Our team of engineers has worked well on- board various ships, including the RV Challenger operated by TAFI and the RV Solander operated by AIMS. Figure 1 - For a map of the deployments please refer to the webpage http:imos.org.au/apr_auv_figs.html.
We continue to streamline the data management process. We have developed tools to deliver data using the NetCDF formats requested from eMII and have met with data facilitators on a number of occasions to identify how best to manage and serve the large volumes of image data collected by the vehicle. We have delivered the first Tasmanian dataset from October 2008 as a test case for data delivery and wider dissemination. This data is available through the IMOS Ocean Portal and we are now working on delivery of remaining datasets. All cruises over the 2008/2009 timeframe have resulted in the delivery of a complete post-processed data set to cruise leaders at the conclusion of operations.
Description of activities undertaken to establish and operate the infrastructure
Over the past year, the IMOS AUV Facility has worked closely with a number of groups around the country. Deployments during this period include:
Tasmania (Barrett, Lucier - TAFI; Johnson, Ling - UTAS) The primary objective of this work was to describe biological assemblages associated with rocky reef systems in deep shelf waters on the Tasman Peninsula in SE Tasmania and in the Huon, Freycinet and Bruny Island Marine Protected Areas (MPA), providing a record of community composition at or near the time of designation of these MPAs. Detailed multibeam sonar bathymetry data were previously collected by Geoscience Australia (GA) to provide high-resolution digital elevation maps of the study areas. These maps were used to determine suitable AUV survey locations. At each location, multiple reefs were surveyed at a range of depths from approximately 50 m to 100 m depth. Dive profiles were designed to provide sufficient replication to quantitatively determine abundances of key species/features within depth strata, within reefs, between reefs
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(km to 100 km scale), and between differing levels of reef complexity. The AUV deployments were part of a multi-disciplinary experimental program to analyse the covariance of co-located fine-resolution seabed habitat data, provided by the EM3002 multibeam sonar coverage, and biological datasets collected at similar spatial scales by Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), Baited Remote Underwater Video systems, towed video and the AUV. This program was undertaken with UTAS and GA as part of the Marine Biodiversity Research Hub, a collaborative program funded under the Commonwealth Government's Commonwealth Environmental Research Facilities Program. In addition, the AUV completed high resolution, full seafloor coverage day and night dives at St Helens in the North East to document nocturnal feeding habits of the sea urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii whose poleward extension has had a significant impact on kelp beds in the North East of Tasmania. • Tasmania 10/2008 – Tasman Peninsula, Fortescue Bay, Port Arthur channel, Huon MPA; 19 dives over 10 days of operations • Tasmania 03/2009 – Scallop fisheries at Maria Island, Freycinet MPA; 9 dives over 5 days of operations; this trip ended prematurely with the grounding of the R/V Challenger. A shackle securing the anchor to the anchor chain gave way and the ship blew onto rocks, destroying the Ultra-Short Baseline (USBL) transceiver affixed to the ship that is used to track the AUV while it is underway. This equipment was replaced using funding from the University of Sydney and a claim has been lodged with the University of Tasmania to recover the costs as the ship was being operated by TAFI. A planned deployment in SA with SARDI was rescheduled as a consequence of this incident and we are looking into the availability of ship time to complete the proposed SA deployments. • Tasmania 06/2009 – Scallop fisheries at Maria Island, Freycinet MPA, St Helens urchin barrens, Bruny Island MPA; 18 dives over 7 days of operations.
Figure 2 - please refer to the webpage http:imos.org.au/apr_auv_figs.html.
Scott Reef, WA (Heyward, Cooper, Radford, Colquhoun - AIMS) The primary objective of this work was to describe biological assemblages associated with deep coral reef systems at Scott Reef in WA. A significant proportion of South Scott Reef and the adjacent lagoon lies in waters between 30 m to 70 m deep that support a range of habitats similar to many of the submerged shoal systems strung along the edge of the continental shelf in the Timor Sea. The South Scott Reef lagoon covers 300 km2 and is the largest area of this type observed on a single reef system in the northwest region. Understanding the nature and dynamics of these deeper water areas will not only better describe the true extent of Australia’s tropical reef resources, but will contribute to a broader understanding of the overall resilience of coral reefs in the northwest region. Scientific diving effort supporting a number of long term monitoring sites at Scott Reef is strongly biased towards depths of 20 m or less, with very few investigations on coral reefs venturing beyond 30 m.
Remote sampling approaches are required to explore areas such as the deeper lagoon at Scott Reef. During the last decade a few surveys using simple towed video and small ROVs have begun to be used to survey the deeper South Scott Reef lagoon. The initial habitat maps derived from these surveys suffer from the coarse interpolation used to join a limited number of survey points. The quality of the video used has also severely restricted the taxonomic
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resolution possible, precluding accurate assessment of species distributions and has provided limited information for monitoring purposes.
Figure 3 - please refer to the webpage http:imos.org.au/apr_auv_figs.html.
In order to produce an accurate, high resolution habitat map of the deeper reef waters and to establish viable deep water monitoring sites, high resolution acoustic mapping using digital multibeam from GA was completed in parallel with collecting geo-referenced seabed images using the AUV Sirius operated by the IMOS AUV Facility and the existing AIMS towed video with high resolution stills systems. AUV deployments consisted of 19 dives over 12 days of operation onboard the RV Solander using a mix of survey designs and illustrated the vehicle's reliability and versatility as a complementary habitat characterisation tool: • Long (4 km to 8 km) transects along seafloor gradients designed to document coral reef communities beyond diving depths in depths from 30m to 110m • Large scale (km2), sparse grids to determine spatial variability in habitat structure. • Small-scale (2500-4000 m2), repeated contiguous coverage mapping for the establishment of potential long term monitoring sites. On several occasions the vehicle operated beyond tracking range of the supporting vessel for extended periods facilitating the execution of other scientific objectives, particularly swath bathymetric mapping of the Scott Reef lagoon.
In addition to supporting the scientific activities as part of the deployments outlined above, the IMOS AUV Facility personnel have made significant improvements to techniques for sensor calibration, operation of the vehicle and data processing tools. Improved calibration procedures for vehicle and ship-based instruments has increased the quality and consistency of the resulting habitat models and the precision of the georeferenced data products. • Stereo imagery – the quality of the seafloor models derived from the stereo cameras onboard the vehicle relies heavily on the quality of the stereo calibration as well as the methods used to account for variability in the lighting as a consequence of variation in height above the seafloor. Calibration procedures identify lens distortion parameters as well as the position of the cameras relative to the navigation reference frame of the vehicle. Methods for completing these calibrations have been refined. • Multibeam – The multibeam sonar must be tuned to identify settings appropriate for operating the sonar at very low altitude when collecting imagery as well as during higher transits aimed at collecting broader scale multibeam bathymetry. Tools for generating bathymetric profiles based on the vehicle navigation solution and multibeam swaths have also been developed, as well as tools for calibrating the sonar's position on the vehicle. Together these have enabled the generation of small-scale bathymetric maps of 0.1 m to 0.2 m grid resolution. • Conductivity and Temperature– The vehicle’s sensor was sent to CSIRO for calibration in September 2008. • Multi-spectral Fluorometer (chlorophyll-a, CDOM and turbidity) – Discussions with the manufacturer (WetLabs Inc.) indicate their Ecopuck line of sensors generally do not require calibration after the first year of operation. We have been advised of specific tests by WetLabs that we can perform in house to verify integrity of the data.
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• Navigation instruments – The techniques we use to identify crossovers in the datasets in order to enforce self-consistency in the resulting maps have been further refined. We have also improved the calibration of the position of the Ultra Short Baseline acoustic tracking system and navigation instruments installed on support vessels. A standard navigation check dive is now run routinely to ensure that all sensors are operating correctly and to refine the compass calibration. These improvements have enabled precisely geo-referenced and repeatable full coverage surveys of up to 50 m x 75 m in extent at selected sites in Tasmania and at Scott Reef in WA.
Promotional Activities • Department of Environment Water Heritage and Arts (DEHWA), Hobart, Tas, June 2009 – Meeting with marine park managers to describe the IMOS AUV Facility and discuss potential interest for Marine Park monitoring. • WHOI, June 2009 – Invited departmental seminar for Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering department • MIT, April 2009 – Invited seminar to staff and students at the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory • WHOI, April 2009 – Open seminar to staff of the Deep Submergence Laboratory presenting an overview of the IMOS AUV Facility activities. • Sydney Institute for Marine Science (SIMS), March 2009 – Public open day seminar presenting an overview of international AUV and ROV activities, including an overview of IMOS and the AUV Facility. • “IMOS AUV Facility: Looking ahead to IMOS-2.” Sydney Institute of Marine Science, March 2009. • ABC interview, October 2008 – The AUV survey work was featured in an ABC television interview. • CMAR, Hobart, Tas October 2008 – Open seminar to CMAR presenting an overview of the IMOS AUV Facility activities. • University of Washington July 2008 - Invited seminar to robotics group presenting an overview of the IMOS AUV Facility activities. • John’s Hopkins University, July 2008 - Invited open seminar at the Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics presenting an overview of the IMOS AUV Facility activities.
Discussion of any deviations from the Project Plan and 2008/09 Annual Business Plan • Agreed activities not completed and an explanation why they were not completed We had originally planned to deploy the vehicle in South Australia in early June 2009 by piggy backing on an IMOS moorings servicing voyage. However, the grounding in Tasmania and the loss of the USBL transceiver meant that we were unable to complete the proposed work there. After discussions with David Currie at SARDI and Neville Barrett at TAFI, it was decided to leave the vehicle in Hobart until the replacement transceiver was received and to take advantage of the availability of the RV Challenger to help in completing the work in Tasmania.
• Remedial action proposed, including timeframes We are working with SARDI to find an alternative voyage date to complete the SA survey work.
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Discussion of the level of cash and in-kind co-investment received against expected levels. We continue to rely heavily on in-kind contributions from the University of Sydney in terms of funding for the research staff who provide developmental support for the vehicle calibration and operational procedures and who participate in field activities. This support has grown substantially with the addition of Dr. Michael Jakuba who arrived in September 2008 and is supported by a University of Sydney fellowship for 3 years. Dr Stefan Williams, Dr Oscar Pizarro, Dr Ian Mahon and a number of PhD students have also contributed substantially to activities related to the Facility work.
Ship time is also an important in-kind contribution to the work of the IMOS AUV Facility. We have used 21 days of ship time aboard the RV Challenger in Tasmania in 2008/2009 with an estimated in-kind value of $105k and 14 days aboard the RV Solander at Scott Reef with an estimated value of approximately $210k. Approximately 1/3 of the time aboard the RV Solander was used for support of IMOS AUV activities, although we were able to take advantage of the autonomy of the vehicle to complete additional swath mapping on a number of occasions while the vehicle was underway.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Providing research infrastructure o Details of new infrastructure A new Global Positioning System (GPS)/Inertial system was purchased from Novatel ($35k). This is installed on the support vessel and tracks its position and attitude. This system is used to georeference the acoustic observations of the vehicle position while it is underway. This information is essential for tracking the vehicle and ensuring that missions are being completed correctly. We have also purchased a set of field computers used to process data in the field and providing for the storage requirements of the AUV activities. Additional equipment expenditures were mainly focused on vehicle maintenance and sparing of essential system components. o List of data streams that are available for use in research Management and delivery of the data streams produced by the vehicle have seen substantial improvements over the past year. Primarily spearheaded by Dr Duncan Mercer who is employed as one of the IMOS AUV Facility technical officers, this has resulted in streamlining of the data processing pipeline used to convert the raw data collected by the vehicle into geo-referenced data products. The pipeline is now largely automated, with manual checking of data quality and navigation. Fully processed data products are now routinely delivered to the partner scientists at the end of a cruise. We have worked closely with eMII to define the formats in which the data will be delivered and to explore mechanisms for serving the data sets through the IMOS metadata entry and search tool (MEST). • Stereo imagery – The stereo images are used to generate high resolution, texture- mapped seafloor models. These can be viewed using a 3D viewer that is delivered with the data set. Geo-referenced geo-tiffs of the full resolution colour images for
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Geographic Information Systems (GIS) use are also provided as part of the data product. • Multibeam – Cleaned and navigated multibeam swath data are delivered in GSF format and also as gridded bathymetry. The bathymetric maps are provided as Generic Mapping Tools grid files (GMT .grd, a type of NetCDF) for compatibility with a wide variety of visualisation and GIS tools and compliant with eMII specifications. • Conductivity/Temperature and Ecopuck measurements are all delivered in NetCDF format compliant with the specifications provided by eMII. • Dive reports – A dive report outlining the statistics of each dive (latitude / longitude of origin, maximum depth, distance traveled, number of images captured), the vehicle dive track, depth profile, conductivity and temperature and Ecopuck data as well as a selection of thumbnails of the images are prepared as part of the data processing pipeline.
Data volume depends largely on the number of dives completed during a particular campaign. We routinely collect in excess of 1 TB of data over the course of two weeks of deployment (with the vehicle collecting of the order of 20 GB of imagery and 500 MB of additional data per hour of operation). This results in an additional requirement for 1 TB of space for post processing. Data products delivered are on the order of 500 GB per campaign as we only deliver the colour images as geo-tiffs. o Outline the continuity of one key time series of data to be assessed against an appropriate benchmark for this facility. The nature of the AUV operations is such that we collect substantial amounts of data over a relatively short period during a particular campaign. Time series measurements will be assessed by revisiting particular sites at regular intervals to document change in benthic habitats and community composition over time. • Tasmania – data collected as part of our trip to Tasmania is being assessed for its suitability as part of monitoring programs associated with Marine Parks in coastal and offshore regions of the state. • Scott Reef – the objectives of the trip to Scott Reef were to collect data to be used as part of modeling work to assess the health and state of deep-water coral reef communities. A number of sites were surveyed at high resolution, targeting particular features and along the interface between coral reef and sandy substrate. These will be monitored over time to document change in these habitats. In Tasmania and at Scott Reef we demonstrated the ability of the vehicle to precisely re- survey small patches of the seafloor up to 4000 m2 in size. Provided an opportunity exists in the future to revisit these locations with the AUV, we anticipate these data will prove valuable for monitoring change in these areas.
Meeting researcher needs o Ongoing and new research projects and PhD students using IMOS data AIMS – Ben Radford, Jamie Colqhoun, Cordelia Moore, Tim Cooper, Andrew Heyward: Development and application of eco-physiological spatial models for coral reefs JCU – Tom Bridge (PhD): Topography, Substratum and Benthos Relationship on a Tropical Mesophotic Shelf Margin
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UTAS – Neville Barrett, Vanessa Lucier, Jan Seiler (PhD): Development of predictive capacity for describing deep temperate reef biodiversity using multibeam swath bathymetry and high-resolution imagery University of Sydney (USYD) – Oscar Pizarro, Michael Jakuba, Ian Mahon, Matthew Johnson-Roberson (PhD), Steven Barkby (PhD), Lashika Medagoda (PhD), Ariell Friedmann (PhD), Nasir Asan (PhD): Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping, Adaptive surveying using AUVs, Image classification and habitat characterization using seabed images Department of Environment and Heritage, South Australia (DEH SA) – David Miller: Habitat mapping of the St Joseph Banks Island group
Quality of research infrastructure o Benchmark against other similar overseas infrastructure While the quality of the imagery collected by the IMOS AUV Facility is comparable or superior to that of other world-class infrastructure overseas, our high-resolution stereo imagery and three-dimensional reconstructions are unparalleled in terms of size (area covered), geo-referencing accuracy, consistency and quality of the imagery and maturity of the data processing pipeline. Our ability to process the large volumes of data while at sea provides the scientific party with immediate feedback with which to plan further dives. Examples of vehicles overseas that are also designed to collect imagery of the seafloor and that routinely participate in scientific expeditions include: • WHOI SeaBED vehicle – the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution continue to operate their SeaBED vehicles from which the Sirius AUV is derived. They have recently added a pair of vehicles capable of operating to in excess of 4500m and have deployed these in support of various oceanographic expeditions, including searching for hydrothermal vents in the Arctic and on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and in Puerto Rico documenting deep-water coral communities. They operate on the order of the same number of deployments per year as is currently being achieved by the IMOS AUV Facility • ABE and Sentry – These vehicles operate in conjunction with the National Deep Submergence Facility (NDSF) at WHOI. They are intended primarily for deep bathymetric mapping off the continental shelf but are also capable of generating seafloor photomosaics. The optical imaging expertise of IMOS AUV facility leaders has been recognised by their inclusion in a NASA ASTEP program with researchers from the NDSF that will require enhancements to the imaging systems of these vehicles. Both ABE and Sentry are substantially larger and require significantly more logistical support to deploy.
Fostering Collaborative development of infrastructure o Participation in international programs collecting similar data streams Drs Williams, Pizarro and Jakuba are Guest Investigators at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Astrobiology Science and Technology for Exploring Planets (ASTEP) program “Autonomous Exploration, Discovery, and Sampling of Life in Extreme Deep Sea Environments:” Drs. Williams, Pizarro, and Jakuba are formal collaborators on this program administered by WHOI. Drs.
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Pizarro and Jakuba are participating in a month-long cruise with the Sentry AUV to the Santa Barbara Basin methane seep sites in support of this program in September 2009. Hybrid Remotely Operated Vehicle Nereus sea trials and deployments: Dr. Michael Jakuba continues to be actively involved in the development of this unique full-ocean depth (11,000 m) light-tethered vehicle and participated in the first dives with the vehicle to the Mariana Trench in May 2009. WHOI/Liquid jungle: Dr. Pizarro has led work on diver-based quantitative stereo imaging of coral reef habitats with collaborators at WHOI and WHOI's Panamanian tropical research station Liquid Jungle. Institute for Exploration/University of Rhode Island deep sea archaeology: Dr. Ian Mahon will participate in the deployment of various deep sea imaging and excavation assets in August 2009 in support of the discovery and archaeological excavation of Roman era shipwrecks in the Mediterranean
Fostering interdisciplinary and world-class research o List of publications using IMOS data • M. Johnson-Roberson, O. Pizarro, S.B. Williams, “Generation and Visualization of Large Scale 3D Reconstructions from Underwater Robotic Surveys”, Journal of Field Robotics, in press • S.B. Williams, O. Pizarro, M. Jakuba, N. Barrett, “AUV Benthic Habitat Mapping in South Eastern Tasmania”, Proceedings of the Field and Service Robotics Conference, Boston, MA, USA, July 2009 • O. Pizarro, S.B. Williams and J. Colqhoun, “Topic-Based Habitat Classification Using Visual Ddata”, Proc. of the MTS/IEEE Oceans, Bremen, Germany, May 2009 • S.B. Williams, O. Pizarro, M. How, D. Mercer, G. Powell, J. Marshall and R. Hanlon. “Surveying Nocturnal Cuttlefish Camouflage Behaviour using an AUV”, Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, pages 214-219, 2009, • S.B. Williams, O. Pizarro, I. Mahon and M. Johnson-Roberson, “Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping and Dense Stereoscopic Seafloor Reconstruction using an AUV”, Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics, Eds.: O. Khatib, V. Kuman, G.J. Pappas: Proc. of the International Symposium on Experimental Robotics, Athens, Greece, July, 5: 407-416 2008 • Mahon, S.B. Williams, O. Pizarro and M. Johnson-Roberson, “Efficient view-based SLAM using visual loop closures”, IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation 24(5):1002–1014, 2008 • O. Pizarro, J. Colquhoun, P. Rigby, M. Johnson-Roberson and S.B. Williams, “Towards Image-based Marine Habitat Classification”, Proc. Of the MTS/IEEE Oceans, Quebec, Canada, Sept. 2008 • S.B. Williams, O. Pizarro, J. Webster, R. Beaman, M. Johnson-Roberson, I. Mahon and T. Bridge, “AUV-assisted Surveying of Relic Reef Sites”, Proc. Of the MTS/IEEE Oceans, Quebec, Canada, Sept. 2008 • Webster, J.M., Beaman, R.J., Bridge, T., Davies, P.J., Byrne, M., Williams, S., Manning, P., Pizarro, O., Thornborough, K., Woolsey, E., Thomas, A. and Tudhope, A. “From Corals to Canyons: Exploring the Great Barrier Reef Margin”, EOS 89: 24, 10 June 2008
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o Details of public seminars held in relation to this facility • DEHWA, Hobart Tas, June 2009 – Meeting with marine park managers at the Temperate East Marine Conservation, Marine Division, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts to describe the IMOS AUV Facility and discuss potential interest for Marine Park monitoring. • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), June 2009 – Invited departmental seminar Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering (AOPE) department • The Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, May/April 2009 – Invited seminar to staff and students of the Systems, Control and Robotics group • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), April 2009 – Invited seminar to staff and students at the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), April 2009 – Open seminar to staff of the Deep Submergence Laboratory presenting an overview of the IMOS AUV Facility activities. • “IMOS AUV Facility: Looking ahead to IMOS-2.” Sydney Institute of Marine Science, March 2009. • Sydney Institute for Marine Science (SIMS), March 2009 – Public open day seminar presenting an overview of international AUV and ROV activities, including an overview of IMOS and the AUV Facility. • ABC interview, October 2008 – The AUV survey work was featured in an ABC television interview. • CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Hobart Tas, October 2008 – Open seminar to CMAR presenting an overview of the IMOS AUV Facility activities. • University of Washington July 2008 - Invited seminar to robotics group presenting an overview of the IMOS AUV Facility activities. • John’s Hopkins, July 2008 - Invited Open seminar at the Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics group presenting an overview of the IMOS AUV Facility activities. o Details of participation in other conferences, symposia or workshops in relation to this facility • M. Jakuba, M. Johnson-Roberson, O. Pizarro, S.B. Williams, “Co-registered multibeam acoustic and photographic mapping of benthic environments with an AUV”, Australian Marine Science Association Annual Conference, Adelaide, SA, July 2009 • M. Johnson-Roberson, O. Pizarro and S.B. Williams, “Towards Large Scale, Integrated Optical And Acoustic AUV Survey”, Underwater Acoustic Measurement, Napflion, Greece, July 2009 • O. Pizarro, J. Seiler, T. Bridge, J. Colquhoun, N. Barrett, S.B. Williams, “Towards image-based habitat classification”, Marine Geological and Biological Habitat Mapping (GeoHab 2009), Trondheim, Norway, May 2009 • S. Williams, O. Pizarro, M. Jakuba, I. Mahon, M. Johnson-Roberson, P. Rigby, S. Barkby, “Autonomous Marine Systems for Navigation, Mapping and Data Interpretation”, Marine Geological and Biological Habitat Mapping (GeoHab 2009) Video Workshop, Trondheim, Norway, May 2009
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• M. Johnson-Roberson, O. Pizarro, S. Williams, I. Mahon, “Large Scale 3D Reconstruction and Visualization of Stereo Surveys”, Marine Geological and Biological Habitat Mapping (GeoHab 2009) Video Workshop, Trondheim, Norway, May 2009 • M. Johnson-Roberson, O. Pizarro and S.B. Williams, “Large Scale Optical and Acoustic Sensor Integration for Visualization”, Poster at MTS/IEEE Oceans, Bremen, Germany, May 2009 • S.B. Williams, O. Pizarro, I. Mahon and M. Johnson-Roberson, “High Resolution Optical Surveying using an AUV”, AUVs: Future Technologies & Emerging Markets, Perth, WA, October 2008 • S.B. Williams, O. Pizarro, I. Mahon and M. Johnson-Roberson, “Habitat mapping using AUVs”, Second Australia-Japan Marine Science Forum, AIMS/Japan workshop, Townsville, Qld, October 2008 • T. Bridge, J. Webster, R. Beaman, E. Abbey, S.B. Williams, O. Pizzaro, E. Woolsey, K. Thornborough and T. Done, “Hexacoral and Octocoral Communities on the Unexplored Great Barrier Reef Shelf-Edge”, Poster at 4th ISDC Deepsea Coral Symposium, Wellington NZ, Dec. 2008 • T.C.L. Bridge, P. Bongaerts, N. Englebert, E. Sampayo, T. Ridgway, M. Rodriguez- Lanetty, S.B. Williams, O. Pizarro, J.M. Webster, and O. Hoegh-Guldberg, “Scleractinian Corals and their associated Symbiodinium on Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems of the Great Barrier Reef”, Poster Presentation, International Coral Reef Symposium, Ft Lauderdale, Florida, USA, July 2008
OTHER MATTERS
Occupational Health and Safety There have been no cases of non-compliance with OH&S policy or incidents resulting in injury or loss of life related to the IMOS AUV Facility activities.
Access and Pricing As outlined previously, we continue to work closely with data facilitators at eMII to determine how best to manage and serve the large volumes of data collected by the AUV. This data is currently delivered to the science party involved in deployments on external hard drives at the end of the cruise. A copy is also submitted to eMII for archival purposes and to be made available through the MEST. The Tasmania datasets collected in October 2008 are currently available and we are working to deliver the remaining datasets to eMII. Organizations currently holding IMOS AUV datasets include: • JCU – datasets from Great Barrier Reef expedition documenting drowned shelf edge reefs • TAFI – all Tasmania datasets are being used by TAFI • UTAS – urchin barrens surveys from North Eastern Tasmania • AIMS – datasets from Ningaloo and Scott Reef in WA are available on AIMS servers • DEH SA – the Department of Environment and Heritage SA have copies of datasets collected around the Sir Joseph Banks island group • the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole has copies of datasets collected at Whyalla relating to cuttlefish camouflage • the University of Queensland also have copies of the Whyalla data sets •
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Facility: Australian National Mooring Facility
Facility Leader: Tim Lynch
Contact details: Phone: 03 6232 5239 Email: [email protected]
Sub-Facility Leaders: Sub-facility Abbreviation Sub-Facility Leader Operator
6a Queensland & 6a QLD/NA Craig Steinberg AIMS, Townsville, Northern Australia QLD 6b New South Wales 6b NSW Moninya Roughan SIMS, Sydney, NSW 6c South Australia 6c SA John Middleton SARDI, Henley Beach, SA 6d Western Australia 6d WA Ming Feng CSIRO, Perth, WA 6e Acoustic 6e AO Rob McCauley Curtin University, Observatories Perth, WA 6f National Reference 6f NRS Dave Hughes CSIRO, Hobart, Tas Stations 6g Lucinda Jetty 6g LJCO Vittorio Brando CSIRO Land & Water, Coastal Observatory Canberra, ACT
UPDATE ON FACILITY and SUB-FACILITIES
General Overview Since the last reporting event the Australian National Mooring Network (ANMN) has made the major status change from predominately being a series of proposals to a national system of observations based around moored infrastructure. Deployment and recovery of gear and up-load of data from sub-facilities to eMII has occurred in SA, WA, NSW, Qld and Tas and from all sub-facilities except LJCO.
ANMN was a successful participant in the IMOS launch, being able to provide both delayed and telemeter data streams. The IMOS Moorings data processing toolbox and database were also launched to the IMOS ANMN facilities and nodes at Australian Marine Sciences Association (AMSA) in July 2009. The other pleasing result is the facilities commencement of publishing results with numerous conference papers presented at AMSA as well as at international conferences and in peer reviewed journals.
As would be expected from a major and multi-disciplined exercise that is moving from a start up to operational phase, a range of technical, resourcing and procedural issues have emerged.
Highlights 6a QLD/NA - The full GBROOS current meter array was deployed over 2 research cruises in September and October 2007 and has been services and redeployed every 6 months since. The array comprises of 4 pairs of moorings along the GBR plus an
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additional mooring north of Heron Island. The Yongala NRS has been operating with Water Quality Meters (WQMs) since May 2008 and with an ADCP since 2007. The surface buoy to allow real time communications has been purchased and delivered.
6b NSW - The Sydney mooring line has been in operation for 12 months. The two moorings are serviced monthly (SYD 100 and SYD 140). The deployments and recovery are going smoothly. Despite numerous difficulties with gear (see below) data losses were minimized by the loan of instrumentation from NSW DECC and RAN, as well as thorough inspection of all non deployed thermistors. The data set that we have obtained is beautiful!
6c SA - Fifteen 4-5 day field sampling cruises have been done and the sub-facility has now turned over the SA NRS providing a full year of current and CTD data. Four to six shelf moorings were maintained and retrieved for the November 2008-June 2009 period as originally planned. All have returned good data.
6d WA - This sub-facility, with WAIMOS, designed a system of shelf moorings at the Perth Canyon (3) and the Two Rocks transect. These have been built and shipped to Perth and the Two Rocks transect has been deployed. Both the Rottnest and Esperance NRS have been deployed and redeployed on a 3 month servicing interval.
6e AO - The 2008 Perth Canyon deployment covered the major part of the northbound pygmy blue whale season passing through the Canyon. We now have seasonal coverage for pygmy blue whales in the Perth Canyon for six of nine years. In May 2009 a second passive acoustic observatory was deployed off Portland, Victoria, on the shelf break.
6f NRS - The Maria Island NRS test bed has commenced telemetry reporting to the eMII site. There has also been the commencement of the expanded physical or biogeochemical sampling at most NRS sites. Version 1.0 of: “National Reference Stations Biogeochemical Operations – A Practical Handbook” has been placed on the IMOS web site. UNESCO has requested a copy of the final manual.
The roll-out of NRS Biogeochemical Sampling sites during the 2008/2009 fiscal year was planned for 6 stations to startup, with a further 3 during 2009/10 fiscal year. This was exceeded by 2 sites and thus a total of 8 NRS Biogeochemical sites were supplied with all sampling, post-sampling treatment and transport equipment, with the exception of a CTD for Darwin which is currently awaiting dispatch from the U.S.
6g LJCO - All the instrumentation has been acquired and the software and WETLabs Data Acquisition and Process Control System (DAPCS) has been undergoing testing and commissioning by WETLabs at CSIRO in Canberra. Real time operations with broadband NextG networking have been trialed at the CSIRO labs in Canberra. The site enclosure is currently being fabricated and due to be installed by August 2009. Several space agencies and earth observation programs have shown significant interest to work on the LJCO data stream for the calibration and validation of current and upcoming sensors.
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Difficulties Resources - there are inadequate resources available for servicing of the WA mooring array and bio-physical sampling. The deployment of moorings in WA has been halted till adequate resources are provided. Funds are available to provide more staff and position descriptions have been submitted to the Operator and await approval.
Governance - there is confusion over roles and responsibilities for data flows, especially for the NRS. To alleviate this, it is planned to employ a NRS sub-facility leader. As staff turnover has occurred in other sub-facilities this articulation of leadership roles and responsibilities should be extended across the ANMN.
WQMs - there is the realization that the WQM was not a mature sensor and required extensive beta testing by the NRS sub-facility. In particular there have been issues with the firmware and bleach anti-foul system. The facility has engaged with the manufacturer and is working towards a solution.
Purchasing - SA has reached the SA Government approved $1M purchase limit for equipment purchased through Underwater Video Systems - any further equipment purchase will require approval at ministerial level with associated delays.
For QLD/NA there is some remaining capital to spend as significant delays were experienced with initial orders and some caution was required before committing to further purchases. Together with the fluctuation of the Australian dollar we needed to await delivery and payment to ensure we could purchase the remaining infrastructure.
NRS and WA have also experienced delays in purchasing, mostly based around the lack of multiple suppliers to provide completing quotes for specific instruments.
Personnel - experienced staff on term NCRIS contracts will start looking for new jobs in late 2010 unless their contracts can be continued by the EIF funding or other sources.
The AO sub-facility leader suffered a family tragedy slowing down building of moorings.
QLD/NA has continued to experience technical staff turnover and so recruitment and training has been an additional impost that has needed to be managed.
Calibration - There has been slow movement on the CMAR calibration facility and most sub-facilities are now in need of a sensor calibration after successful deployments and recovery of gear.
Biophysical sampling for NRS - Preparations are underway to retrofit dissolved oxygen sensors (and therefore a different central pumping package). This will be a challenging logistical undertaking as the timing of receipt of the CTD’s into Hobart, after a sampling will need the retrofitting of sensors, pumps upgraded, software upgraded and calibration
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files modified and then returning them to their appropriate site for use during the next sampling trip.
Mooring failures - There were mooring failures in WA, SA and NSW. In WA and SA the failure was sourced to the Coastal Acoustic Release Transponder. In SA a satellite and radio locator enabled the retrieval of the mooring. In WA commercial divers were used to retrieve the Rottnest NRS after the transponder failed to release and grapples were used to recover the Esperance NRS after it failed to release. The cause of the unplanned release in SA is unknown but in WA a potential cause was stiffening of an anti-fouling lanolin coating around the release.
The Jervis Bay (NSW) mooring which is operated by University of New South Wales (UNSW) at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA), was lost in May 2008 and has not yet been redeployed. The cause of failure is unknown.
Sensor failure - In NSW there was an unidentified manufacturing fault in 3 out of a batch of 4 RDI Acoustic Doppler Current Meters (ADCPs). They were replaced at no cost.
The NSW sub-facility also had a battery case leak, again a manufacturing fault that was replaced without cost. The sub-facility also purchased 100 Aquatech temperature and TP temperature loggers and more than 50% of them had battery failure. It was found that they had been sold to us with a bad batch of batteries.
NSW also suffered the loss of 1 ADCP in this time. We presently know where it is, but have not been able to retrieve it. The ground line between 2 of our moorings was cut deliberately. This has resulted in the re-design of our moorings with the addition of an acoustic release on each ADCP mooring and an extra cost of $US50,000.
The AO Perth Canyon 2008 noise logger suffered a technical failure after approximately 45 days from a leaking SubConn underwater connectors. These have been replaced with Impulse IE55-15 connector.
The Maria Island NRS suffered a failure of its Visalia weather station. The manufacturer reported that this was probably due to the station being placed too close to the sea surface and being placed under water pressure from passing large waves. The weather station has now been moved onto a pole.
Breakthroughs The major break through for the Facility was a realization that this is an ongoing infrastructure program that provides data services to the public. The other major breakthrough was the development of a more team based approach through development of technical working groups.
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Description of activities undertaken to establish and operate the infrastructure General As the ANMN matures as a facility it has become apparent that there is a network of expertise. To allow for ease of communication an email list has been developed putting all of the technical operators in contact with each other. A meeting of facility leaders has also been held and other informal meetings between leaders have occurred.
Operating A local aquaculture vessel has been chartered to service the Maria Island NRS which has been continuously operation since April 2008.
The AO sub-facility deployed eight sets of moorings with a total of twelve sea noise loggers. Three field trips were undertaken with eight moorings deployed in two passive listening stations and one mooring set in 2008, recovered. One field trip was used to accurately locate the receiving elements of the Perth Canyon 2009 receivers. Four more moorings are under construction for deployment off Sydney in mid 2009.
A single curtain Curtin University designed noise logger, deployed for a year in the Perth Canyon, was replaced in February 2009 with four IMOS noise loggers. The single 2008 noise logger was an existing Curtin design while the 2009 loggers where the newer design built with IMOS support.
Monthly servicing of the 2 moorings off Sydney has been undertaken since June 2008. This will be extended to servicing every two months when we are comfortable with the operations.
Hydrographic data has been collected at the Sydney Port Hacking transect for the past 12 months. The sampling has been augmented to include all IMOS samples as of February 2009. Since this time raw CTD cast data has been transferred to eMII. The processing of the physical samples (water and plankton etc) will take longer.
WA has funded modifications to the Floreat CMAR boat Linneus and also to a charter boat operating from Esperance to allow ease of mooring deployment and recovery.
Progress on the commissioning of the LJCO has been steady and mainly constrained by the processes for approval, design and ultimately, construction and installation of a site enclosure for the instrumentation at the jetty.
The following sites have been supplied with all necessary gear for conducting the NRS bio-physical sampling, post-sampling treatment and transport equipment: • Maria Island – (CMAR, Hobart campus) • Kangaroo Island – (SARDI/Flinders University) • Esperance – (CMAR, Floreat campus) • Rottnest Island – (CMAR, Floreat campus) • Yongala – (Australian Institute of Marine Science) • Moreton Bay – (CMAR, Cleveland campus)
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• Port Hacking 100 – (NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change) • Darwin – (Australian Institute of Marine Science) • Ningaloo – is scheduled for startup in the 2009/10 fiscal year
For the NRS biophysical sampling metadata formats were worked on in collaboration with eMII, files modified accordingly and some data housed at eMII at UTAS. Analyses are progressing alright at this stage, however it will become a bigger test as more sites actually become active on a regular basis.
Key Appointments Dr Tim Lynch has taken over management of the Facility, while sub-facility leadership of WA has been transferred to Dr Ming Feng, and leadership of the NRS to Mr Dave Hughes.
Since last year significant progress has been made on QA/QC with the appointment of a programmer, Paul McCarthy from CSIRO ICT with support funding from eMII
QLD/NA has recruited David Williams an experienced oceanographer to manage the Darwin NRS.
SA has developed a field crew include John Luick, Charles James, Sophie Leterme with participation by Vinny Van Dongen-Vogels and James Patterson. Carlos Teixeira has also been appointed as a casual and has assisted in two cruises as well as around the laboratory. A casual, Maria Marklund, was also appointed for a brief period to assist with the biological sampling. A replacement for her is pending. Shaun Bynes (Flinders funded) has also assisted with one cruise. He will be appointed full time by SA in August 2009 to assist with moorings generally.
Brad Morris was employed as a technical officer starting April 2009 for NSW. He has been instrumental in the data QA/QC process and in setting up procedures for transferring the data which is now being delivered to eMII.
In November 2009 Rex Keen was identified as the CSIRO technical officer for the LJCO. Based in Townsville, Rex will co-ordinate all the logistics of approval, design and ultimately, construction and installation of a site enclosure for the instrumentation at the jetty.
Discussion of deviations from the Project Plan and 2008/09 Annual Business Plan o Additional activities undertaken AIMS have provided significant in-kind by developing the deployment database and input to the data processing toolbox. If adopted as planned geographic nodes should benefit with a standardized data format to be submitted to eMII.
The ANMN facility provided additional funding to contribute to the redeployment of the ADFA Jervis Bay mooring after their mooring was lost. The funding comes with
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certain requirements regarding deployment and servicing which will substantially improve the quality of the data set. o Agreed activities not completed 6a QLD/NA - There is some remaining capital to spend as significant delays were experienced with initial orders and some caution was required before committing to further purchases. Together with the fluctuation of the Australian dollar we needed to await delivery and payment to ensure we could purchase the remaining infrastructure. For Yongala NRS however further funding for mooring components from the consortium is yet to be identified. Yongala NRS biogeochemical sampling has been delayed. AIMS senior management internally reviewed the procedures and resources required to undertake the work and this has meant we will have a more robust operation. The sampling and processing team had to be identified and trained.
6b NSW - Coff’s Harbour moorings were not deployed by 30 June 2009. There were delays in the signing of the sub contract. There were also delays in purchasing of equipment as the Japanese supplier was out of contact for a lengthy period.
6c SA - Additional mooring equipment not purchased due to a delay in the approval required from SA Government. Biological survey equipment not purchased since upon inspection, that available has proved unsatisfactory.
6d WA - Perth Canyon shelf moorings have been built but not deployed. o Remedial action proposed, including timeframes. 6a QLD/NA - Yongala NRS biogeochemical sampling to commence early August 2009.
6b NSW - The moorings will be deployed as soon as feasible, hopefully by August 2009
6c SA - Needed approvals for additional mooring equipment to be obtained by November 2009. Search for suitable biological equipment (for nutrients / phytoplankton) continues.
6d WA - Perth Canyon shelf moorings have been built but not deployed. This will occur when staff are recruited to deploy and service this array.
Discussion level of cash and in-kind co-investment received against expected levels. 6a QLD/NA - is funded in roughly equal shares of NCRIS, Qld state government and AIMS funding. Current funding is adequate however in future the biogeochemical sampling associated with NRS will need to be adjusted in line with costs associated with individual locations and operators.
6b NSW – Co-investment has been as expected except in the provision of historic data by Manly Hydraulics Laboratory. A significant component of the in- kind contribution is
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attributed to this data. We are working with eMII to employ someone to access this historic data
6c SA Cash investment: An additional $100K to support salaries was provided by IMOS. In addition, at our request $55K has been shifted from capital to operating so as to again fund shortfalls in salaries.
Capital: Close to $1,204,161 has been spent overall and $587,081 for the 2008/2009 financial year. The total available for capital was $1,560,000 (adjusted down by $55,000 by the IMOS office at our request). This leaves a total of $355,839 to be spent.
6e AO - Approximately $50,000 of cash and in-kind contribution has been brought to project during this financial year which is 17% of the total NCRIS funds received for the financial year.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Providing research infrastructure o Details of new infrastructure 6a QLD/NA - received 24 WQMs by June 2009 (and a further 6 in July 2009). 20 are planned to be installed on the 8 GBROOS moorings and the 2 NRS. 10 are planned to be available for rotation to allow laboratory calibration.
6b NSW • 2 Moorings to be deployed off Coffs Harbour $150k in instrumentation plus $120 k p.a. in maintenance. Equipment has been received but not deployed. • 1 mooring to be deployed off southern NSW (Eden) $75k in instrumentation ordered but not yet received, plus $120k p.a. in maintenance. • WQM mooring to be installed at Port Hacking (the PH100 site) pending security of the site. 4 instruments have been ordered. Yet to be received. $180k.
6c SA – Equipment now available for the shelf and references moorings in SA includes 10 sable locators, 10 radio locators, 9 ADCPs, 12 CTDs, 8 ADCP floats, 4 sub-surface floats and 20 acoustic releases
6d WA - Esperance NRS and two rocks infrastructure of 6 moorings have come online.
6e AO - Underwater Acoustic listening stations to the value of $258,255.
6f NRS - Surface telemetry buoy and weather station deployed at Maria Island NRS. As at August 11, 2009, the following biophysical samples had been undertaken for the NRS: Maria Island – 4 full sampling trips have been carried out. Kangaroo Island – 9 sampling trips have been undertaken with the sensible approach of introducing sampling types depending on the delivery of sampling gear. Sampling types
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have included carbon, nutrients, salinity, phytoplankton and HPLC pigments, although there has been some unexplained delays in the delivery of some sample types – to date. Esperance – 2 full sampling trips have been carried out, which is quite good given the remote nature of this station and an executive decision was made to only sample it four times per annum. Rottnest – Sampled only for 3 months (in 2008) using the old “CMAR Coastal Station parameters only” – (not those described in the IMOS NRS Biogeochemical Operations Manual). The samples and data are at Floreat. Yongala – has still not been sampled at this stage. Stradbroke Island – Have done 5 sampling trips to Stradbroke Island (started Sep 2008) for zooplankton and secchi only. Have collected zooplankton and secchi disk to date. Delays in having a winch fitted has meant some more (but limited) sampling – but not the full suite Port Hacking – The first sampling trip was conducted mid – February, 2009 and continued monthly since then. Darwin – has not been sampled at this stage o List of data streams that are available for use in research 6a QLD/NA - Data has been delivered to eMII for current meter profiles, water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and chlorophyll. All data to be provided through eMII.
6b NSW - Have provided 12 months of 5 minute temperature, velocity and pressure data from the 2 Sydney moorings SYD 100 and SYD 140 to eMII. Also provided 12 months of similar data from the Ocean Reference Station (ORS) which is provided as an in kind contribution from Sydney Water. Hydrographic data has been collected at the Sydney Port Hacking National Reference Transect for the past 12 months. The sampling has been augmented to include all IMOS samples as of Feb 2009. CTD cast data since this time has been transferred to eMII. The processing of the hydrographic (water sample) data will take longer.
6c SA - CTD and Biochemical data has been collected for 12 cruises since February 2008. Some bio-chemical data is still been analysed. Current meter data has been collected and is yet to be quality controlled and submitted into the eMII. We are however following eMII’s lead in these matters.
6d WA - Data has been delivered for water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and chlorophyll from two sites at Rottnest and Esperance. Hydrographic (water sample) data has been collected at the Rottnest and Esperance sites for the past 6 months and up-loaded to eMII.
6e AO - Data delivered as of June 2009 includes sea noise recordings from 2008 in the Perth Canyon, ran 26-Feb-2009 to 29-Aug-2009, valid data from 26-Feb-2008 until 11-Apr-2008. The data (including metadata) has been supplied to iVEC (advanced computing in WA) and is available through eMII. 80 gigabytes of data has been collected so far.
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6f NRS - Data has been delivered for water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and chlorophyll from two sites at Maria in delayed mode since April 2008. Telemetered data and weather station data have been uploaded to the website for the last 3 months. Hydrographic data has been collected at the Maria sites for the past 6 months and up-loaded to eMII. o Outline the continuity of one key time series of data to be assessed against an appropriate benchmark for this facility. 6a QLD/NA - Water quality parameters and current profiles.
6b NSW Figure 1: The data coverage returned for each sensor at the Sydney Mooring from June 2008-June 2009. ORS, SYD 100, SYD 140, Velocity and Temperature. Gaps in the data record are from unavoidable instrument failings. Given the instrument failings we are satisfied with this level of data coverage.
6c SA - Current meter data from the reference station mooring now extends for one year.
6d WA - WQM data from the Rottnest reference station mooring now extends for six months.
6e AO - Perth Canyon continuity – 12% although the deployment was always intended as a stop gap and the Perth Canyon mooring was not planned to be deployed until late 2008.
6f NRS - WQM data from the Maria Island reference station mooring now extends for 18 months and telemetry from March 2009.
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Meeting researcher needs o Ongoing and new research projects and PhD students using IMOS data 6a QLD/NA • Ana Rodriquez (UQ) gave a confirmation seminar July 2009 • Eric Wolanski (JCU) is working on the forcing and validation of the Second Generation Louvain-la-Neuve Ice Ocean Model of the GBR. • Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility climate and bleaching projects • UQ NOAA ARC Linkage project based at Heron Island
6b NSW - Roughan supervises a Masters student who works full time at Sydney Water, who are a partner in our program. The student is co-supervised by a colleague at Sydney water.
6c SA • Development of a hydro-biochemical modeling facility of the region that is validated against the SA data. This has been funded by SARDI ($386k) until July 2011 (Drs J Middleton, L Seuront, C James, J Luick and S Leterme) • Analyses of phytoplankton data for the Kangaroo Island ecosystem (Virginie Van Dongen-Vogels; PhD) • Analyses of bacterial and viral data for the Kangaroo Island ecosystem (James Patterson; PhD)
6e AO Ongoing – Data provides the sixth summer season in the Perth Canyon of nine years since 2000 (seasons of 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 available). The summer season includes the time when pygmy blue whales visit the Perth Canyon. One Curtin PhD student is due to start working on the data streams in mid 2009. The sub- facility leader is aware of a US based research program based on the data sets pending funding support and a potential Sydney based PhD student project starting late 2009.
Quality of research infrastructure o Benchmark against other similar overseas infrastructure 6b NSW - The Sydney Ocean Reference Station has been maintained by OFS who are also our Sydney operator. They have had in excess of 90% successful data recovery over a 3 year period. Instrument failings aside we have also met this target.
6e AO -No comparative infrastructure exists for the passive acoustic listening station. The preparatory commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization is to maintain a series of hydro-acoustic listening stations for monitoring clandestine underwater nuclear explosions. However, data from these stations are limited in frequency range compared with the IMOS data streams and are not freely available for the international research community. We have had a number of international enquiries regarding the full passive acoustic observatory data sets when these become available (late 2009).
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Fostering Collaborative development of infrastructure o Participation in international programs collecting similar data streams 6a QLD/NA - International Network of Coral Reef Ecosystem Observing Systems (I- CREOS)
6e AO - Interest in supplying sea noise recorder hardware to an Arctic ocean monitoring system.
6g LJCO - Several space agencies and earth observation programs have shown significant interest to work on the LJCO data stream for the calibration and validation of current and upcoming sensors. • The European Space Agency issued a formal letter of support and image acquisition. They also invited our group to join their CoastColour project. • the Hyper-spectral Imager in the Coastal Ocean team will be imaging the site for calibration and evaluation from September 2009 onwards. • the Ocean Colour Monitor onboard Oceansat-2 team at the Indian Space research organization will be imaging the site for calibration/validation from October/November 2009 onwards • the Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite team at Northrop Grumman, NASA, and US Naval Research Laboratory included the site as one the 12 calibration / validation sites. o Other collaborations 6c SA - Prof Allan Cooper, (Head DNA Sequencing Laboratory, University of Adelaide). We have agreed to obtain 3-4 sediment cores for Allan who will analyse these to determine phytoplankton species for the SAIMOS region over the last 15,000 years. He has submitted an ARC proposal that includes this work.
We have begun an informal collaboration with the Dr’s David Leibing, David Crisp and colleagues from Adelaide’s DSTO campus. DSTO has considerable engineering capacity which may become available to SAIMOS as this collaboration matures
Fostering interdisciplinary and world-class research o List of publications using IMOS data Brainard, R.E. S. Bainbridge, R. Brinkman, C. M. Eakin, M. Field, J-P Gattuso, D. Gledhill, L. Gramer, J. Hendee, R.K. Hoeke, S.J. Holbrook, O. Hoegh-Guldberg, M. Lammers, D. Manzello, M. McManus, R. Moffitt, M. Monaco, J. Morgan, D. Obura, S. Planes, R.J. Schmitt, C. Steinberg, H. Sweatman, O.J. Vetter, K. B. Wong (2009) An International Network of Coral Reef Ecosystem Observing Systems (I-CREOS) OceanObs’09 Ocean information for society: sustaining the benefits, realizing the potential, 21-25 September
Lough J, Bainbridge S, Berkelmans R and Steinberg C. (2009) Physical monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef to understand ecological responses to climate change. Submitted invited book chapter for You, J, Henderson-Sellers A (eds). Climate Change Monitoring and Strategy, Sydney University Press. In Press
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2009, Venice, Italy. Available at http://www.oceanobs09.net/cwp/list_alpha.php
Lynch, T.P., Mclaughlan D., Hughes, D., Cherry D., Critchly, G., Allen S., Pender L., Thompson, P., Richardson, A.J., Coman, F., Steinberg C., Terhell D., Roughan, M., Seuront, L., Mclean, C., Brinkman, G. and G. Meyers (2008) A National Reference Station infrastructure for Australia – using telemetry and central processing to report multi-disciplinary data streams for monitoring marine ecosystem response to climate change. Oceans 2008 MTS IEE Oceans,
Petrusivics, P., J. Bye, J. Luick, (2009) Coupling between density fronts and chlorophyll levels at the entrance of Spencer Gulf, South Australia. In prep.
A special issue of Deep Sea Research focusing on the East Australia Current will be published in 2010, there will be a number of IMOS contributions to this volume. o Details of public seminars held in relation to this facility Promotional Activity Target Audience Where Date Workshop Oceanography Researchers, government SARDI September and SAIMOS and industry (fisheries) 2008 Static and Computer Researchers, government Adelaide November displays at Innovation SA - and industry Convention 2008 2008 Centre SAIMOS and University of Adelaide University of 21 Nov 2008 Oceanography talk researchers Adelaide SAIMOS and S.A. Marine Engineers SARDI May 2009 Oceanography talk Assoc. SAIMOS and SA Premier, Minister for Lincoln Marine 18 March 2009 Oceanography Science and public Science Centre opening Conf paper and posters on International Vienna April 2009 SAIMOS, EGU Tall Poppies SAIMOS Talented High School Adelaide 8 April 2009 presentation students Talk on SAIMOS and DSTO glider and DSTO Adelaide 11 March 2009 Oceanography RADAR researchers
Eastern Seaboard Climate Change Initiative, sponsored by SIMS 28-30 April 2009. 2 day workshop linking observational efforts with climate change. o Details of participation in other conferences, symposia or workshops o Conference proceedings Andréfouët S, F. Müller-Karger, J. Sheng, C. Steinberg, P. Douillet, I. Soto, B.G. Hatcher, S. Ouillon, C. Hu, B. Yang, S. Choukroun, G. Dirberg, C. Kranenberg and C. Moses (2008) Interdisciplinary Environmental Assessments of Coral Reefs Using Remote Sensing and Numerical Circulation Models. Presentation at 2008 ICRS, Florida 7-11 July.
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Bainbridge, S., C. Steinberg, M. Heron, P. Rigby (2009) The role of observation systems in coral reef monitoring and management. EOS Trans. AGU, 90(22), Jt. Assem. Suppl., Abstract OS32A-06.
Bainbridge S.J., C.R. Steinberg, M.J. Furnas and M.L. Heron (2009) GBROOS – An Ocean Observing System for the Great Barrier Reef. OceanObs09. Venice, Italy, 21- 25 September 2009. Poster and extended abstract.
Brinkman R, C Steinberg, J Bird (2008) Physical Oceanography and the Corals of Scott Reef - Patterns of Disturbance and Dynamics of Recovery , Eos Trans. AGU, 89(23), West. Pac. Geophys. Meet. Suppl., Abstract OS51B-07 Coman, Frank, Claire Davies*, Jocelyn Delacruz, David McLeod, Tim Pritchard, Anita Slotwinski, Anthony J. Richardson Seasonal, inter-annual, and potential decadal changes in the zooplankton community off Port Hacking, NSW Doblin, Martina*, Peter Thompson, Christel Hassler, Mark Baird, Iain Suthers and Peter Ralph IMOS: The bridge between bio-optical data and modelled primary production
Ganachaud, A., A. Sen Gupta, C. Steinberg and C. Maes (2009) Projected ocean circulation changes to the tropical Pacific over the 21st century. Greenhouse 2009: Climate Change and Resources, Perth, Australia, 23-26 March 2009.
Gavrilov A, Robert McCauley, Frank Thomas, Kim Klaka, Chandra Salgado Kent, Malcolm Perry, Alec Duncan. Acoustic observations of the Australian Marine Observing System. Underwater Acoustic Measurements: Technologies and Results. 3rd International Conference and Exhibition. Nafplion, Greece, 21-June-26-June- 2009.
Heron M, M Roughan, I Suthers, M Banner, A Prytz, G Page D Atwater ‘Monitoring ocean parameters from an HF radar: case study at Coffs Harbour, Australia’, AMOS 2009
Heron M.L. and C.R. Steinberg (2008) Marine Science Instrumentation in Australia: the Integrated Marine Observing System. The Institute of Marine Engineering Science and Technology. DPI Cairns, Australia, 30 July 2008.
McCauley, Robert D., Cato, Douglas H, Salgado Kent, Chandra P, Duncan, Alec J. Parsons, Miles, J.G., Gavrilov, Alexander N. The strategic value of sea noise recordings. Australian Marine Sciences Conference, Adelaide, 6-9 July, 2009-07-22
Morris, B. M. Roughan, I. Suthers and T. Pritchard Cross-shelf Processes off the Coast of NSW; Preliminary Results from the NSW IMOS Array AMSA Adelaide 2009 Marine Connectivity
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Pritchard, Tim, Martin Krogh, Jos dela Cruz, Peter Davies, Tim Ingleton. The legacy of Sydney’s long term monitoring stations and prospects for integrated monitoring of coastal waters
Ridgway, K., Steinberg, C., Herzfeld, M., Schiller, A. and Feng M. (2009) Downscaling Climate Change to Heron Island on the GBR. MTSRF annual science conference, Townsville, Australia, April 2009.
Roughan, M., I. Suthers, R. Harcourt, S. Williams, T. Pritchard Highlights from NSW IMOS AMSA Adelaide 2009 Marine Connectivity
Roughan M, I Suthers T Pritchard, ‘Cross-shelf processes off the coast of NSW; results from the SEAMOS array’ AMOS 2009
Roughan and Suthers Measuring the Coastal Ocean off Northern NSW: Coffs Harbour Climate Change Symposium June 2009
Steinberg, C.R., F. McAllister, G.W. Brinkman, C. Pitcher, J. Luetchford and P. Rigby (2009) The Great Barrier Reef Ocean Observing System Moorings Array: Monitoring Coral Sea Impacts on the Great Barrier Reef. OceanObs09. Venice, Italy, 21-25 September 2009. Poster and extended abstract.
Steinberg, C., Weeks, S. and Berkelmans R. (2009) East Australian Current and Upwelling influences on the Thermal Environment of the Great Barrier Reef. MTSRF annual science conference, Townsville, Australia, April 2009.
Steinberg, C., S. Heron, M. Herzfeld, S. Weeks, S. Bainbridge, M. Heron, W. Skirving (2009) Observing and Modelling the Circulation of the Capricorn Bunker Group, Southern Great Barrier Reef. Australian Marine Sciences Association. Adelaide, Australia, 11-14 July 2009.
Steinberg, C, F. McAllister, C.M. McLean, G.W. Brinkman, C. Pitcher, J. Luetchford and P. Rigby (2009) The Great Barrier Reef Ocean Observing System: Monitoring the Western Boundary Currents of the Coral Sea and Impacts on the Great Barrier Reef. Australian Marine Sciences Association. Adelaide, Australia, 11-14 July 2009. Poster presentation.
Steinberg, C. F. McAllister, C.M. McLean, G.W. Brinkman, C. Pitcher, J. Luetchford and P. Rigby (2009) The Great Barrier Reef Ocean Observing System Mooring array: Monitoring the Western Boundary Currents of the Coral Sea and Impacts on the Great Barrier Reef. EOS Trans. AGU, 90(22), Jt. Assem. Suppl., Abstract OS32A-06.
Steinberg, C, F. McAllister, C.M. McLean, G.W. Brinkman, C. Pitcher, J. Luetchford and P. Rigby (2009) The Implementation of a Great Barrier Reef Ocean Observing System to monitor the Western Boundary Currents of the Coral Sea and Impacts on
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the Great Barrier Reef. 9th International Conference on Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography. Melbourne, Australia, 9-13 February 2009.
Steinberg, CR, S Andrefouet, R Brinkman, S Choukroun, S Heron, M Herzfeld, W Skirving, S Weeks (2008), The Physical oceanography of Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Eos Trans. AGU, 89(23), West. Pac. Geophys. Meet. Suppl., Abstract OS52A- 04.
Steinberg, C R, C M McLean, F McAllister, S M Choukroun and G M Brinkman (2008) The Development of a Great Barrier Reef Ocean Observing System to Monitor the Western Boundary Currents of the Coral Sea and Impacts on the Great Barrier Reef. , Eos Trans. AGU, 89(23), West. Pac. Geophys. Meet. Suppl., Abstract OS44A-01.
Lynch, T., S. Allen, C. Steinberg, M. Roughan, J. Middleton, M. Feng, R. McCauley, K. Klaka, V. Brando, M. McGowen and G. Meyers (2009) The Australian National Mooring Network.OceanObs09. Venice, Italy, 21-25 September 2009. Poster and extended abstract.
Weeks S.J., Steinberg C.R., Congdon B. (2008) Whirlpools, Hot Water and Hungry Seabirds. Presentation at 2008 ICRS, Florida 7-11 July.
Wood, J., M. Roughan P. Tate Upwelling off the Coast of Sydney: Observations from the NSW IMOS Array AMSA Adelaide 2009 Marine Connectivity o Other meetings Pritchard, T, Krogh, M. Davies, P. Ingleton, T. Dela Cruz, J. Holden, C. Suthers, I. Roughan, M. ‘Detecting climate change in the coastal waters off south east Australia – past, present and future’. Greenhouse 2009
A facility meeting was held in Sydney on the 12th of June and was well attended by both members and observers from CMAR and DEWHR.
To address the issue with the WQMS a meeting was held at AMSA in Adelaide with Facility and other IMOS representatives, the supplier and the manufacture.
MTSRF Receiving Water Quality Modelling in the GBR Workshop 6th February 2009, Townsville.
IMOS Annual Business Planning Workshop 16-18 February 2009
In September 2008,. Dr Brando visited Dr Giuseppe Zibordi at JRC in Italy in September 2008. Dr Zibordi leads the Aqua Alta Oceanographic Tower offshore Venice, Italy. The visit aimed at learning on the AAOT logistics and procedures with instrument calibration and maintenance and to transfer technologies and approaches to LJCO.
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In March 2009 Dr Brando visited AIMS labs in Townsville with Rex Keen to meet with Craig Steinberg and Scott Bainbridge to learn form the GBROOS developments and transfer technologies and approaches to LJCO.
Presentation on LJCO were given by Dr Brando and Dr Dekker to ESA and NASA representatives as well as the Ocean Color community in Italy during the Ocean Optics Conference ; Barga, Italy, October 2008. Presentations on LJCO were given by Dr Dekker during trip to the US in May 2009 to: • GEO - Inland and Near Coastal Workshop Washington DC • Northrop Grumman - VIIRS Redondo Beach Ca • NASA HQ CSIRO-NASA meeting Washington DC • Old Dominion University- Norfolk Virginia • ONR Washington DC • NPOESS Integrated Project Office Washington DC
Planning is in an early stages for the conduct of the 2009 Annual IMOS NRS Biogeochemical Sampling Workshop to be conducted in Hobart, early November 2009; and to this time coincide it with a “Community of Practice” meeting.
OTHER MATTERS
Occupational Health and Safety 6a QLD/NA - A shipping container moved whilst at sea. The incident was reported and investigated through the AIMS OH&S procedures. Actions have been implemented to ensure no reoccurrence.
6d WA - The skin from the IMOS technicians thumb was caught in a clamp while deploying the two rocks shelf array.
Access and Pricing 6a QLD/NA -Web reporting has commenced through the AIMS data centre, expect to provide web data delivery late 2008 and engage with eMII in August 2008. Prior to web access to data, access is available upon request. Initial raw current meter data has been provided to Eric Wolanski. He will use it assist forcing his SLIM GBR model
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Name of Facility: Australian Coastal Ocean Radar Network (ACORN)
Facility Leader: Mal Heron
Contact details:Phone: 07 4781 4981 / 0439281123 Email: [email protected]
UPDATE ON FACILITY
Overview of status of Facility The Plan calls for 12 radar stations (in pairs) at 6 sites. The status of the six sites at 30 June 2009 is: • Great Barrier Reef: stations at Tannum Sands and Lady Elliot Island operational since 1 November 2007 with data being stored at James Cook University. The problem of communication to Lady Elliot Island was solved by erecting a tower for the 3G phone antenna. Near real time data are flowing onto a “staging area” at the Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation (QCIF); these data are “first-look” and are not quality controlled. Re-processing to produce quality controlled product is happening, but we have to find more efficient ways to stream large amounts of data: from tape archives at JCU back to ACORN for re-processing (we are purchasing a set of terabyte disks); from JCU to QCIF; and from QCIF to users via the Ocean Portal. The data flow issues are being addressed by ACORN, QCIF and eMII. The station at Tannum Sands suffered damage during Tropical Cyclone Hamish with the loss of five antennas and some cabling. The cost of reparation is estimated at $20,000, and the station was off for six weeks leaving a gap in the data archive. • WA SeaSondes – Stations at Cervantes and Seabird were installed in May 2009 and are now in testing and commissioning mode. The receive antenna at Cervantes will be re-located in September 2009 to improve the performance of the station. Processing is required to transform SeaSonde data into grid structures and NetCDF format for first-look posting. This task is estimated at one man-month. quality controlled data with error bars will be in re-processed files produced at typically a 3- month lag. Selected first-look data in proprietary format are being made available to the WA Node. Goal: fully operational by 31 Dec 09. • WA Wellen Radars (WERAs) – The station at Guilderton was installed in May 2009. Mains power is being connected, requiring new poles. Some improvements to the receive antennas are scheduled for September. Expect approval to occupy the site at Leighton Beach, Fremantle from the WA Planning Commission following a meeting of the Fremantle City Council on 2 Sep 09, so we have scheduled installation of the station in September. The Quality Control system is ready and we expect a short commissioning period once the stations are installed. Realistic goal: fully operational by 31 Dec 09. • SA Gulfs – At Cape Wiles on the Eyre Peninsula the solar + diesel off-grid power station is scheduled for installation in August, and the radar station will be installed in September. There is good support from the (freehold) property owner at this site and we do not anticipate any problems. Installation at Cape Spencer on the York Peninsula is scheduled for September 2009. While we have all approvals we acknowledge that this is a sensitive site in a National Park where equipment will have
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to be lifted in by helicopter. There is a risk of delay here because of the environmental sensitivities and the logistical complexities. The quality control system is ready and we expect a short commissioning period once the stations are installed. Realistic goal: fully operational by 31 Dec 09. • SA Bonney Coast – Stations at Cape Douglas and Nora Creina have been surveyed and radio licenses obtained from ACMA. Approvals process with local and State agencies is under way. We are planning to place the order for the radar equipment in August 2009. Goal: operational by 30 June 2010. • NSW Coffs Harbour- Stations at Red Rock and North Nambucca have been surveyed and radio licenses obtained from ACMA. Approvals process with local and State agencies is under way. We are planning to place the order for the radar equipment in August 2009. Goal: operational by 30 June 2010.
Quality Control: processing has been developed for the WERA radar data. This package is world best practice and provides not only a documented quality index for each data point, but it improves the quality of the data produced from the raw spectral files. This is a significant increase in the value of the archive. Near real-time data is from a “first- look” analysis at the WERA radar stations and output is sent via telephone broadband to the laboratory for uploading to the QCIF site. The raw spectral files are stored on hard disk at the radar stations and are collected at the three-monthly maintenance visits. The processing for Quality Control is then done and final posting to the QCIF site is completed typically with a lag of three months.
Re-Processing: Prior to the time that QCIF was ready to accept ACORN data (July 09) the raw data from the stations has been stored at the JCU High Performance Research Computing Facility. The back-log of GBR-WERA data are now being processed and loaded up to QCIF. There is a problem with the speed of retrieval of data from JCU which we did not foresee.
Consequently (a) the re-processing of GBR data from 1 Nov 2007 to 30 Jun 2009 will take up to 1 year and (b) ACORN will purchase 2x 2-terabytes disk space to temporarily store the data as they come from the radar stations and before they are re-processed and uploaded to QCIF.
Description of activities undertaken to establish and operate the infrastructure Data Flow is a significant challenge for this facility and has caused delays. ACORN has taken the decision, recommended by the IMOS office, to produce first-look data, without quality control, using proprietary analysis as the near real-time product using summary data returned over the telephone lines. Re-processing of the raw spectral data will include quality control processing; this will be done on data files transported on hard disks and will typically be delayed about 3 months. High volumes of data led to a decision by eMII and ACORN that it would not be feasible to physically locate the archived data in Tasmania, and that QCIF would host the files. This was a necessary, but unexpected development which expands the task. The four agencies, ACORN, JCU, QCIF and eMII are working to get the radar data on to the Ocean Portal.
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Site Approvals continue to be a high risk in causing delays to the project. The cases of SA Gulfs (Cape Borda and Cape Spencer) and WA Perth Canyon (Leighton Beach, Fremantle) have had the greatest impact, while others (Seabird on the WA Turquoise Coast) have been almost transparent. ACORN should put more effort into the administration of these approvals by repeated follow-up calls and better tracking of the approvals process.
Community Caretakers are proving to be successful for the ACORN network. At most station sites we have identified a local person who regularly carries out a superficial inspection of the installation and reports on anything unusual. On several occasions reports from community caretakers of damaged antennas or guy ropes have been followed up by them carrying out temporary repairs under ACORN guidance. This does not replace the monitoring of the signals (from individual antennas) in the ACORN lab because some of the damage (eg guy ropes) does not become apparent in the data until later.
Financial Administration of the ACORN project is an unexpected burden on ACORN staff. Areas of concern include purchasing and travel as well as reporting and management. Significant errors and omissions in the ‘official’ accounts are remaining uncorrected. Financial management of the project is being carried out on budget projections in all categories other than salaries.
Staffing of ACORN is Mal Heron, Director, 50% EFT; Robyn Nickalls, ACORN Admin, 50%EFT; Arnstein Prytz, Data flow and QC; Daniel Atwater, Installation and maintenance; Geoff Page, Installation and maintenance (resigned 17 June 2009); Ray Casey, Installation and maintenance (commencing 17 August 2009, 50% EFT)
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Providing research infrastructure o Details of new infrastructure WERA phased array radar stations at Tannum Sands and Lady Elliot Island; value $700,000 WERA phased array radar stations at Guilderton and Leighton Beach WA; value $700,000. SeaSonde Direction Finding radar stations in WA at Cervantes and Seabird; Value $500,000 SeaSonde base station and spares: Value $85,000 WERA Spares: Value $150,000
o List of data streams that are available for use in research
WERA Hourly Data The following data streams are available from the GBR stations. Surface current speed and direction at grid points (WERA radials available at 10- minute intervals)
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Wind direction at grid points Rms wave heights at grid points Directional wave spectra (reduced grid)
SeaSonde 90-minute Data Preliminary data is available from the WA SeaSonde stations. Surface current speed and direction Rms wave heights (reduced grid) Raw spectra are available in proprietary formats for both systems. o Outline the continuity of one key time series of data to be assessed against an appropriate benchmark for this facility. The benchmark for ACORN is the fraction of time each system is running. This encompasses equipment reliability and maintenance as well as environmental factors like power supply, storm damage, environmental influence (eg animals), and vandalism. It also includes scheduled downtime for maintenance. For the GBR WERA radar system over the period Jun/Jul 2008 – Jun 2009 the continuity indices are given in the following table (The operational goal is 90%):
Station Period Minutes ‘ON’ % of Minutes ‘OFF’ ‘OFF’ % of ‘ON’ total total Lady Elliot Is 1Jul 08 - 12 392,320 72.4% 149,230 27.6% June 09 Tannum 1 Jun 08 - 441,856 78.4% 121,574 21.6% Sands 30 Jun 09 Note: The Tannum Sands station suffered storm damage on 11 March 2009 and was re-installed in May and re-commissioned on 3 June 2009. Most of the LEI down time was related to the absence of a reliable phone link.
Meeting researcher needs o Ongoing and new research projects and PhD students using IMOS data ARC Linkage – Hoegh-Goldberg, University of Queensland New Tools for Managing Ecosystems Responses to Climate Change on the Southern Great Barrier Reef (current) ARC Linkage – Heron JCU, Banner UNSW, Wyatt U.Sheffield Wave Climate in the Southern Great Barrier Reef (new in 2009) Employing Dr Andrew Middleditch and Ms Jasmine Jaffres QLD Dept Tourism, Regional Development & Industry; Heron JCU Applications for the Australian Coastal Ocean Radar Network Employing Dr Alessandra Mantovanelli
Quality of research infrastructure o Benchmark against other similar overseas infrastructure We have identified one WERA installation at Liverpool Bay (Proudman Laboratory) and one Seasonde network based in Monterey Bay (Coastal Ocean Current Monitoring Program). Benchmark criteria are being developed.
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Fostering interdisciplinary and world-class research o List of publications using IMOS data Monitoring parameters from an HF radar: Case study at Coffs Harbour, Australia, M.L.Heron, Moninya Roughan, Iain Suthers, Arnstein Prytz, Geoff Page and Daniel Atwater, Int. Conf, Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography, Melbourne Feb 2009.
The Australian Coastal Ocean Radar Network: A Facility of the Integrated Marine Observing System, M.L.Heron, A.Prytz, G.Page and D.Atwater, Int. Conf, Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography, Melbourne Feb 2009
The Australian Coastal Ocean Radar Network Facility, M.L.Heron, Canadian Conf. Electrical and Computer Engineering, St John’s, Newfoundland, May 2009.
HF Radar role in an Integrated Ocean Observing System, M.L.Heron and A.Prytz, IEEE Oceans Conf., Bremen, May 2009. o Details of public seminars held in relation to this facility (include title, location, date and audience) The Australian Coastal Ocean Radar Network: a Facility of the Integrated Marine Observing System, M.L.Heron, A. Prytz, G. Page, D. Atwater and A. Mantovanelli, JCU School of Earth and Environmental Sciences Seminar, Apr 2009. o Details of participation in other conferences, symposia or workshops in relation to this facility (include title, location, date and your role) The Australian Coastal Ocean Radar Network Facility, M.L.Heron, Radio Oceanography Workshop, Split, Croatia, May 2009
High spatial resolution radar observations at the Lido, G.Page, M.L.Heron, A.Prytz, A.Mazzoldi, M.Gacic and S.Cosoli, Radio Oceanography Workshop, Split, Croatia, May 2009
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Name of Facility: Australian Acoustic Tagging and Monitoring System (AATAMS)
Facility Leader: Rob Harcourt
Contact: Phone: (02) 9850 7970 Email: [email protected]
UPDATE ON FACILITY
Overview of status of Facility • Currently AATAMS has completed servicing and redeployment of receiver equipment within Ningaloo Reef Ecosystem Tracking Array (NRETA). The recovery and redeployment of this equipment is being undertaken at six monthly intervals. The most recent in June 2009 recovered and redeployed 100% of receiver equipment. • Over 2 million detections from reef fishes, sharks and rays tagged within NRETA. • In April 2009 AATAMS and Fisheries W.A deployed the Perth line, a 49.5 km curtain consisting of 40 receiver units running from Fremantle to Rottnest Island to the -200m mark. This deployment marked the first of three planned deployments with the Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) within Australia. This also marked the first international deployment for the OTN program. • In January 2009 a series of 15 receivers were deployed off Bondi Beach NSW. This marked the first deployment of AATAMS curtains on the East coast of Australia. 100% of this equipment was recovered 3 months later and successfully redeployed. Detection within the first three months of species such as white sharks highlight the importance of this equipment and placement. • In July 2009 an extension of the initial array was deployed marking the completion of the Bondi line from shore to the edge of the continental shelf at a depth of 200m, 24km from shore. • In February 2009 the Glenelg line in SA was recovered by in-kind support from SARDI. This marked the first recovery of this line in a year. Valuable data from snapper and white sharks were captured from these instruments. • Equipment for Coffs Harbor line is in the final stage of construction and should be ready for deployment within the next 2-3 months. • Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve monitoring array had been recovered and redeployed 6 times with over seven hundred thousand detections. • Successful submission and awarding of applications for 35 receivers for the mobile receiver pool 2008/09. • 6month reports received from successful receiver pool applicants. • AATAMS network is already proving itself to be useful to the community through enabling exchange of detections between different arrays, projects and institutions. • Three receivers were provided on loan to JCU in June 2008 to complement an array of over 50 receivers - detections from all receivers will be provided to eMII. • The Bronte-Coogee Aquatic Reserve array (16 receivers) funded by caring for coasts was deployed between Bondi and Botany Bay with support from AATAMS.
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Description of activities undertaken to establish and operate the infrastructure • In March 2009 Andrew Boomer and Jayson Semmens represented AATAMS at the international planning meeting for the ocean tracking network in Halifax Canada. Andrew delivered an update to the international committee representing both East Indian Ocean and West Pacific regions. International delegates were greatly impressed with the accomplishments of AATAMS community and working vision of the AATAMS network. • During this meeting AATMAS representatives also negotiated arrangements for future equipment for the AATAMS network via in-kind support from OTN due September 2009. • In April 2009 AATAMS staff went to service the south line of receivers at NRETA due to equipment failure on an earlier recovery in December. This unplanned recovery and redeployment resulted in 100% of equipment being recovered and redeployed from the shore during a four week period. • In June 2009 AATAMS, CSIRO and AIMS contributed to the maintenance of the NRETA array, currently the largest acoustic array of receivers in Australian waters. Both inshore and offshore receivers were recovered, serviced and redeployed during this time. • In January the Sydney/Bondi line was deployed with in-kind support from Defense Maritime Services (DMS). Vessel time was donated to Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS) after an open day highlighting activities within the Sydney area. AATAMS was highlighted as a possible activity which could benefit from support from DMS. • In March equipment was recovered on the Bondi line with support from DMS and redeployed. • In July 2009 the Bondi line was doubled in length again with support from DMS. • After negotiations with both Fisheries WA and OTN the deployment of receiver equipment manifested in completion of the Perth line in February 2009. • The Perth line was later recovered by in-kind support from Fisheries WA in May 09. Fisheries WA will maintain this equipment on behalf of AATAMS over the next 2 years. • Glenelg line was recently recovered by in-kind support from SARDI. Recent negotiations with SARDI have outlined that SARDI will be providing in-kind support over the next 2 years to service this equipment and maintain this equipment. • AATAMS is currently talking with NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC), NSW Fisheries and NSWIMOS to coordinate the upcoming Coffs Harbor line deployments. • In December 2008 AATAMS appointed a new technical officer, Andrew Boomer to coordinate planning and running of the AATAMS network and technical logistics.
• In February an AATAMS data meeting was held in Hobart, involving all members of the AATAMS data committee and other interested parties including eMII, to discuss the progress of the AATAMS data facility and outline the future direction and data policy for the AATAMS community. • AATAMS contributed to the Fact Sheet for the IMOS launch providing technical information, data and photographs.
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Discussion of deviations from the Project Plan and 2008/09 Annual Business Plan o Additional activities undertaken AATAMS recovered and then redeployed the South line at NRETA in April 2009. This was unscheduled but necessary to recover the line of receivers before battery life within the acoustic release units expired. This was a one off event the result of equipment failure during the scheduled recovery in December 08. Steps have been implemented to prevent re-occurrence. o Agreed activities not completed and an explanation why they were not completed; AATAMS activities are running to plan; however significant funding delays from OTN may holdup AATAMS deployments for the Bass Strait gates, later this year. o Remedial action proposed AATAMS is negotiating with the community for assistance in resolving this over the short term whilst OTN core funds become available. The equipment has been ordered and will shortly be ready for construction.
Discussion of the level of cash and in-kind co-investment received against expected levels. Institution Co- investment Amount ($AUS) AIMS 15 day shore based Aug 08 Shore based total 9 days on the RV Solander Dec 08 30,000 5 days on the SV Solander June 09 Solander 224,000 Murdoch University 21 ongoing days throughout the year 21,000 *CSIRO April 09 for 28 days 100,000 Fisheries WA March 09 for 14 days 140,000 SARDI May 09 for 1day 5,000 NSW DPI 0 0 JCU December 08 for 5 days 5,000 • * CSIRO invested considerable funds in NRETA not included in this Co-Investment for projects using NRETA • New co-investment has been committed for 2009/10 by JCU, GBRMPA and AIMS for the GBROOS / AATAMS array • NSW/DPI are awaiting functionality of eMII prior to committing SEACAMS data, this is still being negotiated
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PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Providing research infrastructure o Details of new infrastructure Description Amount Value Location (units) ($ AUS) Vr2w bracket & mooring. 30 49,560 Coffs Harbor (NSW) Vr2w bracket & mooring. 15 24,780 Mallacoota (VIC) Vr2w bracket & mooring. 15 24,780 Portland (VIC) Bondi line, Vr2w bracket & mooring. 30 79,560 Sydney (NSW)
o List of data streams that are available for use in research Description of each Volume of data How it can be accessed data stream Bondi 337 detections in the first 3 months as All data is with eMII, it will be this line recently was deployed currently accessible once eMII/AATAMS meta data from 30 receivers is available Portal is complete. NRETA >2 million detections plus meta data and All data is with eMII, it will be mini-log data. accessible once eMII/AATAMS Portal is complete. Glenelg 227 detections plus metadata and mini All data is with eMII, it will be log data accessible once eMII/AATAMS Portal is complete. Perth Line recently deployed currently meta All data is with eMII, it will be data from 37 receivers is available accessible once eMII/AATAMS Portal is complete. AATAMS Millions of detections, metadata and Currently waiting to be added from community mini-log data individual research groups to the AATAMS data base once its constructed by eMII
o Outline the continuity of one key time series of data to be assessed against an appropriate benchmark for this facility. AATAMS dataset will be assessed against an equivalent (in mechanics not in scale) dataset - that held by POST with caveat that POST is an order of magnitude larger and has been in existence for many more years.
Meeting researcher needs o Ongoing and new research projects and PhD students using IMOS data • Using acoustic telemetry to determine the efficacy of sanctuary zones for the Eastern Blue Groper, NSW. Kate Lee Macquarie University. • Dusky whaler shark movement in Port Hacking, Australia, Will Robbins NSW Department of Primary Industry (DPI). • Yellow tail Kingfish tracking in Sydney Harbor, Paul Butcher, NSW DPI. • Bull shark tracking in Sydney Harbor, Australia, Victor Peddemors and Will Robbins NSW DPI.
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• Sting rays- Habitat utilisation of fish Ningaloo Reef Marine Park; data and tools for understanding spatial dynamics of ecological processes (Russ Babcock, Richard Pillans – CSIRO) • Puffer fish residency in a NSW estuary system, Danny Smith UNSW • Habitat use of sharks and rays in Ningaloo Reef (John Stevens, Rory McAuley, William White – CSIRO MAR, WA Fisheries) • Movements and migration patterns of white sharks around the Australian coast (Barry Bruce, Rory McAuley – CSIRO MAR, WA Fisheries • Movement, feeding and behaviour of reef sharks at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia (Conrad Speed, Corey Bradshaw, Mark Meekan, Iain Field – CDU, AIMS) • Movement of Southern Bluefin Tuna in Southwest Australia (Alistair Hobday – CSIRO MAR) • Movement and residence times of batoids within Ningaloo Reef, Western Austalia (Florencia Cerutti, Mark Meekan – Charles Darwin University (CDU), AIMS) • Residence time, site fidelity in relation to foraging behaviour of Manta Rays (Frazer McGregor, Mike van Keulen – Murdoch University) • Site Fidelity, localised movement patterns and migrations of manta rays along the Queensland coast (Mike Bennett, Kathy Townsend – University of Queensland) • The effects of predator release within marine protected areas (Kate Lee, Charlie Huveneers, Rob Harcourt, Vic Peddemors – Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Macquarie University, NSW DPI) • Habitat use and migration patterns of silvertip and grey reef sharks at the Rowley Shoals, Western Australia (Iain Field, Mark Meekan, Corey Bradshaw) • Movement patterns, habitat use and species interactions of key shark and finfish species in coastal systems (Adam Barnett, Jeremy Lyle, Jayson Semmens – TAFI, UTAS). • Post release behaviour of juvenile mulloway: Effects of stocking density (Andrew Fairfax, Matt Taylor, Iain Suthers – UNSW). • The Yongala Halo of Holes – Who’s digging it? (Thomas Stieglitz, Rhondda Jones – JCU). • Coral Sea Nautilus tracking project (Andrew Dunstan, Jamie Seymour – JCU). • Movement patterns and habitat use of rabbit fishes (F: Siganidae) on the Great Barrier Reef as a link to ecosystem function (Rebecca Fox, David Bellwood, JCU). • What size do Marine Protected Area Sanctuary Zones need to be in order to protect the Near-Threatened Western Blue Groper and Harlequin Fish? (Simon Bryars, Paul Rogers – Department of Environment and Heritage, SARDI). • The effect of abiotic variables on the field diving behaviour of the Arafura Filesnake (Acrochordus arafurae) (Kirstin Pratt, Craig Franklin – University of Queensland) • Spatial ecology of inshore predators in tropical marine systems and implications of marine protection zones (Michelle Heupel, Colin Simpfendorfer – JCU).
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Quality of research infrastructure o Benchmark against other similar overseas infrastructure POST was created to monitor the movement of marine animals through an array of acoustic receivers set along the west coast of North America similarly to the arrays deployed in Australia through AATAMS. AATAMS is in communication with POST and is collaborating to ensure the creation of an international database compatible with already existing database.
Furthermore, POST and AATAMS are part of the international project OTN. During the second OTN conference in March 2009, AATAMS was identified as continuing to be the most successful OTN region and the example to follow for other regions.
Fostering Collaborative development of infrastructure o Participation in international programs collecting similar data streams As stated above, AATAMS is in communication with POST and is collaborating to ensure the creation of an international database compatible with already existing database. AATAMS is a leading part of OTN, a CA$168-million conservation project that is conducting the world's most comprehensive and revolutionary examination of marine life and ocean conditions. The OTN is co-investing $1.25 million by providing acoustic receivers and releases.
AATAMS technical officer has already attended three international workshops and conferences organised by OTN.
AATAMS is collaborating with NIWA (New Zealand) to establish a data exchange mechanism for the Oceania region. o Other collaborations The national acoustic telemetry network created by AATAMS includes over 100 researchers across 34 Institutions. These researchers are conducting over 50 projects on more than 100 different animal species for which over 600 acoustic receivers have been deployed. These acoustic telemetry users are contributing data to AATAMS for incorporation into eMII and eagerly awaiting the web portals inauguration.
Fostering interdisciplinary and world-class research o List of publications using IMOS data IMOS/ AATAMS data is being used in a number of papers currently in preparation by researchers and students within the AATAMS community. Due to the recent development of the facility none are yet complete in C1 journals although a number of conference papers have been presented (see below)
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o Details of public seminars held in relation to this facility Title Location Date Audience Australian Acoustic Tracking Dalhousie February 09 Regional representatives and Monitoring System University for acoustic telemetry and Author: Andrew Boomer SIMS C.A national delegates from around the world. Spatial habitat use of manta rays Murdoch March 09 General public using acoustic telemetry around University April 09. University students Ningaloo Reef Research Author: Fraser McGregor Station Murdoch University Movements of wobbegong Sydney March 09 General public/press and sharks in a Sydney marine Institute of scientists from various sanctuary Marine institutions Author: Kate Lee Macquarie Science University Movement of white sharks Port June 09 General public and local around Australian waters, Barry Stephens’s scientists Bruce CSIRO discovery series Using sensor tags to determine Dalhousie March 09 National and regional movement energy expenditure University delegates for the Ocean and activity periods of banded 09 Tracking Network. morwong, Tasmania Author: Jayson Semmens TAFI
o Details of participation in other conferences, symposia or workshops in relation to this facility Title Location Date Role The Australian Acoustic Biologging Sep08 Presented AATAMS Tagging and Monitoring Conference program to international System (AATAMS) a Monterey, California audience national network for the investigation of migratory marine species Reef shark movement Oceania Sep08 AATAMS Facility leader patterns at Ningaloo Reef, Chondrichythian and Technical Officer Western Australia Society National coauthors Conference Sydney Australian Acoustic AMSA Jul09 Poster calibration design Tagging and Monitoring National Conference and production, System (poster) Adelaide
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Title Location Date Role Using acoustic fine-scale Indo Pacific Fish Jun09 International academic positioning of wobbegong Conference, community and National sharks within an Aquatic , Perth marine researchers
Reserve Blacktip reef sharks of IPFC, Perth Jun09 International academic Ningaloo Reef community and National marine researchers Determining spatial habitat IPFC, Perth Jun09 International academic of Reef fish in Mangrove community and National Bay marine researchers Marine reserve size and AMSA Jul09 International academic western blue groper- National Conference community and National protecting an iconic species Adelaide marine researchers AATAMS: applications for AMSA Jul09 International academic high trophic level predators National Conference community and National Charlie Huveneers Adelaide marine researchers
AATAMS has also gained exposure on a nation level via several news broadcasts via television interviews from different research groups and ongoing studies around the country.
OTHER MATTERS
Access and Pricing Infrastructure is being used in a variety of ways. There are currently in Australia more than 100 researchers across 34 Institutions registered with AATAMS. As of June 2009 they were conducting more than 50 projects on approximately 100 different animal species. Nationally there are 677 receivers deployed to which AATAMS receivers we have added 330. 35 have been deployed as part of the floating pool and 220 receivers have been deployed off Ningaloo Reef, Eastern and South Australia. One OTN curtain has been deployed with the remainder to be deployed in due course.
All data collected from IMOS equipment has been quality controlled by AATAMS and will be made freely available on eMII. AATAMS is working with eMII, Vemco and OTN to develop web access database and data handling protocols. Data sharing from non- IMOS equipment is being negotiated with user groups for access to data on non-IMOS acoustic receivers.
In order for AATAMS to be successful, data has to be accessible from a specific easy- access searchable database system. AATAMS and eMII are currently working on creating this database. However, past delays with eMII have made it unattractive for the acoustic telemetry community to access the AATAMS data via eMII at this point because it is as yet non-functional. This is hoped to be remedied in the very near future.
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Name of Facility: Facility for the Automated Intelligent Monitoring of Marine Systems (FAIMMS)
Facility Leader: Scott Bainbridge
Contact details:Phone: 07 – 4753 4377 Email: [email protected]
UPDATE ON FACILITY
Overview of status of Facility • Successful deployment of sensor networks at Heron and One Tree Islands in the southern Great Barrier Reef and Davies Reef in the central Great Barrier Reef; • Successful installation of above water weather stations at all deployed sites, successful service visits to all sites; • Site visits to remaining sites including Orpheus and Lizard Islands; • Design and preliminary work on the deployments in Morton Bay off Brisbane as part of a collaboration with University of Queensland (UQ) and FAIMMS; • Participation in the Intelligent Sensors, Sensor Networks and Information Processing (ISSNIP) Summer School activities at Heron Island working with a number of oversees experts on wireless sensor network deployments; • Monitoring, in real time, the impact of cyclone Hamish on the southern Great Barrier Reef; • Data from the facility now available via the Data Turbine server, as a range of web services and via a dedicated web site accessed from the IMOS site; • Metadata records for all deployed systems in place, programs for the automatic generation of metadata for new deployments in place and operational; • Increased reliability of data transmission through hardware design upgrades and software optimization, this was in response to some reliability issues identified in the previous period.
Description of activities undertaken to establish and operate the infrastructure • Deployment and service visits to sites in the southern and central Great Barrier Reef to establish the sensor networks; • Site visits to all other sites including Orpheus and One Tree Islands; • Deployment of the Data Turbine software to allow external users to access our data; • Development of a data web site to facilitate access to the data, this web site is linked to the main IMOS web site. • Significant presentations include the International Coral Reef Symposium in Fort Lauderdale, July 2008 (paper + oral presentation), the Environmental Information Management conference in New Mexico in August 2008 (paper + oral presentation), the International Conference of Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography (9ICSHMO) Conference in Melbourne, February 2009 (oral presentation) and the American Geophysical Union conference in Toronto (poster).
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Discussion of deviations from the Project Plan and 2008/09 Annual Business Plan o Additional activities undertaken Work with the University of Queensland on the Smart Environmental Measurement and Analysis Techniques project to deploy sensor networks in Morton Bay off Brisbane. FAIMMS will provide the above water communications and data systems and UQ will develop the test platforms for the new sensors under design. The collaboration honors the initial commitment to deploy systems in Morton Bay and gives FAIMMS access to new sensors as they are developed.
FAIMMS is acting as a use-case for the Data Turbine software being developed by the San Diego Supercomputer Center, the software is already in use by FAIMMS but has the potential to develop into a single mechanism to deliver OGC compliant data.
One of the partners in the FAIMMS Facility is the ISSNIP conference run under the Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Network on Intelligent Sensors. FAIMMS is co-investing with the Centre to fund the development of marine wireless network protocols to support the development of the next generation of sensors and sensor systems. o Agreed activities not completed The roll out of equipment to the rest of the sites was delayed by four months to re- design some of the equipment to ensure better reliability of the communications systems. This has meant that some deployments will now be completed in the 2009/10 financial year and not the 2008/09 year, in particular these include Rib and Myrmidon Reefs.
The work with Coral Reef Environmental Observatory Network (CREON) to establish a number of sensor network sites internationally has been delayed due to delays in the systems coming on-line at the other sites. o Remedial action proposed, including timeframes. The roll out of equipment to sites is now progressing with the new designs. These have also been retro-fitted to the existing deployments. All sites will be deployed by the end of the 2009/10 financial year.
A CREON sensor network meeting is being held in conjunction with the ISSNIP conference in December 2009 with a follow up meeting to be held in March 2010 with the express aim of delivering a unified set of data from the three international sites, including from FAIMMS, in a single data portal.
Discussion level of cash and in-kind co-investment received against expected levels. The cash contributions from the main partners have been as per the budget including the contribution from the Queensland Government. In-kind and cash contributions have been received from the TMN partners to assist with the deployment of the microwave links to the island research stations and to support the field work component of FAIMMS in line with the budget expectations.
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The amount contributed by the University of Queensland to support the microwave link to Heron Island is many times that set in the initial budget due to the unexpected complexity of the work and the corresponding increase in costs. The University has borne the additional costs leaving FAIMMS with just the initial budgeted contribution.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Providing research infrastructure o Details of new infrastructure • Five sensor buoys, six senor poles and weather station located at Heron Island; • Three sensor poles and weather station located at One Tree Island • Five sensor floats and weather station located at Davies Reef • Two sensor floats, four sensor poles and weather station ordered but not delivered for Orpheus Island;
o List of data streams that are available for use in research - • Temperature data for six sensor poles and five sensor floats for Heron Island, accessed via the IMOS Web Site, the AIMS GBROOS Data web site, via Data Turbine or via web services to the AIMS servers; • Temperature data for three sensor poles for One Tree Island, access as per above; • Metrological information from Heron Island, access as above; • Metrological information from One Tree Island, access as above; • Metrological information from Davies Reef, access as above; • Water Temperature data from two sensor floats from Davies Reef, access as above.
o Outline the continuity of one key time series of data to be assessed against an appropriate benchmark for this facility. Sensor data continuity or uptime from One Tree Island from the 1 January 2009 to the 30 June 2009 was 99.15%, for Heron Island this was 91.25%. These represents an uptime equivalent to many computer systems, most of the outages were due to communications issues. There is no real bench-mark for remote marine sensor network data but a continuity rate of over 99% for One Tree Island is well above what we would have expected and that of 91% for Heron is just below what we would hope for.
Meeting researcher needs o Ongoing and new research projects and PhD students using IMOS data o iLab project run by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will be accessing and using our data via a collaboration with the University of Queensland; o CREON group will be using our data, via the Data Turbine server, to construct a portal of coral reef sensor networks from three international sites; o PhD students at the University of Sydney are using the FAIMMS data from cyclone Hamish to look at the impact of the cyclone on One Tree Island;
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Quality of research infrastructure o Benchmark against other similar overseas infrastructure The four centers working on coral reef sensor networks are National Oceans and Atmospheres Administration (NOAA) in the Caribbean via its Integrated Coral Observing Network (ICON) stations, the International Longterm Ecological Research (ILTER) project at Moorea, the Taiwanese at Kenting Marine Park and FAIMMS. Of these only Moorea and FAIMMS are using localized wireless sensor networks, the Kenting work is all cabled and the ICON stations are each single moorings and so there is no local network as such. The FAIMMS project is far more sophisticated and advanced than the Moorea deployments and so there are no other systems that are directly comparable to FAIMMS. The ICON stations are probably the most advanced in their length of service and coverage but this has been done with a significant budget and the design is not a true wireless sensor network.
Fostering Collaborative development of infrastructure o Participation in international programs collecting similar data streams The FAIMMS facility is an active member of the CREON group and is hosting a CREON workshop at the ISSNIP conference in December 2009. The main initial goal of the workshop is to develop a portal presenting sensor network data from FAIMMS, from the ILTER station on Moorea and from the Kenting marine part in Taiwan. o Other collaborations • Collaboration with Dr. Tony Fountain of the San Diego Supercomputer Center for the development of the Data Turbine software; • Collaboration with the ILTER project run out of the University of California Santa Barbra to look at coral reef sensor networks, principal collaborators are Dr. Sally Holbrook and Dr. Russ Schmitt; • Collaboration with the Taiwan National Centre for High Performance Computing on high bandwidth sensor networks and the use of video over these links, principal collaborator is Dr. Fang-Pang Lin.
Fostering interdisciplinary and world-class research o List of publications using IMOS data Bainbridge S, Rehbein MA, Feather G and Eggeling D (2008) Sensor networks on the Great Barrier Reef - managing marine sensor data. pp. 19-25. In: Gries CG and Jones MB (eds) Proceedings of the Environmental Information Management Conference 2008. University of New Mexico.
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o Details of public seminars held in relation to this facility • Bainbridge S, Rehbein MA, Feather G and Eggeling D (2008) Sensor networks on the Great Barrier Reef - managing marine sensor data. Environmental Information Management Conference, University of New Mexico, September 10-12th 2008. [oral presentation, Environmental Information Managers] • Bainbridge, S, Feather G and Eggeling, D. GBROOS – Application of senor networks to coral reef systems. 9th International Conference on Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography (9ICSHMO), 9-13th February, Melbourne. [oral presentation, Climate Researchers] • Bainbridge, S., C. Steinberg, M. Heron, P. Rigby (2009) The role of observation systems in coral reef monitoring and management. AGU Ocean Sciences, Toronto, Canada, May 2009. [Poster Presentation]
o Details of participation in other conferences, symposia or workshops in relation to this facility • Bainbridge, S. The role of sensor networks in monitoring the Great Barrier Reef. Workshop on Monitoring the Impact of Climate Change on the Environment, 4th International Conference on Intelligent Sensors, Sensor Networks and Information Processing (ISSNIP), Sydney December 15-18th 2008. [oral presentation, workshop co-chair] • Bainbridge, S. GBROOS - An Ocean Observing System for the Great Barrier Reef. GSSC-XII Workshop, Global and Regional Operational Oceanographic Systems: A Workshop to Explore Collaborative Benefits in the Indian, Asian, Southern Pacific and Australian Oceanic regions 23 - 24 February 2009, Perth, Australia [oral presentation, international observing community, UNESCO sponsored]
OTHER MATTERS
Access and Pricing FAIMMS data from One Tree Island is being used by Dr. Erika Woolsey of Sydney University to look at the impact of cyclone Hamish on One Tree Island, data was sent as an Excel file. Data will be used to assess the on-reef conditions and to correlate this with rubble movement caused by the cyclone.
Dr Jodie Webster at the University of Sydney is using the FAIMMS sensor data in her course work on the geomorphology of the southern GBR, access was provided as an Excel data file and the data will be used to teach students about the relationship between reef geomorphology and the oceanography of the southern GBR.
Data was provided to a researcher at James Cook University looking at the influence of oceanography on sea bird diets, data was provided as a Excel file.
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Name of Facility: eMarine Information Infrastructure (eMII)
Facility Leader: Dr Roger Proctor
Contact details: Phone: +61 3 6226 1977 Email: [email protected]
UPDATE ON FACILITY
Achievements: • Delivery of IMOS Ocean Portal • Enhanced catalog/search functionality, via the IMOS MEST, accessible either through the Portal or in stand-alone mode • Establishment of distributed data management system, across the ARCS Data Fabric, allowing upload, archiving, and access to IMOS data • Providing access to (almost) all available data from all facilities • Establishment of a method (DataTurbine) for easy access to real-time and near real- time IMOS data • Commenced roll-out of IMOS data via Data User Workshops • Establishment of a software management system, ensuring trac-site error reporting, planned upgrades, and robust versioning • Begun system monitoring • Improved help-desk functionality • Involvement with international programs (US-IOOS, Eurogoos) via contributions to Ocean Obs’09 white papers • Progress in the NeAT MACDDAP project • Securing unspent funds from the BlueNet project to establish the Australian Oceans Data Network (AODN) Development Office • Maintaining a near-full eMII staff complement.
Difficulties: • eMII staffing, it took until November 2008 to achieve a workable staffing complement. Metadata and outreach officer resigned in Sep08. Admin assistant resigned in Dec08, replacement unavailable due to illness Jan-Mar 09. One Project Officer (out of three) resigned in April 2009 (yet to be replaced) • Finalising the BlueNet project (March 2009) drew on eMII staff resources (but note that in previous annual reports it has been stated that BlueNet staff contributed in kind to eMII development).
Description of activities undertaken to establish and operate the infrastructure Infrastructure: A working infrastructure for end-to-end data management, search, discovery and access to data is now in existence.
A distributed data storage system has been developed in association with the Australian Research Collaboration Service (ARCS). This has involved utilising the ARCS Data Fabric, a ‘cloud’ storage system, i.e. the location of data across multiple platforms is
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invisible to the user. Working with ARCS eMII has established storage facilities within each of the four IMOS regional nodes (WA – iVEC, SA – eRSA, NSW – Intersect, Qld – QCIF) and at TPAC, all linked through the AARNET fibre optic backbone (10GBit Bandwidth between mainland sites). This was necessary to overcome the potential problem of storing all data at TPAC (as originally intended) and experiencing a bottleneck in access to data due to the restricted bandwidth (310 Kbit) across Bass Strait.
Recognising that a significant proportion of IMOS data is of either gridded (satellite, HF radar) or timeseries (Argo, ship of opportunity, gliders, moorings, networked sensors) form and could sensibly written into a self describing format (netCDF) meant that advantage could be taken of emerging web services to access these data through OPeNDAP/THREDDS servers. Both netCDF format data and non-netCDF format data (e.g. AUV imagery) can be accommodated within the ARCS Data Fabric. At all sites a uniform data management system is installed ensuring consistency across the Data Fabric. A MEST instance at each site accumulates metadata records for data loaded at that site and routine harvesting of records from all components of the system to the TPAC MEST ensures a complete ‘master’ catalog of IMOS data is kept up to date.
To ensure maximum machine functionality, eMII has produced a system of data management procedures, implemented by all IMOS facilities, which includes a) a procedure and filenaming convention for uploading, archiving and storing accessible data, b) a prescribed netCDF format for creating datasets which incorporates all necessary data to generate a metadata record conforming to ISO standards, a record which can be automatically created from the netCDF file and uploaded to the MEST. Manual creation of metadata records for non-netCDF formatted data is still required, and templates have been (or are in the process of being) created for these data types. A practice of mirroring of data between sites (for security and in case of link failures) is under development.
Enhancements to the IMOS MEST, via the GeoNetwork open source community trunk, have included – • Improved file upload and download functions, including logging of upload / download-related information, the capacity to overwrite an uploaded file (or not), the capacity to select and simultaneously download numerous files attached to one metadata record; • Enhanced “advanced search” options (search for metadata that has data attached, search for data containing particular parameters). Improved keyword searching, • Addition of a syntax for external webpages to link directly to a specific metadata record, or to a search-result; • Addition of the capacity to display map layers in the MEST’s InterMap,for metadata records referring to WMS Getcapabilities urls; • Addition of a ‘data parameters’ metadata block to the MCP; • Addition of an improved “Use constraints” metadata block, and inclusion of a “Terms of Use” agreement that can be set to download when a file is downloaded from the MEST.
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• Improved harvesting between MESTS, using Webdav, and from CSW nodes. Also added fix to ensure metadata record ownership information is maintained post- harvest; • Modification of the classification of and searching for online resources, so that data on the ARCS system is retrieved in a “find data” search; • Addition of the capacity to “select” metadata records of interest, and view, print or save this subset; • Improved error-message wording and display; • Harmonised SensorML with 1.0.121 schemas; • Addition of CSW support for MCP, SensorML and WMO schemas; • Integration of enhancements from the GeoNetwork trunk software, into the “BlueNet MEST” software branch, and submission of locally created/tested enhancements as proposals for inclusion in the trunk.
Following the decision by the AODCJF in August 2008 to abandon the NOO Oceans Portal, eMII was tasked by AODCJF with developing a replacement. This was to provide the MEST with an improved graphical interface for search, discovery and download of data. Certain constraints on the Portal development were established by the AODCJF Technical Committee. These were: utilise open source code only; provide an easy-to-use interface for users (browser based); have the ability to manage multiple concurrent requests; have scalability to cope with an increase in concurrent requests; provide a good response at low bandwidth; use a common and current development platform; run in a Linux environment.
Under these constraints the Portal was developed. In brief, the Portal is developed entirely using open source code on a Java-based AJAX framework ZK which is used by many large organisations; it adopts a map-centred interface which is intuitive and in testing (e.g. data user workshops) has been used by people from a broad range of scientific and non-scientific backgrounds with ease; it has shown excellent response times to groups of up to 35 con-current users but to cope with expected increase in use enterprise-scale servers have been purchased and will be deployed for dedicated use by the end of August 2009; the Portal can be deployed on any modern computing platform (Solaris, Linux, Windows, Apple OSX); the production system is currently running on Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
Through the Portal data can be accessed in a number of ways: via the map interface (utilising the OpenLayers approach) different datastreams timeseries data can be animated, real-time data is available via DataTurbine (see below), users can change the style and opacity of layers, non-IMOS data can be added via OGC Web Map Services, data can quickly be accessed and downloaded; a link to the IMOS MEST enables search and discovery by simple text search, by geographic area, by temporal extent, or by any combination of these, allowing users to gain access to further information and/or the data for download; for more detailed search requirements a direct link to the IMOS MEST opens an additional window for complex searching; data with MEST records linked to a WMS can be added to the map. Within the Portal a ‘How do I?’ help facility is provided
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and there is a publicly accessible Trac site with Wiki to allow discussion. All site comments, bug tracking and issues are handled via the Help Desk, [email protected].
The Portal was publicly released on 29 June 2009. Access to the Portal and MEST are monitored by AWSTAT monitoring software which provides a comprehensive daily breakdown of use, yielding data on the range, scope and frequency of interest in IMOS data.
The final component of the Portal access-to-data is a method for accessing real-time or near real-time data, such as the frequently updated observations from the National Reference Stations and the networked sensors on the GBR. Access to these data are provided through DataTurbine, ‘a robust open-source streaming data middleware system that satisfies the core requirements for sensor-based environmental observing systems’ (quote from www.dataturbine.org). The core of DataTurbine is a ‘ring-buffer’- a circular buffer which stores a predefined amount of the latest data (say, for one month) after which the oldest data is overwritten by new data. It can be used for numeric data, still images or video and data can also be written to a database or archived on disk. This flexibility makes it ideal for the multi-variate data collected by IMOS.
The Ocean Portal can be accessed via http://imos.aodn.org.au and the IMOS MEST via http://imosmest.aodn.org.au.
To ensure the software for data management is properly maintained a system management process has been implemented around a TRAC site, thus ensuring bugs and enhancements are properly audited and tested and that version control is transparent. Stages of development, testing and production are rigorously controlled.
Participation in the NeAT project MACDDAP (Marine and Climate Data Discovery and Access Project). This project supports providers of marine and climate data sets, by creating services built on international standards and software, to more easily manage, translate, and control these distributed digital repositories for the benefit of Australian researchers. The main outcomes of this project will be a greater availability of marine and climate data, in a wider range of standard protocols, which researchers can use with their preferred applications. These data will be discoverable, searchable, and increasingly conformable with standard vocabularies. Consequently, researchers will be able collect and aggregate marine and climate data across disciplines for knowledge discovery. eMII involvement started April 2009, with our activity focused around harvesting of information from OPeNDAP servers.
Unexpected/unusual activities: The finalising of the BlueNet project (March 2009) resulted in a project underspend. A proposal, in collaboration with ANDS was written (Craig Johnson/Roger Proctor) to DIISR requesting the carry over of these funds to eMII to allow some of the unfinished tasks of BlueNet to be conducted through the establishment of the Australian Ocean Data Network Development Office. This was accepted by DIISR and in June 09 these funds
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were transferred to eMII. A business plan for the AODN Development Office is in preparation.
Roger Proctor was a member of the TPAC HPC & Storage Facility Committee Roger Proctor is a member of the UTAS Web Research Working Group.
Key appointments within the Portal development team have been the secondment of Brendon Ward from CSIRO (Sept 08), the appointment of Phil Bohm (the Portal ‘view’ engineer, Nov 08) and Geoff Williams (the framework engineer, Feb 09). MEST development continued with the co-contracting (with BlueNet) of Simon Pigot (from CSIRO) until Dec08 and the appointment of Craig Jones as systems programmer (Sep 08). The arrival of the third Project Officer (Sebastien Mancini, Sep 08) enabled the team of Project Officers (others Katherine Tattersall and Beth Strain) to accelerate communication and interaction with the Facilities with subsequent delivery of data. The appointment of Jacqui Hope as Executive Officer (Sep 08) has brought structure and efficiency to the whole eMII operation.
To enhance data delivery between eMII and Facilities a number of positions in different parts of IMOS have been co-funded. In WA Luke Edwards (Marine Information Officer, iVEC) to streamline WA IMOS data delivery and support data storage activities at iVEC; in SA Leeying Wu (SARDI) to coordinate SA IMOS data delivery and to contribute to the IMOS toolbox; in Qld Alex Hendry (AIMS) to assist in delivery of GBROOS data and contribute to development of DataTurbine; and in Tas Paul McCarthy (CSIRO-ICT) to develop a MATLAB Toolbox for end-to-end timeseries quality assurance of moorings data for the ANNM facility.
Training is seen as a vital part of staff development. In addition to attendance at conferences and seminars, during the year the following training was undertaken –
• Java Power Tools, Wakaleo Consulting – Brendon Ward, Craig Jones and Steve Cameron • MATLAB Fundamentals and Programming Techniques, Mathworks – Sebastien Mancini, Katherine Tattersall, Beth Strain and Philip Bohm • MATLAB for Data Processing and Visualisation, Mathwork – Katherine Tattersall and Beth Strain • MATLAB Programming Techniques, Mathwork – Katherine Tattersall and Beth Strain • Tomcat Expert Seminar – Craig Jones and Geoff Williams • CMAR Workshop – Data Management – Katherine Tattersall and Kate Roberts • First Aid, St Johns, Kylie Pepper
Significant promotional activities: We have started delivering IMOS Data Users Workshops to introduce people to the Ocean Portal and hence IMOS data. The first of these was on the day following the IMOS launch, i.e. 30 June 2009, attended by thirty five participants. The mix of people included post-graduate students, established researchers, data managers and state
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department officials. Workshops will be conducted every year and, in association with the IMOS Office, every attempt to make all parts of the Australian community aware of IMOS data.
In addition, presentations on AODN/IMOS-eMII have been made at the following meetings/conferences: • AMSA 2008, Christchurch, New Zealand (July 08) • Met-Ocean Conference, Central Weather Bureau, Taiwan (Sep 08) • eResearch’08, Melbourne (Sep/Oct 08) • Eurogoos annual meeting, Galway, Ireland (Oct 08) • Northwest European shelf Operational Oceanography System annual meeting, Brest, France (Oct08) • American Geophysical Union, Fall meeting, San Francisco, USA (Dec08) • ROMS/TOMS meeting, Sydney (Mar/Apr 09) • Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory, Liverpool, UK, seminar (Apr 09) • European Geophysical Union, annual meeting, Vienna, Austria (Apr09)
Also, eMII participated in: • CMAR Data Management Review (Aug 08 – May 09) • WAMSI/WASTAC Annual Data Management Meeting (Oct 08)
And eMII team members visited the following institutions for facility discussions: • Qld – AIMS, JCU, UQ • SA - SARDI • WA – iVEC, UWA, Curtin, CSIRO • NSW – SIMS, UNSW, US • VIC – EPA, BOM
Contributions to publications include: Development of delivery of services from ocean observing systems – an opportunity to promote common approaches for a Global Ocean Observing System by Harvey E. Seim, Hans Dahlin, Gary Meyers, Rebecca Shuford, Roger Proctor. Community white paper, OceanObs’09.
Ocean and Coastal Data Management by Jeff de La Beaujardière, C. J. Beegle-Krause, Luis Bermudez, Steven Hankin, Lisa Hazard, Eoin Howlett, Steven Le, Roger Proctor, Richard P. Signell, Derrick Snowden, Julie Thomas. Community white paper, OceanObs’09.
Key Future Research Priorities in Ocean Forecasting by Andreas Schiller, Pierre Brasseur, Pierre De Mey, Roger Proctor, Jacques Verron. GODAE Special Issue.
Applications In Coastal Modelling And Forecasting by P. De Mey, P. Craig, F. Davidson, C. A. Edwards, Y. Ishikawa, J. C. Kindle, R. Proctor, K. R. Thompson, Jiang Zhu, and the GODAE Coastal and Shelf Seas Working Group community. Oceanography, in press.
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Discussion of any deviations from the Project Plan and 2008/09 Annual Business Plan o Additional activities undertaken Proposal to DIISR for unspent BlueNet funds. To complete some of the unfinished tasks in BlueNet through the establishment of the AODN Development Office. Expected benefits … establishing the AODN; extended outreach and uptake of IMOS data; cultural shift to data sharing across Australian marine science community.
Involvement in CMAR Data Management Review. To get a better understanding of CMAR procedures and to (possibly) influence future developments. o Agreed activities not completed Recruitment, although not as big a problem as in the past, is still an issue. This has impacted on developments of the MEST, on standards and on documentation. o Remedial action proposed, including timeframes. Continue lookout for, and recruitment of, new staff.
Discussion of the level of cash and in-kind co-investment received against expected levels. In-kind co-investments were received from - • The University of Tasmania, • Tasmanian Partnership for Advanced Computing (TPAC), and • Other organisations such as ARCS, QCIF, iVEC, SARDI, AIMS and US-IOOS.
In 2008, while the BlueNet Project was still in operation staff from BlueNet continued to be involved with eMII activities.
Much of the in-kind co-investment did not occur as a result of formalised agreements prior to 2008/09. Large volumes of work by Pauline Mak (TPAC) and Florian Goessmann (ARCS) have expedited the progress for eMII, in particular the contribution to the development of software and middleware for the retrieval, sampling, sub-setting and display of large distributed data sets.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Providing research infrastructure o Details of new infrastructure Ocean Portal enterprise servers, eRSA, Adelaide, $45k New computers and office furniture for 12 staff, $35.5k Server, Obsidian, for IMOS Ocean Portal, $2.1k Data projector, for Data User Workshops, $1.5k Multiple TB storage allocations on ARCS Data Fabric Purchase of TB storage allocations on Intersect facility, NSW ($1k/year)
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o List of data streams that are available for use in research See Table at the end of this facility report: “Data available July 2009”. All data available through the Ocean Portal http://imos.aodn.org.au. o Outline the continuity of one key time series of data to be assessed against an appropriate benchmark for this facility. The Argo float deployments were started in 2000, the first Australian deployment was in 2003. This is a key timeseries for IMOS to benchmark against.
Meeting researcher needs o Ongoing and new research projects and PhD students using IMOS data The NeAT proposal MACDDAP will bring additional functionality (i.e. OPeNDAP/THREDDS, harvesting, Web Map Services) to the IMOS Ocean Portal / MEST and open up a new range of datasets.
PhD students exposed to IMOS data through the Data User Workshops.
Quality of research infrastructure o Benchmark against other similar overseas infrastructure The Director of eMII is associated with European observing systems and data management through his former position at Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory and his position as a EuroGoos Board member. Recent involvement with US-IOOS through a visit from Rich Signell (USGS) and contributions to white papers for OceanObs’09. These connections can significantly aid the benchmarking process.
Fostering Collaborative development of infrastructure o Participation in international programs collecting similar data streams IMOS contributes to the international Argo program. eMII has adopted the same data management strategy. In addition, both Argo and SOOP data contribute to the Global telecommunications System (GTS) used by the WMO. All real-time and near real- time IMOS data streams will be placed on the GTS.
o Other collaborations eMII is forming collaborations with other NCRIS capabilities, notably AuScope, Atlas of Living Australia, and Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network, all of whom have significant metadata and data catalogues.
Fostering interdisciplinary and world-class research o List of publications using IMOS data Development of delivery of services from ocean observing systems – an opportunity to promote common approaches for a Global Ocean Observing System by Harvey E. Seim, Hans Dahlin, Gary Meyers, Rebecca Shuford, Roger Proctor. Community white paper, OceanObs’09.
Ocean and Coastal Data Management by Jeff de La Beaujardière, C. J. Beegle- Krause, Luis Bermudez, Steven Hankin, Lisa Hazard, Eoin Howlett, Steven Le,
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Roger Proctor, Richard P. Signell, Derrick Snowden, Julie Thomas. Community white paper, OceanObs’09. o Details of public seminars held in relation to this facility WAMSI/WASTAC Annual Data Management Meeting (Oct 08) - IMOS data management. WA data managers and scientists.
Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory, Liverpool, UK, seminar (Apr 09) – eMarine Information Infrastructure. UK scientists and university staff. o Details of participation in other conferences, symposia or workshops in relation to this facility • AMSA 2008, Christchurch, New Zealand (July 08) - eMarine Information Infrastructure, Vision, Progress and Plans. Presenter Roger Proctor. • Met-Ocean Conference, Central Weather Bureau, Taiwan (Sep 08) - Developments in Operational Oceanography in Europe and Australia. Presenter Roger Proctor. • eResearch’08, Melbourne (Sep/Oct 08) – IMOS & eMII Poster exhibition. Presenter Roger Proctor / Kate Roberts. • Eurogoos annual meeting, Galway, Ireland (Oct 08) – IMOS, the Australian Integrated Marine Observing System. Presenter Roger Proctor. • Northwest European Shelf Operational Oceanography System annual meeting, Brest, France (Oct08) – IMOS, the Australian Integrated Marine Observing System. Presenter Roger Proctor. • American Geophysical Union, Fall meeting, San Francisco, USA (Dec08) – IMOS data management poster. Presenter Roger Proctor. • ROMS/TOMS meeting, Sydney (Mar/Apr 09) - IMOS data management poster. Presenter Roger Proctor. • European Geophysical Union, annual meeting, Vienna, Austria (Apr09) - A data delivery system for IMOS, the Australian Integrated Marine Observing System. Presenter Roger Proctor. • IMOS Data Users Workshop, Hobart (June 09). (Roger Proctor, Kate Roberts, Katy Hill, Brendon Ward, Katherine Tattersall, Sebastien Mancini).
OTHER MATTERS
Occupational Health and Safety Some issues with building security at UTAS, blocked rainwater runaways resulted in office flooding and damage to a PC.
Access and Pricing All IMOS data available through the IMOS Ocean Portal http://imos.aodn.org.au.
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Facility Sub-facility IMOS Ocean Metadata Time availability Platform Portal record Availability 1 Argo Yes 896 2000-ongoing Argo Floats 2 SOOP 2a XBT Yes 12 2006-May 2009 XBT 2a CO2 Yes 14 2008 Southern Surveyor 2a CPR Yes 1 1991-Mar 2008 Aurora Australis 2b Tropical Vessels No 2c SST Yes 11 2008-ongoing L’Astrolabe, Spirit of Tasmania 2, Rottnest Is Ferry, Whitsundays ferry MV Portland 2d Air sea Flux Yes 4 2008-ongoing Southern Surveyor EPA Victoria Yes 4 Aug 2008-Jan 2009 Spirit of Tasmania 1 3 SOTS Pulse Yes 2 Oct 2008-Feb 2009 Pulse SAZOTS Yes 1 1998-2006 SAZOTS 4 ANFOG Yes 6 Feb-Apr 2009 Slocum glider 5 AUV Yes 7 Oct 2008 Sirius 6 ANMN 6a QLD/NA Yes 10 Apr 07-ongoing 9x moorings 6b NSW Yes 10 2006-2008 (ORS), Jun 2008- on 3x moorings going (SYD100, SYD140) 6c SA Yes 5 Oct 2008-ongoing 2x moorings 6d WA No 6e AO Yes 1 Feb -Aug 2008 Perth Canyon 6f NRS Yes 13 1946-2006 (historical), Nov 4x moorings, 5x water sampling 2008 ongoing sites 6g LJCO No 1 Lucinda Jetty Coastal Observatory 7 ACORN No 1 Wera radar station 8 AATAMS Acoustic Receivers Yes 1 Nov 2007-ongoing AATAMS receivers Telemetered Tags No 0 Tagged Seals 9 FAIMMS Yes 88 2008-ongoing FAIMMS sensors 11 SRS Yes 4 2001-ongoing
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Name of Facility: Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS)
Facility Leader: Peter Turner and Edward King
Contact: Phone: 03 6232 5094 Email: [email protected]
Sub-facility Abbreviation Sub-Facility Operator Leader 11a Australian Satellite 11a SST Helen Beggs BOM SST L2P Products 11b Australian Oceans 11b AO-DAAC Peter Turner and CSIRO Distributed Active Edward King Archive Centre 11c X band upgrade 11c X Band Upgrade Townsville Craig Steinberg AIMS Hobart Stuart Barr GA
Overview of Status of the Facility The SRS activities are intended to bolster the Australian satellite reception system, create new marine data products, and make these products available to scientific users. These processes are summarized by components two to five in figure 1.
Figure 1 Components of the Satellite Remote Sensing Facility
Data reception is supported by the activities of sub-facility 11c which has installed a new X-Band antenna at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) near Townsville and is refurbishing the Tasmanian Earth Resource Satellite Station (TERSS) near Hobart.
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Sub-facility 11a is producing sea surface temperature (SST) products and has provided an SST dataset from 2002 which is ongoing. These data are available through the AO- DAAC sub-facility and some of the data are also available through the main eMII portal.
There are unfortunately some areas of the data flow shown in figure 1 which were not captured in the setting up of the SRS facility. The organization of flow of data from the reception stations into the processing streams is not part of the role of the SRS and in the case of “ocean colour” organisation of those processing streams has also been an issue. The latter is being addressed by additional recent funding for Curtin University to produce a national standard ocean colour product and by the AO-DAAC sub-facility getting some other ocean colour datasets online. The task of organising reception station schedules and bringing these data together is still an issue for MODIS data but is likely to be resolved in conjunction with TERN.
Production of new daily SST datasets (sub-facility 11a) is running a little behind schedule as a result of staffing changes. Some test data for the new product has been produced and getting this online will be the next task. This should be relatively simple because the process has already been done a few times.
The refurbishment of the drive controller hardware at TERSS has still not been completed. The issue of compatibility with the new and old systems has been referred back to the manufacturer (MOOG) and has not yet been resolved. MOOG is working on the issue. The old controllers are still functioning and the antenna operation has not been compromised. The new AIMS reception system is fully operational.
Development of the AO-DAAC portal has been proceeding and the system is now relatively stable. Some performance issues arose with the addition of a new regional ocean colour dataset and these issues have been resolved by some recoding. The DAAC interface is undergoing some adjustments to improve usability in the light of experience. Software libraries are being checked for absolute path references to allow easier porting to the Australian Research Collaboration Service (ARCS).
The current AO-DAAC experimental interface shows a dataset selection menu and a product menu. The new dataset menu allows various products to be grouped together to make it easier for users to find the product they want. Coordination with eMII is also making data available from the general IMOS Ocean Portal. The AO-DAAC compliments the general data access Portal by providing a specialist interface to the data.
There are some changes being tested which will reduce the vertical extent of the page and to create dynamic progress meters along the bottom of the page. In response to user suggestions a quick browse capability has been added.
Conclusion The production of new SST products has been slightly delayed by staff changes but is on track to deliver new daily products within a few weeks. Some “ocean colour” datasets are online but descriptive information needs to be added. Work is progressing at Curtin
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University to deliver a national “standard” ocean colour dataset. The Australian Oceans DAAC development is progressing well with an improved GUI being released shortly. The DAAC software system is being tidied up in preparation for moving to an ARCS server and fully operational state. The TERSS antenna upgrade is still only partially complete, a new receiver has been acquired and made operational. However, the motor controllers are still not installed and we are waiting for advice from the manufacturer. Although this is taking much longer than expected the antenna is still operating on the old controllers and receiving data. The AIMS antenna was installed and made operational some time ago and is working well. We now have a system in place corresponding to the data flow shown in figure 1. The emphasis is now moving to placing more products online.
Overview of status of the Sub-facilities 11a SST The aim of the Australian Sea Surface Temperature (SST) L2P Products Sub-facility is to provide real-time and reprocessed, high-resolution, locally received, satellite SST data products in the internationally accepted GHRSST L2P and L3 formats using new, best practice, processing and calibration methods. • The satellite SST products sub-facility is progressing very well in spite of a three month hiatus caused by the departure of the full-time IMOS staff member, Justin Freeman, on 11 August 2008. Replacement IMOS Scientific Programmer, Dr George Paltoglou, commenced at BOM on 20 October 2008. • The Satellite SST Products sub-facility is funded by IMOS to produce real-time and reprocessed, high resolution (1 km), locally received, satellite bulk SST data products in the GHRSST L2P and L3 formats from the NOAA polar-orbiting satellites, using best-practice processing and calibration methods. As a co-investment to IMOS, the Bureau of Meteorology Space Based Observation Section is also contributing real- time and reprocessed hourly, ~5 km resolution, skin SST observations from MTSAT- 1R. • Real-time MTSAT-1R and HRPT AVHRR GHRSST-format L2P SST files are now routinely generated at BOM with bias and standard deviations estimates per pixel based on match-ups with buoy SST observations, and other GHRSST-specified auxiliary fields. The AVHRR level 2 SSTs are gridded into 0.01° x 0.01° resolution, single day/single night, composite SSTsubskin “GHRSST L3C” (single sensor, collated) files and the MTSAT-1R hourly level 2 skin SST data are gridded into hourly, 0.05° x 0.05° resolution, composite “GHRSST L3U” SSTskin files following the new GHRSST GDS v2.0 specifications, for supplying to the AO-DAAC and eMII. • Due to improved processing techniques implemented through the IMOS Project, the new IMOS HRPT AVHRR L2P SSTs exhibit nearly half the error of the Bureau’s pre-existing HRPT AVHRR level 2 SST data from NOAA-17 and NOAA-18 satellites for the period 17 December 2008 to 30 April 2009. For both satellites nighttime standard deviation was approximately 0.3°C and daytime was 0.45°C. • Sample GHRSST format HRPT AVHRR L2P (swath) and composite (gridded) L3C files have been provided to Peter Turner for AO-DAAC testing
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• The advantages of using GHRSST formats is that users are supplied with quality flags and error estimates (bias and standard deviation) for each data pixel. This means that a user can choose whether to only use the “best” quality SST data or use all SST (including observations possibly contaminated by cloud) to obtain better spatial coverage. • BOM has supplied the AO-DAAC and eMII with the Bureau’s legacy HRPT AVHRR (14 day mosaic) composite SST product reformatted and regridded to 0.01° x 0.01° resolution, GHRSST L3 format daily files (see Figure 2). These real time and delayed mode L3 files (back to 1 January 2001) include data from Townsville, Casey, Davis, Perth, Darwin, Alice Springs, Melbourne and Hobart.
Figure 2. Example of the Bureau’s legacy 14-day “Mosaic” SST produced from locally received NOAA-17 and NOAA-18 AVHRR data for the period 28 March to 10 April 2009. The data shown has been reformatted to 0.01° x 0.01° gridded GHRSST L3 format over the region 8°S to 48°S, 104°E to 165°E.
• By the end of August 2009, BOM will supply the AO-DAAC with real-time and reprocessed (back to 1 June 2008) 1 km resolution, HRPT AVHRR SST GHRSST L2P files and daily, single day/single night, 0.01° x 0.01° resolution, HRPT AVHRR SST GHRSST L3C files, produced from stitching the raw AVHRR data from groundstations at Townsville, Perth, Darwin, Alice Springs, Melbourne and Hobart, using the stitching code developed for IMOS by Edward King (CMAR). • BOM is now able to reprocess one year of raw AVHRR data from one satellite to L2P and L3C files in just one day.
11b AO-DAAC • The aim of this Sub-facility is to provide real-time access to a growing number of satellite derived marine data products via a simple but specialised interface. • A basic and experimental interface are available at www.marine.csiro.au/remotesensing/imos The experimental interface is gradually evolving to a planned goal which will make data access extremely easy. • A number of datasets are now available through the interface. • Getting data online and properly documented has been a bigger task than we anticipated. We are trying to get detailed descriptions of each dataset so that the system is self documenting. This is taking some time to get right.
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• We have added a dynamic browse capability to the DAAC in response to user comments. Users wanted to have a quick look at the data before downloading and we have included this option in a way which does not compromise the basic data access goal. • We still have some improvements to be made to complete the GUI. There have been some performance issues which related to the use of legacy code which have now been resolved. We are working to make the software as portable as possible to allow transfer to an ARCS server. ARCS is not quite ready for us to move the system from CSIRO. • We had a significant hardware problem which caused us to have to rebuild the software on one of the servers due to a faulty system firmware upgrade. • Cooperation between the SRS and eMII is allowing duplication and access to datasets in a number of ways.
11c X Band Upgrade Townsville - X band receiving station has been operational since April 2008. L Band upgrade to the Dual system was completed in July 2009. Some water was collecting in the X band feed causing dropouts in high altitude passes. This has now been fixed. Hobart - TERSS has continued to operate with a high degree of availability since several major components were upgraded. A new ERSDEM 2.5 demodulator was purchased and installed in October 2008, this unit required some fine tuning and an update of parameters for specific channels. These adjustments are now complete and the demodulator is operating as per specifications. New servo drives were procured as replacements for the obsolete models but on installation were found to have significant operating differences resulting in the drives being uninstalled and the older drives returned to service. We are currently collaborating with the suppliers in an effort to have the drives modified to achieve compatibility. Good progress has been achieved and installation of the replacement drives is anticipated by Summer 2010.
Description of activities undertaken to establish and operate the infrastructure 11a SST • BOM: Employed Dr George Paltoglou (IMOS Scientific Programmer) on 20 Oct 2008, replacing Dr Justin Freeman who left on 11 August 2008. • Helen Beggs, Leon Majewski and George Paltoglou (BOM) attended the International Group for High Resolution SST (GHRSST) User Symposium in Santa Rosa, USA, 28 – 29 May 2009, and the 10th GHRSST Science Team Meeting in Santa Rosa, USA, 1 – 5 June 2009 in order to promote the new IMOS satellite SST products to the international SST community, learn about the new GHRSST data formats (“GDS v2.0”) and compare methods for error estimation of satellite SST. • Following the GHRSST Meetings, Leon Majewski and George Paltoglou spent a week at the NOAA/STAR Labs in Maryland, USA, to learn about new methods for calibrating and processing satellite SST from infrared sensors on NOAA’s polar- orbiting satellites and the Japanese geostationary satellite, MTSAT-1R. Mr Majewski received the new version 2.0 of the NOAA MTSAT-1R SST processing code for
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implementation at the Bureau, to replace the version 1.0 NOAA MTSAT-1R processing system currently being used at BOM. 11b AO-DAAC • We have had some talks with ARCS to support the web/aggregator part of the system on one of their servers. • Peter Turner and Pauline Mak presented a talk on the AO-DAAC at eResearch in Melbourne last year. • Edward King presented a poster at the Australian Remote Sensing Conference in Darwin in late 2008. Peter Turner et al presented a poster at the IMOS launch and also a modified version of the poster at AMSA in Adelaide recently. 11c X Band Upgrade Townsville -We are exploring the possibility of receiving X band data from Indian Space Research Organisation’s Oceansat-2 to be launched in August. A radome is being considered by AIMS for the dish to reduce the effects of weather on the reception and longevity of the infrastructure. Hobart - As described above, a number of major components were replaced, including the demodulator, tracking computer, direct ingest board, RF synthesizer board, WLAN antennae and modem. A dehumidifier unit has been installed in the antenna pedestal to eliminate humidity related issues affecting operation.
Discussion of deviations from the Project Plan and 2007/08 Annual Business Plan o Additional activities undertaken 11a SST • BOM is producing hourly skin SST L2P and L3U (gridded) files from MTSAT- 1R as a co-investment to IMOS. Once the new version 2.0 of the MTSAT-1R SST processing system has been implemented and tested, BOM will provide real- time and reprocessed MTSAT-1R GHRSST L3U files to the AO-DAAC and eMII (back to June 2006) - December 2009 milestone • NOAA/STAR is planning to provide the GHRSST Global Data Assembly Centre with v2.0 real-time MTSAT-1R skin SST L2P files by August 2009. However, as they do not have the raw satellite data NOAA is unable to reprocess earlier MTSAT-1R data. BOM has archived raw MTSAT-1R data back to June 2006 and has agreed to reprocess this data to skin SST L2P files if required by GHRSST. BOM will also reprocess the raw MTSAT-1R data to produce gridded files of hourly MTSAT-1R skin SST in the new GHRSST L3U format over the region 90°E to 180°E, 0°N to 55°S. 11b AO-DAAC • Production of a browse capability for the DAAC as requested by a number of users. This is one of the few if any systems around the world which allows a dynamic browse capability of the data. It has a benefit that users can get a quick preview of the data they select before downloading it.
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o Agreed activities not completed and remedial action 11c X Band Upgrade Hobart - As described earlier, the servo drives required modification by the manufacturer to achieve compatibility, they will be installed when the local weather conditions are more suitable - late Spring, Summer 2010. Repainting of the antenna was postponed also until more suitable weather conditions, also in Summer.
Discussion level of cash and in-kind co-investment received against expected levels. 11a SST - Co-investment from BOM is 66% ($55k) above budget, mainly from additional contribution by Leon Majewski. This has enabled 11a to meet its milestones, in spite of the ~6 months delay in IMOS tasks for FY2008/09 due to the resignation of Justin Freeman. 11c X Band Upgrade Townsville - In-kind capital of $53,000 provided by AIMS for a radome. Installation costs are to be finalised but are of a similar order. Hobart - In-kind co-investments has been via considerable planning effort and via contribution of human resources for installation and commissioning of the upgraded equipment and systems.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Providing research infrastructure o Details of new infrastructure 11c X Band Upgrade - Hobart ERSDEM 2.5 Demodulator was installed in October 2008. The value of this unit is $62,250. An ingest board has been installed, plus spare has been received. The value of these two units is approximately $16,000. A new RF synthesizer board has been received and installed. Value $4,980. The servo system has been ordered and delivered. The value of these units is approximately $38,000. They are currently awaiting installation in TERSS which will proceed in late Spring 2009, early Summer 2010. Two spare servo drive units have also been received. Value $16,800. A dehumidifier has been received and installed. The value of this unit is approximately $3,000. A new low bit rate communications system has been installed. Value $3,260. New cables connecting the antenna pedestal and the communications tower have been installed. Value $590. o List of data streams that are available for use in research 11a SST - Daily, 0.01° x 0.01° resolution HRPT AVHRR (14 day mosaic) bulk SST from NOAA-17 and NOAA-18 satellites in GHRSST netCDF L3 format from 1 January 2001 to present. Volume: 300 Gb. 11b AO-DAAC - Tasmania regional ocean colour data set from 2002 to 2008 with results tuned for local conditions. To be followed for other regions around Australia.
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Some National ocean colour data processed with the standard methods. These data are still need to rationalization. 11c X Band Upgrade Townsville NOAA AVHRR HRPT imagery SeaWiFS ocean colour imagery MODIS terra and aqua ocean colour imagery Hobart MODIS (from both Terra and Aqua); ERS-2 low bit-rate sensors. The data from the MODIS sensors is available from 2001 onwards. ERS-2 LBR data are available from approximately 2005. MODIS data are available through the GA catalogue. Access to ERS-2 LBR data needs to be obtained through the European Space Agency.
Data Access for the whole facility: Data can currently be accessed through IMOS AO-DAAC server at Clayton, Melbourne, and through the IMOS Ocean Portal. o Outline the continuity of one key time series of data to be assessed against an appropriate benchmark for this facility. 11a SST/11b AO-DAAC The SST data set is tested against in situ data and compared with model fields. 11c X Band Upgrade Townsville MODIS ocean colour NOAA AVHRR HRPT imagery Hobart-Apart from one period of approximately six months when the facility was out of service due to the servo failure, MODIS data are available from approximately 2001 onwards with a small number of periods of temporary unavailability due to equipment failure.
Meeting researcher needs o Ongoing and new research projects and PhD students using IMOS data 11a SST/11b AO-DAAC • Reef Temperature Project – GBRMPA web tool for predicting coral bleaching (Jeff Maynard, PhD Student, Uni of Melbourne) • Animations of raw temperature and anomalies for all Commonwealth Marine Reserves to inform the review and revision, in particular, of management plans for the following Reserves: Ashmore, Cartier, Ningaloo, and Mermaid. (Jeff Maynard, PhD Student, Uni of Melbourne) • Predictive tool for the improved monitoring of the onset and outbreak of coral disease (White Syndrome) in northern Australia (Jeff Maynard, PhD Student, Uni of Melbourne) • Transient Coastal Upwelling Along Ningaloo Reef Project (Ryan Lowe + 2 PHD students, UWA) • Mark Baird and Helen MacDonald (PhD Student) (Uni of NSW) – Downscaling an eddy-resolving global ocean model for the continental shelf off SE Australia
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• BLUElink Ocean Forecasting Australia Project (Helen Beggs, Gary Brassington and Eric Schulz, CAWCR) 11c X Band Upgrade Townsville Ana Rodriquez University of Queensland confirmation seminar July 2009
Quality of research infrastructure o Benchmark against other similar overseas infrastructure 11a SST -Various overseas agencies produce GHRSST L2P files from HRPT AVHRR data but not from Australian ground stations, eg. NAVOCEANO. The accuracy of the new IMOS HRPT AVHRR SST data meets the world’s best HRPT AVHRR SST products from the same sensors. However, the BOM cloud clearing schema can be improved to meet best practice in order to not discard good SST in frontal regions. 11b AO-DAAC - The AO-DAAC compares favorably with similar sites developed by NASA. The DAAC allows a user to select the area for which they want data and delivers the data in near real time. The user can also select data as HDF, netCDF, text or a list of URL’s. This combination of capabilities makes the AO-DAAC look world class. We are aware that UNIDATA is developing a system based on similar technology.
Fostering Collaborative development of infrastructure o Participation in international programs collecting similar data streams 11a SST -The Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) coordinates the production of L2P/L3 files from satellite SST data streams. 11c X Band Upgrade - Townsville - NOAA Coastwatch – they ingest our 1km LAC data, NASA SeaWiFS ocean colour – we provide entire archive to them. o Other collaborations 11a SST -NOAA/BOM collaboration: BOM is using the NOAA MTSAT-1R SST processing code. Andy Harris and Jon Mittaz (Uni of Maryland) are collaborating with BOM to produce a skin SST product from MTSAT-1R geostationary satellite and improved bulk SST product from AVHRR satellite sensors.
Fostering interdisciplinary and world-class research o List of publications using IMOS data 11a SST /11b AO-DAAC • Beggs Helen, Leon Majewski and George Paltoglou (2009) New Australian High Resolution AVHRR SST Products from the Integrated Marine Observing System, GHRSST 2009 International Users Symposium Conference Proceedings, Santa Rosa, USA, 29-30 May 200, p. 29-32. (http://www.ghrsst.org/modules/documents/documents/IGUS_Extended_Abstracts .pdf ).
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• Van der Linden L. T. M. (2009) Field and remote sensing observations of transient upwelling along Ningaloo Reef”, Data Report, School of Environmental Systems Engineering, UWA, 65 pp. • Baird Mark, Helen MacDonald, Moninya Roughan and Peter Oke (2009) Downscaling an eddy-resolving global ocean model for the continental shelf off South-East Australia, Submitted to Ocean Modelling. • Maynard J, P. Turner, K. Anthony, A. Baird, R. Berkelmans, C. Eakin, J. Johnson, P. Marshall, G. Packer, A. Rea and B. Willis (2008) An interactive monitoring system for coral bleaching using high-resolution SST and improved stress predictors, Geophys. Res. Let., 35.
11c X Band Upgrade - Townsville Lough J, Bainbridge S, Berkelmans R and Steinberg C. (2009) Physical monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef to understand ecological responses to climate change. Submitted invited book chapter for You, J, Henderson-Sellers A (eds). Climate Change Monitoring and Strategy, Sydney University Press. In Press. o Details of participation in other conferences, symposia or workshops in relation to this facility 11a SST • Leon Majewski presented a poster titled “New and Enhanced Satellite Sea Surface Temperature Products Over the Australian Region” at the 9th ICSHMO Conference, Melbourne, 9-13 February 2009. • Helen Beggs presented a talk titled “New Australian High Resolution AVHRR SST Products from the Integrated Marine Observing System” during the GHRSST Users Symposium in Santa Rosa, USA, 28-29 May 2009. • Helen Beggs presented a talk titled “Report to GHRSST10 from Australia - BLUElink and IMOS” during the 10th GHRSST Science Team Meeting in Santa Rosa, USA, 1-5 June 2009 (see http://www.bom.gov.au/bmrc/ocean/BLUElink/SST/GHRSST10/Beggs_GHRSS T10_Australian_RDAC_Report.ppt ). This presentation included a description of the IMOS sub-facility 11a MTSAT-1R and AVHRR SST GHRSST products. 11b AO-DAAC • Peter Turner presented a paper at the eResearch conference in Melbourne in November 2008. 11c X Band Upgrade - Townsville • Steinberg, C.R., F. McAllister, G.W. Brinkman, C. Pitcher, J. Luetchford and P. Rigby (2009) The Great Barrier Reef Ocean Observing System Moorings Array: Monitoring Coral Sea Impacts on the Great Barrier Reef. OceanObs09. Venice, Italy, 21-25 September 2009. Poster and extended abstract. • S.J. Bainbridge, C.R. Steinberg, M.J. Furnas and M.L. Heron (2009) GBROOS – An Ocean Observing System for the Great Barrier Reef. OceanObs09. Venice, Italy, 21-25 September 2009. Poster and extended abstract. • Steinberg, C., Weeks, S. and Berkelmans R. (2009) East Australian Current and Upwelling influences on the Thermal Environment of the Great Barrier Reef. MTSRF annual science conference, Townsville, Australia, April 2009.
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• Steinberg, C., S. Heron, M. Herzfeld, S. Weeks, S. Bainbridge, M. Heron, W. Skirving (2009) Observing and Modelling the Circulation of the Capricorn Bunker Group, Southern Great Barrier Reef. Australian Marine Sciences Association. Adelaide, Australia, 11-14 July 2009. • Steinberg, C, F. McAllister, C.M. McLean, G.W. Brinkman, C. Pitcher, J. Luetchford and P. Rigby (2009) The Great Barrier Reef Ocean Observing System: Monitoring the Western Boundary Currents of the Coral Sea and Impacts on the Great Barrier Reef. Australian Marine Sciences Association. Adelaide, Australia, 11-14 July 2009. Poster presentation. • C. Steinberg, F. McAllister, C.M. McLean, G.W. Brinkman, C. Pitcher, J. Luetchford and P. Rigby (2009) The Great Barrier Reef Ocean Observing System Mooring array: Monitoring the Western Boundary Currents of the Coral Sea and Impacts on the Great Barrier Reef. EOS Trans. AGU, 90(22), Jt. Assem. Suppl., Abstract OS32A-06. • Steinberg participated in the MTSRF Receiving Water Quality Modelling in the GBR Workshop 6th February 2009, Townsville.
OTHER MATTERS
Access and Pricing 11a SST • The data will be made freely available in real-time through the IMOS AO-DAAC, IMOS Ocean Data Portal and the GHRSST Global Data Assembly Centre (hosted by JPL’s PO.DAAC). • ReefTemp (GBRMPA): GBRMPA accesses the IMOS AVHRR SST mosaic files in GHRSST L3 format directly via FTP from BOM. ReefTemp system generates differences between daily SST L3 file to climatology to determine areas where there is enhanced warming or cooling in order to predict coral bleaching events. • Ryan Lowe (UWA): has been supplied with IMOS AVHRR SST mosaic files in GHRSST L3 format via FTP from BOM. He uses the IMOS 0.01° resolution SST L3 data stream in his Transient Coastal Upwelling Along Ningaloo Reef project. The principal aim of this project is to conduct the first detailed study of the dynamics of coastal upwelling along the North West Cape region of Ningaloo Reef. • Mark Baird and Helen MacDonald (Uni of NSW) downloaded the IMOS legacy 14- day AVHRR mosaic SST data from the IMOS AO-DAAC. • Eric Schulz (CAWCR, BOM) has been supplied (via BOM systems) with MTSAT- 1R skin SST L2P files for comparison with the TWP-ICE cruise radiometer data in early 2006. • Helen Beggs (CAWCR, BOM) has been supplied (via BOM systems) with MTSAT- 1R skin SST L2P files for initial diurnal warming studies for the GHRSST Western Pacific Tropical Warm Pool Diurnal Variability Experiment (TWP+). • Gary Brassington (CAWCR, BOM) has been supplied (via BOM systems) with MTSAT-1R skin SST L2P files for February to April 2007 for use in BLUElink ocean modelling studies.
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APPENDIX B NODE REPORTS
Node : BLUEWATER AND CLIMATE NODE (BCN) Leader: Mr Ken Ridgway Deputy: Dr Susan Wijffels Sponsor: CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Members: 56 members from organisations including CSIRO, AIMS, AAD, UTAS, SIMS, BOM, DPIVic, ACECRC, EPAVic, IOC and UWA Meetings held in 2008/09: 12th August 2009, Bureau of Meteorology, Melbourne.
Overview of status of the Node (addressing highlights, difficulties and breakthroughs) The Bluewater and Climate Node includes 3 facilities: Argo Australia, Enhanced Measurements from Ships of Opportunity (SOOP), and the Southern Ocean Automated Time Series Observations (SOTS). Significant progress has been achieved in each of these. Most of the new IMOS funded equipment has been obtained and the majority of planned staff recruitments have been completed. Existing areas are operating at their full IMOS capacity and new underway programs are close to becoming operational. The Southern Ocean mooring has attained major advances in design and its construction is proceeding smoothly.
Description of activities undertaken, including unexpected or unusual activities The BCN covers research over all the ocean regions around Australia. Unlike the regional nodes the BCN membership is diverse in interests as well as location although many are located in Tasmania. This means that it is difficult to organize node meetings that allow an attendance from the full membership. Meetings of the node executive have been held and communication has occurred through phone and email exchange.
A full node meeting was held 12 August 2009 at the Bureau of Meteorology in Melbourne. The main purpose of this meeting was to discuss the future direction of the Bluewater and Climate Node following the new EIF funding announcement. More than 50 people attended, covering nearly all other Nodes, marine institutions and regions. A meeting report will soon be available. A small subset of members has been tasked with updating the Bluewater and Climate Node Science and Implementation plans. The specific aims of the Meeting were to assess whether the existing observations deliver what Australia requires in a bluewater and climate observing system; and to develop priorities for sustained bluewater and climate observations in the future.
Personnel involved in the BCN activities have taken leadership roles in national and international committees and planning forums and presented results from the IMOS data. Please see the Argo, SOOP and SOTS Facility reports in Appendix A for detail.
Discussion of the level of cash or in-kind co-investment received to assist with the Nodes activities) CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research is continuing to provide funding support for meetings, travel for the Node Leader
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Node : Great Barrier Reef Ocean Observing System (GBROOS) Leader: Dr. Peter Doherty Deputy: Mr. Scott Bainbridge Sponsor: Australian Institute of Marine Science Members: Australian Institute of Marine Science; Tropical Marine Network: University of Queensland, University of Sydney, James Cook University, Australian Museum; University of Melbourne via the ARC Research Network on Intelligent Sensors, Sensor Networks and Information Processing (ISSNIP); Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation (QCIF) Meetings held in 2008/09: 15th April, Brisbane, Minutes held by AIMS 17th June, Brisbane in conjunction with the South East Queensland observational community, Minutes held by CMAR Cleveland.
Overview of status of the Node (addressing highlights, difficulties and breakthroughs) o The GBR mooring array is fully deployed with now 18 months of continuous service, new instruments (WetLabs WQM’s) were added at the last service; o The sensor network component under the FAIMMS Facility has deployed sensor networks at three of the seven sites with site visits and designs completed for the remaining sites; o The underway sampling equipment is installed on the two research vessels and the Whitsundays ferry. The Heron Island ferry has not been completed as the business that owns it (Voyages) is for sale and this has halted any work on the vessel until the sale is resolved; o Eight of the ten mooring sites, the radar site and two of the three deployed sensor network sites were affected by Cyclone Hamish in early March 2009. Cyclone Hamish was a category-5 cyclone with winds at over 240 kph. All of the equipment survived and a valuable record of in and above water measurements was obtained; o The Remote Sensing upgrade has now been completed with the installation of the L- Band receiver. This completes the remote sensing upgrade component; o The Yongala NRS has been operating with WQMs since May 2008 and with an ADCP since 2007. The surface buoy to allow real time communications has been purchased and delivered. However as the buoy is now a multi-agency buoy the deployment of this has been delayed to ensure the needs of all stakeholders are met. o The Darwin National Reference Station is underway with the installation due in late 2009; o Delays in equipment arriving have mostly been overcome as the project progresses. There are still some items on back order that are taking some time to arrive, but none of these will result in significant delays; o The fluctuations in the exchange rate has made it difficult to keep some purchases within the budget but top up funding from IMOS and a strengthing of the rate has lessened the issue; o Work with CSIRO on the development of a processing toolbox for the mooring data as part of a larger IMOS/eMII initiative; o Development of a deployment data system, in conjunction with eMII, to capture deployment data in the field and to process this through to automated metadata records;
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o Development of a data web site and the Data Turbine server to serve the GBROOS data, the site is linked into the main IMOS web site; o Development of metadata records for the main GBROOS components with records for the other components to follow and development of automated metadata generation routines;
Highlights include: o Having observational equipment in place to observe Cyclone Hamish as it moved down the Great Barrier Reef, this will give valuable information about the impact of severe events such as cyclones; o Deployment of the world’s first wireless sensor network in the southern Great Barrier Reef; o The deployment of three sensor network sites creating the most sophisticated coral reef sensor network in the world; o The deployment of the Data Turbine server and data web services to allow users to access the real-time data; o The successful deployment and servicing of the mooring array giving eighteen months of uninterrupted measurements including the 2008/09 summer period;
Groups and organisations using GBROOS data: • Remote Sensing: o Data is being delivered to BOM and CSIRO through the IMOS AO-DAAC for incorporation into their near-real time and products as well as being served from the AIMS servers. o ATOVS (Advanced TIROS (Television InfraRed Operational Satellite) Operational Vertical Sounder) data from NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) satellites is being passed on to BOM in near-real time and rapidly delivered globally through the BOM Regional ATOVS Retransmission Service (RARS) o NASA ocean colour archive all our SeaWiFS imagery o NOAA Coastwatch receive daily NOAA AVHRR SST and is incorporated into NOAA Coral ReefWatch products and archived o GBRMPA ReefTemp is a CSIRO/BOM/GBRMPA product o Suppiah Ramasamy, CAWCR
• Underway Sampling: Again all of this data is being delivered to BOM and then onto the GTS to help validate the daily SST and ocean colour satellite products. The data systems are being developed to deliver this via the eMII OPeNDAP set of servers.
• Moorings: o AIMS Reef Water Quality Monitoring Team o AIMS Responding to Climate Change Team o The data is currently being used within AIMS to develop hydrodynamic models of the Great Barrier Reef and monitoring of currents and water quality o MTSRF 2.5i.1 Regional Climate Scenarios
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o Schiller, Herzfeld & Steinberg – downscaled climate scenario modelling o Marine ands Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF) 2.5i.2 early warning and assessment system for thermal stress on the GBR
Difficulties include: o Delay in getting the surface buoy for the Yongala National Reference Station in place due to the increased complexity of putting in place a multi-agency multi-use buoy over the original single use buoy planned; o Delays in some equipment arriving although this has mostly been resolved; o The potential sale of the Voyages Heron Island ferry has delayed the installation of the underway system on the vessel. This is in limbo until the sale is resolved and then it will depend on the new owners; o The initial sensor network buoy designs needed to be modified to make the systems more reliable, this has delayed the roll out of the network while the new designs have been tested. This is now complete and the roll out is resuming, anticipated delay is around four months;
Description of activities undertaken o Servicing and upgrading of the mooring array including the Yongala National Reference Station; o Deployment of sensor networks at three reef sites; o Site visits to the remaining sensor network sites, design of the deployments and manufacture of the equipment; o Development of the mooring processing toolbox, deployment database and auto generation of metadata records in conjunction with CSIRO and eMII; o Development of the data web site, Data Turbine server, metadata records and data services to integrate the data into the eMII Facility; o Deployment of the underway equipment on the Solander; o Completion of the remote sensing upgrade with the L-Band receiver installed; o Presentations at a number of conferences by various members of the GBROOS team, major conferences include the International Coral Reef Symposium in Florida, the 9ICSHMO conference in Melbourne, the American Geophysical Union meeting in Toronto;
Discussion of the level of cash or in-kind co-investment received to assist with the Nodes activities The cash and in-kind contributions received are in-line with the budget and existing contracts.
Any other matters to report A number of components of GBROOS now have an urgent need of a calibration facility, this was to be provided by the equipment supplier / representative but this seems now unlikely to eventuate. GBROOS therefore supports the CSIRO plan to establish a facility at CMAR.
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Node : New South Wales IMOS (NSW-IMOS) Leader: Prof Iain Suthers Deputy: Dr Moninya Roughan Sponsor: Sydney Institute of Marine Science Members: 98, with members from many marine organisations with interests in NSW Meetings held in 2008/09: 05/08/2008, 11/10/2008, 30/04/2009 Minutes held at SIMS
Overview of status of the Node (addressing highlights, difficulties and breakthroughs)
SIMS initiated the Eastern Seaboard Climate Change Initiative (ESCCI) to coordinate university and state department activities, an approach endorsed by the state government. Seed funding from the State links BOM, DECC and SIMS researchers on an existing project on East Coast Lows. A 3 day meeting funded by SIMS 28-30 April 2009 brought together around 40 industry, local and state government and SIMS scientists to workshop 3 specific themes related to climate change and the impacts along the eastern seaboard (Kelp-on-the-Edge, Ocean Acidification, Future Coastlines). On the 30th April ~40 members of NSW-IMOS convened to discuss IMOS-2 goals and initiatives. A 2 page summary was circulated and sent to the IMOS office.
NSW-IMOS has attracted coastal engineers and geomorphologists to the Node, which is particularly significant as coastal erosion is the #1 marine concern for the NSW state government. The MHL wave rider buoy network and the relationship to the Coffs WERA HF radar and X-band “WaMOS” radar systems were an area of discussion for much of this year The Node membership has grown over the past 12 months by 20% to in excess of 110.
Dec 2009, SIMS signed a MOU with the Division of Marine Services to assist in the deployment of IMOS equipment. Approximately 5 days of vessel time were provided for the deployment of AATAMS receivers off Sydney.
Nov-Dec 2008, NSW-IMOS coordinated the first successful launch and retrieval of an IMOS Slocum glider “Nemo-1” in the EAC. Nemo-2 was successfully retrieved on 8 April 2009.
15 March 2009. SIMS open day attracted over 2000 people, which featured NSW-IMOS talks and poster, displays (e.g. an Argo float). Iain Suthers gives 1-2 presentations per month to visitors on IMOS and marine issues.
The May 2009 Federal Budget was a highlight for SIMS, with $19.5M EIF funding awarded to expand into the remaining building at the Chowder Bay precinct, and a vessel to enhance NSW-IMOS activities.
Description of activities undertaken, including discussion of unexpected or unusual activities NSW-IMOS had three meetings at SIMS, attracting ~45% of the node membership. The 10 November meeting briefly outlined potential papers concerning the East Australian Current that are using (or could use) IMOS data. Dr George Cresswell was sponsored by
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IMOS to attend and lend his long-term perspective on EAC research. Correspondence with two journal editors led to the confirmation of a Special Issue of Deep Sea Research Part II (which specializes on particular themed issues) on the East Australian Current (Editors I. Suthers, M. Roughan K. Ridgway and J. Young). More than 35 abstracts submitted by the March 2009 deadline. Final manuscripts are due for submission Sept 21st , and publication is expected early 2010.
12 Dec. 2008. Iain Suthers, Moninya Roughan and Gary Meyers gave a talk at a national Climate Change Monitoring symposium sponsored by University of Sydney convened by Dr John You. NSW-IMOS gave a talk “The Australian Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS)” which was prepared by Roughan et al. as a chapter in a book “Climate Alert: Climate Change Monitoring and Strategy” published by Univ. Sydney Press.
5 Feb. 2009, EPA, Melbourne, convened by Dr Randall Lee. Iain Suthers met with Victorian marine researchers and IMOS (Gary Meyers and Jo Neilson) to discuss ocean monitoring needs in SE Australia, and if we should form a regional node. The reality of state-based nodes was recognized. The gap in ocean observations of Bass Strait area was noted.
16-18 Feb 2009. National IMOS annual planning meeting was held at SIMS where the nodes’ responses to the mid term review were presented.
15-16 June 2009 Coffs Harbor Climate Change Workshop was attended by various members of NSW IMOS including deputy node leader (Roughan) who presented on IMOS and the plans for northern NSW.
17 June 2009. SE Qld IMOS node discussions. NSW IMOS leader (Suthers) and deputy leader (Roughan) attended the SE Qld IMOS discussions to encourage the collaboration across the state boarder as we strive to study the same EAC ecosystem. A single Queensland node will be formed to work with their state government, but oceanographic science and such links will be developed with SE Queensland and NMSC at Coffs.
6-9 July 2009. NSW IMOS Abstracts Presented at AMSA 2009 in Adelaide. 1. Roughan, M., I. Suthers, R. Harcourt, S. Williams, T.Pritchard Highlights from NSW IMOS AMSA Adelaide 2009 Marine Connectivity 2. Wood, J., M. Roughan P. Tate Upwelling off the Coast of Sydney: Observations from the NSW IMOS Array AMSA Adelaide 2009 Marine Connectivity 3. Morris, B. M. Roughan, I. Suthers and T. Pritchard Cross-shelf Processes off the Coast of NSW; Preliminary Results from the NSW IMOS Array AMSA Adelaide 2009 Marine Connectivity 4. Coman, Frank, Claire Davies, Jocelyn Delacruz, David McLeod, Tim Pritchard, Anita Slotwinski, Anthony J. Richardson Seasonal, inter-annual, and potential decadal changes in the zooplankton community off Port Hacking, NSW 5. Pritchard, Tim, Martin Krogh, Jos dela Cruz, Peter Davies, Tim Ingleton. The legacy of Sydney’s long term monitoring stations and prospects for integrated monitoring of coastal waters 6. Doblin, Martina, Peter Thompson, Christel Hassler, Mark Baird, Iain Suthers and Peter Ralph IMOS: The bridge between bio-optical data and modelled primary production 7. Baird, Mark, David Griffin, Ben Hollings, Jason Everett, Chari Pattiaratchi and Iain Suthers A Slocum Glider deployment in a Warm Core Eddy off NSW
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9-13 Feb 2009. NSW IMOS Abstracts Presented at AMOS 2009, Melbourne 1. Roughan M, I Suthers T Pritchard, ‘Cross-shelf processes off the coast of NSW; results from the SEAMOS array’ AMOS 2009 2. M Heron, M Roughan, I Suthers, M Banner, A Prytz, G Page D Atwater ‘Monitoring ocean parameters from an HF radar: case study at Coffs Harbour, Australia’, AMOS 2009
Discussion of the level of cash or in-kind co-investment received to assist with the Nodes activities) Funding for a NSW-IMOS Project Scientist in support of node activities 0.5 FTE to June 2011 (SIMS 0.25, UNSW 0.25)
SIMS have further provided cash support for the node meetings Meetings $3,609.09 Travel $2,391.36 and in kind of Facility Rental $681.82
Further in kind is provided by the support given to SIMS for a NSW-IMOS financial officer to the node in assisting co-ordination and logistics of node meetings.
Any other matters to report We are disappointed in the delay in the deployment of the HF Radar facility at Coffs Harbour. Despite our attempts we are not able to assist in progressing the deployment.
There have also been delays in the Coffs Harbour mooring deployments however these have been resolved and we anticipate deployment in August 2009.
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Node : Southern Australian IMOS (SAIMOS) Leader: Professor Laurent Seuront Deputy: Associate Professor John Middleton Sponsor: SARDI Aquatic Sciences and Flinders University ($5K/yr) Members: 60, with members from many marine organisations with interests in SA Meetings held in 2008/09: None
Overview of status of the Node (addressing highlights, difficulties and breakthroughs) Highlights Field sampling and mooring deployments: begun in February 2008 and our science crew has settled in well. SARDI’s RV Ngerin vessel and crew have proved capable of carrying out the SAIMOS deployments. No equipment has been lost. Mooring deployments - During the period of November 2008 to June 2009, between four and six moorings were in the water and operational at any one time, as originally planned. All have returned good data. Reference Station - The Kangaroo Island National Reference station was sampled 11 times; 7 times in 2008 (February, March, April, August, October, November, December) and 4 times so far in 2009 (January, February, March, June). All the parameters requested have been sampled. Zooplankton sampling is still to be implemented. We have now turned over the Kangaroo Island National Reference Station providing a full year of current and CTD data. Field sampling - 11 cruises have been successfully conducted; 7 in 2008 (February, March, April, August, October, November, December) and 4 so far in 2009 (January, February, March, June). Glider deployments July 2008: Glider was operational for approximately ten days. During the first half of this the glider was fully operational and collected data over the entire extent of the water column covering a lateral distance of approximately 50 km. Following this a leak was detected by the onboard leak sensor and the glider was placed in limp mode. This meant that the glider still collected data, however, only to a depth of 15 m. The glider travelled in this mode for approximately 50 km until retrieved. January 2009: Glider deployed successfully at 11 am on January 15th 2009. The Slocum glider was operational for approximately 20 days covering a total distance of 520 km, taking over 3500 casts. May 2009: Glider deployed successfully. The Slocum glider was operational for approximately 26 days covering a total distance of 600 km, taking over 3700 casts.
Node plans to promote science activities and uptake of data The Node has been very active in activities related to promote uptake of data, but also to promote the Node in particular and IMOS in general. This has been achieved through: - A formal agreement signed between SARDI and the Marine and Freshwater Fisheries Institute (MAFFRI) - Advanced contact with: o Department of Environment and Heritage o Environment Protection Agency o Various Natural Resource Management boards o The Bureau of Meteorology
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- A range of promotional activities including: o The visit of the SA Governor at SARDI o SARDI hosted a meeting with the editor-in-chief (Washington DC) of Oceans Atlas of the World o The participation of SARDI and Flinders University in the Tall Poppies campaign o The participation of SAIMOS to the Innovation SA conference o Meetings with various potential industry partners (e.g. SA Water, BHP) o The participation of SAIMOS to the inauguration of the new Lincoln Marine Science Centre, Port Lincoln. - Presentations and attendance at meetings and conferences: o 4 June 2008: Keswick, SA: Meeting with Greg Leaman and John Sholtz (heads of DEH Parks) on Radar permissions. o 22 July 2008: Cape Spencer (SA): Meeting with SA DEH to discuss HF RADAR installation. o 2 September 2008: Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society- SAIMOS talk given. o 17 September 2008: Flinders Research Centre for Coastal and Catchment Environments, Flinders University- SAIMOS talk given. o 31 October 2008: Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan - SAIMOS talk given. o 16-19 February 2009: SIMS, Sydney: Meeting of IMOS nodes o 11 March 2009: SAIMOS talk given to S.A. Defense Science and Technology Office (DSTO) Marine researchers o 18 March 2009: Licoln Marine Science Centre opening: presentation given to S.A. Deputy Premier, Minister for Science and public o 8 April 2009: SAIMOS presentation given to talented high school students under the Tall Poppies program o April 2009: SAIMOS posters given at European Geophysical Union conference in Vienna o 6-9 July 2009: Opening of the Lincoln Marine Science Centre - SAIMOS talks given. o 6-9 July 2009: AMSA conference, two talks and two posters on SAIMOS o 10 July 2009: Flinders University, eMII workshop- SAIMOS talk given.
- Meetings have been carried out with regional partners, to support the stategy for sustained observing and capacity building for SAIMOS, with planning for EIF funds in mind o DSTO: radar and gliders expertise and joint deployment of Slocum gliders o University of Adelaide: radar expertise o In-kind contributions of SAIMOS supporting ARC proposals from the SA Museum, the University of Adelaide and Flinders University
Difficulties All the mentioned difficulties reported hereafter are minor and did not severely impact our Science and Implementation plan:
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- The satellite and radio locators have enabled the retrieval of one mooring that broke loose (due to acoustic release failure). - Delay in setting up the HF Radar related to change of site, delays in getting permissions from the appropriate authorities and in the design and implementation of the shack needed to host electronics and power supplies. HF Radar to be up-and- running by October 4th, 2009. - Slocum gliders and Seagliders: o October 2008: Mission cancelled by ANFOG who were uncomfortable having a glider deployed while technician was absent for an extended period. ANFOG Glider Technician being at a Conference in Italy meant a further delay of at least a month. o December 2008: Mission cancelled by ANFOG who were unable to send a technician over for deployment. Issues with previously deployed glider in NSW were the explained cause of the delay. o August 2008: during deployment of the glider a failure of the pressure sensor occurred and therefore the glider was not deployed. The pressure sensor was returned to Webb Research Corporation in USA for repair/replacement. There was a significant delay before part was returned. o April 2009 Seaglider mission cancelled due to transport company sending parts to the wrong location
Description of activities undertaken, including unexpected or unusual activities SAIMOS crew - SAIMOS field crew include John Luick, Charles James, Sophie Leterme with participation by Virginie Van Dongen-Vogels and James Patterson. None suffer significant sea sickness and get on well. - Carlos Teixeira has been appointed as a casual and has assisted in two cruises as well as around the laboratory. A casual, Maria Marklund, was also appointed for a brief period to assist with the biological sampling. A replacement for her is pending. - Shaun Bynes (Flinders funded) has also assisted with one cruise. He will be appointed full time by SAIMOS Moorings in August 2009 to assist with moorings generally.
Activities undertaken All the activities undertaken followed SAIMOS Science and Implementation plan, no unexpected of unusual activities to be reported.
Discussion of the level of cash or in-kind co-investment received to assist with the Nodes activities) The level of both cash and in-kind co-investment received was very satisfactory. We received an additional $100K from IMOS office to support salaries in gliders-related activities. We also received an additional $50K from eMII to support salaries to organize local data management.
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Node : West Australian Integrated Marine Observation System (WAIMOS) Leader: Prof Chari Pattiaratchi Deputy: Dr Nick D’Adamo Sponsor: The University of Western Australia Members: 104, with members from many marine organisations with interests in WA Meetings held in 2008/09: Minutes of Meetings are held with the Node leader Meetings were held on the following dates: 15 August 2008 (Scientific Reference Group), 3 February 2009 (Scientific Reference Group), 22 May 2009 (Whole Node), 19 June 2009 (Whole Node)
Overview of status of the Node HF radar - WAIMOS has been allocated two types of radars: CODAR Ocean Sensors SeaSonde and a high resolution WERA radar. The CODAR Seasonde stations were installed Cervantes and Seabird and started operating at the end of March 2009. The WERA systems have been delivered but there has been a delay in planning permission by the Fremantle Council for the shore station at Leighton Beach. It is expected that this system will become operational in September 2009. Initial data plot of currents measured by the SeaSonde stations clearly identifies the strong Leeuwin Current signature flowing southwards at surface speeds over 0.60 ms-1.
Shelf moorings - are planned along the Two Rocks transect and in the Perth Canyon. The moorings consist of a combination of thermistor strings, ADCP current measurements and water quality parameters. Initially, a series of thermistor chains were proposed to be deployed along the 200m depth contour between the Abrolhos Islands and Two Rocks – however, due to the unavailability of a suitable vessel an alternate plan was developed which included two additional moorings along the Two Rocks transect. As of July 2009, five moorings have been deployed along the Two Rocks transect.
Acoustic noise loggers have been deployed in the Perth Canyon since February 2009.
National reference stations - Of the nine long-term time series national reference stations, three have been planned for Western Australia at Rottnest Island, Esperance and Ningaloo. The Rottnest Island and Esperance stations were deployed in November 2008 and the Ningaloo deployment has been planned for November 2009. The Rottnest Island and Esperance stations were serviced in February and June 2009.
Ningaloo Reef ecosystem tracking array - Ninety-six receivers have been deployed as three arrays and three lines: 50 receivers in Mangrove Bay (to track reef fishes, reef sharks, and rays); 8 receivers off Skeleton Beach (to track reef sharks); 10 receivers in Stanley Pool (to track mantra rays); 7 receivers along the north line; 13 receivers along the central line; and 12 receivers along the south line. Marine animals tagged include 103 reef fishes and 80 sharks and rays. A report on the status of the Ningaloo Reef ecosystem tracking array has been submitted to the WA Department of Environment and Conservation. eMII - data streams - Selected data streams are available through eMII Ocean Portal and will continue to be populated with additional data.
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Ocean gliders The Slocum shelf gliders were deployed almost continuous along the Two Rocks transect since January 2009. A summary of deployments are presented on Table 1 and tracks in Figure 1. During the period January to June 2009, the Slocum gliders travelled almost 3000km and performed over 23000 vertical dives (casts).
Table 1 – Slocum glider deployments along the Two Rocks transect Glider Project Deployed Recovered Distance Duration Casts unit130 WAIMOS 03 Jun 2009 on going 315 km* 15 days* 2293* unit109 WAIMOS 15 May 2009 03 Jun 2009 380 km 19 days 4300 unit104 WAIMOS 02 Apr 2009 27 Apr 2009 517 km 25 days 3939 unit104 WAIMOS 13 Mar 2009 27 Mar 2009 348 km 14 days 2232 unit106 WAIMOS 20 Feb 2009 13 Mar 2009 445 km 21 days 3225 unit106 WAIMOS 20 Jan 2009 10 Feb 2009 487 km 21 days 2937 unit104 WAIMOS 21 Jun 2008 12/07/2008 300 km 14 days 3350
Figure 1 – Slocum glider tracks along the Two Rocks transects over the period January to June 2009.
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Description of activities undertaken - Personnel involved in the WAIMOS activities have taken leadership roles in national and international committees and planning forums and presented results from the IMOS data. These include: Date Meeting Abstract title Jun 2009 GOOS/CLIVAR Indian Ocean Panel Annual Meeting, Réunion May Institute of Marine Engineering, Science The West Australian Integrated Marine 2009 and Technology seminar, Perth Observation System (WAIMOS): Interactions between the Leeuwin current and the continental shelf. Mar 2009 IMOS Board Meeting The West Australian Integrated Marine Observation System (WAIMOS) Feb 2009 Global Ocean Observing System scientific Ocean observations off Western Australia steering committee workshop, Perth Feb 2009 Ninth international conference on southern Ocean observations using autonomous hemisphere meteorology and oceanography ocean gliders (9ICSHMO), Melbourne Dec 2008 IOGOOS 6th Annual Meeting, Hyderabad, India Dec 2008 University of Malaysia, Sabah Nov GOOS Regional Alliance 4th Forum, Ocean observations off Western Australia 2008 Ecuador Sep 2008 Fourth national abalone convention, Port The Leeuwin current Lincoln, SA Aug Fourteenth biennial international physics of Shelf and slope processes offshore 2008 estuaries and coastal seas (PECS) Fremantle, Western Australia conference, Liverpool Aug Department of the Environment, Water, West coast currents 2008 Heritage and the Arts, Perth
Discussion of the level of cash or in-kind co-investment received to assist with the Nodes activities) The level of cash and in-kind co-investment were similar to that reported in previous annual reports. Briefly in-kind support is provided by the University of Western Australia accounting for the Node Leaders salary. WAMSI has provided funding ($100,000) over 4 years for costs associated with the deployment of gliders and to fund a postgraduate student. Thisara Welhena has started in July 2009 as a PhD student within the School of Environmental Systems Engineering to work on the WAIMOS physical oceanographic data streams, particularly associated with ocean gliders, HF Radar and shelf moorings. Funding for the student has been obtained from UWA (international student fees $25,000 pa, and half living allowance $12,500 pa) and through the Western Australia Marine Science Initiative (WAMSI) Node 1 (CSIRO $6000 pa) and WAMSI Node 6 (UWA $6500 pa).
Any other matters to report - The delay in the deployment of shelf moorings within the Perth canyon is a cause for concern.
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APPENDIX C MILESTONE REPORT
No. Milestone Due Party(s) Status Comments / Update 1. Argo Australia 1.1 Be operating an Argo array of over 180 Jun09 CSIRO Achieved Without the current deployment halt active floats because of pressure sensor issues, we would have had even more floats in the field. This is in part due to the longevity of floats deployed earlier by Argo Australia and in part because of the large number of deployments this year; it is also due to the fact that our preparation of the floats leads to a higher success generally with no deployment losses this year.
2. Enhanced Measurements from Ships of Opportunity 2.1 Recruitment of pCO2 and plankton Aug08 CSIRO Achieved pCO2 staff filled in by other experienced analysis staff staff until appointment completed, which was not finalised until May 09. Plankton staff recruited and trained 2.2 Routine provision of pCO2 and CPR to Jun09 CSIRO Achieved First CPR route towed in June 2009 and will eMII pCO2 be provided to eMII within 3 months. A In progress database has been designed at CSIRO for CPR (now AusCPR data and we have discussed the due Sep09) form of the data to be exported with eMII. 2.3 Routine provision of T/S, Chl data to Jun09 AIMS In progress Local data system written and tested for eMII (now due input, archiving, plotting and dissemination. Sep09) Testing with external users required.
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No. Milestone Due Party(s) Status Comments / Update 2.4 Near real time SST and weather data from Jun09 BOM Achieved SST and auxillary weather data is now 4 vessels being quality assured and uploaded to the GTS and eMII within 24 hours of observations from Southern Surveyor, Spirit of Tasmania II, L'Astrolabe and MV Portland. SST data only is being provided in near real-time from the Rottnest Island Ferry and in delayed mode from the Whitsunday Ferry. 2.5 Routine transfer flux data from Southern Oct08 BOM SS Achieved, Surveyor met milestone. Aurora will Surveyor (SS) and Aurora Australis (AA) AA Transfer commence routine transfer by end of 2009 to eMII to 09/10 (due Dec09) 2.6. Underway system installed and Jun09 AIMS Achieved Underway system operational (Jun 2009). operational on RV Solander Initial validation samples collected. Minor plumbing repairs required for full operational status. Additional drainage to be fitted at next yard period to fully segregate system from ships aquarium pump system. 3G operation to be tested when ship is in phone range 2.7. Iridium transmitters operational on all Jun09 CSIRO Achieved Iridium transmitters are now on all high XBT routes density XBT routes and data is routinely delivered to the GTS. 2.8. pCO2 installed and operational on Mar09 CSIRO Achieved Rebuild of ships underway seawater line l’Astrolabe and testing caused some delays, but completed Mar 09 with some final testing required in 2009-10 field season. The pCO2 system has been installed and is functional as of Mar09. Near real-time data delivery will be tested in Oct 09-Mar 10 period.
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No. Milestone Due Party(s) Status Comments / Update 3. Southern Ocean Time Series (SOTS) 3.1 Construct and deploy operational version Mar09 CSIRO In progress Two test versions (Pulse 5H and 5L) of platform 2. PULSE biogeochemical UTAS (now due successfully deployed Oct. 2008-May 2009. mooring Sep09) Pulse 5H design selected for slight modification for deployment of operational version (Pulse 6) now scheduled for Sep09. 3.2 Complete construction of engineering test Apr09 BOM Transfer to WHOI have commenced construction, version of platform 1. SOFS meteorology CSIRO 2009/10 (now including ordering materials, fabrication and mooring UTAS due Apr10) final mooring design. Delivery planned for deployment in April 2010 3.3 Employ staff (SOFS data) Jun09 BOM Achieved Staff commenced on 1 July 2009 3.4 Deploy platform 4: Tethered Profiler Jan09 UTAS In progress Tethered profiler will be replaced by CSIRO (now due frequent launching of untethered profilers to Dec09) achieve higher reliability and additional spatial context. 2 profiling floats with O2 sensors received, for deployment in Sep09, 2 profiling floats on order from Webb Research not yet delivered owing to problems with Wetlabs FLNTU sensors. Delivery originally expected Jan09, now expected late’09. 3.5 Test real-time data system and Jun09 UTAS Achieved Pulse 5H and 5L transmitted engineering transmission of data to eMII CSIRO data successfully via Iridium to ftp site at 6 hourly intervals over 6 months. Data available in delayed-mode via eMII.
4. Australian National Facility for Ocean Gliders (ANFOG) 4.1 Deployments of gliders in NSW, SA, Tas Jun09 UWA Achieved and WA 4.2 Recruitment and training of 1 technician UWA Achieved Dennis Stanley recruited and trained. Now able to deploy and recover gliders
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No. Milestone Due Party(s) Status Comments / Update 4.3 Availability of real-time data from UWA In Progress Position data now transmitted to eMII, but Seagliders (now due communication problems with the gliders Sep09) mean that data streams are not uploaded. 4.4 Assessment of the national capability to UWA In progress A report to be prepared for the IMOS use gliders (due Dec09) Director by December 2009.
5. Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Facility (AUV) 5.1 Deployments of AUV in SA/Vic, NSW, Jun09 SIMS In progress Have undertaken deployment of AUV along Qld and WA (now due the east coast of Tasmania and at Scott Reef Dec09) in WA. Working with researchers in SA, NSW and Qld to define deployments. 5.2 Software for transmission of data to eMII SIMS In progress Delivery of first data set complete. developed for all datastreams (now due Revisions to comply with NetCDF formats Sep09) prescribed by eMII complete. Remaining datasets now in preparation.
6. Australian National Mooring Network (ANMN) 6.1 All National Reference Stations (except Jun09 AIMS Transfer Darwin NRS to be deployed in Sep 2009 Dampier) and coastal moorings (except CSIRO 2009/10 (now Yongala NRS operational since 2007. two in South Australia) installed CUT due Jun10) Yongala surface buoy to be installed 2010 SARDI subject to additional IDM funding from SIMS consortium members. 6.2 Appoint three technicians for mooring Jul08 CSIRO Achieved support
7. Australian Coastal Ocean Radar Network (ACORN) 7.1 Radar systems operating in Qld, WA and Dec08 JCU In progress GBR radar operating with near real time SA SARDI (now due data flowing to archive at QCIF in Jul09. Sep09) WA radars partially installed, SeaSondes are in testing and commissioning mode, WERA’s still to be completed. SA Gulf radar to be installed in August 09
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No. Milestone Due Party(s) Status Comments / Update 7.2 Radar systems ordered for NSW, SA/Vic Feb09 JCU Transfer to Planning to order the SA (Bonney Coast) 2009/10 (now and NSW (Coffs Harbour) radar equipment due Dec09) in August 2009 7.3 Freely available streams of ACORN Data JCU Transfer to The four agencies, ACORN, JCU HPRC, (GBR, SA, WA) SARDI 2009/10 (now QCIF and eMII are working to get the radar due Dec09) data on to the Ocean Portal.
8. Australian Acoustic Tagging and Monitoring System (AATAMS) 8.1 Complete all acoustic tracking Jun09 SIMS In progress NRETA array is completed and maintained installations (now due on a 6 monthly period. Perth OTN line Dec09) completed and recovered/redeployed once. Bondi line completed and recovered / redeployed once. Coffs Harbor equipment constructed and ready for deployment within the next 2-3 months. Core funds from OTN possibly to be approved Sep09. 8.2 User access of tracking data from eMII Jan09 SIMS In progress Online data capture via eMII for AATAMS (due Sep09) users expected by Sep09. 8.3 Establish IMOS curtains on East Coast. SIMS In progress Bondi line is completed. Coffs Harbor is (now due currently being coordinated for deployment Sep09) within the next 3 months.
9. Facility for Automated Intelligent Monitoring of Marine Systems (FAIMMS) 9.1 Wireless sensor network operating at all Mar09 AIMS Transfer to Reliability issues have delayed some of this GBR Locations 2009/10 (now work with the date for all sites to be due Jun10) completed now at June 2010 when Lizard Island will be completed as the last site. 9.2 Data management jointly developed with Dec08 AIMS Achieved For the launch of the Ocean Portal the data eMII was made available via a number of web services, via Data Turbine and a dedicated web page. Metadata records for all deployed sensors has been lodged with eMII.
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No. Milestone Due Party(s) Status Comments / Update 9.3 Gain recognition of FAIMMS from AIMS In Progress Workshop to be held in conjunction with the CREON and ILTER (now due ISSNIP project in December 2009 to bring Dec09) together the work of CREON, FAIMMS and the ILTER projects. A community white paper representing these groups was submitted to the OceanObs’09 conference in September representing a uniform vision for coral reef sensor networks into the future.
10. eMarine Information Infrastructure (eMII) 10.1 All IMOS data streams including SRS Jun09 UTAS In progress All data streams except HF radar (ACORN) data reliably discoverable and available in (now due and AUV available at June 09. Expected all a timely manner, dataflow processes fully Sep09) streams available Sept 09. communicated and monitoring established to address blockages 10.2 Finalise recruitment of staff Sep08 UTAS In progress Recruitment had been complete. Due to (now due staff resignations, a new position has been Sep09) created and one remains unfilled. The eMII office is currently in the process of recruiting these two positions. 10.3 Prepare work-plan and initiate NeAT Jul08 UTAS Achieved MACDDAP started in Sep08 and eMII project component started Apr09 10.4 Development of agreements underpinning Transfer to With the start of the AODN Development the management of the archiving of data 2009/10 (now Office progress on these is expected in by members of the AODCJF due Jun10) 2009/10.
11. Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS) 11.1 Develop system to generate real-time Jun09 BOM Achieved BoM are now using the Japanese regional skin SST AVHRR L2P files geostationary satellite, MTSAT-1R, rather than NOAA’s polar-orbiting satellites, to produce real-time, regional, SST L2P files for IMOS.
APX C Milestone Report Page 141 of 156
No. Milestone Due Party(s) Status Comments / Update 11.2 AODAAC software and user interface Jun09 CSIRO Achieved Datasets for SST and some ocean colour are enhancement and development of now online. National ocean colour data operational systems from Perth is not yet available. 11.3 Produce near real-time data streams from Jun09 AIMS Achieved On-going data provision the Townsville X band station 11.4 Report on operational test of the Cancelled The system will no longer be operated distributed archive and access system at through the Bureau of Meteorology. ARCS Bureau of Meteorology will now operate the system and they are not yet quite ready to accept the system. 11.5 Report on the impact of ground-station AIMS Achieved Data streams routinely collected and made upgrades at the AIMS and TERSS available via ftp. BOM receiving ATOVS antennae data in near real time.
12. IMOS Office 12.1 Submit 2007/08 Annual Progress Report Sep08 UTAS Achieved to DIISR 12.2 Conduct mid-term Review of IMOS Dec08 UTAS Achieved 12.3 Submit 2009/10 Annual Business Plan to Mar09 UTAS Achieved DIISR 12.4 Hold National Data Users Workshop Mar09 UTAS Achieved In conjunction with eMII, in June 09 12.5 Manage the Project in accordance with the Jun09 UTAS Achieved IMOS Funding Agreement and the 2008/09 Annual Business Plan
APX C Milestone Report Page 142 of 156
APPENDIX D LIST OF ACRONYMS Acronym Full Title AAD Australian Antarctic Division AARNet Australian Academic and Research Network AATAMS Australian Acoustic Tagging and Monitoring System (Facility 8) AATSR Advanced Along Track Scanning Radiometer ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation ABE Autonomous Benthic Explorer ACCSP Australian Climate Change Science Programme ACECRC Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Collaborative Research Centre ACFR Australian Centre for Field Robotics ACMA Australian Communications and Media Authority ACORN Australian Coastal Ocean Radar Network (Facility 7) ADCP Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler ADFA Australian Defence Force Academy AIMS Australian Institute of Marine Science AJAX Asynchronous JavaScript and XML AMOS Australian Meteorology and Oceanography Society AMSA Australian Marine Sciences Association ANFOG Australian National Facility for Ocean Gliders (Facility 4) ANL Australian National Lines ANMN Australian National Mooring Network (Facility 6) ANU Australian National University ANZLIC The Spatial Information Council of Australia and New Zealand AO ANMN Sub-facility 6e Acoustic Observatories AO-DAAC Australian Ocean [Remote Sensing Data] Distributed Active Archive Centre AODC Australian Ocean Data Centre AODCJF Australian Ocean Data Centre Joint Facility AODN Australian Ocean Data Network APEX Autonomous Profiling Explorer Argo Floats AquaServ Aquatic Services ARC Australian Research Council ARCS Australian Research Collaboration Service Argo Argo Australia (Facility 1) ASTEP Astrobiology Science and Technology for Exploring Planets AuScope An organisation for a National Earth Science Infrastructure Program AusCPR Australian Continuous Plankton Recorder AUV Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Facility (Facility 5) AVHRR Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer AVOF Australian Volunteer Observing Fleet AWStat Open source web analytics tool BGC Biogeochemical BLUElink Ocean forecasting Australia BlueNet Australian Marine Science Data Network Bluewater Bluewater and Climate Node BMRC Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre BoM Bureau of Meteorology BRAN Bluelink ReANalysis
APX D List of Acronyms Page 143 of 156
Acronym Full Title CARS CSIRO Atlas of Regional Seas CART Coastal Acoustic Release Transponder CAWCR Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research CDOM dissolved organic matter CDU Charles Darwin University Chl Chlorophyll CMAR CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research CMST The Centre for Marine Science and Technology (based at CUT) CODAR Brand name for equipment CPR Continuous Plankton Recorder CREON Coral Reef Ecological Network CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation CSIRO ICT CSIRO Information and Communication Technologies CSIRO SST CSIRO Sea Surface Temperature CTD Conductivity Temperature Depth CUT Curtin University of Technology DECC Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) DEDT Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts (Tas) DEH Department for Environment and Heritage (SA) DEMs Digital Elevation Maps DEST Department of Education, Science & Training DEWHA Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts DIISR Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research DMS Defence Maritime Services DPI Department of Primary Industries (NSW) DSTO Department of Defence (Defence Science and Technology Organisation) DTRDI Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry (QLD) EAC Eastern Australian Current ECCO Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Oceans EFT Equivalent Full Time EIF Education Investment Fund eMII electronic Marine Information Infrastructure (Facility 10) EPA Vic Environment Protection Authority Victoria ERS-2 European Remote-Sensing Satellite-2 eRSA eResearch South Australia FAIMMS Facility for Automated Intelligent Monitoring of Marine Systems (Facility 9) Flinders Flinders University FSU Florida State University, USA FUSA Flinders University of South Australia GA Geoscience Australia GBR Great Barrier Reef GBRMPA Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority GBROOS Great Barrier Reef Ocean Observing System (Node) GHRSST Global High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature Pilot Project (UK ) GIS Geographic Information System GLOBEC Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics GMT Generic Mapping tools GODAE Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment
APX D List of Acronyms Page 144 of 156
Acronym Full Title GOOS Global Ocean Observing System GOSUD Global Ocean Surface Underway Data GPS Global Positioning System GSF Generic Sensor Format GTS Global Telecommunications System GTSPP Global Temperature and Salinity Profile Program GUI Graphical User Interface HPC High Performance Computing HRPT High Resolution Picture Transmission HRX Hi-density XBT IAST International Argo Steering Team ICON Integrated Coral Observing Network ICRS International Coral Reef Symposium IFREMER French national institute of marine research ILTER International Long term Ecological Research IMOS Integrated Marine Observing System IOC Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) IOCCP International Ocean Carbon Coordination Program IOOS Integrated Ocean Observing System – USIOOS ISO International Standards Organisation ISSNIP Intelligent Sensors, Sensor Networks and Information Processing Network iVEC Interactive Virtual Environments Centre JCU James Cook University L2P GHRSST Level-2 Pre-processed data format for satellite sea surface temperature L3P GHRSST Level-3 Pre-processed data format for satellite sea surface temperature LJCO Lucinda Jetty Coastal Observatory MACDDAP Marine and Climate Data Discovery and Access Project Macq Uni Macquarie University MAFFRI Marine and Freshwater Fisheries Research Institute MCP Marine Community Profile MEDS Marine Environmental Data Service Canada MEST Metadata Entry and Search Tool MHL Manly Hydraulics Laboratory MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology MNF Marine National Facility MODIS Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer Moorings Shortened name of the IMOS Facility 6 ANMN MPA Marine Protected Area MQ Macquarie University MTSAT-1R Japan’s Multi-functional Transport Satellite Murdoch Murdoch University NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration NCDC National Climatic Data Center NCRIS National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy NDSF National Deep Submergence Facility NeAT National eResearch Architecture Taskforce netCDF network Common Data Form NIES National Institute of Environmental Studies, Japan
APX D List of Acronyms Page 145 of 156
Acronym Full Title NIWA National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research NMSC National Marine Science Centre NOAA National Oceans and Atmospheric Administration (USA) NOCS National Oceanographic Centre, Southampton NRETA Ningaloo Reef Ecosystem Tracking Array NRS National Reference Station mooring NSW DPI New South Wales Department of Primary Industries NSW MHL Manly Hydraulics Laboratory, NSW Department of Commerce NSWIMOS New South Wales Integrated Marine Observing System (Node) OceanMAPS Ocean Modeling and Prediction System OceanSITES Ocean Sustained Interdisciplinary Timeseries Environment observation System OFS Oceanographic Field Services Pty Ltd OGC Open Geospatial Consortium OPeNDAP Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol OSDM Office of Spatial Data Management OSTIA Operational Sea Surface Temperature and Sea Ice Analysis OTN Ocean Tracking Network PAR Photosynthetically Active Radiation PO.DAAC Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center is located at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) POAMA Predictive Ocean Atmosphere Model for Australia POST Pacific Ocean Shelf Tracking PRT Platinum resistance thermometer PULSE Brand name for equipment QA Quality Assurance QC Quality Control QCIF Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation Qld DPI Queensland Department of Primary Industries QMS Quantitative Marine Science RAN Royal Australian Navy (Directorate of Oceanography and Meteorology) ROV Remotely Operated Vehicle SA DEH South Australia Department of Environment & Heritage SA Govt Government of South Australia SA Water South Australian Water SAHFOS Sir Alistair Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science SAIMOS South Australian Integrated Marine Observing System (Node) SAMOS Shipboard Automated Meteorological and Oceanographic System SARDI South Australian Research and Development Institute SAZ Sub-Antarctic Zone SBE Seabird Electronics SDTI Department of State Development, Trade and Innovation (Qld) SIMS Sydney Institute of Marine Science (was SHIMS) SIO Scripps Institute of Oceanography (USA) SOCAT Surface Ocean CO2 Variability Atlas SODA Simple Ocean Data Assimilation SOFS Southern Ocean Flux Station Meteorological Mooring SOOP Enhancing Measurement Programs from Ships of Opportunity (Facility 2) SOTS Southern Ocean Time Series (Facility 3)
APX D List of Acronyms Page 146 of 156
Acronym Full Title SRS Satellite Remote Sensing (Facility 11) SST Sea Surface Temperature SW Sydney Water T/S Temperature/Salinity TAFI Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute Tas DED Tasmania Department of Economic Development & Tourism TERN Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network TERSS Tasmanian Earth Resources Satellite Station THREDDS Thematic Realtime Environmental Distributed Data Services TMN Tropical Marine Network TPAC Tasmanian Partnership for Advanced Computing TRAC Trac is an issue tracking system for software development projects UK United Kingdom UNCLOS United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNSW University of New South Wales UQ University of Queensland USA The United States of America USBL Ultra Short Baseline Usyd University of Sydney UTAS University of Tasmania UTS University of Technology Sydney UWA University of Western Australia Vic DPI Victoria Department Primary Industries VicFish Fisheries Victoria, DPI VOS Volunteer Observing Ships VR2W Submersible, single channel receiver with wireless technology capable of identifying coded transmitters, produced by the company VEMCO WA Fish Western Australia Department of Fisheries (also FishWA) WAIMOS Western Australia Integrated Marine Observing System (Node) WAMSI Western Australia Marine Science Institute WASTAC Western Australian Satellite Technology and Applications Consortium WERA Brand name for equipment WHOI Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute WMO World Meteorological Organization WMS Web Map Services WQM Water Quality Meter XBT Expendable bathy-thermograph
APX D List of Acronyms Page 147 of 156 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS APPENDIX E
Univel'sity of Tasmania (UTAS) ~ Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Reseal'ch (DIISR) ~IMOS
NCRIS capability 5.12 - Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) Integrated Marine UTAS Statement of Income and Expenditure for the year ended 30 June 2009 Observing System Year Year Year Total to Dale Noles 2006/07 ($) 2007/m~ ($) 2008/09 ($) ($) Balance at UTAS at beginning of reporting period 0 15.3lJ..L465 15,826,498 Operators - balance of funds advanced to end of prior year 1,957,062 Income Department of Innovation. Industry. Science and Research 15.6X2.000 X.2Sl5.000 9,656,000 33.633.000 Interest earnings 61.X50 1.056.643 827,199 I.Sl45.6lJ2 SU!J-IOW! n//SR p!us ill(ere.\( 15,7-U.850 Y,35I,6-JJ J0, -/83, ! 9<) 35,578,692 Universily of Tasmania ([MOS Office) 125,000 115.000 125,000 375.000 Department of Economic Development and Tourism ([MOS Office) 73.000 13X.OOO 138,000 34lJ.OOO CSIRO Space Science & Technology (upgrade TERSS antenna in SRS) 500,000 500.000 AODN Development (ex BlueNet) 1,335,678 1.335.67X SU!J-IOW! cash C()-illl'e.l'(lIIell( receil'ed {/( UTAS 198,000 263,000 2,098,678 2,559.678 Total Income 15,941,850 9,614,643 12,581,877 38,138,370 EXIJenditure Capital 1 Equipmelll B I73.lJ75 3.771.650 8.133,002 12.07X.627 Personnel C 27X.Sl75 l.lJ51.04Sl .t,30 I,716 6.531.740 Operating Sl4,435 1.502.X4X 2,862,997 4,460,2XO Sub-row! - a('(lw! eJ..pellse.\· !Jv UTAS Wid Opel'llror.l' A 5-/7.385 7.225,5-18 15,297,715 2J, 070. 6-18 Operators - halance of funds advanced D 0 I,lJ57.062 446,392 446.3lJ2 Total Expenditure 547,385 9,182,610 15,744,107 23,517,039
Balance at UTAS at end of reporting period 15,394,465 15,826,498 14,621,331 14,621,331
The Statement of Income and Expenditure is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying Notes.
In rercrence to clause 12.6 of the IMOS Funding Agreemel1l dated 22 May 2007, Ihe University of Tasmania is audited by the Tasmanian Auditor-General and the income and expenditure of IMOS is subjecl to these audits. Therefore, instead of the certificates and audit rcl'erred 10 in clause 11.2 of lhe IMOS Funding Agrcement, the Chief Executive Officer and the Senior Executive Officer employed to manage lhe audit funclion. certify lhal: I These financi,il stalements present a true and fair view of lhe financial posilion of IMOS as at 30 June 200l) and a) the receipl and expendilUre of DIISR funding 1'01' lhe year e ded 30 June 200l); and b) the recelpl and uulIsatlon 01 cash and In-k1l1d co-lnVCSUllents by UTAS and OperatolS. 2Th" 'h, "SR,",,"mg w", "p"'"'" "" 'h, p, "'''' "' ",'",," m 'h' 'MOS f"'"mg Ag' """",. "," ~"'"w"h 'h" Ag' "m,,"
...... ~/.~~ • I ~~ 7...I "1..I~.~ .. ol'essor Daryl Le Crew, Richard Easther, Acting Executive Director, Vice- tancellor, University of Tasmania Finance and Administration, University of Tasmania APX E Financial Statements Page 148 of 156
NOTES TO THE STATEMENT OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2009 NOTE A: EXPENDITURE A.1 DIISR NCRIS Funding 08/09 Budget Capital / 08/09 Total 08/09 Budget % Facility Sub-Facility Operator Leader (per ABP) Equipment Personnel Operating Expenses Balance Spent 01 Argo CSIRO Wijffels 1,600,000 600,516 482,775 119,676 1,202,967 397,033 75% 02 SOOP 2a Underway Network CSIRO Ridgway 1,271,000 100,068 353,858 171,632 625,558 645,442 49% 02 SOOP 2b Tropical Research Vessels AIMS Furnas 42,000 32,000 6,783 38,783 3,217 92% 02 SOOP 2c SST Sensors BOM Beggs 140,000 10,702 81,799 92,501 47,499 66% 02 SOOP 2d Real-time Air-sea Fluxes BOM Schulz 66,860 53,012 19,358 72,370 -5,510 108% 03 SOTS BOM Schulz 594,000 188,254 3,272 191,526 402,474 32% 03 SOTS CSIRO Trull 278,000 88,873 43,237 132,110 145,890 48% 03 SOTS UTAS Trull 270,000 269,094 32,140 24,256 325,490 -55,490 121% 04 Gliders UWA Pattiaratchi 1,030,000 1,070,872 266,821 263,913 1,601,606 -571,606 155% 05 AUV SIMS Williams 175,000 54,774 68,750 121,485 245,009 -70,009 140% 06 Moorings 6a Queensland AIMS Steinberg 750,000 387,732 53,045 225,763 666,540 83,460 89% 06 Moorings 6b New South Wales SIMS Roughan 803,456 626,471 45,550 139,267 811,288 -7,832 101% 06 Moorings 6c Southern Australia SARDI Middleton 553,000 586,817 129,941 158,709 875,467 -322,467 158% 06 Moorings 6d Western Australia CSIRO Feng 810,000 565,542 42,950 63,666 672,158 137,842 83% 06 Moorings 6e Acoustic Observatories CUT McCauley 215,000 258,255 35,300 293,555 -78,555 137% 06 Moorings 6f National Reference Stations CSIRO Lynch 875,000 552,367 463,958 346,698 1,363,023 -488,023 156% 06 Moorings 6g Satellite Ocean Colour CSIRO Brando 520,000 470,635 15,365 34,844 520,844 -844 100% 07 ACORN JCU Heron 3,087,651 1,367,867 330,645 201,342 1,899,854 1,187,797 62% 07 ACORN SARDI Middleton 0 59,633 8,507 3,229 71,369 -71,369 0% 08 AATAMS SIMS Harcourt 654,000 168,008 74,937 136,736 379,681 274,319 58% 09 FAIMMS AIMS Bainbridge 630,000 541,334 94,640 151,457 787,431 -157,431 125% 10 eMII eMII Office UTAS Proctor 1,515,300 27,141 776,986 215,087 1,019,214 496,086 67% 10 eMII AODN Development UTAS Proctor 0 1,219 138,746 -54,479 85,486 -85,486 0% 11 SRS 11a SST L2P Products BOM Beggs 113,000 87,860 78,637 166,497 -53,497 147% 11 SRS 11b AODAAC CSIRO Turner 220,000 186,718 5,890 192,608 27,392 88% 11 SRS 11c.1 Hobart Ground Station GA Barr 15,000 131,534 131,534 -116,534 877% 11 SRS 11c.2 Townsville Ground Station AIMS Steinberg 47,000 96,419 40,000 7,495 143,914 -96,914 306% 12 Office UTAS Moltmann 350,000 8,450 422,937 257,945 689,332 -339,332 197% DIISR NCRIS Funding Total 16,625,267 8,133,002 4,301,716 2,862,997 15,297,715 1,327,552 92% (NOTE: Budget for the IMOS Office includes cash co-investment of $125,000 from UTAS and $138,000 from DEDT)
APX E Financial Statements Page 149 of 156
A.2 Cash Co-investment 08/09 Budget Capital / 08/09 Total 08/09 Budget % Facility Sub-Facility Operator Organisation (per ABP) Equipment Personnel Operating Received Balance R'cvd 01 Argo CSIRO BOM 100,000 0 100,000 0% 01 Argo CSIRO CSIRO 192,000 383,754 383,754 -191,754 200% 02 SOOP 2a Underway Network CSIRO ACECRC 80,000 63,603 63,603 16,397 80% 02 SOOP 2a Underway Network CSIRO BOM 46,000 45,360 64,000 109,360 -63,360 238% 02 SOOP 2a Underway Network CSIRO RAN 384,000 371,000 371,000 13,000 97% 02 SOOP 2a Underway Network CSIRO SIO 250,000 181,440 221,400 402,840 -152,840 161% 02 SOOP 2c SST Sensors BOM BOM 0 3,700 3,700 -3,700 0% 03 SOTS BOM BOM 0 30,000 30,000 -30,000 0% 03 SOTS UTAS ACECRC 108,000 87,020 87,020 20,980 81% 06 Moorings 6a Queensland AIMS SDTI 670,000 596,584 53,045 339,741 989,370 -319,370 148% 06 Moorings 6b NSW SIMS SIMS 0 104,000 104,000 -104,000 0% 06 Moorings 6b NSW SIMS UNSW 0 4,000 4,000 -4,000 0% 07 ACORN JCU Flinders 5,000 10,000 10,000 -5,000 200% 07 ACORN JCU SARDI 5,000 10,000 10,000 -5,000 200% 07 ACORN SARDI SA Govt 0 516,000 516,000 -516,000 0% 08 AATAMS SIMS OTN 1,250,000 271,000 271,000 979,000 22% 08 AATAMS SIMS SIMS 0 9,107 9,107 -9,107 0% 09 FAIMMS AIMS SDTI 476,000 541,334 94,640 151,457 787,431 -311,431 165% 10 eMII UTAS BlueNet 0 1,335,678 1,335,678 -1,335,678 0% 11 SRS 11a SST L2P Products BOM BOM 0 4,400 4,400 -4,400 0% 11 SRS 11b AODAAC CSIRO CSIROSST 0 500,000 500,000 -500,000 0% 12 Office UTAS DEDT 138,000 138,000 138,000 0 100% 12 Office UTAS UTAS 125,000 125,000 125,000 0 100% Cash Co-investment Total 3,829,000 2,906,472 470,308 2,878,483 6,255,263 -2,426,263 163%
A.3 In-kind Co-investment 08/09 Budget Capital / 08/09 Total 08/09 Budget % Facility Sub-Facility Operator Organisation (per ABP) Equipment Personnel Operating Received Balance R'cvd 01 Argo CSIRO ACCSP 500,000 136,651 240,669 377,320 122,680 75% 01 Argo CSIRO ACECRC 72,000 70,000 70,000 2,000 97% 01 Argo CSIRO BOM 50,000 50,000 50,000 0 100% 01 Argo CSIRO RAN 10,000 0 10,000 0%
APX E Financial Statements Page 150 of 156
08/09 Budget Capital / 08/09 Total 08/09 Budget % Facility Sub-Facility Operator Organisation (per ABP) Equipment Personnel Operating Received Balance R'cvd 02 SOOP 2a Underway Network CSIRO ACCSP 680,000 306,955 15,000 321,955 358,045 47% 02 SOOP 2a Underway Network CSIRO ACECRC 0 61,978 61,978 -61,978 0% 02 SOOP 2a Underway Network CSIRO AAD 105,000 50,000 50,000 100,000 5,000 95% 02 SOOP 2a Underway Network CSIRO CSIRO 0 155,184 155,184 -155,184 0% 02 SOOP 2b Tropical Research Vessels AIMS AIMS 67,114 35,645 192,787 228,432 -161,318 340% 02 SOOP 2b Tropical Research Vessels AIMS BOM 0 70,000 70,000 -70,000 0% 02 SOOP 2c SST Sensors BOM AIMS 11,740 48,000 48,000 -36,260 409% 02 SOOP 2c SST Sensors BOM BOM 47,000 54,020 54,020 -7,020 115% 02 SOOP 2d Real-time Air-sea Fluxes BOM AAD 1,000 7,876 7,876 -6,876 788% 02 SOOP 2d Real-time Air-sea Fluxes BOM BOM 38,000 108,174 108,174 -70,174 285% 02 SOOP 2d Real-time Air-sea Fluxes BOM MNF 4,000 1,800 1,800 2,200 45% 03 SOTS BOM BOM 30,000 35,518 35,518 -5,518 118% 03 SOTS CSIRO ACECRC 0 29,326 29,326 -29,326 0% 03 SOTS CSIRO CSIRO 70,000 9,775 9,775 60,225 14% 03 SOTS UTAS ACECRC/AAD 0 425,000 425,000 -425,000 0% 03 SOTS UTAS UTAS 32,000 30,868 30,868 1,132 96% 04 Gliders UWA UWA 144,000 17,758 78,973 96,731 47,269 67% 05 AUV SIMS USyd 81,000 176,634 176,634 -95,634 218% 05 AUV SIMS UTAS/TAFI 0 105,000 105,000 -105,000 0% 06 Moorings 6a Queensland AIMS AIMS 720,000 172,550 512,258 684,808 35,192 95% 06 Moorings 6b New South Wales SIMS DECC 20,000 20,000 20,000 0 100% 06 Moorings 6b New South Wales SIMS MHL 192,000 0 192,000 0% 06 Moorings 6b New South Wales SIMS OFS 0 20,000 20,000 -20,000 0% 06 Moorings 6b New South Wales SIMS SIMS 100,000 0 100,000 0% 06 Moorings 6b New South Wales SIMS SW 150,000 150,000 150,000 0 100% 06 Moorings 6c Southern Australia SARDI Flinders 120,000 123,000 123,000 -3,000 103% 06 Moorings 6c Southern Australia SARDI SARDI 166,000 17,000 96,800 114,400 228,200 -62,200 137% 06 Moorings 6d Western Australia CSIRO CSIRO 30,000 20,000 20,000 10,000 67% 06 Moorings 6e Acoustic Observatories CUT CUT 90,000 50,000 50,000 40,000 56% 06 Moorings 6f National Reference Stations CSIRO CSIRO 20,000 20,000 20,000 0 100% 07 ACORN JCU JCU 225,000 181,686 45,421 227,107 -2,107 101% 07 ACORN JCU Flinders 12,000 5,000 5,000 7,000 42% 07 ACORN JCU SARDI 0 12,500 21,000 33,500 -33,500 0% 07 ACORN SARDI SARDI 28,000 19,000 16,000 35,000 -7,000 125%
APX E Financial Statements Page 151 of 156
08/09 Budget Capital / 08/09 Total 08/09 Budget % Facility Sub-Facility Operator Organisation (per ABP) Equipment Personnel Operating Received Balance R'cvd 08 AATAMS SIMS AIMS 120,000 142,000 142,000 -22,000 118% 08 AATAMS SIMS DPI 303,000 0 303,000 0% 08 AATAMS SIMS FishWA 0 140,000 140,000 -140,000 0% 08 AATAMS SIMS Murdoc 0 21,000 21,000 -21,000 0% 08 AATAMS SIMS CSIRO 0 100,000 100,000 -100,000 0% 08 AATAMS SIMS SARDI 0 5,000 5,000 -5,000 0% 08 AATAMS SIMS JCU 0 5,000 5,000 -5,000 0% 09 FAIMMS AIMS AIMS 300,000 463,301 49,783 513,084 -213,084 171% 09 FAIMMS AIMS ISSNIP 50,000 0 50,000 0% 09 FAIMMS AIMS QCIF 100,000 0 100,000 0% 09 FAIMMS AIMS TMN 300,000 0 300,000 0% 10 eMII UTAS AODCJF 15,000 43,500 43,500 -28,500 290% 10 eMII UTAS TPAC 50,000 35,000 35,000 15,000 70% 10 eMII UTAS UTAS 404,000 60,000 842,473 902,473 -498,473 223% 11 SRS 11a SST L2P Products BOM BOM 83,000 110,085 110,085 -27,085 133% 11 SRS 11a SST L2P Products BOM CSIRO 0 1,938 1,938 -1,938 0% 11 SRS 11b AODAAC CSIRO AIMS 48,000 0 48,000 0% 11 SRS 11b AODAAC CSIRO BOM 130,000 0 130,000 0% 11 SRS 11b AODAAC CSIRO CSIRO 200,000 169,913 169,913 30,087 85% 11 SRS 11b AODAAC CSIRO CUT 48,000 0 48,000 0% 11 SRS 11b AODAAC CSIRO GA 50,000 0 50,000 0% 11 SRS 11c.1 Hobart Ground Station GA CSIRO 0000% 11 SRS 11c.1 Hobart Ground Station GA GA 0 24,660 24,660 -24,660 0% 11 SRS 11c.2 Townsville Ground Station AIMS AIMS 50,864 98,439 86,528 184,967 -134,103 364% 12 Office UTAS CSIRO 50,000 13,000 13,000 37,000 26% 12 Office UTAS UTAS 150,000 32,000 430,502 462,502 -312,502 308% In-kind Co-investment Total 6,267,718 335,439 2,859,772 3,859,117 7,054,328 -786,610 113%
Grand Total 26,721,985 11,374,913 7,631,796 9,600,597 28,607,306 -1,885,321 107%
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NOTE B - CAPITAL - Details of purchases Organisati Cash Co- In-kind Facility Operator on(s) DIISR invest Co-invest Total Details
01 Argo CSIRO CSIRO 600,516 383,754 984,270 28 Argo floats (NCRIS) plus 20 floats (co-invest) 02 SOOP AIMS BOM 70,000 70,000 Equipment for tropical SOOP vessels 02 SOOP CSIRO CSIRO 100,068 100,068 FRRF flourometer, UV oxygen titrator 02 SOOP CSIRO BOM 45,360 45,360 324 XBTs 02 SOOP CSIRO RAN 371,000 371,000 843 XBTs, 1800 probes 02 SOOP CSIRO SIO 181,440 181,440 450 XBTs 03 SOTS BOM BOM 188,254 188,254 Progress payments for WHOI SOFS build Equipment and instrumentation for SOTS 03 SOTS UTAS UTAS 269,094 269,094 mooring 04 Gliders 1,070,872 1,070,872 Slocum gliders 05 AUV SIMS SIMS 54,774 54,774 Honeywell sensor unit 06 Moorings 6a AIMS AIMS/DTR 387,732 596,584 984,316 instrumentation Physical sampling equipment and 06 Moorings 6b SIMS SIMS/SW 626,471 150,000 776,471 instrumentation; ORS data Physical sampling equipment and 06 Moorings 6c SARDI SARDI 586,817 17,000 603,817 instrumentation, IT equipment 06 Moorings 6d CSIRO CSIRO 565,542 565,542 instrumentation 06 Moorings 6e CUT CUT 258,255 258,255 acoustic listening stations 06 Moorings 6f CSIRO CSIRO 552,367 552,367 instrumentation Underwater optical instrument packages and 06 Moorings 6g CSIRO CSIRO 470,635 470,635 hydroscat 07 ACORN JCU JCU 1,367,867 1,367,867 Equipment for construction of Radars 07 ACORN SARDI SARDI/SAG 59,633 516,000 575,633 Initial equipment for HF Radar 08 AATAMS SIMS SIMS 168,008 168,008 Components for westcoast deployments 08 AATAMS SIMS OTN 271,000 271,000 acoustic listening stations 09 FAIMMS AIMS AIMS/DTR 541,334 541,334 1,082,668 Equipment and instrumentation 10 eMII UTAS UTAS 28,360 28,360 Office hardware ERSDEM 2.5 Demodulator, servo drives and 11 SRS 11c GA GA 131,534 131,534 instrumentation 11 SRS 11c AIMS AIMS/DTR 96,419 98,439 194,858 Equipment for Townsville groundstation upgrade 12 IMOS Office UTAS UTAS 8,450 8,450 Office equipment Totals 8,133,002 2,906,472 335,439 11,374,913
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NOTE C - PERSONNEL - Full-time equivalent (FTE) days for Persons working on IMOS Facilities in 2007/08 FTE days by Source of Funding Organisati Cash Co- In-kind FTE Days Facility Sub Operator on(s) DIISR invest Co-invest Total Person(s) 01 Argo CSIRO BOM 50 50 LCowen 01 Argo ACECRC 200 200 EVanWijik AThresher, VDirita TTchen APoole RWeldon 01 Argo CSIRO 920 920 SWijffles JDunn 01 Argo ACCSP 25 25 AThresher 02 SOOP 2a CSIRO BOM 70 70 Technicians 02 SOOP 2a CSIRO ACECRC 57 57 BTilbrook KPaterson APoole AThresher BTilbrook KPaterson JAkl 02 SOOP 2a CSIRO ACCSP 350 350 KBerry BGriffiths ARichardson JAkl LPender APoole FComan CDavies DMcLeod APoole 02 SOOP 2a CSIRO CSIRO 875 127 1,002 ASlotwinski 02 SOOP 2a CSIRO AAD 60 60 Technicians SBainbridge MFurnas MSkuza MWright 02 SOOP 2b AIMS AIMS 33 32 279 343 IZagorskis RVerein HBeggs RHibbins AThomas GBall 02 SOOP 2c BOM BOM 26 126 152 PDexter MHughes 02 SOOP 2c BOM AIMS 65 65 MMahoney SSteinberg 02 SOOP 2d BOM BOM 120 42 162 ESchulz PDexter MHughes RVerein 02 SOOP 2d BOM AAD 13 13 JReeve JRaymond KBriggs 02 SOOP 2d BOM CSIRO 4 4 SThomas ESchulz PDexter MHughes BCoutinho 03 SOTS BOM BOM 4 46 50 AusGovSolicitors MHorsham DCherry PDeBoer DHughes 03 SOTS CSIRO CSIRO 185 8 193 DMcLaughlan LPender TLynch 03 SOTS CSIRO ACECRC 24 24 TTrull BTilbrook 03 SOTS UTAS UTAS 104 30 134 TTrull JAdelstein 03 SOTS UTAS ACECRC 150 150 SBray MRosenberg CBloomfield RGongora-Mesas BHollings DStanley Mwoo 04 Gliders UWA UWA 880 26 906 CPattiaratchi SWilliams OPizarro MJakuba DMercer GPowell 05 AUV SIMS SIMS 270 516 786 IMahon DSteinberg SBainbridge SChoukroun AHendry MMahoney 06 Moorings 6a AIMS AIMS 107 153 415 674 FMcAllister PRigby CSteinberg DWilliams 06 Moorings 6b SIMS SIMS 68 8 76 MRoughan BMorris 06 Moorings 6b SIMS DECC 48 48 TIngleton FieldOfficer 06 Moorings 6b SIMS UNSW 8 8 16 MRoughan 06 Moorings 6b SIMS OFS 36 24 60 CHolden 06 Moorings 6b SIMS MHL 30 30 Kulmer Lawler 06 Moorings 6c SARDI SARDI 116 116 JMiddleton LSeuront LSeuront LRenfrey SByrnes Vvandongeen- 06 Moorings 6c SARDI FUSA 326 326 Vogels SAllen PBonham TCarter FComan GCritchley PDeBoer DDennis DHughes VLatham TLynch DMcLaughlan LPender MRayner TWassenberg 06 Moorings 6f CSIRO CSIRO 940 940 IDarby PHughes 06 Moorings 6g CSIRO CSIRO 35 35 AHawdon RKeen 07 ACORN SARDI SARDI 21 21 JMiddleton 07 ACORN JCU JCU 910 910 MHeron APrytz GPage DAtwater RNickalls 07 ACORN JCU PortMap 55 55 MHeron
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Organisati Cash Co- In-kind FTE Days Facility Sub Operator on(s) DIISR invest Co-invest Total Person(s)
08 AATAMS SIMS SIMS 296 30 326 CHuveneers ABoomer MScognamiglio PHallam 08 AATAMS SIMS AquaServ 7 7 PWatts 08 AATAMS SIMS MacqUni 70 70 AStow RHarcourt IField Jess 08 AATAMS SIMS Private 21 21 JVanDenBroek CGallen 08 AATAMS SIMS SARDI/FUSA 18 18 CHuveneers SGoldsworthy 08 AATAMS SIMS JCU/AIMS 20 20 CSimpfendorfer MHeipel MMeekan TSteiglitz 08 AATAMS SIMS CSIRO 20 20 BBruce SAllen RBabcock 08 AATAMS SIMS VicFish 4 4 JHindell 08 AATAMS SIMS UTS 1 1 DBooth 08 AATAMS SIMS NSW DPI 9 9 NOtway SKennelly VPeddemors 08 AATAMS SIMS WAFish 30 30 RMcCauley 08 AATAMS SIMS UNSW 1 1 MTaylor 08 AATAMS SIMS UTAS 16 16 JSemmens PWalsh 08 AATAMS SIMS Myriax 1 1 HPederson SBainbridge DEggeling GFeather AHendry 09 FAIMMS AIMS AIMS 119 211 370 699 SKininmonth SAnderson NAtkins PBohm VBowen SCameron VHayes JHope CJones SLazarus PLyle RMagierowski SMancini AMyers KO'Conner KPepper NPitt RProctor KRoberts BStrain JStuart-Smith KTattersall AWalsh BWard 10 eMII UTAS UTAS 2,465 120 2,585 GWilliams 10 eMII UTAS TPAC 70 70 PMak PPetrelli LGordon 10 eMII UTAS ARCS 20 20 FGoessmann 10 eMII UTAS QCIF 10 10 KLu 10 eMII UTAS USIOOS 5 5 RSignell 10 eMII UTAS MACDDAP 28 28 CJones 10 eMII UTAS iVEC 6 6 LEdwards 10 eMII UTAS SARDI 6 6 LWu 10 eMII UTAS AIMS 12 12 AHendry GPaltoglou JFreeman HBeggs LMajewski ARea 11 SRS 11a BOM BOM 212 151 363 IGrant PDexter MHughes 11 SRS 11a BOM CSIRO 10 10 King 11 SRS 11b CSIRO CSIRO 375 375 EKing MPaget GSmith KSuber PTurner 11 SRS 11c AIMS AIMS 0 11 130 141 SBainbridge MMahoney CSteinberg 11 SRS 11c GA GA 61 61 JWoolner VRooke MPasfield SBarr WWu 12 Office UTAS CSIRO 95 26 121 SAllen Munderwood AdminSupport GMeyers JNeilson MMcGowen KHill WtenHout 12 Office UTAS UTAS 920 64 984 RColeman IT&AdminSupport
Totals 10,029 731 4,304 15,064
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NOTE D: OPERATORS - reconciliation of funds advanced balance at end of reporting period
Funds Funds Total funds Total Balance Capital advanced advanced advanced to Expenses Expenses Expenses Expenses to Balance at per orders Operator Leader Facility Sub-Facility 2007/08 2008/09 June 2009 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 June 2009 June 2009 Operator unpaid AIMS Furnas 02 SOOP 2b Tropical RVs 96,991 40,441 137,432 74,405 23,654 38,783 136,842 590 0 AIMS Steinberg 06 Moorings 6a Queensland 811,967 514,764 1,326,731 51,850 771,010 666,540 1,489,400 -162,669 0 AIMS Bainbridge 09 FAIMMS 252,611 616,870 869,481 1,150 262,417 787,431 1,050,998 -181,517 0 AIMS Steinberg 11 SRS 11c.2 Townsville 119,631 142,058 261,689 0 118,957 143,915 262,872 -1,183 -344,779 0 BOM Beggs 02 SOOP 2c SST Sensors 122,500 88,500 211,000 18,875 59,706 92,501 171,082 39,918 0 BOM Schulz 02 SOOP 2d Air-sea Fluxes 69,500 55,500 125,000 0 63,989 72,370 136,359 -11,359 0 BOM Schulz 03 SOTS 1,000 211,070 212,070 0 480 191,526 192,006 20,064 0 BOM Beggs 11 SRS 11a SST 128,000 136,250 264,250 0 102,865 166,497 269,362 -5,112 43,511 0 CSIRO Wijffels 01 Argo 725,834 1,034,580 1,760,414 0 519,967 1,202,967 1,722,934 37,480 544,615 CSIRO Ridgway 02 SOOP 2a Underway Network 840,985 462,508 1,303,493 0 587,556 625,557 1,213,113 90,380 0 CSIRO Trull 03 SOTS 184,500 39,793 224,293 0 39,663 132,110 171,773 52,520 0 CSIRO Allen 06 Moorings 6d Western Australia 576,599 356,784 933,383 0 412,767 672,157 1,084,924 -151,541 0 CSIRO Allen 06 Moorings 6f NRS 782,398 1,030,135 1,812,533 0 657,010 1,363,023 2,020,033 -207,500 0 CSIRO Brando 06 Moorings 6g LJCO 7,500 474,361 481,861 0 676 520,843 521,519 -39,658 0 CSIRO Turner 11 SRS 11b AODAAC 303,006 175,343 478,349 0 294,987 192,608 487,595 -9,246 -227,566 0 CUT McCauley 06 Moorings 6e Acoustic Obs 189,503 293,555 483,058 0 189,503 293,555 483,058 0 0 0 GA Barr 11 SRS 11c.1 Hobart 18,793 125,558 144,351 0 18,793 131,534 150,327 -5,976 -5,976 0 JCU Heron 07 ACORN 493,218 2,774,953 3,268,171 70,349 394,468 1,899,854 2,364,671 903,500 903,500 352,896 SARDI Middleton 06 Moorings 6c Southern Australia 162,750 1,522,584 1,685,334 0 779,828 875,468 1,655,296 30,038 548,597 SARDI Middleton 07 ACORN 0 0 0 1,133 71,369 72,502 -72,502 -42,464 0 SIMS Williams 05 AUV 228,320 97,274 325,594 0 67,733 245,009 312,742 12,852 0 SIMS Roughan 06 Moorings 6b New South Wales 466,620 421,578 888,198 0 11,981 811,289 823,270 64,928 130,504 SIMS Harcourt 08 AATAMS 772,672 301,647 1,074,319 6,864 670,814 379,682 1,057,360 16,959 94,739 0 UWA Pattiaratchi 04 Gliders 1,438,945 751,418 2,190,363 77,768 485,563 1,601,606 2,164,937 25,426 25,426 0
Operator Funding To 8,793,843 11,667,524 20,461,367 301,261 6,535,520 13,178,194 20,014,975 446,392 446,392 1,576,612
NOTE: To reconcile to Statement of Income and Expenditure - add in expenditure at UTAS: UTAS Trull 03 SOTS 19,059 325,490 UTAS Proctor 10 eMII 84,422 186,084 1,019,214 UTAS Proctor 10 AODN Development 0 0 85,486 UTAS Moltmann 12 Office 161,702 484,885 689,332 UTAS Expenditure Total 246,124 690,028 2,119,522 Total Expenditure as per Note A 547,385 7,225,548 15,297,716
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