IMOS issue six August 2009

IMOS News > For more news from all the IMOS Facilities check the IMOS website imos.org.au/news.html

IMOS launched by the Hon Duncan Kerr SC MP 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 . 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 ) and the Hon Duncan Kerr SC MP, who Professor Gary Meyers, the Hon Duncan Kerr SC MP then launched the IMOS Ocean Portal. and Tim Moltmann at the recent IMOS launch. Professor Gary Meyers said, “Researchers, the public and business- marine environment. We know the major sectors will be able to “see” the oceans boundary currents are changing, but around better than ever we don’t know what the impact on living before. It is a basic tenet of IMOS to marine resources will be.” The IMOS provide free, open and timely access records are currently focused on the to all of our data streams. This is a major boundary and ocean currents new way to support research, and it and the offshore environments along is consistent with the Principles of the the 30,000 km Australian coast. Australian Government’s programs to The launch of the IMOS Ocean Portal is develop research infrastructure.” an enormous step forward for researchers “This is a great scientific advance for and policy-makers accessing knowledge Australia,” Professor Meyers said. of the oceans around Australia. IMOS will “We’re beginning to have the long term continue to bring together the Australian time series we need to understand marine research community on a national climate change and its impacts on the scale, to work towards common goals. Guests trying out the IMOS Ocean Portal.

Australian Government announces $52 million extension to IMOS in the May Budget

The Super Science Marine and $8M (during 2009/10), and to develop invest in the enhancement and extension Climate Initiative was announced in the a final plan covering the full $52M plus of IMOS to further their own interests Federal Budget in May 2009. IMOS co-investment by 28 February 2010. within a national strategic approach, was awarded an additional $52M for and discussions with these partners will The new funding is through the the period July 2009 to June 2013 to be informed by any implications of the Education Investment Fund (EIF), and enhance and extend the observing change of funding source (from NCRIS the has been system, with an emphasis on the to EIF). The additional funding does contracted to enhance and extend IMOS Southern Ocean and northern Australian not alter the core business of IMOS through the creation and development waters. The funding was provided with which is to create and develop research of additional infrastructure. The new a requirement to develop an interim infrastructure in the form of systematic, EIF funding provides an opportunity for plan by 30 June 2009 to invest the first repeated data collection over many existing and prospective partners to co-

marinematters 1 years, delivered openly and in a timely Data User Workshops manner to national and international examples of data discovery posed by eMII. marine research communities. eMII has hosted two data user workshops recently, in Hobart (30 June) and in Both sessions prompted lively discussion, To keep informed of the developments Adelaide (10 July). Participants at the mixed with a bit of fun. Feedback for the IMOS EIF process please workshops included post-graduate indicates that the workshops have visit the following page on the IMOS students, established researchers, been a successful learning experience, website imos.org.au/eif.html data managers and state department for both the group and for eMII! officials. The day was split into two The Draft IMOS Five Year Strategy Many suggestions for additions and parts: a morning session of introductory 2009-13, IMOS EIF Facility Project Plan improvements to the Ocean Portal talks about the science behind IMOS, and Node Science & Implementation capability were made during the hands- the data management approach and a Plan templates for 2010-13 are on sessions, ideas which will be seriously ‘walk-though’ of the IMOS Ocean Portal, available from this webpage now. considered by the portal development exploring all aspects of its ability to group. Feedback from users is seen as an discover, access, download and visualise IMOS presence at the important input to the portal development. data; and an afternoon ‘hands-on’ session recent AMSA conference where the group were taken through a For upcoming workshops please check IMOS held a full day symposium at basic ‘How do I?’ tutorial, followed by some the eMII Facility Feature article on page 5. Australian Marine Sciences Association (AMSA) Annual Conference at Adelaide in early July. The audience of up to 80 heard talks from the new IMOS Director, Tim Moltmann, all of the five Science Nodes, four of the IMOS Facilities, an international program with links to IMOS – the Sustained Indian Ocean Biogeochemical and Ecosystem Research (SIBER) – and six science talks either using IMOS data or related data. Particular highlights included Roger Proctor’s eMII talk describing the IMOS Ocean Portal, the discussion about the new EIF funding Participants at the Hobart workshop. for IMOS, and the use of IMOS data in student projects (see the student profile The Facility for Automated Intelligent During May the Australian about Julie Wood on page 7, for an Monitoring of Marine Systems has Coastal Ocean Radar Network example). We look forward to many more successfully deployed the world’s installed both types of high science talks at next year’s conference! first large-scale coral reef sensor frequency radars in Western network which has been measuring Australia- the phased array IMOS Factsheets available a range of parameters for beam-forming technology (WERA); on the IMOS website the last eight months. and the direction-finding technology (SeaSonde). These radars should be Our Development Officer, Katy Hill, fully operational by the end of the year. has produced a wonderful set of The National Reference Station IMOS Facility Factsheets. Each Mooring off Maria Island has Factsheet outlines for each facility: been delivering real time data The Australian National Facility for Instrumentation, Data, Applications since April, using a newly Ocean Gliders has successfully of the data, Focus and Priorities. designed and developed completed repeat deployments off New telemetry surface buoy To download the factsheets see South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia deployed within close proximity imos.org.au/factsheets.html and Western Australia. The data to the existing in-situ sensors. obtained from these glider missions are The Australian Continuous Plankton providing a unique view of the oceanic Recorder survey (AusCPR) has The Australian Acoustic Tagging and variability around Australia. successfully deployed a plankton Monitoring System and Fisheries recorder behind the commercial Western Australia recently deployed Argo Australia surpassed its goal of vessel ANL Windarra from Brisbane to the first International Ocean Tracking deploying over 50 floats during the Melbourne 27-29 June, collecting the Network (OTN) array in the world. This year with 69 deployments. There first monthly samples for phytoplankton line runs from Fremantle to Rottnest are now 225 active Australian Argo and zooplankton species identification Island and extends floats exceeding their target of an along the East seaward to 200 ARGO 180 float array by June 2009. Australia Current. metre isobath.

2 marinematters of my career, I found it very exciting (see feature article below). There were to be part of an era in which ocean encouraging signs in some of the observing came back into vogue, driven talks given at the recent AMSA annual largely by technological innovation conference in Adelaide, but much, much and global collaboration. And a bit more will rapidly become possible as the of perspiration... Roll forward to 2009 data flows in. All of us at IMOS/eMII are and Australia now has an Integrated keen to do whatever we can to facilitate Marine Observing System, which is widespread use of IMOS data streams about to get bigger and better! within the Australian marine and climate

Tim Moltmann Tim research community. Let us know if you The additional $52M for IMOS are striking any impediments. And don’t announced in the Federal Budget forget to tell us about your successes. on 12th May is wonderful news (see At the outset, I’d like to say how page 1). My top priority in the coming In closing, I would like to publicly delighted I am to be the new IMOS months will be to work with you all to express my gratitude to Gary Meyers Director. I’ve been involved in research ensure that we make the most of this for a fantastic job as the inaugural opportunity. I will be looking to build on IMOS Director. Gary is a founding management in Australia for more the strengths created in getting IMOS father of ocean observing in Australia, than 10 years, and during that time to this point, and to be very targeted and the IMOS role provided a fitting have participated in many debates about enhancing and extending into crescendo to an outstanding career. about the need for observations new areas, to address significant gaps His wisdom, patience and persistence and the value of modelling. and take up exciting developments. have put us on a very sound footing When I joined CSIRO’s Division of for the future, and we all owe him My other major priority will be ensuring Marine Research in the late 1990’s, there a great debt. Thanks Gary. that IMOS data streams are being used was much discussion about modelling to do great science. The recent launch taking over, and how difficult it had of the Ocean Portal means that we are become to fund observing programs now well and truly open for business and sustain them. Over the next decade Tim Moltmann

Facility Feature Article #7 Written by Marian McGowen electronic Marine Information Infrastructure (eMII) – creating a data delivery system for the Australian Integrated Marine Observing System Facility Leader: Dr Roger Proctor

This key Facility in IMOS does not deploy any observing equipment in the ocean; instead the electronic Marine Information Infrastructure (eMII) is responsible for hosting, managing, distributing and archiving data from the 10 IMOS Facilities located around Australia. eMII is providing the tools to enable researchers to access and use all of the IMOS data, so supporting Australia’s marine science researchers and other marine data users. The eMII Facility is based at the University of Tasmania’s Hobart campus. Roger Proctor, the eMII Director, brings with him a wealth of experience from his previous research position at the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory (POL) in the United Kingdom. His role at POL included the continuation of the POL eMII team at the University of Tasmania. Coastal Observatory in the Irish Sea,

marinematters 3 a real-time observing and modelling IMOS will deliver a true paradigm shift in Australia’s marine research effort system started in 2001. ‘IMOS presents a challenge of scale far in excess of any by creating an enhanced, nationally integrated capacity to collect marine European observing system,’ Roger says. data, draw it together and make it accessible in a timely and usable fashion. Roger heads up a team of 12 people in eMII, whose roles vary from project eMII has developed a set of principles The eMII Facility, similar to the other management and administration, to that guides its development and IMOS Facilities, does build infrastructure, programming and software design. implementation. Data needs to be easily the IMOS Ocean Portal being only one eMII has the task of coordinating discoverable and accessible, and all example. The Portal allows you to search the handling of all IMOS data and IMOS data is freely available. Rather for data that is held in the Metadata the organisation of its storage. eMII than a central repository of the data, Entry and Search Tool (MEST). The is closely associated with each of data is distributed on ‘cloud’ computing MEST is the backend catalogue to the the IMOS Facilities, and helps them resources around the country with Portal, and contains metadata records develop specialised protocols for data support from the Australian Research harvested from all IMOS data hosts. An management and data quality control. Collaboration Service (ARCS). In the important eMII deliverable is the creation As the IMOS project has evolved from future IMOS data will be archived within of adequate metadata to maximize the setting up the observing infrastructure the Australian Ocean Data Network discovery and understanding of the data. around the country to collecting streams (AODN), a data storage and discovery Metadata describes data in a consistent, of data, IMOS needed a public face for network involving leading Australian descriptive way, and all IMOS metadata discovery and exploration. The eMII team marine research facilities. The importance conforms to international standards. has been busy creating and developing of adhering to national and international Roger Proctor explains the difference the IMOS Ocean Portal ( ), standards is key to the success of the www.imos.org.au between metadata and data with a soup which was launched on June 29th by interoperability of IMOS data. It will allow can analogy, “A can of soup has a label the Honourable Duncan Kerr MP SC, as the data streams to be integrated within on it, the label contains information the gateway to data from all the IMOS IMOS and also with other national and about the manufacturer, the use-by- Facilities around Australia. international sources of the data streams. date, contact details and the nutritional

The IMOS Ocean Portal. IMOS data from all around Australia is delivered direct to your computer through this interactive map based interface (www.imos.org.au).

4 marinematters breakdown. If the label was missing, users. The goal is to simplify the discovery the can of soup becomes less valuable; and use of scientific data and to allow eMII are hosting Data as you wouldn’t know if it was safe scientific publications and educational to eat or even what it is!” In a similar materials to reference scientific data. User Workshops manner the metadata describes: how around the country The IMOS data streams can be IMOS data was collected, the rationale eMII have already run workshops categorised in four ways: for its collection, who to contact about in Hobart and Adelaide. The Data it, the sensor used, sensor calibration • gridded data from satellites User Workshops aim to increase information, the list continues. The IMOS and HF radar systems; the awareness and use of the data would be of little use without the high quality IMOS data, facilitate • time series data from moorings, metadata, and thus the importance of communication among professional Argo floats, gliders, sensor networks creating and documenting the metadata. roles within the marine sciences and ships of opportunity; and enable participants to examine The initial strategy of eMII has been to • image data from Autonomous practical examples of the data. focus on defining specific data streams, Underwater Vehicles; and then developing end-to-end protocols, The workshops introduce researchers standards and systems to join the related • biological data from continuous to the IMOS project and its present observing systems into a unified data plankton recorders and status, and demonstrate how the storage and access framework. IMOS acoustic tagging. data is accessible, discoverable and down-loadable through data utilises the ARCS Data Fabric, The first two provide real-time and a set of tutorial activities. a simple production service allowing delayed-mode data sets whereas researchers, research groups, research the latter are delayed-mode delivery Hands-on sessions also give the organizations and research communities only. For a summary of the types of participants a chance to work with to store their data. A distributed network data streams that are available from a number of data tools, worked of OPeNDAP / THREDDS servers around each Facility see the table below. examples, and interact with the Australia forms the primary data storage. workshop leaders to discuss how their OPeNDAP (Open-source Project for Although the IMOS project is well own research could benefit from the a Network Data Access Protocol) is a underway, there is still more equipment tools, data and services provided. software framework that simplifies all to deploy and data to serve. In the future, Upcoming workshops will be in: aspects of scientific data networking, eMII will develop a set of data products allowing easy access to data. Existing, combining data across observations on n Perth 28th October 2009 familiar data analysis and visualisation regional and national scales, as well as n Sydney 9th November 2009 applications can be transformed into tools that facilitate the integration and n Brisbane Early 2010 OPeNDAP clients. The THREDDS analysis of data. IMOS, through eMII, is For more information about the (Thematic Realtime Environmental leading the paradigm shift in data access, upcoming data workshops: making data available to researchers Distributed Data Services) project is imos.org.au/data_user_workshops.html developing middleware to bridge the and the community at no cost in easily gap between data providers and data discoverable and accessible forms. Or email [email protected]

Sea Temperature Optical Observations Skin Temp Surface temp Sub surface temp Vertical temp profile Salinity Dissolved Oxygen Radiation flux Meteorology Dissolved CO Fluorescence Turbidity Organic Matter Coloured Dissolved Chlorophyll a Clarity Current Biogeochemical Biological Bathymetry Stereo imagery 2

Argo Australia Ships of Opportunity Southern Ocean Timeseries Ocean Gliders Auto. Underwater Vehicle National Moorings Network Coastal Ocean Radar Network Acoustic Tagging of Fish Barrier Reef Sensor Network Satellite Remote Sensing

A summary of the range of datastreams available through IMOS and the Facilities which deliver them.

marinematters 5 CERF Marine Biodiversity Hub

Written by Professor Nic Bax, Director

The CERF Marine Biodiversity Hub is funded through the Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities Program (CERF), administered through the Australian Government’s Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA).

CERF supports research that has a strong public good focus and that can demonstrate a strong public good outcome. It is designed to build critical mass in areas of Australia’s research strengths. It also encourages the development of world-class research facilities by supporting proposals that draw on multiple disciplines, professional partnerships and prior research efforts. It aims to deliver outcomes of significant national benefit. The University of Tasmania, CSIRO, Geoscience Australia, Australian Institute of Marine Science and Museum Victoria received $6 million to create a CERF Hub for the Prediction and Management of Australia’s Marine Biodiversity. The 5 partners are contributing $12.4 million of their own funds to this initiative. The University of Tasmania hosts the Hub.

Background Australia will have a National Representative System of Marine Continental shelf biomes of Australia developed in bioregionalisation research Protected Areas (NRSMPA) by 2012. by the Marine Biodiversity Hub. The NRSMPA will be a major step towards conserving Australia’s marine biodiversity, but is unlikely to be sufficient by itself. The CERF Marine Biodiversity Hub is are being immediately taken up by This includes using the IMOS developing the knowledge to manage Commonwealth and State marine Autonomous Underwater Vehicle. planners to assist in MPA planning. off-reserve biodiversity. Together, the • Connectivity – Genomic methods NRSMPA and off-reserve management Products are being used to determine the provide the best option for long- connectivity of marine species, • Bioregionalisation – the Marine term protection and sustainable use and then these will be compared Biodiversity Hub has updated of our marine biodiversity. to the connectivity predicted from Australia’s bioregions with an oceanographic models to assist Research Focus increased number of fish species, in the design and management for use in marine planning. The Hub addresses two of marine reserve networks. primary questions: • New National Datasets Being Used • Off-reserve management methods to Predict Patterns in Biodiversity 1. How can we predict the distribution – market-based instruments are – the Marine Biodiversity Hub of marine biodiversity? being investigated as options will develop biologically informed for off-reserve management to 2. How can we use this improved analysis of the physical data support the goals of NRSMPA. capability to conserve and around Australia at a fine scale. manage marine biodiversity in a multiple-use environment? • High resolution near-shelf surveys used to develop new surrogates – For more information: Our strategic focus is 3-5 years, ie. coincident physical and biological data Please download the Fact Sheet supporting the NRSMPA once it is at very fine spatial scales are being ‘Ensuring a future for life in Australia’s established, however many of the collected to develop new physical oceans’ from the Marine Biodiversity tools and analyses we are developing surrogates of marine biodiversity. Hub website www.marinehub.org

6 marinematters IMOS Postgraduate Student Profile Students using IMOS data for their postgraduate research

Julie Wood Project: I will be using a long term oceanographic The University of New South Wales dataset, gathered by Sydney Water and new IMOS moorings to examine trends in temperature stratification and coastal shelf processes off Sydney.

Since November 1990, a marine observation station has been measuring oceanographic parameters three kilometres off the coast of Bondi. The system was set up by Sydney Water to satisfy the requirements of the environmental protection licence conditions for the deep water ocean outfalls from three key sewerage treatment plants servicing Sydney’s residents. Apart from this licence requirement, the dataset is highly valuable for investigating long term Julie Wood at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science at Chowder Bay. trends in parameters and oceanographic features at this location. Sydney Water is now partnering with IMOS by My research will focus providing the previous 18 years of data on two questions: and ongoing data at this location. The first is to determine if there have While working at Sydney Water, I been any changes over the long term considered undertaking study in water temperature data series at this oceanography. When the idea of location. I would like to determine the using Sydney Water’s oceanography implications that any trends (should they data for a project related to Sydney continue) may have on the movement Water’s operations was suggested, the and dilution of the discharges from opportunity was too good to miss. the deep water ocean outfalls. The data set also lends itself well to investigating coastal processes in the Sydney region. I am investigating coastal shelf processes which lead to conditions indicative of upwelling in the Sydney region. The introduction by IMOS of two further moorings in an array at this location further enhances the already existing data set to assist with this purpose. Study location for Julie’s project.

marinematters 7 For more information about IMOS please visit the website www.imos.org.au

General enquiries: Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) University of Tasmania Private Bag 110 Hobart, TAS, 7001 +61 (03) 6226 7505 T +61 (03) 6226 2107 F [email protected]

Director Mr Tim Moltmann [email protected]

Executive Officer Mrs Jo Neilson Diagram illustrating how the national IMOS [email protected] program works. IMOS integrates several independent technologies and instruments, Project Officer ranging from moored sensors and deep sea Dr. Marian McGowen autonomous floats to acoustic tracking devices, [email protected] radar imagery and remote satellites, among Development Officer others, into research infrastructure covering Ms Katy Hill a vast swath of Australia’s large coastal and deep water marine territory. IMOS will [email protected] generate critical data needed to support a Office Assistant diverse range of marine research projects. Ms Virginia Bowen [email protected] Autonomous Underwater Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS) Technical Director Dr Peter Turner Mr Simon Allen Vehicle Facility (AUV) Dr Stefan Williams [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Node Leaders: Facility Leaders: Australian National Mooring Network Argo Australia Dr Tim Lynch Blue water and climate Dr Susan Wijffels Mr Ken Ridgway [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Australian Coastal Ocean Enhanced Measurements from Great Barrier Reef Ocean Radar Network (ACORN) Ships of Opportuniity (SOOP) Prof Mal Heron Observing System (GBROOS) Mr Ken Ridgway Dr Peter Doherty [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Australian Acoustic Tagging and Southern Ocean Automated Time New South Wales IMOS (NSW-IMOS) Monitoring System (AATAMS) Series Observations (SOTS) Prof Iain Suthers Dr Rob Harcourt Dr Eric Schulz [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Southern Australia IMOS (SAIMOS) Dr Tom Trull Facility for Automated Intelligent Dr Laurent Seuront [email protected] Monitoring of Marine Systems (FAIMMS) [email protected] Mr Scott Bainbridge Australian National Facility for [email protected] Ocean Gliders (ANFOG) Western Australia IMOS (WAIMOS) Prof Charitha Pattiaratchi Prof Charitha Pattiaratchi eMarine Information Infrastructure (eMII) [email protected] [email protected] Dr Roger Proctor [email protected]

IMOS is supported by the Australian Government through the National This issue of marine matters has been Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy and the Super Science Initiative compiled by Dr Marian McGowen.

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