Introducing an Integrated Marine Observing System for Australia (IMOS)

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Gary Meyers (IMOS Director) and John Middleton (SAIMOS)

IMOS Strategic GoalAssemble and provide free, open and timely access to streams of data that support research on• The role of the oceans in the climate system• The interaction between major boundary currents and shelf environments and ecosystems

And in the longer term• Supports policy development, management of marine and terrestrial climate impacts and adaptation by industries

IMOS Funding:

• $50M cash from Commonwealth

• Additional $40M cash and in-kind support from marine agencies around Australia

IMOS Development:

• National Science Plan priorities workshopped in 2006

• Local science plans (with equipment needs) developed

• Envelopes for equipment allocations developed

• Agreement of who runs what facilities and what “nodes” are allocated facilities.

• Plan strongly supported and funded by Aust. Govt. National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy

IMOS—5 Nodes and 11 FacilitiesGoals: onshore-offshore interaction, climate impacts

GBROOS

NSWIMOSSAIMOS

WAIMOS

Water depth 110 m

ADCP

Met Station

Communications via acoustic modem

National Reference Stations

Key components:Real Time Data sent via satellite 2x CTDs1x ADCP (SAIMOS, NSWIMOS only)1x Surface Meteorological Station

Reference Stations

RS

RS

National Reference Station - Monthly Biogeochemical Sampling

1. Carbon Parameters: Dissolved Inorganic Carbon, Alkalinity

2. Hydrochemical parameters: Nitrate/nitrite, silicate,phosphate, salinity

3. Biological parameters: Phytoplankton: pigment composition, microscopy, genetic composition, total suspended solids

Flow cytometry (population size, physical and chemical composition)

Zooplankton: dry Weights, community composition, genetic composition

4. Physical/profiling instrument measurements: CTD with capabilities for:

Temperature, Pressure (depths), Conductivity, Fluorescence, Light (PAR), Turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen

Aust. Coastal Ocean RADAR Network – six systems (WERA&CODAR)

WERA Installation

Radar is back reflected by ocean waves. The Doppler shift in Radar frequencies enables surface currents and other variables to be measured.

Live current measurements every 30 minutes from the WERA system off South Carolina (US).

Strong North-East Velocities associated with the Gulf Stream are clearly visible

Note: range is better during day

HF Ocean RADAR Example From South Carolina

Aust. National Facility for Ocean Gliders

8 gliders (Slocum and deep)

Glider Cross-Section: Temperature Off Perth

Play Movie

Other IMOS observing systemsPassive acoustic listening for sea-floor slumps, Antarctic Ice collapse and marine mammals using hydrophones

AUV (hulls removed) for sea floor video and mapping

Pygmy Whale singing off Perth

Tagged Fish: AATAMS and community receivers

Moorings detect tagged fish < 1km

6 month service to obtain data

SAIMOS

Glenelg 10 moorings

Portland 31 moorings

Bluewater Node:

Major research questions:• What is the role of the ocean in weather, climate variability and change?

• What role does the ocean play in setting atmospheric carbon levels?

• Where and how does ocean and climate variability impact on pelagic ecosystems, their productivity and fisheries?

• How do large-scale offshore changes affect our coastal environment and ecosystems?

• Is there predictability in the system and where? On what timescales?

Tools

• ARGO Floats

• Ships of Opportunity

• Satellites

• S.O. Mooring

IMOS Argo

• 50 T/S Argo floats per year (assuming a continuation of existing contributions from AGO, CSIRO and BoM)

Implementation

Jurien Bay

Perth Canyon Rottnest

Island

0 200km

West Australian IMOS

• Leeuwin Current eddies and their interaction with the shelf waters.

• Western Rock lobster recruitment• The Perth Canyon – highest biodiversity with whale

and fish aggregations, high primary and secondary production which are controlled by the physical oceanographic processes Leeuwin Current

Leeuwin UC

• Summer:

• Upwelling - Deep cold, water is brought to surface

• Mechanisms: winds

• canyons

• Flinders Current

• Winter:

• Density current outflows from gulfs and coast

Sea Surface Temperature from satellite measurements

Southern Australian IMOS- cross shelf exchange/ecosystems

Planned Planned SAIMOS SAIMOS Infrastructure:Infrastructure:

Shelf/Slope Moorings

Reference Station

• CTD Stations

HF Radar

PLUS

• Gliders

• Fish tag curtains

• AUVs

NSW IMOS – The EAC and upwelling:

Oke & Middleton 02

Climate change (East Coast, Tasmania) …

Mean surface salinity (ppt)After Hill et al. 2007

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Great Great Barrier Barrier Reef Reef Ocean Ocean ObservinObserving Systemg System

GBROOSGBROOS

Issues for GBR function and healthIssues for GBR function and health

Connectivity (currents)Connectivity (currents)Productivity (upwelling)Productivity (upwelling)Coral bleaching (temperature)Coral bleaching (temperature)Coral calcification (carbonate chemistry)Coral calcification (carbonate chemistry)

SEC

EAC

SEC

SEC = South Equatorial Current

EAC = East Australian Current

Coral Sea mooring (1)

Slope moorings (4)

Shelf mooring (1)

Oceanographic buoys (3)

Island Research Stations (4)

Reef towers (3)

HF Radar

Temp/Salinity

Flow

Light & heat fluxes

Chlorophyll

Turbidity

Particulate carbon

Local variables (sensor networks)

AA

R

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Planned IMOS Coastal Deployments