How will the key science questions be addressed?

How does the ENSO signal propagate along the NW, west, and SW coasts of Australia?What are the relative roles of local and remote forcing driving the seasonal, inter-annual, and decadal variability of the Leeuwin Current and its eddy fields?What is the role of topography in the generation of Leeuwin Current eddies?What are the mechanism which the Leeuwin Current and its mesoscale eddies drive the alongshore, cross-shelf exchange?

The major boundary current for the region is the Leeuwin Current where the signal extends from Arafura/Timor Sea to Tasmania.  Measurements proposed here aim to capture the origin of the water level signal in the Arafura/Timor Sea and its propagation southwards.  Coastal sea level stations (not part of IMOS but maintained and operated by the WA State Government) are available to capture this signal along the coast of WA.  The science questions above are best answered through the use of numerical models (e.g. Bluelink) rather than through direct observation due to the large spatial scales involved.  Thus data sets which improve model accuracy (time series of water levels, currents, temperature, salinity, remotely sensed data) are required.