IMOS is bringing together a national network of wave buoys to help understand the processes and changes driven by waves in the coastal zone.
A national network of wave buoys is being coordinated by IMOS, led by Dr Mike Cuttler and Professor Ryan Lowe at The University of Western Australia (UWA), with buoys recently deployed at sites around the country, with at least one new wave buoy in every state plus additional co-invested buoys from regional collaborators.
The 23 IMOS wave buoys will complement an existing network of offshore and nearshore wave buoys deployed around Australia, which are maintained by various federal and state government agencies as well as university research groups.
New IMOS wave buoys measure wave height, period, and direction as well as water temperatures in nearshore waters, with sites varying in depth from 10m to 70m. These small, solar-powered wave buoys are low-cost and relatively easy to deploy.
Moored to the sea floor they will collect critical near real-time data required to verify and improve marine forecasts, inform marine operations and recreation, and form the basis of an improved understanding of ocean and coastal processes.
The near real-time data is easy to view and download via a new national website – AusWaves.
Created by Dr Cuttler at UWA, the website collates data from IMOS wave buoys and merges it with existing websites created by the regional partners to present the first nationally consistent platform for the display of and access to quality-controlled near real-time wave data.
“The IMOS coastal wave buoy network is collecting spectral wave data in near real-time at a national scale. AusWaves presents this unique coastal wave data in a user-friendly manner, designed to meet the needs of a wide range of coastal stakeholders.”
– Dr Mike Cuttler
Through unique visual displays and the ability to download wave and surface temperature data, this new website will enable wider uptake of the data around Australia.
Both real-time and delayed mode data are also available via the IMOS Australian Ocean Data Network (AODN) Portal as part of the ‘Wave buoys Observations – Australia – near real-time’ and ‘Wave buoys Observations – Australia -delayed (National Wave Archive)’ data collections.
Why is wave data important?
Australia has one of the longest coastlines in the world, and this dynamic intersection between land and sea includes numerous critical ecosystems and infrastructure. Our coastal zone is also where many of us live, work and play. Over 87% of Australians live within 50 kilometres of the coast, with further growth predicted in the coming decades.
Climate and human development are changing our coastal systems at an unprecedented rate and more data is needed for planning to avoid or mitigate changes and sustainably manage this precious resource.
The network of IMOS Coastal Wave Buoys is a key investment of the CoastRI initiative. Coastal Research Infrastructure, is a national initiative under Australia’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) coordinated across 13 NCRIS capabilities. It aims to establish a coordinated, national-scale coastal observing and modelling capability to address the challenges posed by rapid coastal changes.
“By supporting IMOS Coastal Wave Buoys, CoastRI is enabling unprecedented access to high-quality data that’s essential for forecasting hazards, guiding sustainable development, and protecting the ecosystems and communities that depend on our dynamic coastal zone,” said Professor Daniel Ierodiaconou, Lead Scientist for CoastRI.
Collaboration is key to establishing a national network of wave buoys
IMOS aims to increase collaboration and connection with a wide range of end-users to enhance our understanding of ocean and coastal processes. No single organisation can achieve this objective; it takes a coordinated community.
IMOS would like to thank our partners who are deploying the wave buoys and delivering data around the country including:
- The University of Western Australia
- Deakin University
- Victoria Government, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
- Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation
- South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI)
- Flinders University
- Australian Institute of Marine Science
- Queensland Government, Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation
- Sydney Institute of Marine Science
- New South Wales Government, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
IMOS also acknowledges numerous regional collaborators who are co-investing wave data to the new national network.
Image credit Daniel Ierodiaconou