The new wave buoy was deployed in early March 20km Northeast of Maria Island.
The new wave buoy is used to measure the state of the ocean surface, providing observations which are critical for marine industries such as fisheries, shipping and offshore operations and for the general public when boating, surfing and swimming.
IMOS has recently deployed two wave buoys, one in Tasmania and the other in the Northern Territory, to help fill spatial gaps in national and global wave observations.
“The Tasmanian wave buoy will benefit the economically and socially valuable aquaculture industry by providing data for research and operational tools,” says Dr Diana Greenslade, Principal Research Scientist at the Bureau of Meteorology, and Leader of the Wave Buoy sub-Facility for IMOS.
“The east coast of Tasmania, as opposed to the west coast, experiences complex wave fields. The east coast experiences Southern Ocean swell as it refracts around the coast of Tasmania but is also exposed to swell generated within the Pacific Ocean. This can make for a highly complex sea-state,” says Dr Greenslade.
The new wave buoy will help forecasters and other users unravel the different components of these complex wave fields.
The new wave buoy was deployed by commercial fisherman Bryan Denny on FV. Motunui in early March, 20km Northeast of Maria Island.
“We steamed to designated site off Marion Bay, to deploy the buoy in about 100m of water. It’s great because fishermen will know more about swell and wave direction and will be able to base their daily fishing activities from the data. Its also good to know that the buoy data will be continuously transmitted via satellite,” says Mr. Denny.
The Tasmanian wave buoy measures wave direction, period and height, and sea surface temperature. The data is currently being used by the Bureau of Meteorology to ensure wave forecasts and models are accurate and is openly accessible through the IMOS Australian Ocean Data Network Portal.