Australia’s  Integrated  Marine  Observing  System  (IMOS)  includes a station at the entrance to Darwin Harbour. Information for currents, tides, waves, temperature, water quality parameters  (e.g.,  Chlorophyll-a,  turbidity),  wind  and  rainfall  are  recorded.  While navigating ships in Darwin Harbour, pilots can use a smartphone to see the data. As well as supporting safe shipping, these near real-time observations can aid  the  general  public.

A600 kHz Teledyne RDI ADCP equipped with NEMO waves for in-situ  processing is mounted in a tripod on the seabed.  The  ADCP  simultaneously  profiles  currents  and  processes  directional  wave  spectra  in-situ.  Combining  both  currents  and  waves  in  a  single  compact  package  simplifies  operations. Using battery power allows the measurement of waves every two hours over a six-month deployment.

Using a bottom-mounted ADCP for measuring waves, rather than a surface buoy, can  have  key  advantages.  It  has  been  shown  that  ADCP  wave measurements  compare  favorably  with  competing  techniques.  Mounted on the bed, the equipment is safe from damage due to collisions by shipping. Also AIMS avoids frequent maintenance trips to remove fouling by tropical birds. Both had been problems while using wave buoys.

MTR Sep 2016 ADCP Darwin Harbor (948 KB)

The  navigation  buoy  provided  by  Darwin  Port  Corporation hosts metoc sensors and provides the surface link for sending near real-time data. Aboard the buoy, instruments are located at two heights. At 3m are a weather station and radiometer whereas just below sea level are water quality sensors.