AIMS Sea Water Temperature Observing System (AIMS Temperature Logger Program)

Brief description

The data provided here are from a number of sea water temperature monitoring programs conducted in tropical and subtropical coral reefs environments around Australia. Data are available from approximately 80 GBR sites, 16 Coral Sea sites, 7 sites in North West Western Australia (WA), 8 Queensland regional ports, 13 sites in the Solitary Islands, 4 sites in PNG and 10 sites in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Data are obtained from in-situ data loggers deployed on the reef. Temperature instruments sample water temperatures every 5-10 minutes (typically) and are exchanged and downloaded approximately every 12 months. Temperature loggers on the reef-flat are generally placed just below Lowest Astronomical Tide level. Reef-slope (or where specified as Upper reef-slope) generally refers to depths 5 - 9 m while Deep reef-slope refers to depths of ~20 m.\n Reefs are under threat from climate change. Elevated sea temperature is a major stress to reefs, capable of causing widespread coral bleaching and mortality. Small excursions of temperature outside normal summer levels can cause stress and bleaching in corals, especially sensitive species. Temperature data from this program are used to correlate with bleaching events and derive local bleaching thresholds. Data are also used in a wide variety of other marine research programs, including fisheries, balast water, turtles, sea birds, seagrass, coral disease, oceanography, process studies, validation of proxy climate records etc.\n

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: irregular

Statement: These data have automatic quality control applied. The result of the quality control is available in the column QC_FLAG which will one of the following values.\n 1 - Good 2 - Probably Good (no longer used) 3 - Probably Bad 4 - Bad Raw data (before QC) is availiable in the column LEVEL0_VALUE. Quality controlled data (ie data which scored Good or Probably Good) is avaliable in the column LEVEL1_VALUE.\n Details of the quality control method are available here. Any data downloaded before March 2019 will have a different quality control method applied. This is described here. A snapshot of all the data using the old quality control method was taken in March of 2019. This data is avaliable here.\n Some data between 2009 and 2015 was reprocessed in May 2018 to correct a calibration error. The maximum difference between the currently available and previously available data is 1.1 Degrees Celsius. A total of 19 deployments showed a difference of more that 0.1 Degrees Celsius.\n Statement: Between 1992 and ~2006, the logger model '392' manufactured by Dataflow Systems Pty Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand was used. From 2004 to present 'Odyssey' loggers from the same manufacturer have also been deployed. Since late 2008 Sensus Ultra loggers (produced by ReefNet Inc., Canada) have also been deployed. \n \n Information on the loggers used in this project can be found at the following websites: \n \n Odyssey loggers: \n http://www.odysseydatarecording.com/odyssey_productsview.php?key=7 \n \n Sensus Ultra loggers: \n http://www.reefnet.ca/products/sensus \n Statement: Loggers are calibrated prior to each deployment using a water bath and certified high precision calibrating thermometer. The desired calibration accuracy of individual loggers is 0.05°C. Overall accuracy of the dataset is 0.1 - 0.2°C. \n \n On downloading the loggers, the start and end of data are trimmed to actual deployment times. Data are graphically inspected and outliers removed. \n \n The SeaTemps program also warehouses data collected by other agencies using different hardware and protocols. Data quality, precision and accuracy are variable. These include data from the Solitary Islands (NSWMPA) and Cocos (Keeling) Islands (DEWHA).\n

Notes

Credit
Benthuysen, Jessica Dr. Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)

Credit
Bainbridge, Scott, Mr (AIMS)