Effects of wind and tide on upper-layer currents at Davies Reef, Great Barrier Reef (MECOR Workshop)

Full description

An array of current meters and a tide gauge were deployed in the east lagoon, the east reef flat and the east passage near the reef flat at Davies Reef on the 15th July 1984 and recovered on the 29th August, 1984. Deployment Information:CM1: (Aanderaa RCM4 current meter) suspended from a subsurface buoy 10m below mean sea level in the east passageCM2 and CM3: (Aanderaa RCM4 current meters) suspended from subsurface buoys 5m below mean sea level in the lagoonCM4: (InterOcean S4 vector-averaging current meter) suspended from a subsurface buoy 5m below mean sea level in the lagoonCM5 and CM6: (Marinco Q15 ducted current meters) mounted in frames secured to coral on the reef flat, with their impellors about 0.3m above the mean level of the coral tops, so that they were only exposed, for about 2 hours, during extreme low tides in AugustTG: (Aanderaa WLR5 tide gauge) located on the bottom just west of the middle reef flat CM2, CM5 and CM6 were operational for only part of the study period.Wind data were taken from the AIMS weather station at Rib Reef, 75km north west of Davies Reef.
The purpose if this study was to determine the effects of wind and tide on flow over the east reef flat, in the upper layer of the lagoon and in the east passage near the reef flat of Davies Reef. These areas included the section of Davies Reef under investigation by other scientists during the MECOR study.
This research was undertaken as a component of the workshop "Microbial Ecology on a Coral Reef" (MECOR), organised by the Australian Institute of Marine Science. This workshop brought together 35 scientists from a range of disciplines to examine the role of microorganisms in coral reef ecosystems. Davies Reef was chosen as the study site and research was undertaken during the winter season (July-August 1984).

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned

Statement: Statement: The Aanderaa current meters used were not ideal for near-surface measurements because they tend to integrate the oscillatory subsurface motions associated with surface waves. It was hoped that wave motions within the sheltered lagoon would not give rise to aliasing of the data because of anticipated small wave heights.

Notes

Credit
Pickard, George L, Dr (Principal Investigator)