Australian Ocean Acidification Moorings at Three National Reference Stations

Loaded with delayed-mode observations from an ocean carbon and acidification monitoring network in Australian waters. It includes data from moorings co-located at three National Reference Stations: Yongala, Maria Island, and Kangaroo Island, plus a site near Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef. The moorings are equipped with sensors for surface CO2, temperature, and salinity, with hydrochemistry sampling providing total alkalinity data.

Use Cases

• Analyze surface CO2 concentrations across the Yongala, Maria Island, and Kangaroo Island stations to characterize regional acidification.
• Correlate temperature and salinity sensor data with total alkalinity measurements to study the carbonate system dynamics.
• Monitor the influence of the East Australian Current on CO2 uptake using time-series data from moorings down the east coast.
• Compare acidification exposure in upwelled waters at Kangaroo Island with conditions at the Great Barrier Reef (Wistari channel) site.

Strengths

• Data is sourced from a dedicated monitoring network for ocean acidification in Australian waters.
• Observations are co-located at three established National Reference Stations, providing a structured spatial framework.
• Includes multiple sensor types measuring CO2, temperature, salinity, and hydrochemistry-derived total alkalinity.

Limitations

• The Yongala station was decommissioned in August 2014, creating a temporal gap for that location.
• Sample data and column structure are unavailable, hindering immediate assessment of data format and usability.
• Data is delivered in delayed mode, which may not be suitable for real-time monitoring applications.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Data collected from moored buoys equipped with surface CO2 systems, temperature and salinity sensors, and hydrochemistry sampling.

Time Range

Specific temporal coverage is unknown; the Yongala station was operational until August 2014.

Freshness

Last updated metadata indicates 2026-03-20, but the underlying data's temporal coverage is not specified.

Geography

Australian waters, specifically at National Reference Stations: Yongala (QLD), Maria Island (TAS), Kangaroo Island (SA), and a site near Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef.