IMOS ROT HF Ocean Radar: Delayed Mode Sea Water Velocity for Rottnest Shelf

The Rottnest Shelf HF ocean radar system operates at 8.512 MHz with a maximum range of 200 km, covering an area including Rottnest Island and the Perth Canyon. Data from the WERA phased array system, managed by the Australian Ocean Data Network, includes surface currents and can be used to calculate wind directions and significant wave height. The dataset was last updated on 2026-07-10.

Use Cases

• Modeling the Leeuwin Current dynamics and its wake effects based on surface current velocity data.
• Studying the influence of physical oceanographic processes on whale and fish aggregations in the Perth Canyon.
• Monitoring coastal water quality and circulation patterns influenced by river outflow and submarine groundwater discharges.
• Analyzing topographically induced upwelling and associated primary productivity around Rottnest Island.

Strengths

• The radar system has a maximum range of 200 km, providing broad spatial coverage of the coastal shelf.
• Data is collected from two 16-element receive arrays at Fremantle and Guilderton, offering dual-site measurements.
• The dataset provides continuous monitoring in conjunction with the adjacent Turqoise Coast (TURQ) radar system.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale statistical modeling.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Data collected by a WERA phased array HF ocean radar system.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-10 12:36:38.071639; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Rottnest Shelf region, Western Australia, including Rottnest Island and the Perth Canyon.