MV Sea Flyte, a 35-meter catamaran ferry, collects bulk sea surface temperature data during daily trips between Hillarys Boat Harbour and Rottnest Island. Data is processed from a calibrated SBE38 thermometer and undergoes quality control at the Bureau of Meteorology. Measurements are provided to the Australian Ocean Data Network shortly after 0000 UTC.
Use Cases
- Modeling coastal ocean temperature dynamics based on ferry-based underway measurements.
- Validating satellite-derived sea surface temperature products based on in-situ sensor data.
- Analyzing diurnal or seasonal temperature patterns based on daily ferry trips.
- Assessing sensor performance at varying depths (0.05-1.2 m) based on operational conditions.
Strengths
- Data undergoes quality control at the Bureau of Meteorology.
- Sensor depth is documented, varying from 0.05-0.1 m underway to 1.2 m when stationary.
- Data delivery is timely, provided shortly after 0000 UTC.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
- Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to a single ferry route in Western Australia.
Provenance
- Source
- Australian Ocean Data Network
- Collection Method
- Underway bulk sea surface temperature collected via SBE38 calibrated digital oceanographic thermometer on a ferry.
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-05-05 18:53:08.544393; freshness should be verified.
- Geography
- Route between Hillarys Boat Harbour and Rottnest Island, Western Australia.