South Australian Gulfs HF Radar Sea Water Velocity Measurements

The South Australia Gulfs HF ocean radar system covers an area of about 40,000 square kilometres bounded by Kangaroo Island and the Eyre Peninsula. Data from this WERA phased array system, operating at 8.512 MHz with a maximum range of 200 Km, measure surface currents and can be used to calculate wind directions and wave heights. This dataset links the dynamics of the Great Australian Bight to the Bonney Coast and Tasmania, supporting research on currents, upwelling, and marine ecosystems.

Use Cases

• Model coastal current patterns based on HF radar-derived sea water velocity data
• Analyze upwelling events and cross-shelf exchange processes based on the described ocean dynamics
• Assess environmental impacts on fisheries and aquaculture based on described larval dispersal and nutrient distribution
• Calculate wind direction and significant wave height based on the radar's secondary data collection capability

Strengths

• Covers a large observation area of about 40,000 square kilometres
• Operates at a specific frequency (8.512 MHz) with a defined maximum range (200 Km)
• Data connects the dynamics of the Great Australian Bight to the Bonney Coast and Tasmania

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified

Provenance

Source

AODN

Collection Method

Data collected by a WERA phased array HF radar system with 16-element receive arrays at Cape Wiles and Cape Spencer.

Geography

South Australian gulfs, bounded by Kangaroo Island to the east and the Eyre Peninsula to the north.