Quantitative mapping of the East Australian Current encroachment using time series Himawar

Himawari-8 satellite sea surface temperature data from July 2015 to September 2017 was used to map the East Australian Current. The study applied a Topographic Position Index method to analyze the current's meanders, eddies, and seasonal encroachment patterns. This dataset was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans in 2020 by Xie et al.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the spatial structure and temporal evolution of the East Australian Current based on sea surface temperature signatures.
• Investigating eddy-shedding timescales (65-100 days) and seasonal cycles of current encroachment mentioned in the description.
• Relating sea surface temperature signatures to surface current speed using numerical ocean models, as indicated by the 60% overlap area ratio.
• Mapping complex oceanographic features like meanders, offshoots, and eddies using high-resolution satellite imagery.

Strengths

• Data covers a 26-month study period from July 2015 to September 2017.
• Uses very high spatiotemporal resolution Himawari-8 SST images, enabling mapping of highly dynamic features.
• Study methodology quantified eddy-shedding timescales of 65-80 days upstream and 90-100 days downstream.
• Analysis identified a seasonal cycle in current encroachment, stronger in austral summer and weaker in winter.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data freshness should be verified; last metadata update is listed as 2026-06-23.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network via data.gov.au, based on research by Xie, S., Huang, Z., Wang, X. H., & Leplastrier, A.

Collection Method

Derived from Himawari-8 satellite sea surface temperature imagery, processed using a Topographic Position Index method and validated with an eddy-resolving numerical ocean model.

Time Range

July 2015 to September 2017

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-23 06:04:10.318271; freshness should be verified

Geography

Southeast coast of Australia, including the East Australian Current path and the eastern coast of Tasmania