Standard Presentation Australian Marine Sciences Association 2026 Conference

Coastal Obervations Using Ocean Gliders (139315)

Charitha Pattiaratchi 1 , Christine Hanson 1 , Dennis Stanley 1 , Cailin Burmaster 1 , Robert Wocheslander 1
  1. The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia

     

Oceanographic observations have traditionally been conducted using ships; however, the emergence of autonomous ocean gliders has provided a powerful alternative platform. The IMOS Ocean Glider Facility was developed from the ground up, including the establishment of procedures for data acquisition via satellite communication, development of glider piloting protocols, and implementation of both real-time and delayed-mode data visualisation systems, along with rigorous QA/QC processes. The facility recently completed over 400 missions—the highest number of glider deployments by a single institution globally—equating to approximately one deployment or recovery per week around Australia. IMOS ocean gliders are equipped with a suite of sensors that measure conductivity (for salinity), temperature, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll fluorescence, optical backscatter, irradiance, and coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM) throughout the water column. Observations have been collected across all Australian states through sustained deployments, enabling the monitoring of major boundary current systems, including the Leeuwin, East Australian, and Flinders Currents, as well as their associated eddies and key continental shelf processes such as dense shelf water cascades. An event-based sub-facility targets episodic phenomena such as marine heatwaves, river plumes, storms, and algal blooms. This presentation will provide an overview of glider deployments and highlight key scientific outcomes.