The Deepwater Arrays (DA) sub-facility targets observations of deep ocean currents and properties needed to monitor and understand the role of the ocean on climate and climate variability. The arrays monitor ocean circulation and property variability in the ocean surrounding Australia and provide estimates of the ocean contribution to the regional and global circulation, heat and freshwater content and change. They will contribute to improved estimates of the regional and global sea level budget, improvements to the climate model simulations via direct comparison with observations, assimilation and development of improved model physics and parameterisations.
This sub-facility includes observational programs based on moored conductivity-temperature-depth sensors and current meter arrays in deep waters that are specifically targeted to monitor formation of Antarctic Bottom Water, interbasin exchange and major boundary currents.
The Deepwater array sites include :
The Adelie Land Coast deep shelf to observe outflows of newly forming Antarctic Bottom water – the Polynya array.
Timor Passage and Ombia Strait, to monitor the interbasin Indian-Pacific Ocean exchange and the upper limb of the global overturning circulation – the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) array.
The east coast of Australia, near Brisbane, to monitor the East Australian Current transport – the EAC array.