The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) maintains a weather station tower at Davies Reef east of Townsville in the great barrier reef. Measurements of near-surface ocean acidity (pH), dissolved carbon dioxide (pCO2) and dissolved oxygen (DO) are taken from instrumentation mounted on a buoy adjacent to the weather station tower. All data records include sampling time (UCT), position (Latitude, Longitude). The data is records in near real time using a microwave communications link back to AIMS at Cape Ferguson.
Data are recorded at 10 minute intervals for DO and pH, 3 hourly for pCO2. The sampling intakes are located at depths of 1.9m. The data is ingested in near real time by the AIMS Data Centre via the Real Time Data System (RTDS). Components of the RTDS also provide visualisation techniques like charting services, mapping services, and download services where appropriate.