Remote sensing Measuring Sea Surface Temperatures AIMS engineering services give scientists the edge in climate research By Justen Bersin Electronic and mechanical technicians at the Australian Institute of Marine Science are helping Australian scientists to lead the way in high-accuracy climate research. The AIMS Engineering Services section recently designed and built a radiometer with Dr William Skirving, which will enable valuable information on sea surface temperatures to be gathered on the waters between Townsville and Kelso Reef, about 90 km offshore. This data will be collected not on scientific voyages, but on the daily tourist ferry, the Island Pearl. AIMS technicians have built the radiometer to be remotely linked up via a mobile phone connection to the Institute’s Cape Ferguson laboratories, with vital data relayed daily to scientists across Australia and the world. The custom-built radiometer captures infrared radiation given off by the surface of the water and converts it into water temperatures. This information is being used in ongoing studies into coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef. Radiometer being built and tested by Paul Millers in the electronic and mechanical workshops at AIMS In the past, scientists were only able to gather information about surface water temperatures on a monthly basis from stationed data-loggers. Now AIMS will be receiving this data five days a week. "It will be instrumental in calibrating similar data recorded by orbiting satellites and used around the world especially by organisations such as NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] in the United States," said AIMS Remote Sensing Manager, Craig Steinberg. Mr Steinberg said one of the greatest threats to the reefs of the world is undoubtedly coral bleaching. "While scientists are still determining the exact causes of bleaching, they know it is directly linked to rises in water temperature," he said. Electronics experts at AIMS have designed the most advanced device yet for measuring these changes in temperature across our seas. They have fabricated the radiometer from start to finish at the AIMS workshops at Cape Ferguson. "The key advantage of this on-site service is the ability to sit down and discuss each design feature with the makers," said Mr Steinberg. "Everybody helped pitch in"," said Eric Gill, head of AIMS engineering services section. "It was a real team effort." Radiometer being fitted to the side of        RV Lady Basten for testing before         going into service. The latest radiometer is built to accommodate remote programmable entries and remote data retrieval. Scientists are immediately aware of current temperatures at Kelso Reef while working many kilometres away in their laboratories. In short, AIMS engineers have provided the Institute’s scientists with a reliable, automated source of information that operates with a minimum of human management, allowing valuable time and resources to be re-allocated elsewhere. Once the new radiometer is installed on the Island Pearl, scientists studying coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef can correlate the highly specific data recorded by the radiometer with the information gathered by satellite-borne radiometers circulating the globe. This will allow them to eliminate errors caused by atmospheric disturbance, while also being informed about absorption in the atmosphere.  Radiometer under test on RV Lady Basten. Since the Island Pearl crosses the same transect as the orbital satellite each day, researches will have a regular and very accurate baseline by which to judge their data. AIMS engineers also plan to attach hull sensors to measure the below-surface temperature as well as the surface skin temperature by the radiometer on the water. On their next trip out to sea to study coral bleaching in a few weeks, AIMS scientists will be guided by the high-quality satellite imagery that has been calibrated by the radiometers, particularly the whereabouts of ‘hot spots’ most likely to cause corals to bleach. "Thanks to these instruments we are coming that much closer to understanding where and what is happening in the oceans around us," Craig Steinberg said.   Contact Craig Steinberg - Remote Sensing Manager Eric Gill - Engineering Services Manager William Skirving - Research Scientist June 20, 2002

December 18, 2008