October 2024

The 26th biennial Ocean Optics Conference was held in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on 6-11 October. RSSRG participated as authors or co-authors of 4 posters covering major current research activities and projects.

One of these  contributions presented a summary of the work and results obtained over the past few years on bio-optics of the Southern Ocean. Another one was from post-Doctoral Research Associate Chandanlal Parida, about his work on Indian Ocean phytoplankton carbon, and two were about our NASA MarONet project: here and here.

September 2024

After several weeks of preparation in our new Belmont facility, we deployed the first element of our “Marine Optical Network” (MarONet) off Rottnest Island, WA. This 15-m tall buoy is a large sea-deployable spectrometer that records sunlight emerging from the ocean in the near UV, visible and near infrared range. The data are used to “vicariously calibrate” the NASA Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission.

More details about MarONet can be found in this article published by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology  (NIST), who is a major partner in this project, along with the University of Miami (lead) and the San Jose State University, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories.

Two identical MarONet systems will be swapped on site about every 6 months to ensure a continuous time series of high-quality measurements.

June 2024

Prof David Antoine joined a new working group of the InternationalOcean Colour Coordinating Group (IOCCG) on modelling of Ocean Primary Production from Space, along with 18 other experts on this topics from aroundthe World.

Within the coming ~2 years, this new working group will deliver a report that will discuss and evaluate new methods and novel manned and unmanned technologies for measuring Ocean Primary Production (PP) at sea, and approaches designed to harness multi-spectral and hyperspectral ocean colour datasets anticipated from new missions (e.g. PACE, GLIMR , Sentinels, EnMap, CHIME, EarthCARE). The group will also harness lessons learned from recent large multi-institutional and multi- disciplinary programs (e.g. EXPORTS, NAAMES, BICEP, MAPPS, POCO), long-term observational programs (e.g. HOT, BATs, AMT, CARIACO, LTER), and standardized protocols for developing field datasets, to improve the accuracy of satellite PP estimates.

May 2024

The speaker for our 29th May 2024 monthly seminar was Brendon McAtee. Bredon presented the “Natural Hazards Research Australia https://www.naturalhazards.com.au” (NHRA), whose role is to support research in the natural hazards space which is useful, usable, and used by the emergency management sector across Australia.

Brendon McAtee did his PhD in the RSSRG looking at “Surface—Atmosphere Interactions in the Thermal Infrared 8-13 micron” so he studied the physics of how electromagnetic radiation interacts with the atmosphere, in order to derive new algorithms for Earth observation (EO) with a focus on Land Surface Temperature. He worked at the WA Land Information Authority (Landgate) for a number of years as part of their operational remote sensing team in Satellite Remote Sensing Services with emphasis on the use of EO for managing natural disasters like bushfires (FireWatch), flooding (FloodMap) and carbon accounting (CarbonWatch) before having the chance to lead Landgate’s Innovation and Research Program. This led to wider work in the Australian innovation ecosystem, then back to the space and geospatial sector and to his current role with Natural Hazards Research Australia as the Node Research Manager for Western Australia and South Australia.

Abstract
Natural Hazards Research Australia (NHRA) is a not-for-profit organisation that was formed after the conclusion of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC (BNHCRC). It continues to enable utilisation of the IP from the BNHCRC and funds new research of value to participant agencies from the Emergency Management (EM) sector and is funded by the Australian Government and the Centre’s consortium of participants. The Centre’s role is to support research in the natural hazards space which is useful, usable, and used by the EM sector across Australia. NHRA works to articulate the knowledge gaps and challenges of its participant organisations and join these up with the research capability to solve them. In this presentation we will talk about NHRA’s industry-research engagement model, examples of projects the Centre supports, and opportunities for researchers and students to work with NHRA.

March 2024

On 26th March 2024, we embarked on CSIRO’s R/V Linnaeus for daily sampling operations at the IMOS National Reference Station (NRS) , located some nautical miles off the western end of Rottnest Island. Weather was perfect to resume our operations, which will continue now on a monthly basis.

This reference site has been monitored for decades, and IMOS-funded operations started there some 15 years ago. Our addition to the program includes measurements of optical properties and radiometric quantities, all to be used for research in bio-optics and also for validation of satellite ocean colour observations.

RSSRG’s Tim Burrell and David Antoine were onboard and got crucial help from long-term collaborator and former RSSRG student Matthew Slivkoff (In-situ Marine Optics Pty Ltd). Big thanks to the CSIRO crew as well for their support.

March 2024

On 13th March 2024, the Western Australia Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (JTSI) organised a consultation workshop as part of the development of a new strategic 10-year Science and Technology Plan for Western Australia.

RSSRG’s lead, Prof D. Antoine contributed, along with Curtin colleagues from other discipline areas, to the discussions and brainstorming sessions. The workshop led to a report, which then will be used as a basis for the Department to layout strategic initiatives and future funding opportunities.
We will stay posted!

March 2024

As every year, RSSRG have participated to the annual planning meeting of the Australia Integrated Marine Observing System, to which we contribute since 2014.

This year the meeting was held in Hobart, Tasmania, 5th – 7th March, 2024.

As indicated on the meeting web page, “A major focus of this meeting will be on new elements of the program including coastal observing, enhanced data delivery and building linkages for Sea Country observing as well as updates on priorities for the year ahead.

As IMOS works to enhance observing of the Australian coastline, we need to also consider how we will collectively meet this new challenge including intersections with Sea Country and inclusion of First Nations people in the IMOS community. This is an important question for the IMOS community to consider and discuss as we plan for the future.”

Full agenda here (https://imos.org.au/fileadmin/user_upload/shared/IMOS_General/AM_2024/2024_IMOS_Annual_Meeting_Agenda_FINAL.pdf).

February 2024

The “Marine Optical Network” (MarONet) is a NASA-funded project by which Curtin’s RSSRG are responsible for deployment and operation of a large marine infrastructure used for so-called “system vicarious calibration” of the NASA PACE mission
The new facility is where the 2 MarONet moorings and buoys will be assembled, calibrated, tested and prepared for successive 4- to 6-month deployments at sea.

The facility combines a large warehouse (~400 sqm) where all equipment and operations will take place, and office space where our technical team will be able to work and where we will regularly host our collaborators from the US part of this program.

February 2024

MarONet, has been specifically developed to support the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission, the first global hyperspectral ocean colour mission.
MarONet consists of two identical buoys deployed off Hawaii and Perth, which host a new generation of field deployable state-of-the-art spectrometers used for calibration of the satellite sensors. The rationale for 2 sites as part of MarONet is to collect more data in any given time frame, to include different atmospheric and oceanic conditions in the SVC, and to combine geometries of observation by having sites in both hemispheres. The Perth site was chosen in particular for its often extremely clear atmosphere, moderate variability of ocean optical properties.
The second part of the system, a 15-m tall spar buoy hosting the sea-deployable spectrometer, will be connected to the mooring around April 2024.

February 2024

Tim joined the RSSRG in February 2024 and will divide his time between two projects: the Marine Optical Network (MarONet) Project and the Ocean Color–Blue Water Calibration/Validation Project under the Australian Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS).

Before joining RSSRG, Tim earned his PhD from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He then pursued a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Hawai’i Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education (C-MORE) before transitioning into a role as a Senior Research Specialist at the University of Hawai’i. During this time, Tim actively participated in the monthly Hawai’i Ocean Time-series (HOT) project and contributed to the Simons Collaboration on Ocean Processes and Ecology (SCOPE) supported by the Simons Foundation. With a strong foundation in field-based oceanographic science, Tim brings a diverse skill set to his work at Curtin University and looks forward to applying his expertise.

November 2023

Prof D. Antoine and Dr. Chandan Parida attended the 5th IOCS meeting in St Petersburg, Florida.
As said on the meeting website, “The primary focus of the IOCS is to serve as a venue for the ocean colour community to communicate their views, ideas, concerns and issues with the satellite agencies. The programme for the IOCS-2023 meeting included invited keynote lectures, agency talks, breakout workshops, poster sessions and community Town Halls. Training events and side meetings were also scheduled”

C. Parida presented a poster on his work, and D. Antoine chaired the opening session and participated to 2 side meetings on the modelling of ocean primary production from space and on the newly established “System Vicarious Calibration” task force.

November 2023

The ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS) research community gathered at the Hobart Function and Conference Centre, Tasmania, for their 3rd research forum.
Curtin’s RSSRG is part of this ARC-funded Centre and contributed to this event.
PhD student Rony Golder presented a poster on his research and Prof D. Antoine attended as co-lead of ACEAS program 1 and to contribute to the forum breakout and plenary sessions.

October 2023

RSSRG participated to a forum of the AFRAN on “Developing research connections for the Indian Ocean”.
The 2023 AFRAN Forum was held on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 October 2023 at Murdoch University in Perth and was supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Australian Government.

Research capability presentations and discussions of potential collaborative project in the Indian Ocean region were at the centre of this event. Follow up meetings should happen in 2024.

October 2023

The goal of this 2-day conference (23-24 October) was to bring together leaders from across the Indo-Pacific and beyond for opportunities in space and cross-sector technologies and innovation.
Prof D. Antoine attended as RSSRG lead, to network for possible connections in the frame of developing an “Earth observation training centre” at Curtin.

September 2023

The SmartSAT CRC -funded project named “AquaWatch Pathfinders: Earth Observation Sensor Design Simulator Testbed (End to End Simulator)” was completed in 2022. This project was a collaboration with Cyanolakes Pty Ltd , CSIRO, ANU, UQ and SatDek Pty Ltd, and was part of the development of the Aquawatch Australia mission

The project lead, Mark Matthews, had led publication of a demonstration study using the simulator, published in Sensors . In this work, RSSRG’s role was to define and run the numerical simulation of radiative transfer needed for the forward part of the simulator.

14th – 18th August 2023

In August, the RSSRG lead plus our research associate Juan Li and PhD student Md Rony Golder attended the 2023 symposium of the Southern Ocean Observing System. The event was held in Hobart, Tasmania, and gathered SO experts from around the World.
The post-symposium statement highlights the dramatic lack of observations for this ocean that is a critical component of the global climate system.
Satellite remote sensing observations have therefore a very significant role to play in improving monitoring and understanding of this part of the World oceans.

July 2023

In July, we welcomed Andrew Gray, moving to Perth from Hawaii to become the lead engineer on our new MarONet project.
MarONet stands for “Marine Optical Network” and will consist in deploying a specifically-designed optical buoy off Perth, in support to the “System Vicarious Calibration” of the upcoming NASA PACE mission  (“Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud and ocean Ecosystem”).
The optical system has been developed under leadership by the US NIST in particular. It is a unique prototype allowing extremely accurate and stable measurement of the ocean reflectance, which is the primary product the PACE mission will derive, and from which multiple parameters of the marine ecosystem can be inferred.

Welcome Andrew!

July 2023

The WA Government, through its Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (JTSI), has selected a 4-year project involving four Perth Universities (UWA, lead, plus Curtin, Murdoch and Edith Cowan), and developed as part of the WA Government will to answer the challenges of the United Nations “Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030)”

RSSRG’s role will be to use satellite Earth Observation to characterise past MHWs off WA and to analyse their large-scale drivers. This work will be carried out by a PhD student under supervision by Prof. D. Antoine.

February 2023

This year the meeting was held in Hobart, Tasmania, 20th – 23rd February 2023.
As indicated on the meeting web page “The intent for this meeting is to provide updates on key topics and elements of the program, as well emerging NCRIS processes for the years ahead. The IMOS Governing Board will open the 2023 meeting with a discussion on the national research landscape, national challenges, and the relevance of IMOS. We will also discuss the emerging topic of observing in Sea Country and what the IMOS partnership should play.”

Full agenda here

February 2023

The 2023 annual meetings of Steering Committee, IOGOOS, IndOOS Resource Forum (IRF) and SIBER were held in Perth 6-10 February 2023, at the Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre (IOMRC).

Chandanlal Parida, research associate with RSSRG, and Prof. D. Antoine, RSSRG lead, attended various sessions in order to keep existing connections with these programs alive and to develop new ones.