WA Waves
The IMOS Coastal Wave Buoys Western Australia (WA) sub-facility is based at the The University of Western Australia (UWA). The buoys in WA are comprised of a fleet drifting and moored buoys supported by both IMOS and other research projects. The wave buoys are either Sofar Spotters, Sofar Smart Moorings, or Datawell Waverider Mk4. WA sites have been selected to complement the existing observations collected by WA Department of Transport and address gaps in the Australian wave buoy network.
The team at UWA is led by Dr Michael Cuttler, A/Prof Jeff Hansen, and Prof Ryan Lowe, with technical support provided by Thiago Caminha, Ronni King, Matt Hatcher and Carlin Bowyer. The WA team’s research interests focus on understanding physical processes in coastal environments and linking these to coastal evolution over a range of time scales. The team utilises a range of field (including remote and in situ instrumentation), laboratory, and numerical techniques to study and monitor physical processes operating along the WA coastline. The WA wave buoys are currently supporting a range of research projects focused on improving wave forecasting, coastal dynamics along reef-fronted coasts, marine heatwaves, wave energy development, and the long-term WA wave climate.
The WA wave buoy network is supported by a range of collaborators, including IMOS, the Great Southern Marine Research Centre, the ARC TIDE Research Hub, the Minderoo Foundation, Aqualink, the Kimberley Marine Research Station, Tidal Moon, the WA Department of Primary Industries, Research, and Development (DPIRD), and the WA Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science, and Innovation (JTSI).
For further information on WA wave buoys, please contact Dr Michael Cuttler (michael.cuttler@uwa.edu.au).
