Continental shelf waves and their influence on the circulation around the Great Barrier Reef

Sea level, currents and winds were measured at several locations on the Great Barrier Reef continental shelf between June and November 1980.Six Aanderaa model RCM4 current meters, recording data at half-hourly intervals, were deployed at Britomart Passage, Brook Island (2 sites), Cape Upstart, Euston Reef, Green Island and Old Reef at depths between 20 and 50m.Seven water level recorders (four Aanderaa model WLR5, two Aanderaa model 3 and one General Oceanic model TG12) recording data at half-hourly intervals using a 56 second integration time, were deployed at Britomart, Carter, Euston, Gilbey, Keeper and Myrmidon Reefs and Coral Creek. Port authorities provided additional sea level and tide data from Gladstone, Townsville and Cairns harbours.Wind and atmospheric pressure data were collected from a Microdata meteorological station installed at Rib Reef (half-hourly). A CSIRO Aanderaa meteorological station provided hourly wind-vector data for Carter Reef. Wind-vector and atmospheric pressure data (3-hourly) for Flinders Reef, Thursday Island, Townsville, Cooktown and Gladstone were obtained from the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology.Hydrographic transects from the coast to Myrmidon Reef were carried out monthly. This research was initiated as a component of a study of the physical oceanography of the central region of the Great Barrier Reef. The data collected were used to estimate term balances in the equations for wind-driven shallow-water waves.