This database contains global data of wind speed and wave height obtained from all the altimeter missions which have flown since 1985. The data has been calibrated against NDBC buoy data and validated with independent buoy measurements and at cross-over points with other altimeter missions. The long term stability of the data has been assessed against buoy data and any discontinuities which may occur due to changes in the processing techniques or instrumentation has been removed in the calibration process. There is a static snapshot of the database as at February 2019 (https://dx.doi.org/10.26198/5c77588b32cc1), and this has been documented in a Scientific Data Publication. This metadata record provides access to the dynamic (most recent) version of the database.

Radial data files contain radial components of sea surface parameters measured by HF ocean radars operated by Ocean Radar (formerly known as the Australian Coastal Ocean Radar Network (ACORN)), a facility of Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS). Regardless of the radar system (WERA or SeaSonde), the primary product is the radial component of the sea surface current along a line between the radar station and a point on the sea surface. By combining radials measured at two stations surface current vectors can be constructed. These surface current vectors can then be used to study tides, wind-driven currents and perform lagrangian particle tracking. A snap-shot of the radial surface current map is produced by a radar station every 10 min (WERA) or 1 h (SeaSonde). These data are uploaded to the IMOS archive in real-time. Real-time data are produced by the manufacturer of the radar station and no quality control flags are assigned by either the manufacturer or the facility at this stage. Each real-time radial file contains a set of standard metadata fields, such as radar system type, operating frequency and bandwidth. Other metadata fields describe radar system type-specific parameters. Radial file metadata fields are described in a separate facility data document. In addition, WERA radar systems provide the real-time heights of left and right bragg peaks, from which the wind direction can be inferred, and an estimate of the significant wave height. These quantities are not quality controlled because they are output from the manufacturer's software without the detail necessary for the facility to assign a quality control label.

Radial data files contain radial components of sea surface parameters measured by HF ocean radars operated by Ocean Radar (formerly known as the Australian Coastal Ocean Radar Network (ACORN)), a facility of Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS). Regardless of the radar system (WERA or SeaSonde), the primary product is the radial component of the sea surface current along a line between the radar station and a point on the sea surface. By combining radials measured at two stations surface current vectors can be constructed. These surface current vectors can then be used to study tides, wind-driven currents and perform lagrangian particle tracking. Raw data collected at each radar site are re-processed by the facility in order to assign quality control flags to data points. This is not possible in real-time because real-time data are produced by proprietary manufacturer software without quality control flags and it is not feasible to transfer the raw data to the facility in real-time. Each radial file contains a set of standard metadata fields, such as radar system type, operating frequency and bandwidth. Other metadata fields describe radar system type-specific parameters. Radial file metadata fields are described in a separate Ocean Radar data document. In addition, for WERA radar systems, the facility provides quality controlled heights of left and right bragg peaks, from which the wind direction can be inferred.

Sentinel-1 A and B satellites are part of Europe's Copernicus Earth Observation program and carry identical C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) instruments. This dataset contains 10m neutral stability wind speed and direction derived from Sentinel-1 A and B SARs in the wider Australian coastal regions. In these regions, the satellites normally operate in interferometric wide (IW) swath mode. The winds are derived using a consistent geophysical model function (gmf), CMOD5N, and variational Bayesian inversion approach as proposed in Portabella et al. (2002) and Sentinel-1 Ocean wind (owi) algorithm definition document. The input SAR and model (ECMWF) data used in the inversion are sourced from owi level-2 product, and the resulting derived winds are approximately at 1km horizontal spatial resolution as in the source product but derived using a consistent gmf over time (unlike the source product). Wind speeds are also calibrated against Metop-A and B scatterometer wind database of Ribal and Young, 2020 (JTECH). The data represented by this record, are presented in delayed mode.

Sentinel-1 A, B and C satellites are part of Europe's Copernicus Earth Observation program and carry identical C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) instruments. This dataset contains regularly gridded (0.01 x 0.01 deg) daily 10m neutral stability wind speed and direction derived from Sentinel-1 SARs in the wider Australian nearshore regions. In these regions, the satellites normally operate in interferometric wide (IW) swath mode. The winds are derived using a consistent geophysical model function (gmf), CMOD5N, and variational Bayesian inversion approach as proposed in Portabella et al. (2002) and Sentinel-1 Ocean wind (owi) algorithm definition document. The input SAR and model (ECMWF) data used in the inversion are sourced from owi Level-2 product, and the resulting derived winds are approximately at 1km horizontal spatial resolution as in the source product. Wind speeds are also calibrated against Metop-A and B scatterometer wind database of Ribal and Young, 2020 (JTECH). For each day, all available derived wind field swaths (available as separate wind product: IMOS - Satellite Remote Sensing - Surface Waves Sub-Facility - SAR wind - Delayed mode data) are combined and interpolated to a nominal 0.01 x 0.01-degree regular grid. The final data are thus arranged in a rectilinear grid with dimensions defined by TIME, LATITUDE and LONGITUDE. The data represented by this record, are presented in delayed mode.

The Ocean Radar (formerly known as the Australian Coastal Ocean Radar Network (ACORN)) facility comprises a coordinated network of HF radars delivering real-time, non-quality controlled and delayed-mode, quality controlled surface current data into a national archive. Based on experience in Europe and the USA, deployment of these radars is expected to make a profound change to coastal ocean research in Australia. HF radar provides unprecedented time-resolved surface current maps over the monitoring sites for physical and biological ocean research. Deployment of the radars is in support of regional nodes where there is a range of identified questions concerned with boundary currents and associated eddies and their interactions with shelf water and topography. In turn these are linked to productivity, connectivity of biological populations and phenomena such as coral bleaching and diseases. It provides a basis for applied research in wave prediction and offers test sites for hydrodynamic modelling. The equipment comprises long-range WERA and medium-range WERA systems and long-range SeaSonde systems, and associated spares and transport infrastructure. An existing system that was installed by James Cook University in the Capricorn/Bunker region around Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef was integrated into the network. An HF radar acquisition by a consortium led by South Australian Research and Development Institute in South Australia was also integrated into the network.

The Deep Water Arrays (DA) sub-facility targets observations of deep ocean currents and properties needed to monitor and understand the role of the ocean on climate and climate variability. The arrays monitor ocean circulation and property variability in the ocean surrounding Australia and provide estimates of the ocean contribution to the regional and global circulation, heat and freshwater content and change. They will contribute to improved estimates of the regional and global sea level budget, improvements to the climate model simulations via direct comparison with observations, assimilation and development of improved model physics and parameterisations. This sub-facility includes observational programs based on moored conductivity-temperature-depth sensors and current meter arrays in deep waters that are specifically targeted to monitor formation of Antarctic Bottom Water, interbasin exchange and major boundary currents. The Deep Water array sites include : 1) The Adelie Land Coast deep shelf to observe outflows of newly forming Antarctic Bottom water – the Polynya array. Initially the array was deployed near the Mertz glacier, then redeployed near the Totten Glacier (array ceased in 2015). 2) Timor Passage and Ombia Strait, to monitor the interbasin Indian-Pacific Ocean exchange and the upper limb of the global overturning circulation – the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) array (array ceased in 2015). 3) The east coast of Australia, near Brisbane, to monitor the East Australian Current transport – the EAC array (array cease in 2022).

The Pulse 7 mooring was deployed from 9 September 2010 to 29 April 2011 at Lat -46.93, Lon 142.26. Data are now available in netCDF format. Moored instruments are deployed by the Southern Ocean Time Series sub-facility for time-series observations of physical, biological, and chemical properties, in the Sub-Antarctic Zone southwest of Tasmania, with twice-yearly servicing. These time-series observations are crucial to resolving ecosystem processes that affect carbon cycling, ocean productivity and marine responses to climate variability and change, ocean acidification and other stresses.

The Pulse 10 mooring was deployed from 7 May 2013 to 13 October 2013 at Lat -46.94, Lon 142.28. Data are now available in netCDF format. Moored instruments are deployed by the Southern Ocean Time Series sub-facility for time-series observations of physical, biological, and chemical properties, in the Sub-Antarctic Zone southwest of Tasmania, with twice-yearly servicing. These time-series observations are crucial to resolving ecosystem processes that affect carbon cycling, ocean productivity and marine responses to climate variability and change, ocean acidification and other stresses.

The Pulse 6 mooring was deployed from September 2009 to March 2010 at Lat -46.3, Lon 140.6. Data available in near-real time are the surface buoy position, mean acceleration and standard deviation, and statistics surface buoy battery voltage and telemetry success. After the mooring and sensors are retrieved, oceanographic data will be processed and made available through the IMOS Ocean Portal. In addition to the data files, graphed data and plots of mooring position are available. Moored instruments are deployed by the Southern Ocean Time Series sub-facility for time-series observations of physical, biological, and chemical properties, in the Sub-Antarctic Zone southwest of Tasmania, with twice-yearly servicing. The Southern Ocean Time Series (SOTS) Sub-Facility is responsible for the deployment of Pulse moorings. These time-series observations are crucial to resolving ecosystem processes that affect carbon cycling, ocean productivity and marine responses to climate variability and change, ocean acidification and other stresses.