The oceanography and meteorology of the Timor Sea is an important focus area for WAGOOS to champion. The area is of interest to the oil, fishing and defence industries and climate research concerning the Pacific to Indian Ocean through-flow.

Suggested PIT Focus Region

Of particular interest to oil companies are so called high frequency current phenomena that control the stability of submarine pipelines about the Sunrise gas field (160-450m water depth), located on the continental slope in the Timor Sea. Measurements show that there are two components of the high frequency phenomena, namely tidally forced internal waves and the resulting solitons acting normal to the shelf, and "turn-of the-tide" current bursts acting along shore, the latter being a newly observed phenomena. In addition the high frequency water temperature fluctuations associated with the internal waves and solitons are large (4-10 degrees C) and are a design consideration for hydrate formation.

Observed currents at Woodside's Sunrise Location

The magnitude of the high frequency current phenomena is dependent on the water density structure; and this is dependent on the larger and longer-term oceanographic features, such as the Rochford Current and the Pacific to Indonesian through-flow. Quantitative description and understanding of the larger oceanographic features and processes are needed for simulation modelling of the high frequency temperatures and currents.

The Pacific to Indian Ocean through-flow is a major feature of the region and as such it is intended that that WAGOOS facilitates the coordination of effort of all programmes in the region.