Corals in a warming ocean

Investigating heat resistance in corals Since 2013, the National Sea Simulator (SeaSim) has been a pivotal resource in advancing our understanding of coral heat resistance and the potential for human-assisted evolution to bolster coral resilience. Assisted evolution involves accelerating naturally occurring evolutionary processes to help corals adapt to predicted future climate ocean scenarios, such as rising […]

AARNet

AARNet is Australia’s national research and education network, a not-for-profit organisation equally owned by 38 Australian universities and CSIRO. AARNet provides essential high-speed internet and advanced network services tailored to meet the specialised needs of researchers in Australia.

Making visible the impact of Australia’s national microscopy infrastructure

Through trust and identity, the impact of Australia’s distributed microscopy infrastructure will be revealed. Microscopy Australia is a consortium of university-based microscopy facilities that provides more than 3,500 Australian researchers a year, with access to state-of the-art microscopes. Through access to their facilities, crucial research is enabled in areas such as future energy innovations, improved […]

Unlocking the power of Australia’s Tier 1 supercomputer

Through a national framework for trusted identity, accessing one of Australia’s Tier 1 supercomputers will become easier. The Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre (Pawsey) is one of two Tier-1 high-performance computing facilities in Australia. Its primary function is to accelerate scientific research for the benefit of the nation. Pawsey’s service and expertise in supercomputing, data, cloud […]

Quantifying seabed habitats and associated biota in the Murray Australian Marine Park

Background While detailed habitat mapping coverage has been substantially advanced by State governments in many coastal regions, Commonwealth waters of the continental shelf typically lack detailed habitat maps and, at best, have coarse resolution bathymetric layers. Focusing on the Murray Marine Park, this voyage aimed to fill key information gaps in our knowledge of the […]

Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC)

The Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) provides Australian researchers with competitive advantage through data. It accelerates research and innovation by driving excellence in the creation, analysis and retention of high-quality data assets. The ARDC is enabled by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). NCRIS is a national network of world-class research infrastructure projects that support high-quality research that will drive greater innovation in the Australian research sector and the economy more broadly.

National Imaging Facility (NIF)

National Imaging Facility (NIF) is Australia’s advanced imaging network. We provide open access to world-class imaging equipment, expertise, tools, data and analysis. We address Australia’s strategic science and research priorities, and this benefits Australian industry and helps keep Australians healthy.

Marine National Facility (MNF)

From ice edge to equator, the Marine National Facility (MNF) is Australia’s dedicated ocean research capability which enables world-leading research to increase our understanding of Australia’s vast and valuable marine environment. The MNF is funded by the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) and operated by CSIRO on behalf of the nation.

Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS)

IMOS is a national collaborative research infrastructure, undertaking systematic, sustained and scientifically-robust observations of our vast and valuable marine estate. All IMOS observations are made discoverable and accessible via the Australian Ocean Data Network (AODN) platform, using FAIR data principles. Additional data is incorporated into the AODN from a wide range of partner organisations including research institutions, federal and state government departments, and private industry.

Australian Access Federation (AAF)

The Australian Access Federation (AAF) is Australia’s leading provider of identity and access management services to the education and research sector. We make it easy for people to securely access education and research services nationally and internationally, by providing single sign-on. It allows individuals from different organisations to collaborate and access online resources within a trusted environment.

Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre (Pawsey)

Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre, Australia’s leading Tier-1 high-performance computing facility, is advancing research and innovation by providing cutting-edge supercomputing, data and visualisation infrastructure and expertise. From accelerating breakthroughs in medicine and climate science to unlocking the mysteries of the universe, Pawsey is at the forefront of driving discovery and advancing knowledge.

National Sea Simulator (SeaSim)

Discover the future of marine experimental research at the National Sea Simulator, managed by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). Our cutting-edge facility employs leading industrial process automation to conduct complex, extensive and long-term aquarium experiments, focusing on Australia’s tropical marine ecosystems. Join us in advancing research and conservation efforts for Australia’s diverse marine estate.

Microscopy Australia (MicroAu)

Microscopy Australia provides researchers and industry with open access to the nation’s largest range of high-end microscopes, microanalysis tools, and specialists. It consists of university-based microscopy centres around the country. Our instruments have dedicated experts to deliver high quality training and support to ensure you get the best research outcomes.

Southern Coastal Research Vessel Fleet (Coastal Vessels)

The Southern Coastal Research Vessel Fleet has been established to coordinate vessel use and provide better access to coastal research vessels in Southern Australia. This includes competitive access to fully funded grants of sea time onboard southern coastal research vessels and support for a replacement vessel to upgrade the aging fleet to provide the marine research community with access to contemporary coastal research infrastructure.

Strengthening our European connections to EMBL and beyond

On a recent visit to EMBL Heidelberg, Ian Smith, Chair of the EMBL Australia Council, spoke about the synergies between EMBL and EMBL Australia, opportunities for collaboration and ideas for exciting future programs. Ian Smith, Chair of the EMBL Australia Council, chatted to EMBL about the synergies between the organisations, opportunities for collaboration, and ideas […]

A true partnership to improve position, navigation and timing services in Australia

What do precision agriculture, weather predictions and synchronising financial transactions all have in common? They rely on geodesy, the science of measuring the Earth that enables all Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) applications that are used in everyday life. This exact science underpins the global geospatial economy, which has a value of at least US$1 […]

Uncovering history: confirming the resting place of MV Blythe Star 

Linking Australians to their heritage  CSIRO research vessel (RV) Investigator, part of the Marine National Facility (MNF), offers a highly flexible platform that can accommodate multiple research projects on a single voyage. In providing this unique service, the MNF is helping to uncover our maritime heritage alongside other crucial research, such as mapping the seafloor […]

Monitoring algal blooms in a changing climate: IMOS collaboration

LIGHT MICROGRAPH OF THE NEW TYPE OF ALGAE (DIATOM) FOUND IN THE BLOOM.

Researchers have used IMOS’s Ocean Gliders along with Microscopy Australia’s microscopes to better understand Western Australia’s major algal blooms in 2021. South West Western Australia experienced an exceptionally wet winter in 2021, with significantly higher than average rainfall causing an increased outflow of water from many rivers along the south west coast during the period […]

Shared Vocabularies Create Oceans of Opportunities

large research vessel on open ocean

Research vocabularies are helping researchers aggregate data from a wide range of sources and disciplines to find evidence-based solutions to big societal challenges such as climate change. In 2021, an analysis of sea temperature data collected from the Southern Ocean over 25 years revealed disturbing evidence that the potential for Antarctic ice-sheet melting has been […]

A wonder material made from waste

FALSE COLOURED SCANNING ELECTRON MICROGRAPH OF PFAS DROPLETS (GREEN) ADSORBED BY THE POLYMER SPONGE (BROWN)

In February 2020, Clean Earth Technologies (CET) signed an agreement with Flinders University to produce commercial quantities of an environmental wonder material. Developed by Prof. Justin Chalker and his team at Flinders University, this novel polymer — made exclusively from waste materials — is capable of pulling oil from the oceans and contaminants like mercury […]

Global weather prediction: Australia’s contribution to the global Argo array

Positions of the floats that have delivered data within the last 30 days

Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) coordinates Australia’s contribution of approximately 10% of the global Argo array. Used internationally and by the Royal Australian Navy to predict ocean conditions, Argo data is critical to weather prediction globally. Argo data helps scientists understand large-scale ocean temperature and salinity structures, interactions between the ocean and atmosphere, and […]

Southern Ocean Time Series providing important data for ocean observations globally

Key data streams for the Southern Ocean Time series

Deployed and retrieved by the Marine National Facility (MNF) on behalf of Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), the Southern Ocean Time Series Observatory provides high temporal resolution observations in sub-Antarctic waters. Observations are broad and include measurements of physical, chemical and biogeochemical parameters from multiple deep water moorings in the sub-Antarctic Zone southwest of Tasmania. […]

Reef Spawning in SeaSim

The National Sea Simulator (SeaSim) supports the propagation of a range of marine organisms, including corals, sponges, and Crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS). Utilising advanced infrastructure, SeaSim replicates natural spawning conditions, making it an invaluable resource for studying reproductive processes and early-history of marine invertebrates. SeaSim’s proximity to the Great Barrier Reef ensures easy access to reproductively […]