Oceans

Recording old oceans centre tag.

Latest news

Tonga eruption discoveries defy expectations

23 May 2022

New findings from the record-breaking Tongan volcanic eruption are “surprising and unexpected”, say scientists from New Zealand’s National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).

Guide explores the benefits of combating marine biofouling

10 May 2022

NIWA is contributing to an international effort to help developing countries reduce the impact of biofouling on aquatic-based industries and environments.

NIWA-Nippon Foundation Tonga Eruption Seabed Mapping Project a “rare opportunity” to study effects of Tonga eruption

Media Release

1 April 2022

NIWA and The Nippon Foundation are undertaking a mission to discover the undersea impacts of the recent Tongan volcanic eruption.

Mean heat: Marine heatwaves to get longer and hotter by 2100

Media Release

7 March 2022

New research from the Deep South Challenge: Changing with our Climate and NIWA shows that New Zealand could experience very long and “very severe” marine heatwaves by the end of the century.

Our work

Sea2Cloud – how marine aerosols influence the atmosphere and climate

Clouds over the ocean, and how they trap or emit radiation from the sun, are partly influenced by the biology, biogeochemistry and physics of the surface ocean below.

We need information on the food web structures of our marine ecosystems in order to manage the effects on the ecosystem of fishing, aquaculture and mining, as well as understanding the potential impacts of climate variability and change on our oceans.

New Zealand Ocean Acidification Observing Network (NZOA-ON)

Ocean acidification conditions around the New Zealand coast are being measured to establish baseline conditions and to quantify future change.

Plankton biodiversity in the Southern Ocean

NIWA is conducting a five–year study to map changes in the distribution of plankton species in surface waters between New Zealand and the Ross Sea.

Latest videos

Plankton in the Ross Sea

Plankton are the base of the oceans food web and are vital to our survival. But as our world changes will they be able to continue to play this essential role? Join us as we follow a group of NIWA scientists investigating various aspects of this question in the ocean around Antarctica.

Antarctic science onboard NIWA’s RV Tangaroa

Examining biodiversity and ocean dynamics in the world’s largest marine protected area

Researchers are working their way through a wealth of new Antarctic marine data after RV Tangaroa successfully completed its five week scientific voyage to the Ross Sea.

NIWA's Sarah Searson and Jennie Mowatt

If you want to get accurate scientific readings from the icy depths of the Ross Sea, who do you turn to?

Ocean acidification - What does it mean for Shellfish?

This video has been produced to highlight ocean acidification as a potential issue affecting the NZ shellfish aquaculture industry

Download Bathymetry Data

NIWA provides free New Zealand Region bathymetric datasets and images.

High Performance Computing Facility

The High Performance Computing Facility (HPCF) is supercharging New Zealand science—powering scientists working at the forefront of New Zealand’s greatest science challenges.

New Zealand Marine Sciences Society 50th Anniversary Conference

6 July 2010 to 9 July 2010

Bay of Islands Ocean Survey 20/20 project completed

8 July 2010

A two‑year ocean and coastal survey project in the Bay of Islands is now complete, Land Information New Zealand announced today.

Scientists investigate ocean floor minerals

Media Release

5 May 2010

NIWA’s research vessel Tangaroa will set sail next week to explore the minerals potential of deep-sea volcanoes of the Kermadec Arc, 200 km north-east of Auckland

Background

About tidal energy in the Cook Straight.

Shallow Survey 2012

20 February 2012 to 24 February 2012

The 6^th International Conference on High Resolution Surveys in Shallow Waters was held in Wellington, New Zealand.

Our quality management system

Our Quality Management System is our commitment to quality, productivity, consistency and customer satisfaction.

NIWA holds ISO9001:2015 certification.

About Instrument Systems

The Instrument Systems group is located at NIWA in Christchurch, New Zealand. Our 16 staff have a diverse range of technical, engineering and science skills, and we have extended capability from being part of a wider team.

Training

We provide training in the use and maintenance of our instruments, software and data collection systems.

Service contracts

We offer service contracts to minimize downtime if an instrument fails. We keep a full range of spares in our Christchurch store and can courier a spare to the contract holder on receiving a request.

Evaluation

We evaluate new products to ensure that they're 'fit for purpose' before we approve them for widespread use.

Calibration

We calibrate environmental sensors, at our Christchurch laboratory, using reference instruments that are themselves calibrated to traceable standards by an independent organization.

Support

We service and support individual instruments, systems and nationwide networks.

Installation

We install monitoring and control systems of all sizes, throughout New Zealand, in the Pacific Islands and even the Antarctic.

Supply

We supply a complete range of environmental monitoring equipment, from small components to large systems. We also supply accessories and miscellaneous items.

Manufacturing

We manufacture items such as cables and circuit boards through to subassemblies for both standard and specialized systems.

Development

We develop custom environmental monitoring and irrigation flow-control solutions.

Design

We design instruments and systems of instruments. We have full mechanical and electronic CAD capability.

Did sea-level gauges in New Zealand detect the 2010 Chile Tsunami?

Rob Bell's analysis of the tsunami signature.

Contacts

Contacts for NIWA Invertebrate Collection staff.

Services

Instrument Systems offers a number of services, including: design, development, manufacture, supply, installation, service and support, calibration, evaluation, hire, training and service contracts.

Water Level Recorder - NIWA Hydrologger

A cost-effective water level recorder. Comprises a water surface float-driven shaft encoder and internal data logger with rainfall input. Connects directly to compatible communications devices.

Wave Gauge - NIWA DOBIE

When deployed underwater, this self-contained instrument records and analyses water waves. It can trigger other instruments and send alarms via a communications link.

Monitoring the Antarctic environment

For over two decades NIWA has installed automatic monitoring systems in hostile environments, and probably none is more hostile than the Antarctic. In 2009 we were involved in a project with a difference - installing a climate station as part of a project to protect Scott's Hut, Cape Evans.