Rabaul (Papua New Guinea) Site History
Site
| Station | Rabaul |
|---|---|
| Country | Papua New Guinea |
| Latitude | 04° 12.0' S |
| Longitude | 152° 10.5' E |
| GLOSS No | 065 |
| Time Reference | GMT (hours 00-23) |
| Contributors | University of Hawaii Sea Level Center
Flinders University of South Australia (1966-1971 data) |
| Instrument Type | (1966-71 unconfirmed)
1. (1974-present) Leupold and Stevens Analog-to-Digital Recorder (ADR) 2. (10/1984-present) Handar Encoder (ENC) |
| Primary gauge | ADR:1974-90
ENC 1991- |
| Site of Gauge | The gauge is situated just off the main wharf. |
| Observational periods | 1966 - present |
Reference Level
All heights have been referred to the station tide staff zero which is linked to fixed bench marks.
Benchmarks
| BM RL 303 | A Department of Lands and Survey brass plate, with a pin, stamped 'RL No 303' is located at the north east corner of the old copra, north of Wreck Wharf, 300 yards from the tide gauge. |
|---|---|
| BM RL 431 | A Department of Lands and Survey brass plate, with a pin, stamped 'RL No 431', is located at the corner of Malaguna Road and Coastwatchers Road, on the north west side of centre island along top of the curbing. |
| UH-1 | A stainless steel disc 1.25 inches in diameter set in white epoxy, was established by the Oceanography Dept., University of Hawaii. It is situated 4 feet north of the tide staff, at centre of the curb, on Main Wharf. |
| US C&GS BM 1 | A standard brass US C&GS benchmark, marked 'No.1 1948', is set in the top of a low stone wall at the seaward end of Namanula Street. |
| Moresby BM | The centre of a standard RAN hydrographic branch circular brass triangulation plate, marked 'HMAS Moresby 1941', is set into a stone seawall by the swimming pool at the seaward end of Namanula St. |
Datum Levels
| Tide Gauge Zero (TGZ) | 2.996m |
|---|---|
| US C&GS BM 1 | 3.057m
(Chart Datum) |
| Moresby 1941 | 1.503m
(Chart Datum) |
Datum of data is tide gauge zero.
NOTE: Rabaul is located in a seismically active region.
Quality Assessment by the UH Sea Level Centre
Comment
The daily and monthly means reveal no apparent changes in the reference level and agree with Kapingamarangi.
A volcanic eruption on 30 September, 1994 resulted in heavy subsidence until October 1. Based on geodetic leveling information provided by local authorities, -13 cm were added to the October 1994 data and -14 were added to the November 1994 data.
A spike on 17 February 1996 is associated with a tsunami.
| Year | CI(%) | Missing Data | Replaced Gaps or Bad Data | Questionable Fluctuations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 74 | none | none | 357-359 |
| 1967 | 100 | none | (02)326-(10)326 (02)327-(09)327 (01)329-(12)329 (02)332-(12)332 (19)333-(08)334 (01)335-(08)335 (22)335-(09)336(23)336-(09)337 | 50-53,213-217 |
| 1968 | 85 | 89-145 | none | none |
| 1969 | 73 | 23-28,71-77,102-121,167-178,194-212,278-306,350-364 | (18)310-(05)311 | none |
| 1970 | 40 | 12-18,46-153,196-289,320-331,359-364 | none | none |
| 1971 | 28 | 104-365 | none | none |
| 1972 | 0 | 1-366 | none | none |
| 1973 | 0 | 1-365 | none | none |
| 1974 | 6 | none | none | none |
| 1975 | 100 | none | none | none |
| 1976 | 100 | none | none | none |
| 1977 | 97 | 61-63,199-206 | (11)059-(05)060 | none |
| 1978 | 97 | 21-23,99-108 | (14)365-(23)365 | none |
| 1979 | 100 | none | none | none |
| 1980 | 100 | none | none | none |
| 1981 | 95 | 178-180,204-208,211-218,334-335 | none | none |
| 1982 | 98 | 29-34,37-39 | none | none |
| 1983 | 100 | none | none | none |
| 1984 | 100 | none | none | none |
| 1985 | 100 | none | none | none |
| 1986 | 100 | none | none | none |
| 1987 | 100 | none | none | none |
| 1988 | 100 | none | none | none |
| 1989 | 100 | none | none | none |
| 1990 | 100 | none | none | none |
| 1991 | 100 | none | none | none |
| 1992 | 100 | none | none | none |
| 1993 | 100 | none | none | none |
| 1994 | 97 | 262-275 | none | none |
| 1995 | 100 | none | none | none |
| 1996 | 100 | none | (10)363-(02)364 (10)364-(03)365 | none |
| 1997 | 99 | 011-014 | (06)005-(19)005 | none |
