AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Still Images and Videos from Tasmanian Shelf survey

The Tasmanian Shelf survey was conducted on the Challenger in collaboration with the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute between the 13-16th June, 2008 and 23rd February to the 14th March, 2009 (GA survey #0315). The survey was operated as part of the Surrogates Program of the CERF Marine Biodiversity Hub. The objective was to collect co-located physical and biological data to enable the robust testing of a range of physical parameters as surrogates of benthic biodiversity patterns.  A total of 55 video transects were surveyed from five study areas (Tasman Peninsula, Freycinet Peninsula, The Friars, Huon river, and Port Arthur channel) in water depths ranging from 15-110 m. Video was recorded to mini DV tapes, and copied to digital format. For further information on this survey please refer to the post-survey report (GA Record 2009/043 - Geocat #69755).

Tags: AU-TAS, CERF, Earth Sciences, HVC_144640, Multimedia, Published_External, environmental, habitat, mapping, marine, seabed
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Making knowledge of Geoscience Australia's data and information assets accessible to the external community

The role of Geoscience Australia (GA) is to provide first class geoscientific information and knowledge which enables government and community to make informed decisions about:
- the exploitation of resources
- the management of the environment
- the safety of critical infrastructure and
- the resultant wellbeing of all Australians.
GA has two internal catalogues which hold metadata of significant value to external researchers.  The catalogues include national collections of satellite images/datasets; geological and topographical maps of various scales; Maritime, Aboriginal Commission and Postcode boundary datasets, plus other geoscientific thematic maps and collections.  Staff from GA and ANDS worked together to analyse the catalogues, map them to the ISO19115 metadata schema and provide a gap analysis to inform further development.  The original intention was to cross walk the 19115 profile to RIF-CS and install an OAI-PMH harvest point.  ANDS, however, was able to utilise funded work by AuScope by having an instance of GeoNetwork deployed in GA, which provides this capability and can be leveraged to expose this data at the same time. This mapping also allows data of relevance to other disciplines such as that relevant to marine research to be identified and appropriate feeds established. 
The more significant achievement for GA was that it is now able to dynamically map from two existing independent internal catalogues to a single standards compliant instance, without having to first create a single internal catalogue and then migrate metadata from various catalogues into it. This approach will be used for other data types where GA has several internal databases of the same data type. 
This poster explores the issues that confronted the team, the solutions developed and the opportunities that have arisen.

Tags: Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Poster/Image, Published_External, data, data standards, geoscience databases, information management, metadata
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Western Australia: Phanerozoic geology and mineral resources

Phanerozoic rocks in onshore Western Australia are primarily sedimentary. Volcanic and intrusive rocks are known from only a few areas and are mostly related to continental breakup along the northwest and western margins. The age and degree of faulting varies from basin to basin, depending on tectonic setting and period of principal activity as a depocentre, but most rocks are flat-lying to gently folded. The Southern Bonaparte, Southern Carnarvon, Canning, and Gunbarrel Basins are dominantly Palaeozoic depocentres. The Canning Basin was the dominant Ordovician depocentre, and the Southern Carnarvon Basin the dominant Permian depocentre. The Perth Basin is a polycyclic basin that was active from the upper Palaeozoic onwards, but is primarily Mesozoic. The Bremer and Eucla Basins were initiated in the Mesozoic in small local depocentres, but contain more extensive, thicker Cainozoic deposits. The age of initiation and the age of the thickest infill in each basin reflects the progressive separation of Western Australia from parts of Gondwana. In addition, transported and residual regolith blankets most of the Precambrian cratons, basins and orogenic belts.  Mineralisation in Phanerozoic rocks is primarily strata-bound. Mississippi Valley-type base metals are present in Ordovician, Devonian, and Carboniferous rocks and are commonly associated with extensional faulting and evaporite-carbonate hosts. Coal swamps were important in the Permian immediately after the Gondwana glaciation and in Jurassic fluviodeltaic complexes. Mineral sands are associated with Cainozoic strandlines and associated coastal settings, but the concentration into potential economic accumulations is only partly assessed with respect to Mesozoic sediments. Significant thicknesses of evaporites (mainly halite with lesser anhydrite) are present in Ordovician and Silurian rocks, but are overshadowed by major gypsum and halite resources in Cainozoic barred marine embayments. Diamonds are associated with lamproitic intrusives of Miocene age in the Canning Basin, but have not been extracted from Phanerozoic rocks, except near Argyle, where Cainozoic gravel placers derived from the Argyle pipe are currently mined. Iron ore is mined from pisolitic channel iron deposits in Eocene palaeo drainages in the Pilbara. Various residual weathering, lateritisation and evaporation processes have concentrated significant accumulations of bauxite, uranium, and a number of industrial minerals within Cainozoic regolith.

Tags: Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Journal, Published_External, WA, marine
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Sea Surface Temperature Warming Rates in Australian Marine Parks according to the SSTAARS

This dataset measures the mean decadal warming rates of the sea surface temperature (SST) in 58 Australian Marine Parks (with the exception of the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Park) over the past 25 years (1992 to 2016). They are derived from the Sea Surface Temperature Atlas of the Australian Regional Seas (SSTAARS). The field of “trend_d” represents the linear SST trend for March 1992 to December 2016. The unit of the warming rates is Celsius degree/per decade.

This research is supported by the National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine Biodiversity Hub through Project D1.

Tags: Marine Biodiversity Hub, Marine Park, National Environmental Science Program, Published_External, Remote Sensing, SST
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Final report: National Marine Sediments Database and Seafloor Characteristics Project

The National Marine Sediments Database and Seafloor Characteristics project is a collaborative effort between the National Oceans Office and Geoscience Australia. The aims of the project included identification and collation of existing marine sediment data within the Australian Marine Jurisdiction, development and population of the MARS sediments database and mapping and analysis of sediment data for the Northern Planning Area and the Australian region to provide information for the National Benthic Marine Bioregionalisation. 
The creation of the MARS database marks the transition to a new era of easy internet access to quantitative seafloor information. This is the first project to critically assess the quality and coverage of Australia's seafloor sediment data on a national scale. The initial phase of the project was the identification and collation of sediment data. At the completion of this phase, the MARS database contained about 25,000 samples for which 138,000 properties had been recorded. 
Maps of sediment properties were produced using validated quantitative data for two regions: the Northern Planning Area (NPA) and the whole of the Australian Marine Jurisdiction, excluding external territories. These maps show the distribution of measured grain size data (weight percent gravel, sand and mud), calculated mean grain size, as well as sediment classification based on the Folk scheme (Folk, 1954), and carbonate content. Mean grain size data for six of the marine domains were used to model sediment mobility in waters less than 300 m depth, using Geoscience Australia's GEOMAT package. The results of the modelling were produced as maps of tide and wave exceedance, and an energy regime regionalisation. 
As a direct result of this project, the MARS database is now an important scientific and educational resource for those requiring detailed information on seafloor sediment characteristics within the Australian Marine Domain areas. The maps generated by this project show the level of detail and type of presentation possible when using quantitative data, but significant gaps in measured data coverage were also identified. Some 70% of the total marine domain remains unmapped in terms of measured sediment data. Much of this area is off the continental shelf, although gaps in the data coverage on the shelf are significant, particularly in the South-west and West-central Marine Domains
Strategic directions for improving the data coverage include the analysis of existing sediment samples from Australian and overseas repositories. A valuable resource of seabed samples stored in Australia and overseas has been identified. These samples, if analysed, have the potential to double the existing overall measured data coverage for Australia's Marine Domains and would provide a cost-effective way of generating new data. The South-west Marine Domain would provide a useful pilot study to test the utility of analysing existing material.

Tags: AU, Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Published_External, Record, geoscience databases, marine
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
The Nature and Origin of the Submarine Albany Canyons Off Southwest Australia

The Albany Canyon complex off southwest Australia extends 700 km from Cape Leeuwin to east of Esperance. The Canyons head on the uppermost continental slope and extend up to 90 km offshore, to the lowermost slope and onto the abyssal plain. The largest have cut down 1500-2000 m in places. In general, on the upper slope they have cut down into harder, older rocks: Canyon walls are steep, thalwegs slope at up to 15?, and ancient structures control their orientation. On the lower slope the Canyons generally have not reached harder rocks, Canyon walls are less steep, thalweg slopes are less, and they are generally oriented down slope. The Canyons have exposed Jurassic and younger sequences: their nature and information from seismic profiles, have helped us build an understanding of Canyon history. Flood plain deposition rather than erosion occurred during Australia-Antarctic rifting in the Late Jurassic, not supporting cutting of river Canyons.  Shallow marine sedimentation characterised the Early Cretaceous, when gradients were low and Canyon cutting unlikely. Deep river Canyons were probably cut during uplift and erosion immediately before the Santonian break-up from Antarctica, and their paths controlled later marine Canyons. Only with the onset of rapid seafloor spreading and subsidence in the Middle Eocene (~43 Ma) did gradients steepen and major marine Canyon cutting become possible. The major sea level fall at the Middle/Late Eocene boundary (~40 Ma) brought sediment to the edge of the continental shelf, which may have initiated the Canyons. Carbonate sedimentation replaced siliciclastic sedimentation in the Late Middle Eocene, but carbonate grains from the outer shelf could cut the Canyons, largely during periods of low sea level.

Tags: AU-WA, Article, Earth Sciences, External Publication, Published_External, bathymetry, marine
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Relative fall of Holocene sea level and coastal progradation, northeastern Spencer Gulf, South Australia

The levels of intertidal environments of prograding Holocene coastal complexes of northeast Spencer Gulf have been precisely measured and their relation with the tidal range determined. Beach ridges and the top of subtidal Posidonia sea-grass deposits are the best indicators of relative sea level. Bases of active beach ridges range from + 1.1 m to + 1.8 m A.H.D. (Australian Height Datum) and the upper limit of Posidonia growth is &lt;-2 m A.H.D. The elevation of old preserved examples of these facies has been established along transects across intertidal and supratidal plains. 14C dating has been carried out on unaltered mollusc shells recovered from beach ridges and the base of the regressive intertidal facies above the subtidal sea-grass facies. Sea-grass root fibres and shell hash from the top of the buried subtidal facies have also been dated. A Holocene sea-level history has been constructed for north-east Spencer Gulf, and shows the following events: 6000- 4000 years B.P. - probable construction of a shingle ridge at + 3-4 m at the peak of the Holocene transgression, followed by about 1 m fall of sea level, but little progradation, owing to low rates of carbonate production; 4000-3000 years B.P. - formation of regressive carbonate shorelines with fall of relative sea level from about +2 m to about + 1.5 m, and the construction of beach ridges; 3000-2000 years B.P. - no beach ridge construction along surveyed transects, but continued progradation of shorelines with a further 1.0 m fall in relative sea level; 2000 years B.P. to Present - construction of beach ridges accompanied shore-line progradation, and a fall in relative sea level of 0.5-1.0 m. A contributing cause of relative movement of sea level in the region may be continuing tectonic uplift, as evidenced by the high seismicity of the adjacent Flinders Ranges.

Tags: Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Journal, Published_External, SA, marine
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Videos from SS0608 (Lord Howe Rise)

The Lord Howe Rise survey (SS0608, GA survey #2461) was conducted on the Southern Surveyor in collaboration with the University of Wollongong between 16 and 29 April 2008. The survey was operated as part of the Surrogates Program of the CERF Marine Biodiversity Hub. The objective was to collect high-quality, accurately co-located data to enable the robust testing of a range of physical parameters as surrogates of patterns of benthic biodiversity. A video transect was undertaken at a single station (station 9) in 35 m water depth (31.58Â°S, 159.04Â°E to 31.59Â°S, 159.03Â°E). Video footage was recorded to mini DV tapes and copied to digital format.

Tags: Earth Sciences, HVC_144640, Multimedia, Published_External, marine
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Integrating multibeam sonar and underwater video data to map benthic habitats in an East Antarctic nearshore environment

An integrated analysis of biological and geoscientific data collected from the nearshore marine environment of the Vestfold Hills was used to identify benthic habitats and associated communities and examine relationships between benthic community composition and environmental characteristics. A 48 km2 area was surveyed using a multibeam echosounder system (MBES) to produce high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter intensity maps of the seabed. Epibenthic community data and in situ observations of substrate composition and seafloor bedforms and features were obtained from towed underwater video. 
A comparison of top-down and bottom-up approaches to defining benthic habitats was used to improve understanding of the applicability of mapping methodologies. On a broad scale, both approaches produced habitat classes distinguished largely by geomorphic features, with substrate and depth identified as the main controls of benthic community composition, however, the relationship between benthic community composition and environmental characteristics is complex with many variables contributing to differences in community composition. 
The top-down approach was based on geomorphic units defined using abiotic characteristics and the assemblages identified within the geomorphic were very broad did not always show clear distinction between assemblages. Conversely, the bottom-up approach generated additional habitat classes, identified clear defining taxa for each class, greater distinction between the benthic communities, and allowed identification of additional environmental factors (i.e. sea ice cover) that influence benthic community distribution that are not discernible from geomorphic information alone. The habitat types identified and mapped using the bottom-up approach include shallow boulder fields and exposed bedrock which are dominated by dense macroalgae communities, and steep slopes, muddy basins and sandy plains which are dominated by invertebrate communities.
The results indicate that a bottom-up approach is preferable for benthic habitat mapping, however, where detailed information is not available, geomorphic information provides a reasonable indication of the distribution of benthic habitats and communities. This study highlights the utility of multibeam sonar for interpretation of sea floor morphology and substrate and the multibeam data provide a physical framework for understanding benthic habitats and the distribution of benthic communities. This research provides the scientific context and spatial framework for managing the Vestfold Hills nearshore marine environment and provides a baseline for assessing environmental change.

Tags: AQ, Earth Sciences, External Publication, Published_External, Scientific Journal Paper
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Seabed morphology and geomorphology of Cairns Seamount within the Coral Sea Marine Park, north-eastern Australia, Version 1 WFS

This OGC Web Feature Service (WFS) contains geospatial seabed morphology and geomorphology information for Cairns Seamount within the Coral Sea Marine Park and are intended for use by marine park managers, regulators, the general public and other stakeholders. This web service uses the data product published in McNeil et al. (2023); eCat Record 147998.

Tags: Geomorphology, Geomorphology and Earth Surface Processing, Mapping, Morphology, Parks Australia, Published_External, Seabed, Spatial, WFS, web service
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Large earthquake recurrence on the southern Willunga Fault, South Australia

The presence of Pliocene marine sediments in the Myponga and Meadows basins within the Mt Lofty Ranges south of Adelaide is testament to over 200&nbsp;m of tectonic uplift within the last 5 Myr (e.g., Sandiford 2003, Clark 2014). The spatiotemporal distribution of uplift amongst the various faults within the range and along the range fronts is poorly understood. Consequently, large uncertainties are associated with estimates of the hazard that the faults pose to proximal communities and infrastructure.

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We present the preliminary results of a paleoseismic investigation of the southern Willunga Fault, ~40 km south of Adelaide. Trenches were excavated across the fault to examine the relationships between fault planes and sedimentary strata. Evidence is preserved for 3-5 ground-rupturing earthquakes since the Middle to Late Pleistocene, with single event displacements of 0.5 – 1.7 m. Dating of samples will provide age constraints on the timing of these earthquakes. This most recent part of the uplift history may then be related to the longer-term landscape evolution evidenced by the uplifted basins, providing an enhanced understanding of the present-day seismic hazard.

This abstract was presented at the Australian &amp; NZ Geomorphology Group (ANZGG) Conference in Alice Springs 26-30 September 2022. 
https://www.anzgg.org/images/ANZGG_2022_First_circular_Final_V3.pdf

Tags: Earthquake activity, Published_External, Structural geology and tectonics, earthquake hazard, seismic hazard, tectonics
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Notes on the surveying of drill holes

In drill hole surveying the azimuth and depression angles of the hole are measured at a series of points. To calculate the course of the hole from these measurements it is often assumed that the measurements are representative of the complete interval separating the half-way points between measurements. This Record describes a method of calculation in which the continuous variation of the course of the hole is taken into account. It gives a practical example of the application of this method, and compares the results with those obtained by the simpler method. Notes are given on the accuracy of surveys.

Tags: Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Published_External, Record
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Evidence of an exhalative origin for deposits of the Cobar district, New South Wales

Evidence is presented to show that a strong mineralogical/chemical zoning exists in seven deposits of the Cobar-Nymagee area. Characteristically, the within-deposit zoning, perpendicular to bedding, consists of a siliceous chalcopyrite-pyrrhotite eastern side with diffuse contacts against adjacent siltstone-shale host rocks, and a relatively massive sulphide, banded, pyrite-sphalerite-galena western side with sharp contacts against host rocks. Features such as these are typical of those in exhalative deposits in volcanic terrain and are taken here to indicate a similar origin in this essentially non-volcanic environment. The deposits are contained in distal turbidite facies of the Devonian Cobar Supergroup, deposited in a meridional trough bounded on its eastern flank by a possible penecontemporaneous growth fault separating the trough from an adjacent shelf area on which were deposited shallow-water marine sediments and terrestrial and marine volcanics. This volcanism and the Cobar sedimentary-exhalative deposits may be related through rifting in the area which produced the proposed growth faults and the subsequent Cobar Trough. The deposits, now in 20Â° discordancy to bedding, are considered to have been transposed into the prominent regional cleavage during post-ore deformation. Using the syn-sedimentary exhalative concept, two mineralised horizons and a possible tight syncline may be recognised in the CSA mine.

Tags: Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Journal, NSW, Published_External
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data
Origin of Petroleum in the Bowen and Surat Basins : Implications for Source, Maturation and Migration

natural gases and 130 core samples from potential source rocks enable resolution of the generation and migration history of petroleum in the Bowen and Surat basins. Biomarker analysis confirmed a pre-Jurassic source for the petroleum.Stable carbon-isotope analysis further indicated a Permian-sourced petroleum and was able to differentiate a very minor and localised Triassic source contribution.The dominant source for the petroleum is terrestrial land plants as well as a minor marine source influence. Lower delta plain and alluvial Permian coals show thehigher liquid potential compared with upper delta plain facies. Initial liquid expulsion from the source rock occurred at vitrinite reflectance 0.65-0.7% and continued to Ro of 1.05%. This was followed by the main phase of gas generation between1.05c/o

Tags: AU-QLD, Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Published_External, Record, petroleum geology, sedimentary basins
Organization: Geoscience Australia Data