AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Tasmania Basin hydrogeological inventory

This Tasmania Basin dataset contains descriptive attribute information for the areas bounded by the relevant spatial groundwater feature in the associated Hydrogeology Index map. Descriptive topics are grouped into the following themes: Location and administration; Demographics; Physical geography; Surface water; Geology; Hydrogeology; Groundwater; Groundwater management and use; Environment; Land use and industry types; and Scientific stimulus.

The Late Carboniferous to Late Triassic Tasmania Basin covers approximately 30,000 square kilometres of onshore Tasmania. The basin contains up to 1500 m of mostly flat-lying sedimentary rocks, and these are divided into two distinct lithostratigraphic units, the Lower and the Upper Parmeener Supergroup. The Lower Parmeener Supergroup comprises Late Carboniferous to Permian rocks that mainly formed in marine environments. The most common rock types in this unit are mudstone, siltstone and sandstone, with less common limestone, conglomerate, coal, oil shale and tillite. The Upper Parmeener Supergroup consists predominantly of non-marine rocks, typically formed in fluvial and lacustrine environments. Common rock types include sandstone, siltstone, mudstone and minor basalt layers. Post-deposition the rocks of the Parmeener Supergroup experienced several major geological events, including the widespread intrusion of tholeiitic dolerite magma during the Middle Jurassic.

Tags: Basin Analysis, EARTH SCIENCES, ECOLOGY, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES, Environmental Management, Exploring for the Future, GEOLOGY, Groundwater, Hydrogeology, Land Use and Environmental Planning, National Groundwater Sytems, National Hydrogeological Inventory, PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL GEOSCIENCE, Published_External, Sedimentology, Stratigraphy (incl. Biostratigraphy and Sequence Stratigraphy)
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Middle Ordovician Conodonts and Fish from the Stairway Sandstone, Amadeus basin

The Middle Ordovician Stairway Sandstone consists of a succession of siliciclastic shallow marine sediments, stratigraphically positioned between the dark organic-rich siltstones of the Horn Valley Siltstone, and the regressive siltstones and shales of the overlying Stokes Siltstone, in the Amadeus Basin. The Stairway Sandstone is notable for containing early arandaspid fish fossils, and is a prospective reservoir for Larapinta Petroleum System hydrocarbons.  The unit has not been directly dated, but a field sample from the uppermost Stairway Sandstone has yielded an abundant and well-preserved fauna, including micro-vertebrate and conodont fossils that enable correlation to high resolution international conodont biozonation schemes.

Tags: Amadeus Basin, Conodont, Earth Sciences, Ordovician, Published_External, Stairway Sandstone
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Chemistry of manganese nodules from the Cape Leeuwin field off Western Australia

A preliminary report on the manganese nodule field southwest of Western Australia published in this Journal recently (Frakes, Exon and Granath, 1977) quoted chemical analyses which were carried out on air-dried material. Significantly higher metal values have been recorded in some later analyses done on nodules dried at 105Â°C. Tests have shown that the ground, air-dried material retains considerable moisture, which accounts for the higher metal values of the later analyses. The average water content (after drying at 105Â°C) has been determined at 16 percent. The relevant chemical data now available on this material are summarised in the accompanying table: in this table metal values (by atomic absorption spectrophotometry) have been recalculated assuming a moisture content of 16 percent.

Tags: Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Journal, Published_External, WA, marine
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Palaeoshorelines on the Australian continental shelf: morphology, sea-level relationship and applications to environmental management and archaeology

Palaeoshorelines that lie submerged on stable continental shelves are relict coastal depositional and erosional structures formed during periods of lower sea level. An analysis of the well-dated Late Quaternary (0–128 ka) sea-level record indicates that the most persistent (modal) lower sea levels were at 30 – 40 m below present, which occurred between 97 and 116 ka and at approximately 85 ka and 10 ka. A secondary modal position was at 70–90 m that occurred mostly during a period of fluctuating sea level between 30 and 60 ka, as well as at around 87 ka (70 – 80 m only) and 12−15 ka. For the tectonically stable Australian continental shelf, we show that a range of shorelines formed at each of these sea level modal positions and their morphology and degree of preservation depends on composition (carbonate vs siliciclastic) and oceanographic setting (wave, tide and wind energy). These ancient coasts record a range of oceanographic and geological regimes that existed during relatively long periods of lower sea level and provide a guide to the general depth zones in which similar features likely occur on other shelves globally. Australian palaeoshorelines represent distinctive benthic habitats that strongly influence the distribution of biodiversity across the shelf. Accurate mapping of these features provides a robust geospatial framework for investigations of marine species distributions and environmental change monitoring. These data also enable the better targeting of relict coastal areas that potentially include sand resources and sites of human occupation during periods of lower sea level.

Citation: Brendan P. Brooke, Scott L. Nichol, Zhi Huang, Robin J. Beaman, Palaeoshorelines on the Australian continental shelf: Morphology, sea-level relationship and applications to environmental management and archaeology, Continental Shelf Research, Volume 134, 2017, Pages 26-38, ISSN 0278-4343.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2016.12.012.

Tags: Biodiversity, EARTH SCIENCES, Late Quaternary, Published_External, Sea level, Shelf reefs, marine archaeology
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Effect of sewage nutrients on algal production, biomass and species composition in tropical tidal creeks

Microalgal blooms are one of the most visible responses to anthropogenic nutrient loadings in coastal ecosystems. However, differentiating sources of nutrients causing blooms remains a challenge. The response of phytoplankton and benthic microalgae (BMA) to nutrient loads was compared across tidal creeks with and without secondary treated sewage in a tropical estuary. Concentrations of the sewage marker, coprostanol, were higher near sewage discharge points and decreased downstream. This was commensurate with a decline in nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations suggesting that sewage was the main source of nitrogen and phosphorus. Primary productivity in the water column was limited by nitrogen availability in absence of sewage, with nitrogen saturation in the presence of sewage. Phytoplankton primary productivity rates and chlorophyll a concentrations increased in response to sewage, and there was a greater response than for BMA. There was no evidence of a change in algal pigment proportions within the phytoplankton or BMA communities. This study highlights the scale and type of response of algal communities to sewage nutrients in situ.

Tags: AU-NT, Earth Sciences, External Publication, Published_External, Scientific Journal Paper, coasts, environmental, geochemistry, marine
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Crustal Transects of the Great Australian Bight : A Cruise Proposal in Support of the Ocean Drilling Program and the Law of the Sea

The southern margin of Australia has long been considered an example of a classic passive rifted continental margin. In recent times, it has been cited as an example of a 'lower plate' margin in the terminology describing detachment models of passive margin formation.However, despite extensive study by both industry and government since the early 1970s, some fundamental aspects of the structure and geological history of the margin remain speculative.

It is proposed here to use the AGS0 research vessel Rig Seismic to acquire 4087 km of deep-seismic data (16 s record length) in the central Great Australian Bight (GAB) and across the continental margin south of Western Australia. The survey has three principal objectives:
1. To enhance understanding of the tectonic evolution / event history of the southern margin in support of DPIE' s Acreage Release Program and thus to encourage successfulpetroleum exploration.





To provide the necessary framework data in support of a proposal submitted to the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) for drilling in the GAB; and 




To provide data in the GAB that support Australia's claim to a Legal Continental Shelf beyond the 200 n.m. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as defmed under the 1982 UNConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).



The specific scientific aims of the work include:
- Definition of the deep crustal structure of the region and the mode of margin formationacross a number of key transects. In particular, to image the key detachment surfaces which are believed to have controlled the extensional processes. Interpretation of the deepstructures will be enhanced by seismic refraction data recorded by Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory in 1976 (Talwani et al., 1979).





Determination of the location and structural setting of the continent-ocean boundary. In places, stratified tilt-blocks that lie oceanwards of the magnetically determined COBsuggest that either the COB identification is incorrect, old oceanic crust has been re-rifted, or the seismic data are imaging an amalgam of oceanic crust and continental slivers.




Determination of the structure and origin of the enigmatic Diamantina Zone, west of the GAB, and its relationship, if any, to the change in seafloor spreading rate at 44 Ma. Is the crust to the north oceanic, or is it highly extended continental?



Tags: Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Published_External, Record, marine, marine survey, structural geology
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Explanatory notes, Brighton Downs Sheet, Queensland (BMR Explan Notes and map)

A reconnaissance survey of the Brighton Downs 4-mile Sheet area was conducted by geologists R. R. Vine and W. Jauncey of the Bureau of Mineral Resources between June and August, 1961. Cretaceous rocks crop out over nearly the whole of the Brighton Downs Sheet area. Lower Cretaceous marine sediments appear in the north-west and dip gently eastwards below freshwater deposits of Lower to Upper Cretaceous age. In two main areas of Tertiary sedimentation, one in the north and the other in the south-west, sandstone, clay and limestone have been deposited. Lateritisation is widespread over the area.

Tags: AU-QLD, Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Published_External, Record, geology
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Summary Of Data And Results Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia Exmouth Gulf Marine Seismic Survey Whaleback Seismic Survey Of West Australian Petroleum Pty Limited

A reconnaissance marine reflection seismic survey was conducted in 1961 by Seismograph Service Limited for West Australian Petroleum Pty Limited. The survey took place within the Carnarvon Basin in Western Australia, and covered Exmouth Gulf and the open coastal waters along the west coast of Western Australia from Frazer Island to Bernier Island (see Fig. 1). The project areas fall within Permit to Explore 28H.

The survey was a two-boat operation. In the Exmouth Gulf area the survey was controlled by a Lorac radio navigational system, and along the west coast positioning was determined by sextant angle measurements to shore beacons and landmarks. All shots were recorded on magnetic tapes which were processed into variable-area record sections.

The purpose of the survey was to obtain additional information on the regional geology and to map the extension of known structures in the North-West Cape region of the Carnarvon Basin. Information was also sought on the nature of the pre-Cretaceous to post-Palaeozoic faulting. The survey commenced on 15th July, 1961, and terminated on 20th August, 1961; a total of 753 miles of traverse was shot.

The survey indicated that Exmouth Gulf is essentially synclinal in character in the Cretaceous and Tertiary sediments. Several major pre-Cretaceous fault trends which had already been mapped on land with the seismograph were followed beneath the Gulf. A pre-Cretaceous anticlinal axis underlies the Cape Range Anticline both to the north and to the south of the surface expression of the structure. An anticline was located trending north in the eastern part of the Gulf. A Cretaceous anticline near and parallel to the coast near Cardabia may be the extension of the Rough Range Anticline.

To the south of Point Maud, the survey provided a much-needed tie between the Rough Range-Cape Range area and the structurally complex area round the Salt Marsh. Some structural features were found in this southern area and the trend of major faults was established.

The geophysical operation undertaken in the Exmouth Gulf area, Western Australia, was subsidized under the Petroleum Search Subsidy Act 1959.

Tags: AU-WA, Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Other Publication, Published_External, marine, petroleum exploration
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Carpentaria - Mt Isa Zinc Belt: basement framework, chronostratigraphy and geodynamic evolution of the Proterozoic successions - Australian Journal of Earth Sciences special volume

Palaeoproterozoic sedimentary rocks of the McArthur-Mt Isa-Cloncurry mineral belt of northern Australia host the world's most important zinc repository, several world-class Cu-Au deposits and Australia's principal uranium reserves. Advances in exploration techniques in the 1980s led to the discovery of several major deposits, including Walford Creek and Grevillea.

This thematic issue comprises 12 papers organised under the three main objectives or themes of the NABRE project. The first two manuscripts consider the evolution of metamorphic and stratigraphic basement to the prospective intervals of the Mt Isa, McNamara, Fickling and McArthur Groups. The next two papers document SHRIMP zircon and palaeomagnetic datasets used to constrain the sequence stratigraphic results. The remaining set of eight papers report the results of the integrated chronostratigraphic analyses. The sequence-stratigraphic papers are arranged in approximate chronological order and progress from southeast to northwest across the outcrop belt. The framework studies documented herein will be of use to geoscientists worldwide. The processes of basin evolution will assist geoscientists to unravel the early phases of basin evolution in Palaeoproterozoic successions now preserved as structurally dismembered and metamorphosed provinces in Australia and overseas.

Tags: AU-QLD, Earth Sciences, External Publication, Published_External, Scientific Journal Paper, marine
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Biophysical Processes in the Torres Strait Marine Ecosystem - Post Cruise Report

This report contains the preliminary results of Geoscience Australia survey 266 to central Torres Strait. The survey was undertaken to investigate the seabed geomorphology and sedimentary processes in the vicinity of Turnagain Island and to infer the possible effects (if any) on the distribution, abundance and survival of seagrasses. The Turnagain Island region was chosen because it is a known site of recent widespread seagrass dieback. The present survey is the first of two by Geoscience Australia to be carried out in 2004 and is part of a larger field-based program managed by the Reef CRC aimed at identifying and quantifying the principal physical and biological processes operating in Torres Strait. The impetus for the program is the threat of widespread seagrass dieback and its effects on local dugong and turtle populations and the implications for indigenous islander communities.

Tags: AU-QLD, Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Published_External, Record, bathymetry, geomorphology, marine, marine survey, resource management
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Buried reef structures in the Lennard Shelf, Canning Basin, Western Australia

Buried Upper Devonian reef has been found in Meda No. 1 borehole in the Lennard Shelf, Canning Basin. Frequency analysis made on seismic-record sections across the structure indicates an increase in the frequency of seismic reflection above the structure. The frequency increase is interpreted as indicating thinning of sedimentary layers caused by differential compaction commonly found above a reef. Analysis of a further sixteen selected seismic-record sections containing features suspected to be reef structures shows the presence of similar frequency anomalies on four of the seismic sections, and is suggestive of a further four buried reef structures in the Lennard Shelf.

Tags: Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Journal, Published_External, WA, marine
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Seabed gravel, mud and sand content in the Petrel sub-basin in the Australian continental EEZ 2012

This dataset provides the spatially continuous data of seabed gravel (sediment fraction &gt;2000 Âµm), mud  (sediment fraction &lt; 63 Âµm) and sand content (sediment fraction 63-2000 Âµm) expressed as a weight percentage ranging from 0 to 100%, presented in 0.0025 decimal degree (dd) resolution raster grids format and ascii text file. The dataset covers the Petrel sub-basin in the Australian continental EEZ. This dataset supersedes previous predictions of sediment gravel, mud and sand content for the basin with demonstrated improvements in accuracy.  Accuracy of predictions varies based on density of underlying data and level of seabed complexity. Artefacts occur in this dataset as a result of insufficient samples in relevant regions. This dataset is intended for use at the basin scale. The dataset may not be appropriate for use at smaller scales in areas where sample density is insufficient to detect local variation in sediment properties. To obtain the most accurate interpretation of sediment distribution in these areas, it is recommended that additional samples be collected and interpolations updated.

Tags: Environmental Science and Management, GIS, GIS Dataset, Published_External, Regional, environmental, marine, seabed, sedimentology
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
SI 1023 Kangaroo Island (South-East) (HIPP) Bathymetry Acquisition (20230003S)

The Kangaroo Island (South-East)&nbsp;bathymetry survey was acquired for the Australian Hydrographic Office (AHO) during the period 1 Dec 2022 – 31 May 2023. This was a contracted survey conducted for the Australian Hydrographic Office by Precision Hydrographic Services as part of the Hydroscheme Industry Partnership Program. The survey area encompasses an area in Kangaroo Island (South-East)&nbsp;. Bathymetry data was acquired using Kongsberg EM2040-07, Kongsberg EM2040-P and Kongsberg EM2040-P SV MKII, and processed using QIMERA processing software. The dataset was then exported as a 30m resolution, 32 bit floating point GeoTIFF grid of the survey area.

This dataset is not to be used for navigational purposes.

Tags: AusSeabed, Australia-wide geoscience data, EARTH SCIENCES, Earth Science | Oceans | Bathymetry/Seafloor Topography | Bathymetry, HVC_144641, Multibeam, Oceans, Offshore Mapping, Published_External, Resourcing Australia's Prosperity, bathymetric grids, bathymetry, multibeam
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Marine Survey - Geomorphology MapServer

The Marine Survey Geomorphology Web Map Service contains the local scale (1:10 000) interpreted geomorphology maps available for download on Geoscience Australia's website. These interpreted geomorphology maps have been produced for numerous marine survey programs conducted in Australian mainland and Antarctic waters by both Geoscience Australia and our collaborators. Layers are grouped by survey or region and where available include both the Geoscience Australia and vessel survey identification numbers that contributed to each dataset.

Tags: Earth Sciences, MapServer, Published_External, environment, geomorphology, marine, multibeam, offshore, seabed, web service
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Structure and habitat value of Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) reefs on soft sediments

Estimates of the value of habitats can provide an objective basis for the prioritisation of conservation and restoration actions. Bivalve habitats, three-dimensional structures made of high-densities of bivales (most often oysters or mussels), their shells and other organisms, used to be a dominant habitat found in temperate and subtropical coastal waters. These habitats, provide a suite of ecosystem services such as habitat provision and food supply for many species, substrate stabilisation and shoreline protection, and water quaility improvements through their filter feeding. Bivalve habitat restoration is increasingly seen as an opportunity to return lost ecosystem services. In Australia, there is growing interest in bivalve habitat restoration, but there is a knowledge gap in regards to the services they provide. Here, we determined the habitat value of a historically dominant oyster species in Australia, Saccostrea glomerata. At remnant soft-sediment oyster reefs at four locations we estimated density, biomass, productivity and composition of mobile macroinvertebrate communities and compared these with adjacent ‘bare’ soft sediments, which typically replace ecologically extinct oyster reefs. The oyster reefs had a distinct assemblage of macroinvertebrates, with 30% higher densities, 5 times the biomass and almost 5 times the productivity of adjacent bare sediments. Infauna macroinvertebrate productivity was more than twice as high below oyster reefs, suggesting these reefs facilitate infaunal productivity. Crustaceans, an important food source for small fishes, were 13 times more productive on oyster reefs compared to adjacent bare sediments. These results demonstrate that oyster reefs provide an important habitat for macroinvertebrates and that restoration efforts are likely to provide significant returns in enhanced productivity.

Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Effects of Abiotic Stressors on Infaunal Burrowing and Associated Sediment Characteristics

Infauna play key roles in nutrient cycling and bioturbation by facilitating exchange across the sediment-water interface, but the effects of environmental stressors on the behavior of infauna are poorly studied compared to epifauna. Here we used laboratory experiments to examine the effects of temperature (15, 21, and 32Â°C), salinity (16, 22, 28, and 34), and food availability (low, moderate, high) on the burrowing activity of the opportunistic deposit-feeding polychaete Capitella sp. 1. We also used pH and O2 fluorosensors to investigate the effects of burrowing on marine sediment chemistry. Worms buried significantly deeper at 21 than at 15Â°C, and they died at 32Â°C. Salinity only marginally affected the area of burrowing activity, with greater area at 35 than at 22. Burrows in highly enriched treatments were significantly more shallow than those in moderate and low food treatments. The fluorosensors showed that the exchange of solutes between the sediment and overlying water was associated with burrowing activity. These results show that changes in environmental conditions affect infaunal burrowing activity, which in turn affects sediment characteristics. We discuss the need to consider infaunal responses to abiotic stress in order to understand community and ecosystem responses to environmental changes associated with climate change, pollution, and eutrophication.

Tags: CERF, Earth Sciences, External Publication, Published_External, Scientific Journal Paper, marine, sedimentology
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network