AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Superficial sediments of the Tasmanian continental shelf and part of Bass Strait

Three hundred and sixty-five surface and near-surface seabed samples provide the basis for an assessment of regional lithofacies variations on the Tasmanian shelf and in eastern and western Bass Strait. Quartz-rich sands with variable amounts of shell debris occur on the innermost shelf and on the rises flanking the central Bass Strait basin. They are essentially modern deposits derived in the main from Pleistocene near shore sand bodies reworked and transported landwards during the Holocene marine transgression. Muddy sediments of the middle shelf off eastern Tasmania and in central Bass Strait are sites of present-day sedimentation, but they are likely to form only a thin veneer, and include coarse material probably reworked from the Pleistocene and early Holocene substrate. Extensive areas of the middle and outer shelf, particularly off southern and western Tasmania, are floored by dominantly relict bryozoan sands and gravels. Fine-grained and shelly, slightly quartzose sands in areas of the middle shelf consist of relict sediment, and sediment from the late Holocene transgressive marine sand sheet, in about equal proportions. Four main suites of heavy minerals are present in the surface sediments. Provenance relationships with sources in the adjacent hinterland suggest that little offshore sediment transport parallel to the coastline has taken place. Rare grains of cassiterite were identified in marine sediments lying off the tin-producing areas of northeastern Tasmania, but 10 ppm Sn was the maximum value recorded in the geochemical analyses. Some phosphatisation of relict limestone gravels on the middle and outer shelf off northwestern Tasmania has taken place, but the highest recorded whole-rock analysis was 3.6 percent Pi&gt;0. Density of sample stations in this part of the shelf is low.

Tags: AU-TAS, Bulletin, Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Published_External, continental margins
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Permit No. 39, Papua Marine Seismic Survey, 1966 By Phillips Australian Oil Company Sunray Dx Oil Company Canadian Superior Oil (Aust.) Pty Ltd And Anacapa Corporation

A detailed marine reflection seismic survey was carried out by Western
Geophysical Company of America, Party 87, for Phillips Australian Oil Company, Sunray
DX Oil Company, Canadian Superior Oil (Aust.) pty Ltd, and Anacapa Corporation between
22 January and 24 April 1966. The survey covered 1505 line miles over the Papuan Basin,
in the Gulf of Papua, within Oil Permits Nos 39 and 42, and Oil Licence No. 4 (see Fig. 1).

The objective of the seismic survey was to obtain more detailed information on structures indicated by previous reconnaissance seismic work, with a view to determining drilling sites, and tor extend the reconnaissance in the area.

Tags: Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Other Publication, Published_External, marine, petroleum exploration
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Basement Architecture and Formation of an Ocean-continent Transform Boundary off Western Tasmania: Insights from Aeromagnetic and Seismic Reflection Data Collected from a Frontier Petroleum Province

Basement architecture off western Tasmania is a legacy of late Neoproterozoic-Cambrian subduction-related processes, ocean basin closure and multiple accretionary events, culminating in formation of the Delamerian-Ross and western Lachlan orogens. Structures associated with these fold belts were subsequently reactivated during late Mesozoic-Cenozoic Gondwana breakup and the separation of Australia from Antarctica, strongly influencing the pattern and geometry of offshore rifting, including formation of an ocean-continent transform boundary off western Tasmania. Seismic reflection profiles combined with recently acquired high resolution aeromagnetic data permit this boundary and its associated reactivated basement structures (Avoca-Sorell fault system) to be mapped in greater detail than has hitherto been possible and point to a transform margin dominated by steeply outward-dipping structures and deep sedimentary basins similar to other transform margin ocean-continent boundaries, including the highly prospective CÃ´te d'Ivore-Ghana region off the west African coast. Basement highs and rotated pre-rift crustal blocks adjacent to the west Tasmanian transform margin incorporate significant volumes of granite as well as a lower crust of probable Mesoproterozoic age that is locally juxtaposed against lower Paleozoic sequences intruded and/or floored by basaltic and ultramafic material. Aeromagnetic anomalies sourced from these basement rocks change orientation from NW- to NE-trending across the Avoca-Sorell fault system and can be traced laterally into regions of known onshore basement geology, highlighting both the tectonic significance of this structure and its origins during lower Paleozoic deformation accompanying the Delamerian-Ross orogeny.

Tags: AU-TAS, Abstract, Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Published_External, continental margins, marine, petroleum exploration, plate tectonics, sedimentary basins
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
BMR Research Newsletter 3

Titles in this newsletter:
BMR strikes the world's oldest oil
Murray Basin: Mid-Tertiary palynological biostratigraphy and climate
Heard on the Kerguelen Plateau
Structural and tectonic styles in the Eromanga Basin
Farewell: John Ferguson
Microbiologically enhanced oil recovery
Database directory
New source for industrial minerals' prices
Reviews: Selected recent publications
Characterisation of Australian petroleum accumulations
BMR's new numerical resevoir simulator
PASSCAL: a new high-resolution seismic study of the continents
BMR's marine tau-p studies in preparation for a survey of the Exmouth Plateau
Central Eromanga region: new ideas on the maturation history and development
In-situ crustal stress measurements
A new advance in dating weathered profiles
BMR's contribution to the Circum-Pacific Map Project
Reservoir fluid (PVT) analysis
Publication of Project Investigator-1 charts
Crustal geophysics research in Europe
Highlights of a recent phosphate workshop and symposium, SE USA
Review: The Canberra Geomagnetic Workshop, May 1985
BMR's Intergraph workstation
Australia/USSR Earth-science co-operation
Honour: Liz Truswell
New image-processed magnetics for the 'Top End'
GPS surveying for the Earth sciences
Hydrocarbon indications off western Tasmania

Tags: Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Published_External, Research Newsletter
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
AusSeabed: Collaborating to maximise Australian seabed mapping efforts

AusSeabed is a national seabed mapping coordination program aiming to serve the Australian community relying on seabed data by providing an open collaboration space where data creators and users can connect to develop initiatives and products that will contribute to our vision.

This poster outlines the vision and current focus areas (including the design of a state-of-the-art portal that will facilitate the program.

Australia’s marine jurisdiction, including the Antarctic Territory, covers over 10 million square kilometres and less than 25% of its seafloor has been mapped at high-resolution. In Australia, seafloor mapping is primarily driven by safety of navigation and environmental management requirements. Data acquisition relies on relatively few players from government agencies, universities and industry, but with considerably more end-users. Until recently, there has been limited coordination of the mapping activities which has resulted in duplication of effort, lack of consistency, loss of efficiency and limited use of the data. To address this situation and contribute to the global effort, AusSeabed, a National Seabed Mapping Coordination Program was developed. AusSeabed is a consortium of Australian and New Zealand representatives from federal and state government, universities and industry and is facilitated by Geoscience Australia. Driven by the principle of “collect once, use many times”, the consortium developed and published the Australian multibeam guideline, a government priority plan for data acquisition in Australia, an upcoming survey register and a series of resources available on its own website. AusSeabed is now focused on developing a cloud-based data sharing infrastructure to enable better data discoverability and accessibility as well as common seabed mapping tools, such as quality assurance software with automated workflows to assist in the survey planning process. In addition, GA is collaborating nationally and internationally to develop a common geomorphic mapping approach for the interpretation of seabed data and field manuals to standardise marine monitoring practices. This presentation highlights the progress of these initiatives and demonstrates how collaboration is crucial to the development of standards and coordination of mapping efforts.

Presented at the 2018 American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting

Tags: AusSeabed, EARTH SCIENCES, National Seabed Mapping, Published_External
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Southwest Margin Surveys - Information Sheet

As part of Geoscience Australia's Southwest Margin Project, two major marine surveys were undertaken (from October 2008 to February 2009) to investigate the resource potential of deep-water frontier areas on the southwest Australian continental margin.



Southwest Australian Margin Regional Marine 2D Seismic Survey (S310) - Areas covered by the seismic survey include the Mentelle Basin, North Perth Basin (Zeewyck and Houtman Sub-basins), Southern Carnarvon Basin and the Wallaby Plateau. Data acquired: 7300 kilometres of 2D seismic (12 second record length, 8 km solid streamer), gravity and magnetic data.


In addition to the new seismic reflection data, Geoscience Australia has reprocessed selected open-file industry seismic lines in the offshore Northern Perth Basin (11,700 line km) that provides ties to most wells in the Abrolhos and Houtman sub-basins.



Southwest Australian Margin Marine Reconnaissance Survey - The marine reconnaissance survey investigated the geology and marine environments of the offshore North Perth and Southern Carnarvon Basins and the Wallaby Plateau. Data acquired: multibeam swath bathymetry (230,000 km2), gravity and magnetics (25,000 line km), sub-bottom profiler (25,000 line km), geological samples (190 rocks from 53 dredge sites)


Tags: AU-WA, Earth Sciences, Promotional Material, Published_External, bathymetry, marine, seismic sections, seismics
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Regional plate tectonics and the evolution of Australia's passive continental margins

The divergent, passive continental margins around Australia have evolved through the progressive dissection of eastern Gondwanaland in five separate seafloor-spreading episodes. The earliest episode occurred 155 m.y. ago off northwestern Australia. The latest episode started 55 m.y. ago south of Australia and continues on the Southeast Indian spreading ridge to the present. The geological and structural evolution of each passive margin was a protracted process. The onset of seafloor spreading (breakup) was preceded by more or less extensive sedimentary basin subsidence. Non-volcanic rift-grabens, with fairly clear boundary faults, began evolving 40-50 m.y. before breakup. Such rifting was often preceded by a broader intra-cratonic style of basin subsidence straddling the incipient continent-ocean boundary between 50 and 100 m.y. before breakup. Rift and infrarift sedimentation rates declined exponentially towards the breakup unconformity. Postbreakup subsidence was again rapid, but exponentially decreased with time. Immediate postbreakup sedimentation was usually interrupted by submarine erosion in the shallow, but rapidly subsiding, ocean basin. Prograding marine shelf conditions prevailed from about 20-40 m.y. after breakup along all margins. The dominant driving mechanism of postbreakup subsidence seems clearly to be lithospheric thermal contraction caused by the removal, by seafloor spreading, of a thermal anomaly from beneath the continental margin. The driving mechanism of the rift-phase subsidence is far less clear. Simple surface observations do not unambiguously discriminate between sudden pull-apart rifting, finite rate stretching, and deep crustal metamorphic contraction. All processes may occur to at least some extent and dominate at different times. However, the apparent absence of both extensive rift volcanics, and transform / transcurrent faulting at rift offsets, plus the non-conformity of rift, breakup, and basement structural patterns, argue against stress-driven stretching as a crucial mechanism. Specific model predictions of crustal structure, heat flow and cumulative sedimentation pattern favour a dominantly metamorphic subsidence mechanism, although this fails to account fully for some thin continental crust near continent-ocean boundaries.

Tags: AUS, Earth Sciences, GA Publication, Journal, Published_External, marine
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Technical Report: Darwin – Bynoe Harbours Predictive Mapping of Benthic Communities

This report is the third of three reports that provide the scientific analyses and interpretations resulting from a four-year collaborative habitat mapping program undertaken within the Darwin and Bynoe Harbour region by Geoscience Australia (GA), the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and the Northern Territory Government Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). This program was made possible through offset funds provided by the INPEX-operated Ichthys LNG Project to DENR, and co-investments from GA and AIMS.

Tags: Earth Sciences, Harbour, Northern Territory, Published_External, backscatter, bathymetry, marine environmental baseline, marine resource planning, marine survey, seabed habitat
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Australia's Maritime Zones/Boundaries Map

This edition has been superseded by the Australia's Maritime Zones Edition 4 map published in October 2013.  Geocat 69822.
It no longer correctly reflects Australia's maritime zones and is kept for historical record only.

This map has been derived from Geoscience Australia's Australian Maritime Boundaries (AMB) version 2.0 data which is a digital representation of Australia's territorial sea baseline and the maritime limits and boundaries as established under the Sea and Submerged Lands Act 1973. 

The map describes the different maritime zones, explains how Australia defines and updates its maritime boundaries, and lists the different maritime boundary arrangements with Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, France (New Calendonia and Kerguelen) and New Zealand.

The limits of the extended continental shelf beyond the exclusive economic zone, as shown on this map, are as submitted for consideration of the United Nations Commision on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS). In accordance with Australia's request the CLCS has indicated that it will not consider the extended continental shelf appurtenant to the Australian Antarctic Territory for the time being.

This map shows the extent of Australia's maritime boundaries, stretching from Heard and McDonald Islands in the west to Norfolk Island in the east, and from the Torres Strait and Arafura Sea in the north to the Australian Antarctic Territory in the south.

Product Specifications:

Coverage: Australia
Currency: 2006 (printed map)
Coordinates: Geographical
Projection: Bonne with 134E longitude and 30S at projection centre
Medium: Paper, flat and folded copies (printed map) available through Geoscience Australia's Sales Centre

Tags: AU-EEZ, Administrative Boundary, Earth Sciences, Published_External, Thematic Map, marine, marine jurisdiction
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Wessel Marine Park Post-Survey Report for IN2019T02

In October 2019, opportunistic mapping and imagery of the Wessel Marine Park on the RV Investigator revealed a localised band of high biodiversity linked to a unique and culturally important geomorphological feature in the otherwise uniform seascape prevalent in the Wessel Marine Park. Our findings help contribute to an understanding of the values of a northern marine park, including an inventory of communities and habitats as well as potential relationships to geomorphic features and culturally important sites. This has national significance to the implementation of the northern marine park management plan, as well as informing future monitoring programs in northern Australia.

Citation: Przeslawski R, Beaman R, Fava L, Nichol S, Woehler E, Yule C (2020). Wessel Marine Park: Post-Survey Report for INV2019T02. Report to the National Environmental Science Program, Marine Biodiversity Hub. Geoscience Australia.

Tags: Australian marine parks, EARTH SCIENCES, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES, Indigenous engagement, Marine Geoscience, Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology), Published_External, multibeam, towed video
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Potential impacts of marine seismic surveys on fish & invertebrates

The extent to which low-frequency sound from marine seismic surveys impacts marine fauna is a subject of growing concern. The predominant frequency range of seismic airgun emissions is within the hearing range of cetaceans, reptiles, and fishes, and it can also elicit a neurological response in some invertebrates. Offshore seismic surveys have long been considered to be disruptive to fisheries, but comparatively few studies target commercially important species in realistic exposure scenarios. One of the main challenges in underwater sound impact studies is the meaningful translation of laboratory results to the field. Underwater sound properties are affected by the sound source, as well as characteristics of the water column, substrate, and biological communities. The experimental set-up is also critical to accurate response measurement, and design features of holding tanks can lead to misinterpretation of results, particularly related to behaviour. It may be tempting to simplify laboratory results to show effect or no effect, where results should instead be interpreted in the context of realistic exposure scenarios and field conditions.

The current project was developed in response to stakeholder concerns from the fisheries industry about an April seismic survey in the Gippsland Basin, in addition to a broader need to acquire baseline data that may be used to quantify potential impacts of seismic operations on marine organisms. The study involves six components: 1) sound modelling, 2) sound monitoring using moored hydrophones, 3) benthic community assessment using an AUV, 4) bivalve assessment using dredging 5) fish avoidance behaviour using acoustic tagging, and 6) analysis of fisheries catch data as related to seismic surveys. In this presentation, we describe these components and critically review our current understanding of low-frequency sound impact on marine fish and invertebrates.

Tags: Abstract, Earth Sciences, External Publication, Published_External, marine
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
AusBathyTopo (Northern Australia) 30m 2018 - A regional-scale depth model (20180020C)

This dataset contains bathymetry (depth) products from the compilation of all available source bathymetry data within Northern Australia into a 30 m-resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM).

The Northern Australia region includes a broad continental shelf over 400 km wide extending out from Western Australia and the Northern Territory, and stretching over a distance of ~1500 km.

This region encompasses numerous shallow coral reefs including the offshore Sahul Banks, sand cays, drowned ancient river valleys, broad inner-shelf banks and a rugged coastline.

Bathymetry mapping of the seafloor is vital for the protection of Northern Australia, allowing for the safe navigation of shipping and improved environmental management.

Shallow- and deep-water multibeam surveys have revealed the highly complex seafloor of the continental shelf and adjacent slope canyons draining into the Indian Ocean and Timor Sea.

Airborne LiDAR bathymetry acquired by the Australian Hydrographic Office cover most of the Sahul Banks reefs, with some coverage gaps supplemented by satellite derived bathymetry.

The Geoscience Australia-developed Intertidal Elevation Model DEM improves the source data gap along Northern Australia’s vast intertidal zone.

All source bathymetry data were extensively edited as point clouds to remove noise, given a consistent WGS84 horizontal datum, and where possible, an approximate MSL vertical datum.

Tags: AusSeabed, Compilation, DEM, HVC_144641, HVC_146413, Lidar bathymetry, Published_External, SRTM, bathymetry, bathymetry grid, continental shelf, elevation, marine, marine data
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Laura Basin hydrogeological inventory

This Laura 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 Laura Basin contains sedimentary rocks deposited between 168 and 102 million years ago during the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous. The basin extends offshore beneath the Great Barrier Reef, and forms a bowl-shaped geologic feature. The strata have a maximum thickness of about 1,000 m in the north-central part of the onshore basin. Three main stratigraphic units comprise the stratigraphic succession of the Laura Basin, these being the Rolling Downs Group (Late Aptian to Albian, Cretaceous), the Gilbert River Formation (Lower Cretaceous to Jurassic) and the Dalrymple Sandstone (Upper to Middle Jurassic).

The Rolling Downs Group was deposited in a shallow marine environment and has a basal shale unit (the Wallumbilla Formation) with minor siltstone and conglomerate bands overlain by marine silty and sandy claystone. The Gilbert River Formation was deposited in lagoonal to marginal marine environments and is dominated by clay-rich sandstone that is locally glauconitic and interbedded with minor calcareous siltstone, claystone and conglomerate. The Dalrymple Sandstone was deposited in lagoonal and fluvial environments and is dominated by sandstone with lesser claystone, siltstone, conglomerate, tuff and coal. The Laura Basin overlies older rocks of the Permian to Triassic Lakefield Basin, which extends northwards into surrounding marine waters, the Paleozoic metasedimentary rocks of the Hodgkinson region, associated with the Mossman Orogen, and Proterozoic basement rocks.

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