East Antarctic Surface Sediment Grainsize and Composition Data, 1950s-2012

Compiled from 1950s to 2012, this dataset presents sediment grainsize and compositional data for the East Antarctic region south of 60°S. It incorporates quantitative grainsize data from 472 samples, Folk classifications from 192 samples, calcium carbonate from 255 samples, and biogenic silica from 304 samples. The Australian Ocean Data Network provides this data to offer insight into seabed habitats, particularly within proposed Marine Protected Areas.

Use Cases

• Model benthic habitat suitability based on sediment grainsize and composition data.
• Analyze the distribution of biogenic silica and carbonate across the Antarctic shelf and slope.
• Correlate sediment properties with bathymetry and geomorphic features to understand seabed variation.
• Assess habitat diversity within proposed East Antarctic Marine Protected Areas using sedimentary data.

Strengths

• Includes data from 472 quantitative grainsize samples and 192 Folk classification samples.
• Composition data covers 255 calcium carbonate samples and 304 biogenic silica samples.
• Temporal coverage spans from the 1950s to 2012, providing a multi-decadal perspective.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic and temporal bias inherent to data_gov_au collection methods.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Compilation of data collected and analyzed from various sources.

Time Range

1950s to 2012

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-23 00:54:58.791398; freshness should be verified.

Geography

East Antarctic region (30-150°E) south of 60°S