Australian Seabed Sediment Properties for 15,000 Samples

Over 15,000 seabed samples provide textural composition, particle size statistics, and carbonate values for the Australian marine region. Geoscience Australia extracted this data from its Marine Sediment Database, which holds approximately 2.6 million entries. The dataset was updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Model sediment transport dynamics using particle size distribution statistics and textural class across shelf and slope locations.
• Characterize benthic habitats by correlating sediment properties like mud, sand, and gravel content with sample water depth and location.
• Assess seabed engineering suitability by analyzing calcium carbonate values and textural composition for foundation studies.
• Conduct geological research on continental-scale sediment facies using the provided sediment carbonate classification and spatial coverage.
• Validate and supplement bathymetric models by integrating sediment sample data with the AusBathyTopo 250m 2023 grid extent.

Strengths

• Over 15,000 distinct seabed samples provide substantial observational coverage.
• Spatial coverage spans coast, continental shelf, slope, and deep ocean across the entire Australian marine region.
• Derived from Geoscience Australia's authoritative Marine Sediment Database containing about 2.6 million records.

Limitations

• Specific row count, column details, and sample size distributions are not provided in the input.
• Calcium carbonate values are only included 'where available', indicating potential data gaps for some samples.
• The dataset's temporal range for sample collection is unspecified, limiting time-series analysis.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia's Marine Sediment Database (MARS), managed by the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Extracted and collated from the online MARS resource to create a standalone dataset.

Time Range

null

Freshness

Last updated in April 2026.

Geography

Australian marine region, covering the extent of the AusBathyTopo 250m 2023 grid.