AGSO Cruise 210: Swath-Mapping Survey of Eastern Tasmania and Gippsland Basin

Eastern Tasmania and the Gippsland Basin were surveyed from 10 to 17 April 1997 by the Australian Geological Survey Organisation. The R.V. Melville used a SeaBeam 2000 multibeam sonar, a magnetometer, and a gravity meter to map sea bed morphology and character. The data was intended to aid tectonic, basin, and sedimentological studies, as well as the fishing industry.

Use Cases

• Model seafloor morphology for tectonic studies based on swath-mapped bathymetry.
• Analyze sediment distribution patterns based on sea bed character data.
• Plan future seismic profiling or geological sampling campaigns based on the detailed survey tracks.
• Assess potential fishing grounds based on the mapped sea bed roughness and morphology.

Strengths

• Survey navigation used military GPS with an accuracy of about 5 meters.
• The SeaBeam 2000 system mapped a swath 3.5 times as wide as the water depth.
• Data collection integrated multiple sensors: multibeam sonar, magnetometer, and gravity meter.

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/temporal bias inherent to data_gov_au.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Marine survey conducted by the Australian Geological Survey Organisation using the chartered R.V. Melville.

Time Range

10 to 17 April 1997

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-25 16:42:48.547130; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Eastern Tasmania and the deep water part of the Gippsland Basin, Australia