Arafura Marine Park Bathymetry Survey at 6-Meter Resolution

A 6-meter resolution bathymetry dataset for the Arafura Marine Park, collected from November 2 to 15, 2020. The data was acquired by Geoscience Australia and the Australian Institute of Marine Science using multibeam sonar on the RV Solander to build baseline information for benthic habitats. This work supports a 10-year environmental management plan (2018-2028) for the North Marine Park Network.

Use Cases

• Modeling seafloor topography and habitat based on high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter data.
• Establishing environmental baselines for benthic communities as mentioned in the survey's purpose.
• Supporting marine park management decisions based on the integrated seabed samples and underwater imagery.
• Analyzing geomorphological features of specific survey areas like Money Shoal and Pillar Bank.

Strengths

• High-resolution 6-meter bathymetry grid derived from processed EM2040C Dual Head system data.
• Data collection is documented in a detailed 2021 post-survey report by named authors.
• Integrated data acquisition includes multibeam bathymetry, backscatter, seabed samples, and underwater imagery.

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 bias inherent to the two specific survey areas (Money Shoal and Pillar Bank).

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia and the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

Collection Method

Multibeam bathymetry and backscatter collection via RV Solander, processed with CARIS HIPS and SIPS software.

Time Range

November 2 – 15, 2020.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-14 08:57:10.814233; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Arafura Marine Park (Arafura Sea), specifically Money Shoal and Pillar Bank.