Ashmore Reef Sediment Facies And Sea Level Response

Sedimentological data from Ashmore Reef details its response to Holocene sea-level rise over the past 11,000 years. The dataset includes carbon-dated facies changes from 12 vibro-cores, with dates ranging from approximately 970 to 2020 years before present. It was published by the Australian Ocean Data Network and was last updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Model reef growth phases using C14 dated facies changes and the One Tree Reef model.
• Analyze the bio-facies shift from coral columns to algal-dominated reef crests correlated with sea level stabilization around 2000 BP.
• Study sediment accumulation rates using data on lagoon infill rates of up to 0.73 cm/yr.
• Examine the composition of biogenic sand sheets and lagoon sediments using data on Halimeda sp., coral fragments, foraminifera, and molluscs.

Strengths

• Data is derived from 12 vibro-cores across the reef platform.
• Includes carbon-dated facies changes covering a range from approximately 970 to 2020 years BP.
• Analysis is based on a post-glacial relative sea level curve spanning the past 11,000 years.

Limitations

• Specific row count, column names, and sample data are unavailable.
• The dataset's primary format is HTML, which may not be structured for direct analysis.
• Geographic coverage is limited to a single reef system (Ashmore Reef).

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Visual reef examination augmented with 12 vibro-cores through algal-foraminiferal sand and coral; carbon dating of lagoonal sediment facies.

Time Range

Past 11,000 years (Holocene), with specific carbon dates from ~970 to ~2020 years BP.

Freshness

null

Geography

Ashmore Reef, at the transition zone of the Browse and Bonaparte Basins.