Cenozoic Volcanism of the Capel-Faust Basins: Seafloor Features and Ages

A recent survey by Geoscience Australia identified volcanic features including cones, flows, and sill-related features on the seafloor of the Capel-Faust region, Northern Lord Howe Rise. The data indicates at least two distinct ages of volcanism: Miocene-Pliocene (approximately 4-7 Ma) cones and older Eocene-Oligocene volcanic edifices. Analysis is based on seismic data and swath bathymetry from the ZoNÉCo 5 survey, with findings presented to the Australian Earth Sciences Convention in July 2010.

Use Cases

• Mapping the distribution and alignment of seamount chains based on identified volcanic cones and flows.
• Analyzing the relationship between volcanic activity and basement structures based on seismic profile data.
• Studying sediment erosion patterns around volcanic cones based on the described moat features.
• Correlating volcanic feature ages (e.g., Miocene-Pliocene vs. Eocene-Oligocene) with regional tectonic events.

Strengths

• Identifies at least two distinct volcanic age groups (Miocene-Pliocene and Eocene-Oligocene) with specific date ranges.
• Includes analysis of features from multiple data sources: seismic profiles (s302) and swath bathymetry.
• Survey area includes a known geographic feature, the Gifford Guyot (approximately 18 Ma), for context.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and dataset scale are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data freshness should be verified; the underlying survey and analysis date from around 2010.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia, Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Marine survey acquiring exploration data and samples, analyzed with seismic data and swath bathymetry.

Time Range

Cenozoic era, with specific features dated to Miocene-Pliocene (~4-7 Ma) and Eocene-Oligocene.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-16 09:27:10.057574; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Capel-Faust Basins, Northern Lord Howe Rise, offshore Australia, including the Tasman Basin.