Australian Gravity Anomaly Map From 260,000 Surveys

1976 saw the publication of a 1:5,000,000 scale gravity map of Australia by the Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR). The map was compiled from approximately 260,000 gravity observations collected across 300 surveys at a cost of about $12 million, with computer processing taking four months. It includes Bouguer and free-air anomaly maps at a 1:25,000,000 scale derived from the same data bank.

Use Cases

• Analyze Bouguer anomaly values to model subsurface density variations and geological structures.
• Study free-air anomaly values for insights into isostatic compensation and tectonic plate behavior.
• Integrate gravity observation point data with other geophysical surveys for regional geological mapping.
• Use the continental shelf and margin marine gravity coverage for basin analysis and offshore resource assessment.

Strengths

• Approximately 260,000 gravity observations provide dense spatial coverage.
• Data synthesized from 300 individual surveys conducted over multiple years.
• Includes both Bouguer and free-air anomaly derivatives for different analytical purposes.

Limitations

• Data is from 1976 and may not reflect current geological measurements.
• Specific observation coordinates, raw gravity values, and metadata columns are unavailable.
• Original file formats are HTML and PDF, limiting direct machine-readability for analysis.

Provenance

Source

Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR), Australia.

Collection Method

Compiled from approximately 260,000 gravity observations obtained from 300 surveys.

Time Range

Surveys conducted from 1959 to 1976.

Freshness

Historical dataset from 1976; the 2026 platform date reflects metadata update, not data collection.

Geography

Australia, including the continental shelf and margins.