Swath-Mapping Cruise Data off Tasmania, 1994

A 1994 marine geophysical survey collected data over 200,000 square kilometers of the continental margin and abyssal plain off Tasmania. The Australian Geological Survey Organisation used the R.V. L'Atalante's multibeam sonar system over 35 days, recording bathymetry, acoustic imagery, seismic reflection, magnetic, and gravity profiles. This mapping aimed to clarify the region's structural pattern and tectonic history related to the separation of Australia and Antarctica.

Use Cases

• Modeling tectonic history based on fault patterns and structural information from the survey.
• Analyzing sedimentary history based on large-scale sedimentary structures and morphology.
• Supporting legal continental shelf definition based on high-accuracy bathymetric maps.
• Planning future seismic reflection programs based on the structural mapping of the continental margin.

Strengths

• Covers a large area of 200,000 square kilometers, approximately three times the size of Tasmania.
• Collected multiple complementary data types including bathymetry, seismic, magnetic, and gravity profiles.
• Used a SIMRAD EM12D system capable of mapping a 20 km wide swath at 10 knots, providing detailed coverage.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data was collected in early 1994; temporal relevance for current applications should be verified.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Data was gathered during a 35-day swath-mapping cruise using the R.V. L'Atalante's multibeam sonar and other geophysical instruments.

Time Range

January 16 to February 27, 1994

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-30 14:54:48.699488; freshness should be verified

Geography

Continental margin and abyssal plain off Tasmania, including the southern Otway Basin, Sorell Basin, and South Tasman Rise.