Marine Geological Survey Data from the Southwest Australian Margin, 2008-2009

Geoscience Australia's 90-day marine survey GA2476 collected 229,000 square kilometres of multi-beam sonar data and nearly 25,000 line kilometres of gravity, magnetic, and sub-bottom profiler data. The survey targeted frontier basins along the southwest Australian margin from October 2008 to January 2009, recovering rock samples from 30 stations at depths between 1,000 and 5,000 metres. This data was integrated with seismic information to assess petroleum system elements for the Zeewyck, Houtman, southern Exmouth sub-basins, and the Cuvier Plateau.

Use Cases

• Model petroleum systems based on identified synrift sedimentary rocks and potential source rocks.
• Analyze submarine canyon morphology and sediment distribution based on swath bathymetry and sub-bottom profiler records.
• Correlate rock sample geochemistry and age constraints with the tectonostratigraphic framework.
• Map geological features like scarps, ridges, and peaks using multi-beam sonar and geophysical data.

Strengths

• Covers a vast area with 229,000 square kilometres of multi-beam sonar data.
• Includes multiple geophysical data types across nearly 25,000 line kilometres.
• Integrates rock sample analysis (rock types, age, geochemistry) with seismic framework.
• Targeted sampling from 30 stations across a wide depth range (1,000 to 5,000 metres).

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data files are in PDF and HTML formats, which may require extraction for computational analysis.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Marine reconnaissance survey (GA2476) conducted using the RV Sonne research vessel, combining pre-existing and concurrently acquired seismic lines with swath bathymetry, sub-bottom profiler records, camera tows, and rock dredges.

Time Range

October 2008 to January 2009

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-14 09:10:54.177229; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Southwest Australian Margin, including the Zeewyck and Houtman sub-basins (Perth Basin), southern Exmouth Sub-basin and Bernier Platform (Carnarvon Basin), and the Cuvier Plateau (Wallaby Plateau).