Elizabeth and Middleton Reef Multibeam Sonar Backscatter Survey, 2020

Two bathymetry grids at 4-meter spatial resolution for Middleton Reef and Elizabeth Reef within the Lord Howe Marine Park. Geoscience Australia collected the data from January 31 to February 6, 2020, aboard the TV Bluefin as part of a collaborative National Environmental Science Program project. The data provides baseline information for benthic habitats to support a 10-year environmental monitoring plan (2018-2028).

Use Cases

• Map seabed composition and texture based on multibeam sonar backscatter data.
• Establish baseline habitat conditions for environmental monitoring based on the survey's stated purpose.
• Support marine park management planning based on the 10-year management plan reference.
• Integrate with complementary datasets like AUV imagery and sediment samples mentioned in the description.

Strengths

• High-resolution 4-meter gridded bathymetry data.
• Data collected by Geoscience Australia using a Kongsberg EM 2040C HD multibeam sonar.
• Supports a defined 10-year management plan (2018-2028) for the Temperate East Marine Park Network.
• Associated with a detailed post-survey report published by the Marine Biodiversity Hub.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and dataset size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is not to be used for navigational purposes, limiting its application scope.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia, via the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Multibeam sonar survey from the vessel TV Bluefin, part of a collaborative project funded by the National Environmental Science Program Marine Biodiversity Hub.

Time Range

January 31 to February 6, 2020.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-27 20:51:27.997948; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Middleton Reef and Elizabeth Reef within the Lord Howe Marine Park, Australia.