Quaternary Sediment Formation in the Recherche Archipelago, South-western Australia

Cool-water carbonate environments produce up to one third of continental shelf carbonate sediment globally. The Australian Ocean Data Network provides data from the Recherche Archipelago, featuring Holocene deposits up to 7 meters thick. Surficial sediments, video, multibeam sonar, cores, and shallow seismics were collected to examine this high-energy inner shelf carbonate 'factory'.

Use Cases

• Model sediment accumulation patterns based on seismic profiles and multibeam sonar data.
• Analyze the composition of carbonate gravel lags based on descriptions of bivalve and rhodolith content.
• Study the influence of granite basement topography on sediment preservation based on descriptions of sheltering effects.
• Map the distribution of Holocene deposits based on thickness measurements up to 7 meters.
• Compare sediment production zones based on data contrasting inner shelf and outer shelf environments.

Strengths

• Integrates multiple data types including surficial sediments, video, multibeam sonar, cores, and shallow seismics.
• Describes specific geological features such as Holocene deposits up to 7 meters thick and a coarse bivalve and rhodolith gravel lag.
• Focuses on the world's largest modern example of a high-energy, cool-water carbonate depositional realm.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Freshness should be verified; last updated date is 2026-06-04.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Field collection of surficial sediments, video, multibeam sonar data, cores, and shallow seismics.

Time Range

Quaternary period, with focus on Holocene deposits.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-04 05:41:19.675990

Geography

Recherche Archipelago, western margin of the Great Australian Bight, South-western Australia.