Forster Pacific Palms Cape Hawke Seabed Bathymetry and Backscatter
Updated 25d ago
1filesZIP
Available on 1 platform
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Description
From March 2019 to August 2022, the NSW Department of Planning and Environment conducted a multibeam sonar survey off Cape Hawke, NSW, onboard the RV Bombora. The dataset provides 5-meter resolution 32-bit GeoTIFF files of bathymetry and backscatter, intended as a baseline for mapping seabed type distribution. It was created as part of the SeabedNSW program, processed using Hypack, R2Sonic GUI, POSPac, Qimera, and FMGT software.
Use Cases
Creating high-resolution seabed habitat maps based on backscatter and bathymetry data.
Establishing a baseline for coastal geomorphological change studies using the 2019-2022 survey period.
Supporting marine spatial planning and environmental impact assessments with detailed seafloor topography.
Calibrating or validating regional oceanographic or sediment transport models with precise bathymetric data.
Strengths
Provides high-resolution (5m) raster data for both bathymetry and backscatter.
Covers a multi-year survey period from 01/MAR/2019 to 12/AUG/2022, offering a temporal snapshot.
Documents a specific processing chain using industry-standard software (Hypack, R2Sonic GUI, POSPac, Qimera, FMGT).
Cross-platform presence on data.gov.au signals its importance as a published government dataset.
Limitations
Critical metadata is missing: no row/record count, file size, license, or author information is provided.
The dataset is explicitly not to be used for navigational purposes, limiting its application.
Column names and a precise data schema are unknown, which may complicate programmatic use.
Provenance
Source
NSW Government, Department of Planning and Environment (DPE), acquired via the Research Vessel Bombora.
Collection Method
Multibeam survey using an R2Sonic 2022 sonar, processed through a defined software workflow.
Time Range
01/MAR/2019 – 12/AUG/2022
Freshness
Last updated on 2026-04-30 according to the most recent platform entry.
Geography
Forster Pacific Palms Cape Hawke, NSW, Australia (Tasman Sea).
Explicitly not to be used for navigational purposes. Data is delivered in ZIP files containing GeoTIFFs.