Australian Free-air And Bouguer Gravity Anomaly Maps

Two 1:25,000,000 scale geophysical maps of Australia depict free-air and Bouguer gravity anomalies. The maps were prepared by the Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR) Geophysical Drawing Office and printed by the Division of National Mapping in 1976. They incorporate marine observations from the 'Gulf Rex' vessel to fill data gaps near the Great Barrier Reef.

Use Cases

• Analyze free-air anomaly contours to model subsurface density variations and crustal thickness across Australia.
• Study Bouguer anomaly patterns on land to infer geological structures like basins and bedrock topography.
• Compare marine free-air anomaly data from the 'Gulf Rex' survey with terrestrial gravity observations.
• Use the mapped gravity fields as a baseline for regional geophysical interpretation and resource potential assessment.

Strengths

• Two complementary gravity maps (free-air and Bouguer) at a continental scale of 1:25,000,000.
• Includes marine data filling a large gap at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef.

Limitations

• Data is from 1976, representing a historical snapshot with potential for newer surveys.
• Original data is presented as static map images (PDF/HTML), limiting quantitative analysis without digitization.

Provenance

Source

Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR) Geophysical Drawing Office, Division of National Mapping.

Collection Method

Compiled from a national gravity data bank with additional marine observations.

Time Range

1976

Freshness

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Geography

Australia, including surrounding marine areas.