Keppel Bay Seabed Sediment Classification Based on Grainsize and Acoustic Mapping

Five distinct seabed sediment classes were identified in Keppel Bay, Central Queensland, using statistical techniques. The classification is based on sediment grainsize, chemical composition, and modelled seabed shear stress from waves and tidal currents. Data was collected by the Australian Ocean Data Network through sediment sampling and acoustic seabed mapping.

Use Cases

• Modeling sediment transport pathways based on seabed shear stress and grainsize data.
• Classifying seabed habitats using the five distinct sediment classes derived from statistical analysis.
• Assessing the impact of a large river catchment (Fitzroy River) on a continental shelf environment.
• Mapping seabed characteristics for coastal management using acoustic (sonar) mapping data.

Strengths

• Dataset provides a classification of five distinct seabed sediment classes.
• Data collection combined multiple methods: sediment sampling and acoustic seabed mapping.
• Analysis incorporates modelled seabed shear stress from waves and tidal currents.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the single study area of Keppel Bay.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Combination of sediment sampling and acoustic (sonar) seabed mapping tools.

Time Range

null

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-28 15:07:30.968185; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Keppel Bay, Central Queensland, Australia; interface of the Fitzroy River catchment and the southern Great Barrier Reef continental shelf.