Australian Gravity Survey Measurements, 1819-1976

French expeditions in 1819 and 1824 made the earliest gravity measurements in Australia using pendulums at Sydney. The dataset chronicles the evolution of gravity surveying, from 19th-century pendulum measurements with 10 mGal accuracy to the establishment of a national network of 59 stations with 0.8 mGal accuracy in 1950-51, culminating in continent-wide helicopter reconnaissance completed in 1973. It includes marine surveys from Vening Meinesz submarine pendulums and later underwater gravity meter work.

Use Cases

• Analyzing historical geodetic measurement accuracy based on described pendulum and gravity meter surveys.
• Mapping Bouguer anomalies for geological prospecting, referencing the preliminary 1959 map compilation.
• Studying the impact of policy, like the Petroleum Search Subsidy Act, on public data availability.
• Calibrating modern gravity meters using historical calibration ranges established in main cities.
• Tracing the integration of Australian gravity data into the international network via surveys from 1950-1959.

Strengths

• Covers a long historical time range from 1819 to 1976, documenting the evolution of measurement techniques.
• Includes a nationally significant foundational network of 59 stations established with Cambridge pendulums.
• Integrates terrestrial, marine, and airborne data from government, academic, and private sources.

Limitations

• Column names and specific data structure are unknown from the provided sources.
• Key metadata like row count, file size, license, and author are consistently reported as 'None' or 'unknown'.
• The dataset is presented as a publication (PDF/HTML) rather than a raw, structured data table.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Compilation of historical surveys by government authorities, universities, private companies, and international expeditions.

Time Range

1819-1976

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-04 on data.gov.au.

Geography

Australia, including continental landmass, offshore islands, reefs, and surrounding oceans.