Marine Geology Survey of the Arafura Sea, 1969

A 1969 marine geological survey of the northern Australian continental shelf conducted by the Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR). The survey covered an area of about 240,000 km² between longitudes 130° and 136°E and latitudes 8° and 12°S, using vessels including the San Pedro Sound and the Japanese submersible Yomiuri. It represents a continuation of regional reconnaissance mapping work in the Timor Sea and northwest shelf.

Use Cases

• Map regional seabed composition based on geological survey data
• Analyze continental shelf structure in the Arafura Sea region
• Study sediment distribution patterns from the described survey area

Strengths

• Survey covers a defined area of about 240,000 km²
• Specific temporal coverage from May to December 1969
• Part of a documented program of regional geological reconnaissance

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 temporal bias inherent to a 1969 survey

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Marine geological survey conducted by the Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR)

Time Range

1969

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-16 08:42:25.841128; freshness should be verified

Geography

Arafura Sea, northern Australian continental shelf between 130°-136°E and 8°-12°S