Mesozoic Outcrops on the Lower Continental Slope off Exmouth, Western Australia

Seismic reflection profiles over the southwestern margin of the Exmouth Plateau indicate rocks from the Permian to Early Tertiary period form bedrock on the lower continental slope. Water depths in the study area range from 1400 to 4000 meters. The dataset, sourced from the Australian Ocean Data Network, describes probable outcrops of fluvial, deltaic, and marine sedimentary rocks.

Use Cases

• Dating geological sequences based on described outcrop sampling of the southwestern margin.
• Testing theories of geological evolution based on the described stratigraphic sequence and faulting history.
• Assessing petroleum potential based on the described rock types and structural features like anticlines and normal faults.
• Modeling basin evolution based on described faulting events in the Middle to Late Jurassic and Late Cretaceous.

Strengths

• Water depth range is precisely defined as 1400 to 4000 meters.
• The geological time range is specified as Permian to Early Tertiary.
• Rock types and depositional environments are described in detail for multiple geological periods.
• Structural features like normal faults and a major anticline are explicitly mentioned.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data freshness should be verified as the last update is listed as 2026-06-17.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network via data_gov_au

Collection Method

Seismic reflection profiling, with ties to the Northwest Shelf stratigraphic sequence and references to Deep Sea Drilling Project results.

Time Range

Rocks of probable Permian to Early Tertiary age.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-17 02:16:22.991968

Geography

Lower continental slope off Exmouth, Western Australia; southwestern margin of the Exmouth Plateau.