National Gravity Compilation 2019 CSCBA 1VD image

The 2019 National Gravity Compilation integrates ground observations from the 1940s to present day and offshore data from global sources. It contains approximately 1.8 million gravity observations, with nearly 1.4 million stations from the Australian National Gravity Database, processed to produce a first vertical derivative image of Bouguer anomalies. The data is processed and quality-checked by Geoscience Australia (GA) geophysicists to ensure fitness for purpose.

Use Cases

• Interpret subsurface geological structure based on gravity anomaly variations.
• Model density contrasts in the Earth's crust for resource exploration.
• Integrate gravity data with other geophysical datasets for regional geological studies.
• Calculate terrain corrections using onshore topography and offshore bathymetry data.
• Apply Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) processes for derivative analysis of gravity grids.

Strengths

• Integrates approximately 1.8 million gravity observations from multiple sources spanning decades.
• Station spacing varies from 11 km to less than 1 km, with major parts of the continent between 2.5 and 7 km.
• Data quality is checked by GA geophysicists, and processing uses standard methods to isolate rock response.
• Grid has a cell size of 0.00417 degrees (approximately 435m), providing detailed spatial resolution.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last updated 2026-05-05 02:35:53.157502; freshness should be verified.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, incorporating data from Commonwealth, State, Territory Governments, industry, universities, and global institutions like Scripps, NOAA, and NGA.

Collection Method

Ground and marine gravity observations processed via standard methods and FFT to create a spherical cap Bouguer anomaly grid and its first vertical derivative.

Time Range

1940s to present day (compiled as of September 2019).

Freshness

Data compiled as of September 2019, with metadata updated in May 2026.

Geography

Australia and its continental margins.