Project 121.37: Offshore Sydney Basin Sediment Geochemistry Survey, 1992

Project 121.37 describes a 28-day multi-institutional marine survey conducted aboard the BMR vessel Rig Seismic in September-October 1992. The survey collected baseline environmental data on sediment composition and contaminants on the NSW continental margin between Wollongong, Sydney, and Newcastle. It involved personnel from the Sydney Water Board, Sydney University, the Geological Survey of New South Wales, and the Bureau of Mineral Resources.

Use Cases

• Establishing baseline environmental conditions for coastal monitoring based on sediment chemical composition.
• Studying the record of Quaternary climate change preserved in continental slope sediments.
• Characterizing geochemical tracers for ocean outfalls and estuary-ocean exchanges, with reference to light hydrocarbons.
• Mapping the distribution of non-renewable resources like hydrocarbons and marine aggregates in the offshore Sydney Basin.
• Analyzing contaminants and nutrient levels (nitrogen, phosphorus) in continental shelf sediments.

Strengths

• Survey involved multiple institutions, suggesting interdisciplinary data collection.
• The description outlines six specific research projects, indicating a structured scope.
• The survey had a defined 28-day duration in September-October 1992.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is from a single survey in 1992; temporal coverage is limited.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Multi-institutional marine survey aboard the BMR research vessel Rig Seismic.

Time Range

September-October 1992

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-27 20:28:42.106294; freshness should be verified.

Geography

NSW continental margin, between Wollongong, Sydney, and Newcastle, Australia.