Paleocene-Eocene Antarctic Biostratigraphy from Mac. Robertson Shelf and Prydz Bay

East Antarctica's Mac. Robertson Shelf and western Prydz Bay were the sites of seismic and coring programs in 1993, 1995, and 1997. The dataset likely contains information on recovered Paleocene and Eocene sediments, including foraminifera, pollen, spores, and dinoflagellates, collected by the Australian Ocean Data Network. The data describes a prograding sediment sequence about 200 meters thick, interpreted as a coastal plain deposit from a temperate, fully marine inner continental shelf environment.

Use Cases

• Correlating Antarctic Paleocene-Eocene depositional events with global cycles based on palynology and foraminiferid faunas.
• Reconstructing paleoenvironmental conditions of the Antarctic inner shelf based on sediment composition and fossil assemblages.
• Modeling sediment deposition and glacial reworking processes based on seismic data and mixed fossil age evidence.

Strengths

• Data is associated with specific seismic and coring campaigns conducted in 1993, 1995, and 1997.
• Description details a 200-meter-thick prograding sediment sequence with specific fossil finds like Paleocene (P4) and Middle Eocene Globigerinatheka.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The description notes uncertainty about whether fossil material is in situ or reworked.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Seismic surveys, core sampling, and opportunistic sampling, accompanied by CTD probe, bottom camera, and sediment grab deployments.

Time Range

Sampling occurred in 1993, 1995, and 1997; sediments are primarily Paleocene to Eocene in age.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-05 07:51:54.403455; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Mac. Robertson Shelf and western Prydz Bay, East Antarctic continental shelf.