Palynostratigraphy Analysis of Four Boreholes in Central West Murray Basin

Palynological data from four fully cored boreholes in the central west Murray Basin provides a biostratigraphic framework for groundwater studies. The analysis, augmented by cores from other boreholes, identifies pollen and dinoflagellate zones from the Eocene to Miocene epochs. This work was contributed by the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Use Cases

• Correlating aquifer ages in the Renmark Group using pollen assemblages from the Middle and Upper Nothofagidites asperus Zones.
• Mapping the extent of marine incursions by analyzing dinoflagellate taxa within the Geera Clay and Buccleuch Beds facies.
• Investigating Late Oligocene to earliest Miocene climatic shifts by tracking changes in pollen frequencies of tropical-affinity taxa.
• Identifying condensed sedimentary sequences by correlating Proteacidites tuberculatus and Triporopollenites bellus Zones with global sea-level pulses like TB1.4 and TB2.3.

Strengths

• Analysis based on four fully cored boreholes providing direct stratigraphic control.
• Temporal coverage spans from the mid-Eocene to Middle Miocene, capturing key Cenozoic intervals.
• Augmented by analysis of additional cores and cuttings from areas east of the main marine influence.

Limitations

• Resolution of palynological zones is described as too poor to confidently match with global sea-level curves.
• The correlative value of changes in pollen frequencies is explicitly noted as limited due to complex spatial and temporal patterns.
• Primary data format is PDF/HTML, which may require extraction for quantitative analysis.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Palynological analysis of fully cored boreholes, augmented by analysis of additional cores and cuttings.

Time Range

Mid-Eocene to Middle Miocene

Freshness

null

Geography

Central west Murray Basin, Australia, including Wentworth Trough and areas east of the main marine influence.