Slow Seafloor Spreading Patterns Off Southern Australia, 96-44.5 Ma

Geoscience Australia Data compiled seafloor spreading magnetic data for the southern margin of Australia. The dataset documents a phase of slow spreading (half-rate < 4.4 mm/year) from continental breakup at 96 Ma until A20 time (44.5 Ma), including data from the 1986 R/V Rig Seismic cruise. It characterizes ridge jumps and variable spreading azimuths, comparing them to patterns in the Gulf of Aden.

Use Cases

• Modeling plate tectonic reconstructions based on documented spreading rates and azimuths.
• Analyzing the response of slow spreading systems to oblique continental margins based on described isochron patterns.
• Comparing ancient spreading regimes to modern analogues like the Gulf of Aden, as mentioned in the description.

Strengths

• Includes critical data from a specific research cruise (R/V Rig Seismic, 1986).
• Covers a defined, long-term geological process from 96 to 44.5 million years ago.
• Provides specific numerical rates (e.g., half-rate < 4.4 mm/year) and azimuths (e.g., 335°).

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic/temporal bias inherent to data_gov_au.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Compilation of seafloor spreading magnetic data, including from a 1986 research cruise.

Time Range

96 to 44.5 million years ago (Mid-Cretaceous to Eocene).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-20 03:21:59.869454; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Southern margin of Australia, between 129°E and Tasmania.