Deep-Sea Geological Samples from RV Sonne Cruises off Western Australia, 1979

A 1979 six-week geological cruise by the RV Sonne collected data from the Exmouth Plateau, Wallaby Plateau, and Cuvier Abyssal Plain. The cruise successfully sampled pre-Quaternary strata, Quaternary sequences, and manganese nodules from 120 stations at depths between 100 and 5200 meters. The dataset is hosted by the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Use Cases

• Analyze the distribution of pre-Quaternary rock types based on the 44 stations where they were successfully sampled.
• Study Quaternary sediment composition and gas content based on the biogenic carbonate cores and methane analysis mentioned.
• Assess the mineral potential of manganese nodules based on preliminary nickel and copper content determinations.
• Model subsurface volcanic structures based on the described interbedded basalts, tuffs, and breccias on the Wallaby Plateau.

Strengths

• Data collection is documented across 120 successful sampling stations.
• Samples cover a wide depth range from 100 to 5200 meters.
• Cruise successfully met four stated scientific aims, including sampling pre-Quaternary strata and obtaining Quaternary cores.

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 temporal bias inherent to a single 1979 cruise.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Sampling and seismic profiling during the RV Sonne geological cruise.

Time Range

1979

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-05 06:13:23.269815; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Exmouth Plateau, Wallaby Plateau, and Cuvier Abyssal Plain off Western Australia.