Quaternary Sediment Cores from the Southern Fairway Basin, Tasman Sea

13 piston cores from 1250 to 2753 meters depth contain stiff nannofossil ooze, with sediment color changes linked to magnetic susceptibility and pore water sulfate variations. Methane and higher hydrocarbons were detected, suggesting a thermogenic gas component. The cores were collected by RV L'Atalante in 1999 for the ZoNiCo 5 survey to assess gas and petroleum potential.

Use Cases

• Analyze sediment geochemistry based on described color, magnetic susceptibility, and pore water sulfate profiles.
• Model gas hydrate distribution based on the presence of methane, ethane, and propane.
• Study redox front processes in marine sediments based on the described iron remobilization and pyrite formation.
• Assess regional sedimentation rates based on core length and estimated maximum age of less than 800,000 years.

Strengths

• 13 physical cores with documented lengths between 405 and 758 cm.
• Depth range spans from 1250 to 2753 meters below sea level.
• Multiple geochemical parameters are described, including methane detection and pore water sulfate concentrations.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The description suggests longer cores with less-oxidised sediment are needed for a complete understanding.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

13 piston cores taken by the RV L'Atalante during the ZoNiCo 5 survey in 1999.

Time Range

Cores likely represent sediment deposited over less than 800,000 years.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-16 10:09:03.634382; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Southern Fairway Basin on the Northern Lord Howe Rise in the Tasman Sea.