AUSTREA-1: Seafloor Mapping of Southeast Australia

AGSO Cruise 222, conducted in December 1999-January 2000, mapped approximately 120,000 km² of seabed off southeast Australia. The survey collected swath-bathymetry, seismic, magnetic, gravity, and oceanographic data to support marine planning and resource assessment. It revealed volcanic terrain near Lord Howe Island and a deeply dissected continental margin along the NSW coast.

Use Cases

• Analyzing seabed morphology and volcanic features based on swath-bathymetry and backscatter imagery.
• Assessing petroleum and mineral resource potential using 6-channel GI-gun seismic and sub-bottom profiles.
• Studying ocean current patterns and water column structure from ADCP and XBT data.
• Mapping benthic habitat complexity from terrain data of cones, flows, and canyons.
• Supporting regional marine planning with integrated geophysical and oceanographic datasets.

Strengths

• Data quality was described as 'mostly excellent' in the survey report.
• Survey covered a significant area, mapping seabed 'about 1.5 times the size of Tasmania'.
• Multimodal data collection integrates bathymetry, geophysics, and oceanography from a single cruise.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not provided in the available metadata.
• The dataset's license and precise authorship details are not specified.
• The most recent update date (2026-04-30) appears to be a future date, suggesting a metadata system error.

Provenance

Source

Australian Geological Survey Organisation (AGSO), now Geoscience Australia, for the National Oceans Office and Environment Australia.

Collection Method

Data collected during the 25-day AUSTREA-1 cruise (AGSO Cruise 222) using the RV L'Atalante, employing swath-mapping, seismic, and oceanographic instruments.

Time Range

Survey conducted from 18 December 1999 to 11 January - 2000.

Freshness

Last updated metadata shows 2026-04-30, but this is likely an administrative error; the underlying data is from 2000.

Geography

Southeast Australian region, including waters off Lord Howe Island, NSW South Coast, and the central Great Australian Bight.