Seafloor Morphology and Tectonics of Christmas Island, Indian Ocean, 1:1,000,000 Scale

A 1992 survey by the vessel 'Rig Seismic' collected approximately 2000 km of seismic profiles and nearly twice as much bathymetric data around Christmas Island. The Australian Geological Survey Organisation (AGSO) compiled this data with other sources to produce new bathymetric and sediment thickness maps. The resulting 1:1,000,000 scale map provides more detail on seamounts and trench structures than previous compilations from the 1970s and 1980s.

Use Cases

• Mapping seabed morphology and sediment thickness for resource assessment based on seismic and bathymetric data.
• Analyzing the distribution of seamounts and tectonic structures like the Java Trench based on high-resolution bathymetry.
• Comparing modern digital survey data with historical analog maps to study changes in geological interpretation.
• Supporting maritime zone management and fisheries planning with updated seafloor maps.

Strengths

• Includes approximately 2000 km of seismic profiles and a larger volume of bathymetric data from a dedicated 1992 survey.
• Integrates data from multiple sources, including the USA National Geophysical Data Bank (NGDC), for improved area coverage.
• Produces a 1:1,000,000 scale map, offering more detail than previous 1:5,000,000 or 1:10,000,000 scale compilations.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The primary survey data is from 1992, which may not reflect the most recent seafloor conditions.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for quantitative analysis.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, likely originating from AGSO (Australian Geological Survey Organisation).

Collection Method

Marine seismic and bathymetric survey conducted by the vessel 'Rig Seismic', combined with digital data from other institutions.

Time Range

Primary survey in February 1992; incorporates older data from the 1970s and 1980s.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-23 05:57:06.725953; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Christmas Island area in the Wharton basin, Indian Ocean, approximately 350 km south of Java.