Kenn Plateau Geology: Seismic, Bathymetry, and Dredge Data from 2004 Survey

A geoscience survey of the Kenn Plateau off northeast Australia conducted by R.V. Southern Surveyor in 2004. The dataset includes continuous multibeam-sonar swath-bathymetry, 3090 km of multichannel seismic and magnetic data, and twelve dredge hauls of sedimentary rocks. Results describe the plateau's thinned continental crust, rift basins, and volcanic structures.

Use Cases

• Modeling crustal thinning and subsidence rates based on described ~50 m/m.yr. average since the Early Oligocene.
• Analyzing structural trends and fault zones like the Cato Fault Zone based on seismic and bathymetric data.
• Dating sedimentary sequences and volcanic events using described Eocene, Oligocene, and Miocene microfossil and rock samples.
• Mapping basement ridges and troughs based on multibeam bathymetry and seismic interpretations.

Strengths

• Includes 3090 km of multichannel seismic data providing subsurface structural detail.
• Multibeam-sonar swath-bathymetry was recorded continuously for full spatial coverage.
• Twelve dredge hauls provide physical rock samples with micropaleontological dating.
• Description provides specific geological sequences, thicknesses (e.g., up to 2500 m, up to 700 m), and temporal ranges.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Primary file formats are PDF and HTML, which may require extraction for computational analysis.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network via data_gov_au.

Collection Method

Marine survey (R.V. Southern Surveyor Cruise SS5/2004, Geoscience Australia Cruise 270) collecting bathymetry, seismic, magnetic, and dredge data.

Time Range

Survey conducted in 2004; geological data covers Late Cretaceous to Recent periods.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-10 18:24:13.356236; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Kenn Plateau off northeast Australia, covering approximately 140,000 km².