Kenn Plateau Marine Geology Survey With Seismic And Bathymetry Data

Geoscience Australia Cruise 270 collected marine geology data from the Kenn Plateau off northeast Australia in 2004. The survey recorded 3090 km of multichannel seismic data, continuous multibeam-sonar swath-bathymetry, magnetic data, and twelve dredge hauls of sedimentary rock samples. Results describe the plateau's thinned continental crust structure, rift basin formation, and Oligocene volcanic history.

Use Cases

• Model crustal thinning and subsidence rates using the reported ~50 m/m.yr. average subsidence since the Early Oligocene.
• Analyze rift basin geometry and fault displacement from 3090 km of multichannel seismic data covering Cretaceous to Eocene sequences.
• Map basement ridges and troughs using continuous multibeam-sonar swath-bathymetry data collected across the 140,000 km sq plateau.
• Date tectonic events and sediment deposition using Eocene and younger microfossil dates from twelve dredge haul samples.
• Correlate northeast trending structures with fracture zones in the Tasman Basin oceanic crust using magnetic and seismic data.

Strengths

• Survey covers approximately 140,000 square kilometers of the Kenn Plateau.
• Includes 3090 km of multichannel seismic reflection data.
• Integrates multiple data types: bathymetry, seismic, magnetic, and physical rock samples.

Limitations

• Data collection is from a single 2004 cruise, providing only a temporal snapshot.
• Sample size is limited to twelve dredge hauls for physical rock analysis.
• The lowermost Cretaceous-Paleocene sequence is described as 'poorly understood'.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, Geoscience Australia.

Collection Method

Marine survey via R.V. Southern Surveyor (Cruise SS5/2004) using multibeam sonar, seismic reflection profiling, magnetic surveying, and dredge sampling.

Time Range

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

Freshness

Data was collected in 2004, with metadata last updated in 2026.

Geography

Kenn Plateau, off northeast Australia, in the Coral Sea region.