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

Geoscience Australia's 2004 marine survey collected multibeam bathymetry, 3090 km of multichannel seismic data, magnetic data, and twelve dredge hauls from the Kenn Plateau off northeast Australia. The dataset documents the plateau's thinned continental crust, rift basins, Oligocene volcanic edifices, and sedimentary sequences from the Late Cretaceous to Recent. It provides insights into the region's tectonic separation from Australia and subsequent geological evolution.

Use Cases

• Model tectonic plate motion and rotation based on described fracture zones and structural trends.
• Analyze sediment thickness and basin evolution from described seismic sequences up to 2500 meters thick.
• Study volcanic hotspot chain timing and effects using data on the 30-34 Ma Tasmantid chain edifices.
• Map seafloor morphology and complexity from continuous multibeam-sonar swath-bathymetry.
• Correlate microfossil dating from dredged sedimentary rocks with seismic stratigraphy.

Strengths

• Includes 3090 km of multichannel seismic reflection data.
• Covers approximately 140,000 square kilometers of the Kenn Plateau.
• Integrates multiple data types: bathymetry, seismic, magnetic, and physical rock samples from 12 dredge hauls.
• Provides micropaleontological dating for recovered sedimentary rocks, establishing an Eocene and younger timeframe.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is from a single 2004 survey; temporal coverage for dynamic processes is limited.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Marine survey conducted by R.V. Southern Surveyor (Cruise SS5/2004) recording continuous multibeam-sonar bathymetry, seismic, magnetic data, and dredge samples.

Time Range

Survey conducted in 2004; geological data covers events from the Late Cretaceous to Recent.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-25 18:25:47.141599; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Kenn Plateau off northeast Australia, within the Tasman Basin region.