Lord Howe Rise Continental Ribbon: Geophysical Data on Gondwana Rifting

The Lord Howe Rise continental ribbon dataset from the Australian Ocean Data Network examines the Cretaceous fragmentation of eastern Gondwana. It is based on marine and satellite geophysical data, limited dredge samples, and sparse shallow drilling. The abstract was presented at the 2016 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting.

Use Cases

• Modeling the tectonic evolution of continental ribbons based on extensional history described in the dataset.
• Distinguishing between self-organizing and mantle-driven plate motion scenarios based on igneous rock composition and affinity.
• Analyzing the influence of silicic Large Igneous Province emplacement on rifting processes near Gondwana's edge.
• Integrating deep crustal seismic survey and proposed IODP well data to refine models of continental ribbon formation.

Strengths

• Focuses on a specific, intact continental ribbon (Lord Howe Rise) that preserves Cretaceous rift basin stratigraphy.
• Incorporates data from a recent deep crustal seismic survey and a proposed IODP deep stratigraphic well.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Current knowledge is based on widely-distributed geophysical data, limited samples, and sparse shallow drilling (<600 m below-seafloor).

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Marine and satellite geophysical surveys, dredge samples, and shallow drilling.

Time Range

Cretaceous period

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-23 05:02:26.220035; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Lord Howe Rise, eastern Gondwana