Calcareous Nannofossil Records from the Great Australian Bight Basin

Calcareous nannofossil assemblages from samples dredged during BMR Survey 66 in the central Great Australian Bight Basin. The data, provided by the Australian Ocean Data Network, compares offshore Maastrichtian, Eocene, and Oligocene assemblages with onshore southern Australian sequences. It was last updated on 2026-06-16.

Use Cases

• Reconstructing marine ingression phases based on Maastrichtian nannofossil assemblages.
• Analyzing paleoclimatic conditions based on the Oligocene presence of low-latitude species Sphenolithus ciperoensis.
• Modeling tectonic subsidence history based on nannofossil evidence of seafloor changes since the Late Cretaceous.
• Comparing offshore and onshore sedimentary records to understand regional geological history.

Strengths

• Data provides the first reported Maastrichtian nannofossil assemblages found in southern Australia.
• Description details specific geological events like a marked sea-level fall in the latest late Eocene.
• Analysis integrates nannofossil, palynological, and lithological data for cross-validation.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the specific BMR Survey 66 dredge locations.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Samples dredged during BMR Survey 66 by KV, Rig Seismic.

Time Range

Covers Maastrichtian, Eocene, and Oligocene periods.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-16 20:06:07.234492; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Central Great Australian Bight Basin and onshore southern Australian margin.