Nannofossil Records from the Great Australian Bight Basin, Maastrichtian to Oligocene

Calcareous nannofossil data from samples dredged during BMR Survey 66 in the central Great Australian Bight Basin. The study compares offshore assemblages with onshore sequences to interpret the geological history of Australia's southern margin. The record spans the Maastrichtian, Eocene, and Oligocene periods.

Use Cases

• Reconstructing marine ingression and transgression phases based on nannofossil assemblage comparisons.
• Analyzing paleoceanographic conditions and sea surface temperature gradients based on evidence of a proto-Leeuwin Current.
• Modeling subsidence rates and sea-level changes based on nannofossil, palynological, and lithological evidence.

Strengths

• Data provides the first reported Maastrichtian nannofossil assemblages found in southern Australia.
• Assemblages allow comparison between offshore (Great Australian Bight) and onshore (Otway Basin) geological sequences.
• Evidence supports a marked fall in sea level during the latest late Eocene.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Samples were dredged during BMR Survey 66 by KV, Rig Seismic and examined for calcareous nannofossils.

Time Range

Maastrichtian to Oligocene periods

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-05 06:36:22.635620; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Central Great Australian Bight Basin and onshore southern Australian margin