Multibeam Survey of Tidally Incised Shelf Valleys on the Great Barrier Reef

A multibeam sonar survey at the northern end of Australia's Great Barrier Reef mapped a shelf valley system. The data supports a new conceptual model for the formation of tidally incised shelf valleys, published by the Australian Ocean Data Network. The dataset record was last updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyze valley depth and extent using the mapped 220 m deep, 90 km long valley system.
• Model tidal erosion processes on carbonate shelves using the observed bathymetric features.
• Compare fluvial versus tidal incision models with the specific shelf valley morphology data.

Strengths

• Data includes a mapped valley system over 90 km in extent.
• Survey captured valley depths up to 220 meters.

Limitations

• Specific data formats, row counts, and column details are not provided.
• The dataset appears to be a publication summary rather than raw survey data files.
• Geographic coverage is limited to a specific area adjacent to the Gulf of Papua.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Multibeam sonar survey.

Time Range

null

Freshness

Record updated in April 2026.

Geography

Northern Great Barrier Reef, Australia, adjacent to the southern edge of the Gulf of Papua.