Water and sediment samples were collected around the Atlas Cove Station on Heard Island in January and February 2000 as part of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE). The data was gathered to assess the extent and intensity of contamination from petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Samples were collected using differential GPS for location accuracy and stored frozen at -22 degrees Celsius for later analysis.
Use Cases
- Mapping contamination hotspots based on differential GPS coordinates mentioned in the description.
- Analyzing the relationship between visible hydrocarbon contamination and sample collection sites.
- Comparing heavy metal concentrations in sediment versus water samples collected with different tools.
- Informing environmental management plans for the station based on the sample results.
Strengths
- Sample locations were recorded with differential GPS, with an internal survey accuracy reported to be within 1 metre.
- Specific collection and storage protocols are documented, including the use of cleaned tools, specific jar materials, and freezing at -22°C.
Limitations
- Last updated 2000-02-29 23:59:59.999000; freshness should be verified.
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
Provenance
- Source
- AU_AADC (Australian Antarctic Data Centre)
- Collection Method
- Field collection of water and sediment samples using metal and plastic trowels, with locations recorded via a differential GPS system.
- Time Range
- January-February 2000
- Freshness
- Last updated 2000-02-29 23:59:59.999000
- Geography
- Atlas Cove Station area, Heard Island