Multilayered chronostratigraphic interpretation of the world's largest airborne electromagnetic survey across the Australian continent  


Authors / CoAuthors

Wong, S. | Roach, I. | Pitt, L. | Nicoll, M. | Hope, J. | Bonnardot, M. | LeyCooper, Y.

Abstract

<div>In Australia, wide-spread sedimentary basin and regolith cover presents a key challenge to explorers, environmental managers and decision-makers, as it obscures underlying rocks of interest. To address this, a national coverage of airborne electromagnetics (AEM) with a 20&nbsp;km line-spacing is being acquired. This survey is acquired as part of the Exploring for the Future program and in collaboration with state and territory geological surveys. This survey presents an opportunity for regional geological interpretations on the modelled AEM data, helping constrain the characteristics of the near-surface geology beneath the abundant cover, to a depth of up to ~500&nbsp;m.</div><div> The AEM conductivity sections were used to delineate key chronostratigraphic boundaries, e.g. the bases of geological eras, and provide a first-pass interpretation of the subsurface geology. The interpretation was conducted with a high level of data integration with boreholes, potential fields geophysics, seismic, surface geology maps and solid geology maps. This approach led to the construction of well-informed geological interpretations and provided a platform for ongoing quality assurance and quality control of the interpretations and supporting datasets. These interpretations are delivered across various platforms in multidimensional non-proprietary open formats, and have been formatted for direct upload to Geoscience Australia’s (GA) Estimates of Geological and Geophysical Surfaces (EGGS) database, the national repository of multidisciplinary subsurface depth estimates.</div><div> These interpretations have resulted in significant advancements in our understanding of Australia’s near-surface geoscience, by revealing valuable information about the thickness and composition of the extensive cover, as well as the composition, structure and distribution of underlying rocks. Current interpretation coverage is ~110,000 line kilometres of AEM conductivity sections, or an area &gt;2,000,000&nbsp;km2, similar to the area of Greenland or Saudi Arabia. This ongoing work has led to the production of almost 600,000 depth estimate points, each attributed with interpretation-specific metadata. Three-dimensional line work and over 300,000 points are currently available for visualisation, integration and download through the GA Portal, or for download through GA’s eCat electronic catalogue. </div><div> These interpretations demonstrate the benefits of acquiring broadly-spaced AEM surveys. Interpretations derived from these surveys are important in supporting regional environmental management, resource exploration, hazard mapping, and stratigraphic unit certainty quantification. Delivered as precompetitive data, these interpretations provide users in academia, government and industry with a multidisciplinary tool for a wide range of investigations, and as a basis for further geoscientific studies.</div> Abstract submitted and presented at 2023 Australian Earth Science Convention (AESC), Perth WA (https://2023.aegc.com.au/)

Product Type

document

eCat Id

147640

Contact for the resource

  Resource provider

 

  Point of contact

Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)  
Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
ACT
2601
Australia

  Point of contact

 

Keywords

( Project )
  • EFTF – Exploring for the Future
( Project )
  • Australia’s Resources Framework
( Project )
  • Australia’s Future Energy Resources
( Project )
  • ARF
( Project )
  • AFER
  • 3D Geoscience Integration
  • Estimates of Geological and Geophysical Surfaces Database
  • EGGS
  • AusAEM interpretation
  • airborne electromagnetics interpretation
  • AEM
  • cover modelling
  • depth estimates
theme.ANZRC Fields of Research.rdf
  • Structural geology and tectonicsResource geoscienceElectrical and electromagnetic methods in geophysicsData qualityDatabase systemsInformation extraction and fusionLand use and environmental planningComputational modelling and simulation in earth sciencesGeoscience data visualisation
  • Published_External

Publication Date

2023-09-19T23:37:11

Creation Date

2023-01-14T05:00:00

Security Constraints

Australian Government Security Classification System    

Classification - unclassified

Legal Constraints

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence    

Use - license otherRestrictions

Status

completed

Purpose

This is a short abstract to accompany an oral presentation at the Australian Earth Sciences Convention 2023. This abstract is to present the work of the AEM interpretation in the 3D Geoscience Integration Activity in the Integrated Geological Mapping section, Mineral Systems Branch, Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division.

Maintenance Information

asNeeded

Topic Category

geoscientificInformation

Series Information

Australian Earth Science Convention (AESC) 27-30 July 2023 Perth WA

Lineage

<div>This abstract covers ongoing work on the interpretation of AEM using the Multilayered Chronostratigraphic AEM Interpretation Workflow. These interpretations cover large parts of the continent and are are being released as interpretation data packages on eCat, as depth estimates through the Estimates of Geological and Geophysical Surfaces database, and for 3D visualisation on the Geoscience Australia Portal. This work is conducted by the 3D Geoscience Integration Activity, in the Integrated Geological Mapping section at Geoscience Australia.</div>

Parent Information

Extents

[-44, -9, 112, 154]

Reference System

Spatial Resolution

Service Information

Associations

Association Type - wasGeneratedBy

Multilayered chronostratigraphic airborne electromagnetic interpretation workflow    

eCat Identifier - 147251,

UUID - 77ad7de5-c591-4f16-aec5-d34cc44be678

Association Type - wasInformedBy

Canning Basin AusAEM interpretation: hydrogen storage potential and multilayered mapping    

eCat Identifier - 146376,

UUID - 968b4ce2-7055-468c-95d4-cdda65cc5cb8

Association Type - series

AusAEM1 Interpretation Data Package    

eCat Identifier - 145120,

UUID - 430acf3d-cdf6-4a78-abbc-d2f9eae5bf91

Association Type - wasInformedBy

Interpretation of the AusAEM1: insights from the world’s largest airborne electromagnetic survey    

eCat Identifier - 134283,

UUID - 92b3093b-4000-4292-8065-3f146d1baae9

Association Type - series

Canning Basin AusAEM Airborne Electromagnetic Interpretation Data Package    

eCat Identifier - 147597,

UUID - 2b95d02c-ab4b-49a0-b7fb-fc9a3ec31765

Downloads and Links

Link to Conference Page  

Source Information