The cartographic collection of the Doc Fisher Geoscience Library consists of the maps and air photos created or acquired by agency staff since the formation of BMR in 1946. This includes maps produced by agencies which have merged with these over the years, such as AUSLIG. Maps held include: Australian geological map series (1:250,000, 1:100,000 and the 1 mile series); topographic maps produced by NATMAP and its predecessors (1:250,000, 1:100,000 and 1:50,000) - latest editions only; various Australian geochemical, geophysical and other thematic maps; geoscience map series from other countries acquired on an exchange basis, including some with accompanying explanatory notes; Non-series maps acquired by donation or exchange; atlases. The Air photos are predominantly those used for mapping Australia and, to a lesser extent, Papua New Guinea and Antarctica, by BMR/AGSO from the 1940s to the 1980s. Geographical coverage of the sets is not complete, but many individual photos are unique in that they have pin points, overlays or other markings made by teams in the field. The Papua New Guinea photographs in the collection may, in many cases, be the only existing copies. Flight diagrams are also held for many (but not all) sets of air photos. Some other related materials, such as montages of aerial photographs (orthophotos), are also represented in the collection.

No abstract available

This dataset provides the spatially continuous data of the seabed sand content (sediment fraction 63-2000 mm) expressed as a weight percentage ranging from 0 to 100%, presented in 0.01 decimal degree resolution raster format. The dataset covers the Australian continental EEZ, including seabed surrounding Tasmania. It does not include areas surrounding Macquarie Island, and the Australian Territories of Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, and Cocos (Keeling) Islands or Australia's marine jurisdiction off of the Territory of Heard and McDonald Islands and the Australian Antarctic Territory. This dataset supersedes previous predictions of sediment sand content for the Australian Margin with demonstrated improvements in accuracy. Accuracy of predictions varies based on density of underlying data and level of seabed complexity. Artefacts occur in this dataset as a result of insufficient samples in relevant regions. This dataset is intended for use at national and regional scales. The dataset may not be appropriate for use at local scales in areas where sample density is insufficient to detect local variation in sediment properties. To obtain the most accurate interpretation of sediment distribution in these areas, it is recommended that additional samples be collected and interpolations updated.

Data gathered in the field during the sample collection phase of the National Geochemical Survey of Australia (NGSA) has been used to compile the Preliminary Soil pH map of Australia. The map, which was completed in late 2009, offers a first-order estimate of where acid or alkaline soil conditions are likely to be expected. It provides fundamental datasets that can be used for mineral exploration and resource potential evaluation, environmental monitoring, landuse policy development, and geomedical studies into the health of humans, animals and plants.

The coastal zone is arguably the most difficult geographical region to capture as data because of its dynamic nature. Yet, coastal geomorphology is fundamental data required in studies of the potential impacts of climate change. Anthropogenic and natural structural features are commonly mapped individually, with their inherent specific purposes and constraints, and subsequently overlain to provide map products. This coastal geomorphic mapping project centered on a major coastal metropolitan area between Lake Illawarra and Newcastle, NSW, has in contrast classified both anthropogenic and natural geomorphological features within the one dataset to improve inundation modelling. Desktop mapping was undertaken using the Australian National Coastal Geomorphic (Polygon) Classification being developed by Geoscience Australia and supported by the Department of Climate Change. Polygons were identified from 50cm and 1m aerial imagery. These data were utilized in parallel with previous maps including for example 1:25K Quaternary surface geology, acid sulphate soil risk maps as well as 1:100K bedrock geology polygon maps. Polygons were created to capture data from the inner shelf/subtidal zone to the 10 m contour and include fluvial environments because of the probability of marine inundation of freshwater zones. Field validation was done as each desktop mapping section was near completion. This map has innovatively incorporated anthropogenic structures as geomorphological features because we are concerned with the present and future geomorphic function rather than the past. Upon completion it will form part of the National Coastal Geomorphic Map of Australia, also being developed by Geoscience Australia and utilized in conjunction with Smartline.

The Leeuwin Current has significant ecological impact on the coastal and marine ecosystem of south-western Australia. This study investigated the spatial and temporal dynamics of the Leeuwin Current using monthly MODIS SST dataset between July 2002 and December 2012. Topographic Position Index layers were derived from the SST data for the mapping of the spatial structure of the Leeuwin Current. The semi-automatic classification process involves segmentation, 'seeds' growing and manual editing. The mapping results enabled us to quantitatively examine the current's spatial and temporal dynamics in structure, strength, cross-shelf movement and chlorophyll a characteristic. It was found that the Leeuwin Current exhibits complex spatial structure, with a number of meanders, offshoots and eddies developed from the current core along its flowing path. The Leeuwin Current has a clear seasonal cycle. During austral winter, the current locates closer to the coast (near shelf break), becomes stronger in strength and has higher chlorophyll a concentrations. While, during austral summer, the current moves offshore, reduces its strength and chlorophyll a concentrations. The Leeuwin Current also has notable inter-annual variation due to ENSO events. In El Niño years the current is likely to reduce strength, move further inshore and increase its chlorophyll a concentrations. The opposite occurs during the La Niña years. In addition, this study also demonstrated that the Leeuwin Current has a significantly positive influence over the regional nutrient characteristics during the winter and autumn seasons.

Geoscience Australia (GA) is a leading promoter of airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveying for regional mapping of cover thickness, under-cover basement geology and sedimentary basin architecture. Geoscience Australia flew three regional AEM surveys during the 2006-2011 Onshore Energy Security Program (OESP): Paterson (Western Australia, 2007-08); Pine Creek-Kombolgie (Northern Territory, 2009); and Frome (South Australia, 2010). Results from these surveys have produced a new understanding of the architecture of critical mineral system elements and mineral prospectivity (for a wide range of commodities) of these regions in the regolith, sedimentary basins and buried basement terrains. The OESP AEM survey data were processed using the National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) at the Australian National University to produce GIS-ready interpretation products and GOCADTM objects. The AEM data link scattered stratigraphic boreholes and seismic lines and allow the extrapolation of these 1D and 2D objects into 3D, often to explorable depths (~ 500 m). These data sets can then be combined with solid geology interpretations to allow researchers in government, industry and academia to build more reliable 3D models of basement geology, unconformities, the depth of weathering, structures, sedimentary facies changes and basin architecture across a wide area. The AEM data can also be used to describe the depth of weathering on unconformity surfaces that affects the geophysical signatures of underlying rocks. A number of 3D models developed at GA interpret the under-cover geology of cratons and mobile zones, the unconformity surfaces between these and the overlying sedimentary basins, and the architecture of those basins. These models are constructed primarily from AEM data using stratigraphic borehole control and show how AEM data can be used to map the cross-over area between surface geological mapping, stratigraphic drilling and seismic reflection mapping. These models can be used by minerals explorers to more confidently explore in areas of shallow to moderate sedimentary basin cover by providing more accurate cover thickness and depth to target information. The impacts of the three OESP AEM surveys are now beginning to be recognised. The success of the Paterson AEM Survey has led to the Geological Survey of Western Australia announcing a series of OESP-style regional AEM surveys for the future, the first of which (the Capricorn Orogen AEM Survey) completed acquisition in January 2014. Several new discoveries have been attributed to the OESP AEM data sets including deposits at Yeneena (copper) and Beadell (copper-lead-zinc) in the Paterson region, Thunderball (uranium) in the Pine Creek region and Farina (copper) in the Frome region. New tenements for uranium, copper and gold have also been announced on the results of these surveys. Regional AEM is now being applied in a joint State and Commonwealth Government initiative between GA, the Geological Survey of Queensland and the Geological Survey of New South Wales to assess the geology and prospectivity of the Southern Thomson Orogen around Hungerford and Eulo. These data will be used to map the depth of the unconformity between the Thomson Orogen rocks and overlying sedimentary basins, interpret the nature of covered basement rocks and provide more reliable cover thickness and depth to target information for explorers in this frontier area.

Multibeam sonars provide co-located high-resolution bathymetry and acoustic backscatter data over a swath of the seafloor. Not only does backscatter response vary with incidence angles but it also changes with different seabed habitat types as well. The resulting imagery depicts spatial changes in the morphological and physical characteristics of the seabed that many use to relate to other dataset such as biology and sediment data for seabed habitat classification purposes. As a co-custodian of national bathymetry data, Geoscience Australia holds massive volumes of multibeam data from various systems including comprehensive collection from its own SIMRAD EM3002D multibeam sonar system. Consequently, Geoscience Australia is researching the application of acoustic backscatter data for seabed habitat mapping to assist with deriving an inventory of seabed habitats for Australia's marine jurisdiction. We present a procedure and a technique developed for our SIMRAD EM3002D multibeam sonar system to derive meaningful angular backscatter response curves. The ultimate goal of this excersie is to try to make use of the angular backscatter response curve that many believe is unique and is an intrinsic property of the seafloor for seabed habitat classification purposes. Adopting the technique intially developed by the Centre for Marine Science and Technology at Curtin University of Technology, Geoscience Australia has further improved these techniques to suits its own sonar system. Issues surrounding the production of the angular backscatter response curves and their solutions will be discussed. We also present results derived from multibeam data acquired in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, NT and from the Carnarvorn Shelf (Point Cloates), WA from aboard AIMS Research Vessel Solander. This includes potential use of the angular backscatter response curves for seabed classification and results from a simple analysis using the Kolmogrov-Smirnov goodness of fit.

The Harris Greenstone Belt in the central Gawler Craton of South Australia has potential for Archaean Ni-Cu-PGE sulphide and Archaean-Proterozoic lode-Au mineralising systems. This map is a preliminary interpretation of the Precambrian basement geology based on aeromagnetics, gravity, and diamond drilling. It highlights the extensive distribution of poorly exposed Archaean komatiites and associated rocks (green) that have a strike extent of at least 300 km. The regional pattern of linear komatiitic sequences associated with ovoid granitic plutons and province-wide shear systems, is very similar to the economically important Eastern Goldfields Province in the Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia. Related products <a href="https://www.ga.gov.au/products/servlet/controller?event=GEOCAT_DETAILS&amp;catno=40975">Harris Greenstone Belt GIS Dataset</a> <a href="https://www.ga.gov.au/products/servlet/controller?event=GEOCAT_DETAILS&amp;catno=68362">Gawler Mineral Promotion: Preliminary assessment of the Ni-Cu-PGE potential of the Harris Greenstone Belt, Gawler Craton - PowerPoint</a>

The product comprises digital outcrop geology and interpreted basement geology layers in ArcInfo, MapInfo and ArcView formats. The data were compiled from geological mapping of the Parkes 100K sheet from 1995 to 1998 by AGSO and the NSW Geological Survey under the NGMA. The data layers are a subset of the Forbes 250K sheet GIS data package.