HVC - High Value Collection
Type of resources
Keywords
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3D structural and geological models that provide insight and understanding of the continents subsurface. The models capture 3D stratigraphy and architecture, including the depth to bedrock and the locations of different major rock units, faults and geological structures. <b>Value: </b>These models are valuable for exploration and reconstructions of Australia's evolution <b>Scope: </b>Contains a variety of 3D volumetric models and surfaces that were produced for specific projects at regional to continental scale.
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Data used to generate the National Seismic Hazard Assessments (NSHA). Data includes: original and modified earthquake catalogues, earthquake rate models, probabilistic seismic hazard outputs. The most recent assessment was completed in 2018 and can be viewed on Geoscience Australia's <a href="http://www.ga.gov.au/about/projects/safety/nsha">National Seismic Hazard Assessment (NSHA) Internet Page</a> <b>Value: </b> Data used to generate the NSHA <b>Scope: </b>Continental scale
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Collection of field notebooks recording mainly geological observations made by staff of Geoscience Australia (GA) and its predecessors, Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR) and Australian Geological Survey Organisation (AGSO), while conducting fieldwork between 1930 and 2010. The notebooks are currently being digitised. <b>Value: </b>Historic and scientific significance. Many sites visited are remote and have rarely been revisited. Some notebooks also record observations on fauna and flora. <b>Scope: </b>Geographical scope is largely Australia, pre- and post-Independence Papua New Guinea (PNG), and the Australian Antarctic Territory, but other countries and territories are represented.
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Analysis Ready Data (ARD) takes medium resolution satellite imagery captured over the Australian continent and corrects for inconsistencies across land and coastal fringes. The result is accurate and standardised surface reflectance data, which is instrumental in identifying and quantifying environmental change. This product is a single, cohesive ARD package, which allows you to analyse surface reflectance data as is, without the need to apply additional corrections. ARD consists of sub products, including : 1) NBAR Surface Reflectance which produces standardised optical surface reflectance data using robust physical models which correct for variations and inconsistencies in image radiance values. Corrections are performed using Nadir corrected Bi-directional reflectance distribution function Adjusted Reflectance (NBAR). 2) NBART Surface Reflectance which performs the same function as NBAR Surface Reflectance, but also applies terrain illumination correction. 3) OA Observation Attributes product which provides accurate and reliable contextual information about the data. This 'data provenance' provides a chain of information which allows the data to be replicated or utilised by derivative applications. It takes a number of different forms, including satellite, solar and surface geometry and classification attribution labels. ARD enables generation of Derivative Data and information products that represent biophysical parameters, either summarised as statistics, or as observations, which underpin an understanding of environmental dynamics. The development of derivative products to monitor land, inland waterways and coastal features, such as: - urban growth - coastal habitats - mining activities - agricultural activity (e.g. pastoral, irrigated cropping, rain-fed cropping) - water extent Derivative products include: - Water Observations from Space (WOfS) - National Intertidal Digital Elevation Model (NIDEM) - Fractional Cover (FC) - Geomedian ARD and Derivative products are reproduced through a period collection upgrade process for each sensor platform. This process applied improvements to the algorithms and techniques and benefits from improvements applied to the baseline data that feeds into the ARD production processes. <b>Value: </b>These data are used to understand distributions of and changes in surface character, environmental systems, land use. <b>Scope: </b>Australian mainland and some part of adjacent nations. Access data via the DEA web page - <a href="https://www.dea.ga.gov.au/products/baseline-data">https://www.dea.ga.gov.au/products/baseline-data</a>
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Geoscience Australia (GA) has acquired Landsat satellite image data over Australia since 1979, from instruments including the Thematic Mapper (TM), Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS). This data represents raw telemetry which has either been received directly at Geoscience Australia's (GAs) receiving stations (Alice Springs or - formerly - Hobart), or downloaded from the United States Geological Survey Organisation. The data is maintained in raw telemetry format as a baseline to downstream processes. While this data has been used extensively for numerous land and coastal mapping studies, its utility for accurate monitoring of environmental resources has been limited by the processing methods that have been traditionally used to correct for inherent geometric and radiometric distortions in EO imagery. To improve access to Australia's archive of Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI data, several collaborative projects have been undertaken in conjunction with industry, government and academic partners. These projects have enabled implementation of a more integrated approach to image data correction that incorporates normalising models to account for atmospheric effects, BRDF (Bi-directional Reflectance Distribution Function) and topographic shading (Li et al., 2012). The approach has been applied to Landsat TM/ETM+ and OLI imagery to create the surface reflectance products. <b>Value: </b>The Landsat Raw Data Archive is processed and further calibrated to input to development of information products toward an improved understanding of the distribution and status of environmental phenomena. <b>Scope: </b>Data is provided via the US Geological Survey's (USGS) Landsat program, following downlink and recording of the data at Alice Springs Antenna (operated by Geoscience Australia) or downloaded directly from USGS EROS
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Gravity data measure small changes in gravity due to changes in the density of rocks beneath the Earth's surface. The gravity data collection contains both onshore and offshore data acquired on geophysical surveys conducted by Commonwealth, State & NT Governments and the private sector. <b>Value: </b>Gravity used to infer (model) the presence and position of different rock types in the subsurface. Used in resource assessment <b>Scope: </b>Australia continent and some data from marine surveys in region
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This data collection are comprised of magnetic surveys acquired across Australia by Commonwealth, State and Northern Territory governments and the private sector with project management and quality control undertaken by Geoscience Australia. Magnetic surveying is a geophysical method for measuring the intensity (or strength) of the Earth's magnetic field, which includes the fields associated with the Earth's core and the magnetism of rocks in the Earth's crust. Measuring the magnetism of rocks, in particular, provides a means for the direct detection of several different types of mineral deposits and for geological mapping. The magnetism of rocks depends on the volume, orientation and distribution of their constituent magnetic minerals (namely magnetite, monoclinic pyrrhotite, maghaemite and ilmenite). The instrument used in magnetic surveys is a magnetometer, which can measure the intensity of the magnetic field in nanoteslas (nT). Magnetic surveys in this collection have been acquired using aircraft or ship-mounted magnetometers and are a non-invasive method for investigating subsurface geology.
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This data collection is comprised of radiometric (gamma-ray spectrometric) surveys acquired across Australia by Commonwealth, State and Northern Territory governments and the private sector with project management and quality control undertaken by Geoscience Australia. The radiometric method measures naturally occurring radioactivity arising from gamma-rays. In particular, the method is able to identify the presence of the radioactive isotopes potassium (K), uranium (U) and thorium (Th). The measured radioactivity is then converted into concentrations of the radioelements K, U and Th in the ground. Radiometric surveys have a limited ability to see into the subsurface with the measured radioactivity originating from top few centimetres of the ground. These surveys are primarily used as a geological mapping tool as changes in rock and soil type are often accompanied by changes in the concentrations of the radioactive isotopes of K, U and Th. The method is also capable of directly detecting mineral deposits. For example, K alteration can be detected using the radiometric method and is often associated with hydrothermal ore deposits. Similarly, the method is also used for U and Th exploration, heat flow studies, and environmental mapping purposes such as characterising surface drainage features. The instrument used in radiometric surveys is a gamma-ray spectrometer. This instrument measures the number of radioactive emissions (measured in counts per second) and their energies (measured in electron volts (eV)). Radiometric data are simultaneously acquired with magnetic data during airborne surveys and are a non-invasive method for investigating near-surface geology and regolith.
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Hydrochemistry data for Australian groundwater, including field and laboratory measurements of chemical parameters (electrical conductivity (EC), potential of hydrogen (pH), redox potential, and dissolved oxygen), major and minor ions, trace elements, nutrients, pesticides, isotopes and organic chemicals. < <b>Value: </b>The chemical properties of groundwater are key parameters to understand groundwater systems and their functions. Groundwater chemistry information includes the ionic and isotopic composition of the water, representing the gases and solids that are dissolved in it. Hydrochemistry data is used to understand the source, flow, and interactions of groundwater samples with surface water and geological units, providing insight into aquifer characteristics. Hydrochemistry information is key to determining the quality of groundwater resources for societal, agricultural, industrial and environmental applications. Insights from hydrochemical analyses can be used to assess a groundwater resource, the impact of land use changes, irrigation and groundwater extraction on regional groundwater quality and quantity, assess prospective mineral exploration targets, and determine how groundwater interacts with surface water in streams and lakes. <b>Scope: </b>The database was inaugurated in 2016 with hydrochemical data collected over the Australian landmass by Geoscience Australia and its predecessors, and has expanded with regional and national data. It has been in the custodianship of the hydrochemists in Geoscience Australia's Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division and its predecessors. Explore the <b>Geoscience Australia portal - https://portal.ga.gov.au/</b>
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The national Marine Sediments collection is a scientific resource that includes information for samples collected within the Australian marine jurisdiction, including location, water depth, sampling method and sample descriptions. Data are provided from quantitative analyses of the samples, such as grain size, mud, sand, gravel and carbonate concentrations. Additional analyses on some samples include mineralogy, age determinations, geochemical properties, and physical attributes for down-core samples including bulk density, p-wave velocity, porosity and magnetic susceptibility. Images and graphics are presented, where available. MARS currently holds >40,000 sample and sub-sample records, and approximately 200,000 records describing the characteristics of these samples. New data are being added as they become available. <b>Value: </b>Seabed sediment data is used to characterise the surface geology of the sea floor, important in resource exploration, marine zone management and understanding the physical environment. <b>Scope: </b>Samples were collected from Australia's marine jurisdiction, including the Australian Antarctic Territory. >40,000 sample and sub-sample records, and approximately 200,000 records describing the characteristics of these samples.