<b>This service will be decommissioned on 31/5/2024. The replacement service with existing data is located at https://warehouse.ausseabed.gov.au/geoserver/ows</b> This web service contains information on seabed sediments and geochemistry for samples collected in 2012 from the Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve in the Timor Sea under the National Environmental Research Program Marine Biodiversity Hub.

<b>This service will be decommissioned on 31/5/2024. The replacement service with existing data is located at https://warehouse.ausseabed.gov.au/geoserver/ows</b> This web service contains information on seabed sediments and geochemistry for samples collected in 2012 from the Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve in the Timor Sea under the National Environmental Research Program Marine Biodiversity Hub.

<b>This service will be decommissioned on 31/5/2024. The replacement service with existing data is located at https://warehouse.ausseabed.gov.au/geoserver/ows</b> This web service contains information on seabed sediments and geochemistry for samples collected in 2012 from the Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve in the Timor Sea under the National Environmental Research Program Marine Biodiversity Hub.

Lord Howe Island in the southwest Pacific Ocean is surrounded by a shallow (20 - 120 m) sub-tropical carbonate shelf 24 km wide and 36 km long. On the mid shelf a relict coral reef (165 km2) extends around the island in water depths of 30 - 40 m. The relict reef comprises sand sheet, macroalgae and hardground habitats. Inshore of the relict reef a sandy basin (mean depth 45 m) has thick sand deposits. Offshore of the relict reef is a relatively flat outer shelf (mean depth 60 m) with bedrock exposures and sandy habitat. Infauna species abundance and richness were similar for sediment samples collected on the outer shelf and relict reef, while samples from the basin had significantly lower infauna abundance and richness. The irregular shelf morphology appears to determine the distribution and character of sandy substrates and local oceanographic conditions, which in turn influence the distribution of different types of infauna communities.

In May 2013, Geoscience Australia, in collaboration with the Australian Institute of Marine Science, undertook a marine survey of the Leveque Shelf (survey number SOL5754/GA0340), a sub-basin of the Browse Basin. This survey provides seabed and shallow geological information to support an assessment of the CO2 storage potential of the Browse sedimentary basin. The basin, located on the Northwest Shelf, Western Australia, was previously identified by the Carbon Storage Taskforce (2009) as potentially suitable for CO2 storage. The survey was undertaken under the Australian Government's National CO2 Infrastructure Plan (NCIP) to help identify sites suitable for the long term storage of CO2 within reasonable distances of major sources of CO2 emissions. The principal aim of the Leveque Shelf marine survey was to look for evidence of any past or current gas or fluid seepage at the seabed, and to determine whether these features are related to structures (e.g. faults) in the Leveque Shelf area that may extend to the seabed. The survey also mapped seabed habitats and biota to provide information on communities and biophysical features that may be associated with seepage. This research, combined with deeper geological studies undertaken concurrently, addresses key questions on the potential for containment of CO2 in the basin's proposed CO2 storage unit, i.e. the basal sedimentary section (Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous), and the regional integrity of the Heyward Formation (the seal unit overlying the main reservoir). The survey collected one hundred and eleven seabed sediment samples that were analysed for their grain size, textural composition and carbonate content. This dataset includes the results of grain size analysis measured by laser diffractometer.

This record is a summary of the preliminary results of the third AGSO / Antarctic Co-operative Research Centre/ ANARE marine geoscience program in East Antarctica since 1993. The voyage included visits to Vincennes Bay, Prydz Bay and the Mac. Robertson Shelf, Antarctica and to Heard Island on the Kerguelen Plateau. The purpose of the voyage was to conduct a marine science geophysical survey and sediment processes/sampling program at several key areas in the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT) during the 1996-97 season, namely: (i) the deep shelf basin located in Vincennes Bay; (ii) Prydz Bay grounding line moraines and trough mouth fan deposits, and (iii) the Nielsen shelf valley off Mac.Robertson Land. The objectives for the cruise included: (1) to collect cores and seismic data from shelf basins that preserve a record of the timing of ice sheet retreat from the shelf break following the last glacial maximum (LGM); (2) to collect geochemical data from the water column and underlying sediments which will improve interpretation of short-term (Holocene) palaeoenvironmental records preserved in biogenic sediment cores; (3) to obtain seismic data in support of proposed ODP drilling on the Prydz trough mouth fan; and (4) to quantify modern sedimentary processes for the purpose of deriving facies models and analysis of facies successions in the cores. In Vincennes Bay, eight cores were collected at six stations; 3 are located on an outer shelf bank and 3 are from a deep (up to 1,850 m water depth) glacial trough on the inner shelf. The inner shelf cores are interpreted as Holocene in age throughout and contain a diatom and possible organic carbon record that looks promising for correlation with the Law Dome ice core record. About 200km of seismic data were collected in Vincennes Bay which show the inner shelf to be glacially incised and deeply eroded, exposing crystalline basement, whilst the mid to outer shelf preserves much of its sedimentary cover, although glacial erosion is also exhibited. A total of 19 gravity cores were collected in Prydz Bay. The cores indicate that the LGM was associated with grounding of a paleo-ice shelf only along the periphery of Prydz Channel and not to the shelf break. Most deposition in front of the grounding line was dominated by ice-rafted sedimentation, as opposed to sediment gravity flows. Beneath some LGM glacial marine deposits lies a key bed of reworked diatom ooze that is distinct in its size (species) sorting and abundance of Pliocene diatoms. This "interstadial" unit can be traced between cores across more than 15,000 km2 of the Prydz Channel. About 900 km of seismic and sidescan sonar data were collected from Prydz Bay and have provided an insight into the internal structure of several inner shelf moraines. A large (>80km long) iceberg was located on the slope off Prydz Bay and prevented site survey work on the proposed ODP sites. However, some outstanding sidescan sonar records were collected from inner Prydz Bay, which revealed iceberg gouges, flutes and some previously undescribed sedimentary bedforms in several areas. On the Mac.Robertson shelf, two current meters were successfully deployed, 320 km of seismic and sidescan sonar data and 7 cores were collected. One seismic line was completed from the shelf break to the inner part of the Nielsen Basin and three gravity cores were also collected along this seismic line. Further to the west in "Iceberg Alley", an additional 4 gravity cores were collected and a seismic line was shot along part of a cross-shelf transect.

This Bulletin presents the results of a geological reconnaissance of the northwest Australian continental shelf by the Bureau of Mineral Resources carried out during two 3-month cruises, one in late 1967 and the second in late 1968. In compilation of the results some use has also been made of the shallow seismic reflection profiles and echograms collected during a marine geophysical survey of the Northwest Shelf by Ray Geophysical Division of Mandrel Industries Inc. under contract to the BMR in 1968. The other main sources of data used are the published and unpublished soundings compiled by the RAN Hydrographic Office, and the sea-bed sediment notations on Australian and British Admiralty Charts. The brief description of the offshore structural framework and Phanerozoic sedimentation is almost entirely based on the subsidized petroleum exploration work of BOC of Australia Ltd and associated companies; it does not include results obtained after 1971. The region surveyed extends from Barrow Island in the south to beyond Scott Reef, a distance of 1200 km (Fig. 1). It covers the Rowley Shelf and the southern part of the Sahul Shelf, as defined by Fairbridge (1953); in popular usage all this wide area is now referred to as the Northwest Shelf, and this term is preferred here. The basic objectives of the survey were to describe the sediments of the continental shelf and upper slope and to map their distribution, and to elucidate the late Cainozoic geological history of the continental margin from the study of surface morphology and shallow structures. The Northwest Shelf was chosen because of its position on the west side of the continent, and because the limited data available on ocean water chemistry and circulation patterns indicated that some potential for deposits of phosphate existed. Although sediments enriched with phosphorus were encountered locally, no material approaching economic grade was recovered.

On behalf of Australia, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is leading search operations for missing Malaysian airlines flight MH370 in the Southern Indian Ocean. Geoscience Australia provided advice, expertise and support to the ATSB to facilitate bathymetric surveys, which were undertaken to provide a detailed map of the sea floor topography to aid navigation during the underwater search. Bathymetric data was acquired by multibeam sonar mounted on the hull of multiple vessels (GA survey reference: GA-4421, GA-4422 & GA-4430). Bathymetric surveys were conducted from June 2014 to February 2017, collecting over 710,000 square kilometres of data in the search area and along transit lines (to and from the search area). This dataset allows exploration of the seafloor topography through an optimal resolution compilation of tiles across the search and transit areas of the Southern Indian Ocean. The dataset is overlain on a hillshade created from the Optimal resolution bathymetry data. The hillshade was created with the parameters of point illumination azimuth at 45 degrees and altitude of 45 degrees.

This report is the first of three reports that provide the scientific analyses and interpretations resulting from a four-year collaborative habitat mapping program undertaken within the Darwin and Bynoe Harbour region by Geoscience Australia (GA), the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and the Northern Territory Government Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). This 4 year program (2014-2018) aims to improve knowledge of the marine environments in the Darwin and Bynoe Harbour regions by collating and collecting baseline information and developing thematic habitat maps that will underpin future marine resource management decisions. This program was made possible through offset funds provided by the INPEX-operated Ichthys LNG Project to DENR, and co-investments from GA and AIMS.

This report is the third of three reports that provide the scientific analyses and interpretations resulting from a four-year collaborative habitat mapping program undertaken within the Darwin and Bynoe Harbour region by Geoscience Australia (GA), the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and the Northern Territory Government Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). This program was made possible through offset funds provided by the INPEX-operated Ichthys LNG Project to DENR, and co-investments from GA and AIMS.