On the Australian margin, submarine canyons have formed along all sides of the continent and are exposed to the potential influence of large-scale ocean currents, including the Leeuwin Current and the East Australian Current. Recognised in marine bioregional plans as potential biodiversity hotspots, many of these canyons sit within the new national network of Commonwealth Marine Reserves.

This GIS polygon layer contains 753 submarine canyons along the Australian continental margin and external territorie, mapped from a range of bathymetry datasets. The layer has attributes describing the canyon's geophysical characteristics. The definitions are as follows.

SHAPE_Leng: Perimeter (km)

SHAPE_Area: Planar area (km2)

centreli_L: Centreline length (km); total length of canyon/sub-canyons centreline(s)

MBG_Width: Minimum bounding rectangle width (km)

MBG_Length: Minimum bounding rectangle length (km)

MBG_Orient: Minimum bounding rectangle orientation

len_wid_ra: Length to width ratio; a measure of elongation; larger the value the more elongate the canyon

border_ind: Border index; a measure of geometric complexity; larger he value the more fractal the canyon

compactnes: a measure of compactness; larger the value the more compact the canyon (or the smaller its border)

no_branch: Number of sub-canyons

head_incis: Head incision (m); incision deph of canyon head

head_depth: Head depth (m); water depth of canyon head

foot_depth: Foot depth (m); water depth of canyon foot

depth_rang: Depth range (m); depth range between canyon head and foot

slope_mean: Slope mean; average slope gradients within canyon polygon

slope_std: Slope standard deviation; standard deviation of the slope gradients within canyon polygon

slope_rang: Slope range; range between maximum and minimum slope gradients within canyon polygon

surArea1: Surface area (km2); 3-D surface area of canyon

rugosity: Rugosity; roughness of canyon surface

volume: Volume (km3); 3-D volume enclosed by the canyon bottom and walls

head_x: X coordinate of canyon head; in Asia south Equidistant Conic projection

head_y: Y coordinate of canyon head; in Asia south Equidistant Conic projection

foot_x: X coordinate of canyon foot; in Asia south Equidistant Conic projection

foot_y: Y coordinate of canyon foot; in Asia south Equidistant Conic projection

h_f_dist: Head to foot distance (km); euclidian distance between canyon head and foot

h_f_slope: head to foot slope; slope gradient between canyon head and foot

dist_shelf: Distance to shelf (km); euclidian distance of canyon to shelf break; a distance of zero indicates that canyon touchs or intersects the shelf break or within the continental shelf

near_canyo: Nearest canyon (km); euclidian distance to the nearest canyon

dist_coast: Distance to coast (km); euclidian distance of canyon to Australian coast

focal_var: Focal variety; number of neighbouring canyons within a nominated proximity

inci_depth: Incision depth (m); averged depth of canyon area that incises into shelf break; slope-confined canyons have values of zero

inci_area: Incision area (km2) ; area of canyon area that incises into shelf break; slope-confined canyons have values of zero

slope15: Percentage of slope gradient greater than 15 degree; percentage of canyon area with slope gradients greater than 15 degree

sinuosity: a measure of sinuosity; larger the value the more sinuous the canyon

shelf_inci: Shelf incision; shlef-incising canyons have value of 1; slope-confined canyons have value of zero

dist_river: Distance to revier (km); euclidian distance to the mouth of the nearest permanent river

uncertain: Uncertainty; mapping uncertainty assigned to canyon; larger the value the more uncertain the mapping is

marine_reg: Marine region; the location of the canyon in one of the marine regions

canyon_nam: The name of canyon if known

map_region: Map region; the location of canyon in one of the map regions

Please refer to Marine Geology 357, 362-383 for details of mapping methods.