Geoscience Australia marine reconnaissance survey TAN0713 to the Lord Howe Rise offshore eastern Australia was completed as part of the Federal Government¿s Offshore Energy Security Program between 7 October and 22 November 2007 using the New Zealand Government¿s research vessel Tangaroa. The survey was designed to sample key, deep-sea environments on the east Australian margin (a relatively poorly-studied shelf region in terms of sedimentology and benthic habitats) to better define the Capel and Faust basins, which are two major sedimentary basins beneath the Lord Howe Rise. Samples recovered on the survey contribute to a better understanding of the geology of the basins and assist with an appraisal of their petroleum potential. They also add to the inventory of baseline data on deep-sea sediments in Australia. The principal scientific objectives of the survey were to: (1) characterise the physical properties of the seabed associated with the Capel and Faust basins and Gifford Guyot; (2) investigate the geological history of the Capel and Faust basins from a geophysical and geological perspective; and (3) characterise the abiotic and biotic relationships on an offshore submerged plateau, a seamount, and locations where fluid escape features were evident. This dataset comprises total oxygen uptake and total carbon fluxes from core incubation experiments. Some relevant publications which pertain to these datasets include: 1. Heap, A.D., Hughes, M., Anderson, T., Nichol, S., Hashimoto, T., Daniell, J., Przeslawski, R., Payne, D., Radke, L., and Shipboard Party, (2009). Seabed Environments and Subsurface Geology of the Capel and Faust basins and Gifford Guyot, Eastern Australia ¿ post survey report. Geoscience Australia, Record 2009/22, 166pp. 2. Radke, L.C. Heap, A.D., Douglas, G., Nichol, S., Trafford, J., Li, J., and Przeslawski, R. 2011. A geochemical characterization of deep-sea floor sediments of the northern Lord Howe Rise. Deep Sea Research II 58: 909-921

This dataset contains species identifications of sponges collected during survey SOL4934 (R.V. Solander, 27 August - 24 September, 2009). Animals were collected from the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf with a benthic sled. Specimens were lodged at Northern Territory Museum on the 26 September 2009. Species-level identifications were undertaken by Belinda Glasby at the Northern Territory Museum and were delivered to Geoscience Australia on the 23 February 2011. See GA Record 2010/09 for further details on survey methods and specimen acquisition. Data is presented here exactly as delivered by the taxonomist, and Geoscience Australia is unable to verify the accuracy of the taxonomic identifications.

This dataset contains species identifications of echinoderms collected during survey GA2476 (R.V. Solander, 12 August - 15 September 2008). Animals were collected from the Western Australian Margin with a BODO sediment grab or rock dredge. Specimens were lodged at Museum of Victoria on the 10 March 2009. Species-level identifications were undertaken by Tim O'Hara at the Museum of Victoria and were delivered to Geoscience Australia on the 24 April 2009. See GA Record 2009/02 for further details on survey methods and specimen acquisition. Data is presented here exactly as delivered by the taxonomist, and Geoscience Australia is unable to verify the accuracy of the taxonomic identifications.

This dataset contains species identifications of molluscs collected during survey SOL4934 (R.V. Solander, 27 August - 24 September, 2009). Animals were collected from the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf with a benthic sled. Specimens were lodged at Northern Territory Museum on the 3 May 2010. Species-level identifications were undertaken by Richard Willan at the Northern Territory Museum and were delivered to Geoscience Australia on the 5 May 2010 (leg 1 only). See GA Record 2010/09 for further details on survey methods and specimen acquisition. Data is presented here exactly as delivered by the taxonomist, and Geoscience Australia is unable to verify the accuracy of the taxonomic identifications.

Geoscience Australia carried out marine surveys in southeast Tasmania in 2008 and 2009 (GA0315) to map seabed bathymetry and characterise benthic environments through observation of habitats using underwater towed video. Data was acquired using the Tasmania Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute (TAFI) Research Vessel Challenger. Bathymetric mapping was undertaken in seven survey areas, including: Freycinet Pensinula (83 sq km, east coast and shelf); Tasman Peninsula (117 sq km, east coast and shelf); Port Arthur and adjacent open coast (17 sq km); The Friars (41 sq km, south of Bruny Island); lower Huon River estuary (39 sq km); D Entrecastreaux Channel (7 sq km, at Tinderbox north of Bruny Island), and; Maria Island (3 sq km, western side). Video characterisations of the seabed concentrated on areas of bedrock reef and adjacent seabed in all mapped areas, except for D Entrecastreaux Channel and Maria Island. The "challenger" folder contains processed multibeam backscatter data of the South East Tasmania Shelf. The SIMRAD EM3002 multibeam backscatter data were processed using the CMST_GA MB Process, a multibeam processing toolbox codeveloped by Geoscience Australia and Curtin University of Technology.

This dataset contains species identifications of benthic worms collected during survey TAN0713 (R.V. Tangaroa, 7 Oct - 22 Nov 2007). Animals were collected from the Faust and Capel basins and Gifford Guyot with a boxcore, rock dredge, or epibenthic sled. Specimens were lodged at Museum of Victoria in June 2008. Species-level identifications were undertaken by Robin Wilson at the Museum of Victoria and were delivered to Geoscience Australia on 1 Aug 2008. See GA Record 2009/22 for further details on survey methods and specimen acquisition. Data is presented here exactly as delivered by the taxonomist, and Geoscience Australia is unable to verify the accuracy of the taxonomic identifications.

The CARS2006 database is derived from all available historical subsurface ocean property measurements (Ridgway et al, 2002). The measurements have been collected primarily using research vessel instrument profiles and autonomous profiling buoys. The observations have been collected over approximately 50 years and have been used to provide an estimate at every depth and every location in the world's oceans for each day of the year, but not for any individual year. CARS2006 spans the southern 2/3 of the world's oceans, from 70o S to 26o N, except in the Atlantic where is reaches only to10o N. The six water properties mapped in are temperature (deg C), salinity (PSU), oxygen (ml/litre), nitrate (micromole/litre), silicate (micromole/litre), phosphate (micromole/litre). It comprises historic mean fields and average seasonal cycles, derived from all available historical subsurface ocean property measurements (primarily research vessel instrument casts and autonomous profiling buoys). There are 12 grids in the dataset. Two for each of the six water properties: mean and standard deviation. Please see the metadata for more detailed information.

Geoscience Australia carried out a marine survey on Lord Howe Island shelf (NSW) in 2008 (SS062008) to map seabed bathymetry and characterise benthic environments through colocated sampling of surface sediments and infauna, rock coring, observation of benthic habitats using underwater towed video, and measurement of ocean tides and wavegenerated currents. Subbottom profile data was also collected to map sediment thickness and shelf stratigraphy. Data and samples were acquired using the National Facility Research Vessel Southern Surveyor. Bathymetric data from this survey was merged with other preexisting bathymetric data (including LADS) to generate a grid covering 1034 sq km. As part of a separate Geoscience Australia survey in 2007 (TAN0713), an oceanographic mooring was deployed on the northern edge of Lord Howe Island shelf. The mooring was recovered during the 2008 survey following a 6 month deployment. The "2461_ss062008" folder contains processed multibeam backscatter data of the Lord Howe Rise. The SIMRAD EM300 multibeam backscatter data were processed using the CMST-GA MB Process, a multibeam processing toolbox codeveloped by Geoscience Australia and Curtin University of Technology.

Geoscience Australia carried out a marine survey on Carnarvon shelf (WA) in 2008 (SOL4769) to map seabed bathymetry and characterise benthic environments through colocated sampling of surface sediments and infauna, observation of benthic habitats using underwater towed video and stills photography, and measurement of ocean tides and wave generated currents. Data and samples were acquired using the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) Research Vessel Solander. Bathymetric mapping, sampling and video transects were completed in three survey areas that extended seaward from Ningaloo Reef to the shelf edge, including: Mandu Creek (80 sq km); Point Cloates (281 sq km), and; Gnaraloo (321 sq km). Additional bathymetric mapping (but no sampling or video) was completed between Mandu creek and Point Cloates, covering 277 sq km and north of Mandu Creek, covering 79 sq km. Two oceanographic moorings were deployed in the Point Cloates survey area. The survey also mapped and sampled an area to the northeast of the Muiron Islands covering 52 sq km. The "0308_carnarvon_shelf" folder contains raw multibeam backscatter data of the Carnarvorn Shelf. The raw multibeam backscatter data were collected along survey lines using GAs Kongsberg SIMRAD EM3002 in single head configuration from aboard RV Solander.

Geoscience Australia carried out marine surveys in southeast Tasmania in 2008 and 2009 (GA0315) to map seabed bathymetry and characterise benthic environments through observation of habitats using underwater towed video. Data was acquired using the Tasmania Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute (TAFI) Research Vessel Challenger. Bathymetric mapping was undertaken in seven survey areas, including: Freycinet Pensinula (83 sq km, east coast and shelf); Tasman Peninsula (117 sq km, east coast and shelf); Port Arthur and adjacent open coast (17 sq km); The Friars (41 sq km, south of Bruny Island); lower Huon River estuary (39 sq km); D Entrecastreaux Channel (7 sq km, at Tinderbox north of Bruny Island), and; Maria Island (3 sq km, western side). Video characterisations of the seabed concentrated on areas of bedrock reef and adjacent seabed in all mapped areas, except for D Entrecastreaux Channel and Maria Island. The "challenger" folder contains raw multibeam backscatter data from two surveys archived seperately in 0306_tasman1 and 0315_se_tasmania. The raw multibeam backscatter data were collected along survey lines using GAs Kongsberg SIMRAD EM3002 in single head configuration from aboard MV Challenger.