Bathymetric grid for the Gulf of Papua and adjacent areas

Brief description

This study describes the production of a new bathymetric grid for the Gulf of Papua region (Figure 1). The grid covers 140.0 - 150.0 E, 6.0 - 14.0 S with a cell size of 3.600 (110 m). The regional scale of the grid and the 3.600 cell size is intended to provide (1) the most "up-to-date" compilation of bathymetric data for the Gulf of Papua and (2) a tool for understanding sediment transport and accumulation for the region.

Full description

A new bathymetric grid for the Gulf of Papua and northern Australia was produced for the area 140–150E, 6–14S, with a 3.600 (110 m) cell size. New multibeam sonar surveys have added much needed detail to a region of the seabed where previously little was known. In shallow Australian waters, bathymetry derived from Landsat satellite imagery was used to supplement traditionally acquired bathymetric data. For onshore areas, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission data were used for topographic control. The final grid revealed numerous features not observed in previous compilations of bathymetric data for the region. Bathymetric surveys on the continental shelf revealed an incised shelf with highly variable valley morphology. Prograding clinoforms are infilling valleys on the continental shelf and mark the seaward extension of the Fly River delta. A linear, relict shelf-edge barrier marks the shelf break in the northern Ashmore Trough region, elsewhere the shelf break is scalloped and incised by canyons. Large mass transport deposits are widespread on the continental slope and indicate regions where mass wasting is common.

This dataset consists of a ASC file (235 MB) available for research purposes and on request - with the proviso that it must never be used for navigation.

A downloadable version (TIF file) is also available from Figshare and can be accessed and cited as follows:
Daniell, James (2020): Gulf of Papua Bathymetry raster dataset. figshare. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.11986797.v1 

Notes

Data format is GIS. The density of data used to make this dataset is highly variable and an interpolation routine is used to fill the gaps between data points. As a result, users of this dataset must understand that it is to be used as a research aid only and not for vessel navigation under any circumstances. Details of the input data density for the grid is found within the Daniell (2008) publication’.