Seamounts and raised seabed features of the Australian margin

Brief description

Seamount features were extracted from a range of data sources (see 'lineage' section of this record) for the area surrounding the Australian continental margin. These were cross-referenced with GEBCO's 2023 global terrain model (15 arc-second interval grid) and any obviously erroneous features removed. This dataset includes all features located inside the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Rather than cropping exclusively to this boundary, those features falling outside the Aus EEZ but in the approximate vicinity were also retained for context

Existing feature boundaries were redigitised for areas in which more recent high-resolution bathymetry was available, utilising the 'Bathymetry of Australian Marine Parks (2023)' compilation dataset and individual survey datasets available through the AusSeabed data portal (https://portal.ga.gov.au/persona/marine). Where available, fine-scale geomorphic mapping in which seamounts and pinnacles had been classified were extracted and merged with the larger-scale features. If fine-scale mapping disagreed with features classified in the broader-scale datasets, the finer-scale data was prioritised.

Where multiple features occurred immediately adjacent to each other, the digitised area represents the "footprint" of the features and as such, a single polygon may encompass multiple peaks. Where features could be uniquely identified (eg by a formal name/title), this attribute is included in the dataset.

This dataset will continue to be updated as more bathymetry data is collected, or until such time that a new authoritative seamounts dataset is released for the Australian margin.

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: asNeeded

Statement: Datasets used in this analysis:

The GEBCO_2023 Grid - a continuous terrain model of the global oceans and land. https://www.gebco.net/data_and_products/gridded_bathymetry_data/gebco_2023/

Various bathymetry mapping datasets from AusSeabed (https://portal.ga.gov.au/persona/marine)

Heap, A.D., Harris, P.T. 2008. Geomorphology of the Australian Margin and Adjacent Seafloor. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08120090801888669 [seamount/pinnacle features extracted]

The Global Seamounts Database (KWSMTS v0.1)
http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/PT/SMTS/main.html for data access
Kim, S.-S., and P. Wessel (2011), New global seamount census from the altimetry-derived gravity data, Geophysical Journal International., 186, 615-631. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.2011.05076.x

Lucieer, V. (2020). Geomorphology and Surface Classification of seven Coral Sea seamounts. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania (UTAS). Data accessed from https://metadata.imas.utas.edu.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/a56b2120-9753-4285-9767-f09060f8f3b8 on 10/05/2023.

Lucieer, V (2018). Geomorphology map of the Huon Australian Marine Park. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania (UTAS). Data accessed from http://metadata.imas.utas.edu.au/geonetwork/srv/en/metadata.show?uuid=6e9916d1-0e9c-4cf0-b08e-e5e631c1aa4d on 10/05/2023.

Monk, J., Flukes, E. & Lucieer, V. (2022). Geomorphometry of Australian Marine Parks. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania (UTAS). Data accessed from https://metadata.imas.utas.edu.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/40e9283b-d4ed-4176-8fe6-112b8697003f on 10/05/2023.

Beaman, R. (2012). Project 3DGBR: Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea Geomorphic Features (JCU) [Dataset]. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University [producer]. eAtlas [distributor]. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/ [license]. Available from https://eatlas.org.au/data/uuid/25685ba5-6583-494f-974d-cce2f3429b78

Yesson, C et al. (2011): The global distribution of seamounts based on 30-second bathymetry data. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 58(4), 442-453, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2011.02.004
see https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.757563 for 2011 data and https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.921688 for updated 2020 data

Harris, P.T., Macmillan-Lawler, M., Rupp, J. and Baker, E.K. (2014) Geomorphology of the Oceans. Marine Geology, 352, 4-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2014.01.011
Guyots (via Arctic Biodiversity Data Service)
https://geo.abds.is/geoserver/ebsa/ows?service=WFS&version=1.0.0&request=GetFeature&typeName=guyots&outputFormat=SHAPE-ZIP
Seamounts (via Arctic Biodiversity Data Service)
https://geo.abds.is/geoserver/ebsa/ows?service=WFS&version=1.0.0&request=GetFeature&typeName=seamounts&outputFormat=SHAPE-ZIP