IMAS Metadata Catalogue
dataset
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The East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) is the largest source of potential sea-level rise, containing some 19 m of sea-level equivalent. One of the well-investigated regions in East Antarctica is Law Dome, which is a small independent ice cap situated to the west of Totten Ice Shelf. The ice cap is slow-moving, has a low melt-rate at the surface and moderate wind speeds, making it a useful study site for our investigations. Radar data from Investigating the Cryospheric Evolution of the Central Antarctic Plate (ICECAP) project has good coverage over this area. A new method is proposed for the estimation of attenuation rate from radar data which is mathematically modeled as a constrained regularised l2 minimization problem. In the proposed method, only radar data is required and the englacial reflectors are automatically detected from the radar data itself. A final product of 3D attenuation rates and 3D samples count is provided for the research community in this data set.
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Aerial surveys of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) were undertaken off the southern Australian coast to monitor the recovery of this endangered species following extreme 19th and 20th Century commercial whaling. The aerial survey was undertaken in the coastal waters from Perth (Western Australia) to Ceduna (South Australia) between the 12th and 19th August 2022, to maintain the annual series of surveys and inform the long-term population trend. The survey resulted in a total 526 whales sighted, consisting of 247 cow-calf pairs, 31 unaccompanied adults and 1 yearling. The ‘western’ population of southern right whales in Australian waters is increasing in size (~5.3% per year based on female/calf pairs and a population estimate of 2675 whales) based on the long-term population trend data from the annual aerial surveys. This represents the majority of the Australian population given the very low numbers in the ‘eastern’ population. The 2022 surveys recorded the lowest number of unaccompanied animals (i.e. males and females without a calf) ever throughout the time-series of the annual aerial surveys since 1993 when survey coverage between Cape Leeuwin and Ceduna first began. Across this time series, there is a particularly notable decline in sightings of unaccompanied animals over the past five years. It is currently unclear what factors account for the decline in these sightings or may influence the variation in numbers of unaccompanied animals on the southern Australian coast. Lower than expected counts in the long-term data may provide evidence of a slowing population growth rate, which can only be assessed by continued annual population surveys to assess population trend data.
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Voyage IN2019_V04 contributed an additional 29,000 kms2 of seafloor survey data to the Coral Sea knowledge base. From this new bathymetric data individual seamounts have been extracted and have been classified to the Geoscience Australia Geomorphology Classification Scheme. This dataset contains two layers representing the classification layers- 1) Surface (Plain, Slope, Escarpment) and 2) fine scale Geomorphology of the seamount for the Kenn Seamount. Ongoing research with this survey data will provide new insights into the detailed geomorphic shape and spatial relationships between adjacent seabed features. This information will be released in future publications to show the potential of how the scale of such seafloor data can be used for predictive habitat modelling when analysed with the biological data overlays.
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This dataset derives from deployments of pelagic baited camera systems (stereo-BRUVS) conducted within the Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (CMR) in the Timor Sea during September and October 2012 onboard the RV Solander. This resource comprises species lists and relative abundance data (measured as MaxN, the maximum number of individuals of a given species captured in any one frame) for 116 sampling sites surveyed across three focal areas. The Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve survey was undertaken as an activity within the Australian Government's National Environmental Research Program Marine Biodiversity Hub and was the key component of Research Theme 4 - Regional Biodiversity Discovery to Support Marine Bioregional Plans. Hub partners involved in the survey included the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Geoscience Australia, the University of Western Australia, Museum Victoria and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. Data acquired during the survey included: multibeam sonar bathymetry and acoustic backscatter; sub-bottom acoustic profiles; physical samples of seabed sediments, infauna and epibenthic biota; towed underwater video and still camera observations of seabed habitats; baited video observations of demersal and pelagic fish, and; oceanographic measurements of the water column from CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) casts and from deployment of sea surface drifters. Further information on the survey is available in the post-survey report published as Geoscience Australia Record 2013/38: Nichol, S.L., Howard, F.J.F., Kool, J., Stowar, M., Bouchet, P., Radke, L.,Siwabessy, J., Przeslawski, R., Picard, K., Alvarez de Glasby, B., Colquhoun, J., Letessier, T. & Heyward, A. 2013. Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (Timor Sea) Biodiversity Survey: GA0339/SOL5650 - Post Survey Report. Record 2013/38. Geoscience Australia: Canberra. (GEOCAT #76658).
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Gillnet fishing trials at a number of sites off the east coast of Tasmania have been undertaken to collect samples of the banded morwong, which are characterised based on size, age, maturity stage and sex structure. Otoliths are sectioned for age determination. The dataset comprises a major component of work carried out from the beginning of 2001 and available historic data (1995 to 2000) have also been uploaded into this database to provide a complete dataset. See attached reports for further information.
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These data are from a piggy back voyage to IN2018_V05, October-November 2018. The Chief Scientists were Helen Phillips and Nathan Bindoff. Nic Pittman and Clara Vives collected biogeochemical data on the voyage, and Xiang Yang used these data in his Hons thesis 2020-2021. The purpose of the study was to investigate biogeochemical variability in the region of the Polar Front meander south of Tasmania. Data include CTD nutrients, chlorophyll and oxygen as well as underway phytoplankton physiology and pCO2. Some data are duplicated but not in exactly the same format on the CSIRO Data Trawler.
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The CSIRO’s Oceans & Atmosphere Shallow Survey Internal Facility (SSIF) was contracted by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) of the University of Tasmania (UTAS) in collaboration with Parks Australia, to undertake a hydrographic survey of the Boags Commonwealth Marine Reserve in the southwestern Bass Strait. This site was surveyed in conjunction with other smaller sites for Petuna Aquaculture, as part of a broader survey campaign. All of the sites covered in this campaign are located in the vicinity of the Hunter Group of Islands, off the north-western coast of Tasmania.
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Voyage IN2019_V04 contributed an additional 29,000 kms2 of seafloor survey data to the Coral Sea knowledge base. From this new bathymetric data individual seamounts have been extracted and have been classified to the Geoscience Australia Geomorphology Classification Scheme. This dataset contains two layers representing the classification layers- 1) Surface (Plain, Slope, Escarpment) and 2) fine scale Geomorphology of the seamount for the Calder Seamount. Ongoing research with this survey data will provide new insights into the detailed geomorphic shape and spatial relationships between adjacent seabed features. This information will be released in future publications to show the potential of how the scale of such seafloor data can be used for predictive habitat modelling when analysed with the biological data overlays.
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Opportunistic visual surveys were conducted in transit to, and within, the Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (CMR) in the Timor Sea during September and October 2012 onboard the RV Solander. This resource comprises species lists and estimated counts of marine mammals, sea snakes, seabirds, sea turtles and other large wildlife encountered during the voyage. The Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve survey was undertaken as an activity within the Australian Government's National Environmental Research Program Marine Biodiversity Hub and was the key component of Research Theme 4 - Regional Biodiversity Discovery to Support Marine Bioregional Plans. Hub partners involved in the survey included the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Geoscience Australia, the University of Western Australia, Museum Victoria and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. Data acquired during the survey included: multibeam sonar bathymetry and acoustic backscatter; sub-bottom acoustic profiles; physical samples of seabed sediments, infauna and epibenthic biota; towed underwater video and still camera observations of seabed habitats; baited video observations of demersal and pelagic fish, and; oceanographic measurements of the water column from CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) casts and from deployment of sea surface drifters. Further information on the survey is available in the post-survey report published as Geoscience Australia Record 2013/38: Nichol, S.L., Howard, F.J.F., Kool, J., Stowar, M., Bouchet, P., Radke, L.,Siwabessy, J., Przeslawski, R., Picard, K., Alvarez de Glasby, B., Colquhoun, J., Letessier, T. & Heyward, A. 2013. Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (Timor Sea) Biodiversity Survey: GA0339/SOL5650 - Post Survey Report. Record 2013/38. Geoscience Australia: Canberra. (GEOCAT #76658).
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Inshore benthic habitat mapping of the Adelaide Mount Lofty Ranges (AMLR), Yorke Peninsula, Eyre Peninsula, Upper Spencer Gulf, Upper Gulf St Vincent, South East and Kangaroo Island as part of a wider DEWNR project to map specific areas of the South Australian inshore environments Habitat boundaries were interpreted from underwater features discernable on ortho-rectified aerial photographs. The data for the Upper Gulf St Vincent and Upper Spencer Gulf were captured between 2005 and 2007. AMLR data was captured between 2008 and 2009. South East data was captured between 2009 and 2010. Field observations and underwater video footage was used to capture the Upper Spencer Gulf and Upper Gulf St Vincent data. The AMLR data was captured from field observations, underwater video footage, acoustic mapping and sidescan sonar. The data sets were combined as part of a DENR Statewide project. Additional data was captured on Kangaroo Island during 2013 which included field observations and Underwater video footage. This data was added by regional staff using an adapted data schema that now includes species specific information.