Physical Properties of Sediment Sub-Samples from Cores collected in the Tasman Sea and Polynesia During the 'SEAMAP' Program, 1985-1987.

SEAMAP is a Royal Australian Navy Research Laboratory research program designed to investigate the effects of the properties of the ocean and sea floor on acoustic propagation, noise and scattering in the waters around Australia. Experimental investigations are carried out along ocean shipping routes. The Ocean Sciences Institute (OSI) is contracted by the Maritime Systems Division of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation to collect and interpret geological and geophysical data pertinent to the SEAMAP program.

There are two main constituents in the sediments collected, microfossil remains and mineral matter. By far the most important of the microfossil remains are the calcareous ones (the foraminifera and the nanoplankton).