Seafloor environments of the eastern Timor Sea, Northern Australia: Mineral specific surface areas of seabed sediments.

The Timor Sea and its tropical marine environment support significant and growing economic activity including oil and gas exploration. To reduce uncertainty in decision making regarding the sustainable use and ongoing protection of these marine resources, environmental managers and resource users require sound scientific information on the composition and stability of seabed environments and their biological assemblages. Surveys SOL4934 and SOL5117 to the eastern Joseph Bonaparte Gulf were undertaken in August and September 2009 and July and August 2010 respectively, in collaboration with the Australian Institute of Marine Science, with research collaborations from the RAN Australian Hydrographic Office, the Geological Survey of Canada and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. The purpose of these surveys were to develop biophysical maps, and deliver data and information products pertaining to complex seabed environment of the Van Diemen Rise and identify potential geohazards and unique, sensitive environments that relate to offshore infrastructure. This dataset comprises mineral specific surface area measurements made on seabed sediments.

Some relevant publications are listed below:

1. Heap, A.D., Przeslawski, R., Radke, L., Trafford, J., Battershill, C. and Shipboard Party. 2010. Seabed environments of the eastern Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, Northern Australia: SOL4934 Post Survey Report. Geoscience Australia Record 2010/09, pp.81.
2. Anderson, T.J., Nichol, S., Radke, L., Heap, A.D., Battershill, C., Hughes, M., Siwabessy, P.J., Barrie, V., Alvarez de Glasby, B., Tran, M., Daniell, J. & Shipboard Party, 2011b. Seabed Environments of the Eastern Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, Northern Australia: GA0325/Sol5117 - Post-Survey Report. Geoscience Australia, Record 2011/08, 58pp.
3. Radke, L.C., Li, J., Douglas, G., Przeslawski, R., Nichol, S, Siwabessy, J., Huang, Z., Trafford, J., Watson, T. and Whiteway, T. Characterising sediments of a tropical sediment-starved continental shelf using cluster analysis of physical and geochemical variables. Environmental Chemistry, in press

帝汶海（Timor Sea）及其热带海洋环境支撑着体量可观且持续增长的经济活动，其中涵盖油气勘探领域。为降低海洋资源可持续利用与持续保护相关决策的不确定性，环境管理者与资源使用者亟需掌握有关海底环境及其生物群落的组成与稳定性的可靠科学信息。
2009年8月至9月、2010年7月至8月，项目组分别开展了针对东波拿巴湾东部的SOL4934与SOL5117号科考调查，合作方为澳大利亚海洋科学研究所（Australian Institute of Marine Science），并获得了澳大利亚皇家海军水文局、加拿大地质调查局以及北领地博物馆与美术馆的研究协作支持。本次科考的目标为：为范迪门海隆（Van Diemen Rise）复杂的海底环境编制生物物理地图，产出相关数据与信息产品，并识别与近海基础设施相关的潜在地质灾害及独特敏感的生态环境。本数据集包含对海底沉积物开展的矿物比表面积测量数据。

以下列出相关参考文献：
1. Heap, A.D.、Przeslawski, R.、Radke, L.、Trafford, J.、Battershill, C. 及科考团队. 2010. 澳大利亚北部东波拿巴湾海底环境：SOL4934号调查后报告. 澳大利亚地球科学局报告2010/09，第81页.
2. Anderson, T.J.、Nichol, S.、Radke, L.、Heap, A.D.、Battershill, C.、Hughes, M.、Siwabessy, P.J.、Barrie, V.、Alvarez de Glasby, B.、Tran, M.、Daniell, J. 及科考团队，2011b. 澳大利亚北部东波拿巴湾海底环境：GA0325/Sol5117号——调查后报告. 澳大利亚地球科学局，报告2011/08，共58页.
3. Radke, L.C.、Li, J.、Douglas, G.、Przeslawski, R.、Nichol, S.、Siwabessy, J.、Huang, Z.、Trafford, J.、Watson, T. 及Whiteway, T. 基于物理与地球化学变量聚类分析表征热带贫沉积大陆架沉积物. 《环境化学》，已录用待刊.