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Predicting Seabed Mud Content across the Australian Margin: Performance of Machine Learning Methods and their combinations with Ordinary Kriging and Inverse Distance Squared

Created 20/01/2026

Updated 20/01/2026

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In 2008, the performance of 14 statistical and mathematical methods for spatial interpolation was compared using samples of seabed mud content across the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (AEEZ), which indicated that machine learning methods are generally among the most accurate methods. In this study, we further test the performance of machine learning methods in combination with ordinary kriging (OK) and inverse distance squared (IDS). We aim to identify the most accurate methods for spatial interpolation of seabed mud content in three regions (i.e., N, NE and SW) in AEEZ using samples extracted from Geoscience Australia's Marine Samples Database (MARS). The performance of 18 methods (machine learning methods and their combinations with OK or IDS) is compared using a simulation experiment. The prediction accuracy changes with the methods, inclusion and exclusion of slope, search window size, model averaging and the study region. The combination of RF and OK (RFOK) and the combination of RF and IDS (RFIDS) are, on average, more accurate than the other methods based on the prediction accuracy and visual examination of prediction maps in all three regions when slope is included and when their searching widow size is 12 and 7, respectively. Averaging the predictions of these two most accurate methods could be an alternative for spatial interpolation. The methods identified in this study reduce the prediction error by up to 19% and their predictions depict the transitional zones between geomorphic features in comparison with the control. This study confirmed the effectiveness of combining machine learning methods with OK or IDS and produced an alternative source of methods for spatial interpolation. Procedures employed in this study for selecting the most accurate prediction methods provide guidance for future studies.

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Title Predicting Seabed Mud Content across the Australian Margin: Performance of Machine Learning Methods and their combinations with Ordinary Kriging and Inverse Distance Squared
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/c278aafb-500a-4a28-b81f-56a29582a3ca
Contact Point
Geoscience Australia Data
clientservices@ga.gov.au
Reference Period 15/10/2025
Geospatial Coverage
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
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Data Portal Data.gov.au