Ocean drilling constrains carbonate platform formation and Miocene sea level on the Australian margin

Carbonate platforms are large geologic structures composed of the remains of formerly living, calcium carbonate‐secreting organisms that can develop in environments ranging from tropical to temperate, and in locations that are free of siliceous sediment to those with significant amounts of sediment from land. Because these platforms are composed of biogenic remains sensitive to changes in environmental conditions such as sea level, wind or currents, nutrient content, and water temperature, the study of carbonate platforms provides fundamental information regarding environmental change in a range of environments. In addition to their high‐quality environmental record, carbonate platforms are often important petroleum reservoirs. Thus, much effort has been expended in both the academic and industrial sectors in order to understand the growth, development, and associated diagenetic alteration of carbonate platforms.