Australian Ocean Bottom Seismograph Fleet Data for Crustal Imaging

A fleet of new Australian ocean bottom seismographs (OBSs) have a broadband frequency range, with similar instruments available at only five or six institutions globally. These multi-purpose devices record passive-source seismic data (earthquakes, ambient noise) and active-source (airgun) data while monitoring seismic survey noise and whale calls. Data collected during commercial seismic surveys in Australian waters can image the velocity distribution of the whole crust and upper mantle.

Use Cases

• Image crust and upper mantle velocity distribution based on reflected and refracted seismic phases.
• Monitor seismic survey noise and whale calls for environmental impact assessments.
• Analyze S-waves in addition to conventional P-waves based on three-component recording capability.
• Obtain regional-scale geological information as a by-product of commercial seismic surveys.

Strengths

• Instruments have a broadband frequency range, which is rare globally.
• Devices are multi-purpose, recording both active-source and passive-source seismic data.
• Three-component recording allows for analysis of both P-waves and S-waves.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Freshness should be verified; last metadata update was 2026-04-20.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Data collected by ocean bottom seismographs during commercial seismic surveys.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-20 02:45:14.060157

Geography

Australian waters