Refined Moho Depth Model for Australia from Seismic and Gravity Data

A 2023 study published in Geophysical Journal International combined over 25,000 km of full-crustal reflection profiles with portable seismic station data and marine reflection results to refine the Moho depth model across Australia. The dataset provides full continental coverage, though some desert areas have limited sampling. It was constructed by Geoscience Australia Data using an approach that weights different data sources, including gravity inversion, to resolve features like the continent-ocean transition.

Use Cases

• Modeling crustal thickness variations based on the combined seismic and gravity inversion data.
• Analyzing rapid changes in Moho depth suggested by the dense sampling of seismic stations.
• Studying the continent-ocean transition zone resolved by the inclusion of gravity inversion results.
• Investigating smaller-scale variations in Moho structure indicated by the refined distribution.

Strengths

• Integrates over 25,000 km of interpreted reflection transects with other seismic and marine data.
• Provides full continental coverage for Australia by combining new and earlier data sources.
• Uses a weighted construction approach to handle different data types and spatial influences.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Some desert areas, like around the Lake Eyre Basin, historically had limited sampling.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Combined analysis of portable seismic station deployments (receiver function/autocorrelation), full-crustal reflection profiles, marine reflection results, and gravity inversion.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-30 15:18:13.465055; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Australian continent