Mission Statement

The NERC funded seismic equipment facility, SEIS-UK, supports UK academic geoscientists in the acquisition and archiving of seismic data. The facility provides the field equipment, computers and software necessary for experiments involving onshore recording of both controlled seismic sources and earthquakes. Systems exist to manage the total data path, from recording data at a field location to producing a dataset suitable for interpretation or archiving. The SEIS-UK team provides expertise and training in the use of the field equipment and the associated data management systems.

End products

• For controlled source seismic experiments, SEGY record sections (either shot or receiver gathers) will be produced ready for reading into a standard processing package, such as ProMax.
• Natural source experiments (earthquake recording) data will be archived in SEED format, separated into “network-day” volumes. These SEED volumes will then be suitable for immediate use via existing software routines or for permanent archiving.

SEIS-UK responsibilities

• House and maintain the seismic acquisition systems.
• Develop and publish operational procedures for data acquisition and data archiving using these seismic systems.
• Provide computers and software for use on field projects that will enable the archiving of raw data onto tape or disk in a rapid and efficient manner.
• Maintain a central computing facility in the UK that is capable of reading raw data tapes or disks and re-organising the data into the appropriate archival format. This facility will be freely available to all interested parties.
• Provide training for users of the systems.
• Store an archive copy of the final datasets from all experiments. The permanent archive of the final datasets will be with external international data centres such as the IRIS DMC.

Scientist responsibilities

• Provide all staff and personnel required for experiments.
• Provide all logistical costs associated with use of equipment, customs, shipping, consumables etc.
• Provide the costs (travel and subsistence) of SEIS-UK team members while they are on experiments.
• Provide a written report to the NERC GEF committee on the scientific outcome of experiments involving these systems, including all publications arising from their use.
• Release data into the public domain within 3 years after the end of data acquisition.
• Return the equipment in the same condition that it was supplied.
• Provide equipment performance information upon return of the instruments.
• All equipment is the responsibility of the PI for the duration of the loan.