Reassessing the lithosphere: SeisDARE, an open-access seismic data repository

Abstract

Seismic reflection data (normal incidence and wide angle) are unique assets for solid Earth sciences as they provide critical information about the physical properties and structure of the lithosphere as well as about the shallow subsurface for exploration purposes. The resolution of these seismic data is highly appreciated; however they are logistically complex and expensive to acquire, and their geographical coverage is limited. Therefore, it is essential to make the most of the data that have already been acquired. The collation and dissemination of seismic open-access data are then key to promote accurate and innovative research and to enhance new interpretations of legacy data. This work presents the Seismic DAta REpository (SeisDARE), which is, to our knowledge, one of the first comprehensive open-access online databases that stores seismic data registered with a permanent identifier (DOI). The datasets included here are openly accessible online and guarantee the FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable) principles of data management, granting the inclusion of each dataset in a statistics referencing database so its impact can be measured. SeisDARE includes seismic data acquired in the last 4 decades in the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco. These areas have attracted the attention of international researchers in the fields of geology and geophysics due to the exceptional outcrops of the Variscan and Alpine orogens and wide foreland basins, the crustal structure of the offshore margins that resulted from a complex plate kinematic evolution, and the vast quantities of natural resources contained within. This database has been built thanks to a network of national and international institutions, promoting a multidisciplinary research and is open for international data exchange and collaborations. As part of this international collaboration, and as a model for inclusion of other global seismic datasets, SeisDARE also hosts seismic data acquired in Hardeman County, Texas (USA), within the COCORP project (Consortium for Continental Reflection Profiling). SeisDARE aims to make easily accessible old and recently acquired seismic data and to establish a framework for future seismic data management plans. SeisDARE is freely available at (a detailed list of the datasets can be found in Table 1), bringing endless research and teaching opportunities to the scientific, industrial, and educational communities.