Using a synthetic continental array to study the Earth's interior

Abstract

A major field-based observation program (the 'Skippy Project') is underway to synthesize an array covering the whole Australian continent, using a series of deployments of around 10 broadband seismometers for periods of 5 months at a time. Such a time period is long enough to exploit the favourable position of Australia relative to world seismicity to assemble a good sampling of global structure. The distance coverage from available events is very good, so that it is possible to build up composite record sections covering propagation from 10 to nearly 180°, with a full coverage of the body and surface wavefields. For deep events at regional ranges, the field arrays also yield good data on mantle reverberation patterns.