Project Skippy explores the lithosphere and mantle beneath Australia

Abstract

A new project is probing the seismic structure of the lithosphere and mantle beneath Australia. The Skippy Project, named after the bush kangaroo, exploits Australia's regional seismicity and makes use of recent advances in digital recording technology to collect three-component broadband seismic data from over 60 sites across the continent. Operating 60 stations simultaneously would be expensive and technically demanding. Instead, restricted arrays of up to twelve portable seismic recording systems with a spacing of around 400 km will be used. Because of the high level of seismic activity in the Australasian region, excellent data coverage can be achieved in 5 months. The Skippy array will be deployed at dilferent locations in Australia, and plans call for covering the continent by mid-1997. The data acquired will be used along with broadband data available from permanent seismic observatories in the region. The information gained during the first 5 years of the project can be used to identify regions of particular interest or complexity that need to be studied in detail.