HR: 0830h
AN: S41A-10    [Abstracts]
TI: National Archive of Marine Seismic Surveys (NAMSS): Status Report on U.S. Geological Survey Program Providing Access to Proprietary Data
AU: * Hart, P E
EM: hart@usgs.gov
AF: U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road Mail Stop 999, Menlo Park, CA 94025 United States
AU: Childs, J R
EM: jchilds@usgs.gov
AF: U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road Mail Stop 999, Menlo Park, CA 94025 United States
AB: During the last four decades, hundreds of thousands of line kilometers of 2D marine seismic reflection data have been collected by the hydrocarbon exploration industry within the United States Exclusive Economic Zone. The commercial value of much of these data has decreased significantly because of drilling moratoria and new technology such as 3D acquisition. However, these data still have tremendous value for scientific research and education purposes. The U.S. Geological Survey has recently made agreements with two commercial owners of large data holdings to transfer to the public domain over 250,000 line kilometers of marine data from off the eastern, western, and Alaskan coasts of the United States. In order to provide access to the data, the USGS has developed the National Archive of Marine Seismic Surveys (NAMSS) program. For a small fraction of the money that would be required to collect new data, work is underway to organize and recover digital data currently stored on tens of thousands of 9-track tapes. Even where new data collection efforts could be funded, current environmental restrictions on marine seismic exploration could preclude operations. The NAMSS web site at http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/NAMSS/ has trackline maps of surveys that are now or will soon be available for downloading in SEG-Y format. As more owners and users become aware of this new data resource, it is hoped that additional partners in will join this data rescue effort.
UR: http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/NAMSS/
DE: 0935 Seismic methods (3025)
DE: 3025 Marine seismics (0935)
SC: Seismology [S]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly