Welcome to AusPass: the Australian Passive Seismic Server
@ Research School of Earth Sciences, ANU
In collaboration with Geoscience Australia we are now mirroring their earthquake catalog via FDSNWS! This is the same data available here Earthquakes@GA (but only updated on 1st of the month). Earthquakes can now be searched, filtered, and saved as Text/CSV/QuakeML via our builder or your own curl, wget or python script.
AusPass is a service dedicated to the acquisition, management, and distribution of passive seismological data in Australia and its periphery.
Extensive fieldwork projects are conducted across the country, typically organized in distinct seismic arrays (i.e. groups of seismic stations). The data from the following arrays, listed in the AusPass metadata archive, are now available online. New data as well as archival data are perpetually being added so be sure to check back regularly.
Browse our Networks
AusPass metadata archive
Our metadata archive provides location, hardware information, AND response information (via FDSN) for all seismic arrays currently distributed by AusPass. Time periods are indicated for each array to facilitate your search of data for a particular event (earthquake, explosion, etc.). If you are already using AusPass, the DOI numbers given here are the appropriate references to cite (one for each array), but if none are available (yet) a reference to our webpage may be apropriate. The links listed here (sometimes!) give a description of each seismic array including a map of stations. Alternatively a upt-to-date Google KML file for all networks can be downloaded HERE. The complete up-to-date AusPass metadata can be accessed with the WebDC3 graphical explorer or with a standard FDSN request. (visit our metadata help page).
notes, updates, changes, and eratta| Code | Name | Stations | Start | End | Type | Access | DOI / FDSN link | Link |
| S1 | AUSIS | 49 | 2011-09-01 | ongoing | permanent | open | 10.7914/SN/S1 | Here |
| M8 | MATE | 3 | 2024-02-01 | ongoing | permanent | open | 10.7914/6e8t-6g37 | |
| 2E | WETA | 120 | 2023-09-03 | 2023-11-26 | temporary | closed | 10.7914/37v8-hv88 | |
| X5 | AHNA | 60 | 2023-04-24 | 2025-xx-xx | temporary | closed | 10.7914/8jxr-7029 | |
| 4B | SNAKEY | 20 | 2023-03-26 | 2024-xx-xx | temporary | closed | 10.7914/9j20-yq91 | |
| 2B | SISSLE | 5 | 2023-02-20 | 2023-11-09 | temporary | closed | 10.7914/bfp8-xv25 | |
| Z9 | CASEY-WILKINS | 29 | 2021-12-01 | 2025-xx-xx | temporary | closed | 10.7914/SN/Z9_2021 | |
| 1G | LAKE GEORGE NODE ARRAY | 99 | 2020-12-11 | 2021-01-15 | temporary | open | 10.7914/t2z3-2m87 | |
| 3F | MACQUARIE RIDGE | 15 | 2020-10-16 | 2022-02-15 | temporary | closed | 10.7914/SN/3F_2020 | |
| 6K | AUSARRAY SA | 38 | 2020-10-14 | 2022-06-11 | temporary | closed | 10.7914/SN/6K_2020 | |
| 2P | SWAN | 27 | 2020-08-13 | 2023-12-15 | temporary | closed | 10.7914/SN/2P_2020 | |
| 3O | AKIMBA 19 | 8 | 2019-05-09 | 2020-05-22 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/3O_2019 | |
| 5G | LAKE EYRE BASIN | 40 | 2018-10-16 | 2022-06-14 | temporary | closed | 10.7914/SN/5G_2018 | |
| 6T | NT SPIRAL | 16 | 2018-10-09 | 2025-XX-XX | temporary | closed | 10.7914/4e87-j738 | |
| 4N | CWAS | 100+ | 2017-09-08 | 2022-XX-XX | temporary | closed | 10.7914/SN/4N_2017 | |
| 3G | MARLA LINE | 66 | 2018-04-21 | 2019-08-04 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/3G_2018 | |
| 5J | ASR | 12 | 2017-04-23 | 2019-02-28 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/5J_2018 | |
| YS/1G | BANDA | 11 | 2016-11-21 | 2019-08-20 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/YS_2014 | |
| 8M | MULGA | 5 | 2016-06-06 | 2016-09-19 | temporary | closed | 10.7914/SN/8M_2016 | |
| 9V | CASEY-DAVIS | 6 | 2015-12-27 | 2025-xx-xx | temporary | closed | 10.7914/nrw9-9825 | |
| 1Q | AQT | 87 | 2015-11-28 | 2017-10-24 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/1Q_2016 | Here |
| 6C | WA SPIRAL | 16 | 2015-02-15 | 2016-01-03 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/6C_2015 | |
| 8K | COPA-HPS | 29 | 2014-10-12 | 2015-10-16 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/8K_2014 | |
| 4J | AQ3 | 52 | 2014-05-20 | 2016-02-09 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/4J_2014 | |
| 7M | COPA | 80 | 2014-02-24 | 2018-09-04 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7M_2014 | |
| 1E | SQLD SPIRAL | 16 | 2013-11-12 | 2014-11-13 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/1E_2013 | |
| 1K | ALFREX | 70 | 2013-11-06 | 2015-09-14 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/1K_2013 | |
| 3M | Australia-Indonesia TectObs | 218 | 2013-10-08 | 2016-05-13 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/3M_2013 | |
| 8J | SQEAL | 98 | 2012-11-19 | 2014-10-12 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/8J_2012 | Here |
| 1P | BASS | 24 | 2011-05-22 | 2012-12-31 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/1P_2011 | Here |
| 7L | EAL3 | 44 | 2011-11-09 | 2013-07-07 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7L_2011 | Here |
| 1H | EAL2 | 52 | 2010-05-10 | 2011-03-22 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/1H_2010 | Here |
| 4H | EAL1 | 44 | 2009-06-02 | 2010-02-26 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/4H_2009 | Here |
| ZR | MINQ | 53 | 2009-06-16 | 2011-04-01 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/ZR_2009 | Here |
| 1F | CURNAMONA | 34 | 2009-03-24 | 2009-11-05 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/1F_2009 | Here |
| 6F | BILBY | 25 | 2008-08-27 | 2011-05-24 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/6F_2008 | Here |
| 1G | GAWLER | 35 | 2008-07-01 | 2009-04-03 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/1G_2008 | Here |
| 7K | SOC | 21 | 2007-02-14 | 2008-08-14 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7K_2007 | Here |
| 7J | CAPRAL | 25 | 2005-10-20 | 2007-05-30 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7J_2005 | Here |
| 7U | SEAL3 | 57 | 2007-11-14 | 2009-02-14 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7U_2007 | Here |
| 7T | SEAL2 | 31 | 2007-02-11 | 2007-11-19 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7T_2007 | Here |
| 7S | SETA | 41 | 2006-10-02 | 2007-08-26 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7S_2006 | |
| 7R | EVA | 50 | 2005-07-19 | 2006-05-23 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7R_2005 | |
| 7Q | SEAL | 20 | 2004-11-03 | 2005-04-09 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7Q_2004 | Here |
| 7I | TASMAL | 24 | 2003-05-01 | 2005-11-17 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7I_2003 | |
| X3 | FLINDERS | 20 | 2003-01-01 | 2005-06-17 | temporary | open | 10.7914/zz2a-m465 | |
| 7G | WA CRATON | 25 | 2000-07-11 | 2001-07-13 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7G_2000 | Here |
| 7P | TIGGER SP | 65 | 2002-03-10 | 2002-07-22 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7P_2002 | |
| 5K | SSCUA | 9 | 2002-01-01 | 2014-01-01 | temporary | closed | 10.7914/hf8d-4s28 | |
| 7H | TIGGER BB | 17 | 2001-10-03 | 2002-08-17 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7H_2002 | |
| 7O | MALT AF00 | 40 | 2000-01-16 | 2000-07-08 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7O_2000 | |
| 7N | MALT MB99 | 40 | 1999-03-14 | 1999-07-25 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7N_1999 | |
| 7F | QUOLL | 19 | 1999-03-04 | 1999-11-01 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7F_1999 | |
| 7M | MALT LF98 | 40 | 1998-05-04 | 1998-09-23 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7M_1998 | |
| 7E | KIMBA98 | 6 | 1998-05-22 | 1998-07-25 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7E_1998 | Here |
| 7D | KIMBA97 | 7 | 1997-07-21 | 1997-10-14 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7D_1997 | Here |
| 7B | SKIPPY | 37 | 1993-05-03 | 1995-08-10 | temporary | open | 10.7914/SN/7B_1993 | Here |
Historical Australian Earthquakes
Although Australia is not on a plate boundary, earthquakes can occur due to stress built up from the motions of tectonic plates nearby. The plot on the right shows earthquakes with a magnitude > 3 since 1955, an average of about 80 per year! Historically, the largest Australian earthquakes were recorded at:
- Tennant Creek, NT (Magnitude 6.6, 6.3 and 6.2) : 1988
- Meckering, WA (Magnitude 6.5) : 1968
- Simpson Desert, NT (Magnitude 6.4): 1941
- Meeberrie, WA (Magnitude 6.3) : 1941
- Collier Bay, WA (Magnitude 6.3) : 1997
- Cadoux, WA (Magnitude 6.1) : 1979
- Petermann Ranges, NT (Magnitude 6.1) : 2016
- West of Lake Mackay, WA (Magnitude 6) : 1970
- Woods Point, VIC (Magnitude 5.9) : 2021
