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arXiv · 2602.20984

The UK and Ireland Geophysical Array -- Concept and Design

Abstract

Scientific exploration of the UK and Ireland's subsurface has made important contributions to scholarship and prosperity for people and the planet, including economic growth, sustainable use of natural resources, storage of greenhouse gases, and inspiring curiosity about the Earth beneath our feet. This article outlines a vision for an array of seismological instruments spanning the UK and Ireland, UKI Array, augmented by other types of geophysical sensors, to maximise the value offered by existing equipment pools. The mission is to research natural phenomena and structure in the deep and shallow Earth, to solve problems concerning hazards and resources, to connect scientists to schools and the broader public, and thus to inspire a new generation to learn about geophysics. The vision was created through a community driven process of engagement and participation. This paper describes the concept and design of the UKI-Array; a companion paper discusses related opportunities and potential applications.

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Andrew Curtis, Karen Lythgoe, Stephen P. Hicks, Lidong Bie, Dominik Strutz, Emma Chambers, Brian Baptie, Dave Cornwell, Juliane Huebert, Jessica Irving, Glenn Jones, Sergei Lebedev, Walid Ben Mansour, Aideliz Montiel Álvarez, Stuart Nippress, Koen Van Noten, Tim Pharaoh, Romesh Palamakumbura, Nick Rawlinson, Pablo Rodriguez Salgado, James Verdon, Chuanbin Zhu, Wen Zhou, Jelle Assink, Ian Bastow, Dino Bindi, Tom Blenkinsop, Raffaele Bonadio, Michael Braim, Tim Craig, Elizabeth Day, Giovanni Diaferia, Stuart Dunning, Ben Edwards, Ake Fagereng, Stewart Fishwick, Amy Gilligan, David Green, David Healy, Anna Horleston, Mark Ireland, Jenny Jenkins, Jessica Johnson, Mike Kendall, Tom Kettlety, Duygu Kiyan, Paula Koelemeijer, Rita Kounoudis, Victoria Lane, Chuanchuan Lu, Alan MacDonald, Fabrizio Magrini, Auggie Marignier, Carl Martin, Martin Möllhoff, Iain Neill, Andy Nowacki, Bob Paap, Simone Pilia, Sjoerd de Ridder, Elmer Ruigrok, Peidong Shi, Anna Stork, Alice Turner, Jim Whiteley, Anton Ziolkowski. 2026-02-24. The UK and Ireland Geophysical Array -- Concept and Design. https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.20984

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