AlpArray in Hungary: temporary and permanent seismological networks in the transition zone between the Eastern Alps and the Pannonian basin

Abstract

In the last few decades dense large-scale seismic networks showed their importance in studying the structure of the lithosphere and the upper mantle. The better understanding of the Apennines–Alps–Carpathian–Dinarides system is the main target of the AlpArray European international initiative in which more than 50 institutes are involved. The core of AlpArray is the AlpArray Seismic Network (AASN). With its sim 600 broadband seismic stations (sim 280 of which are temporary) the AASN is, so far, the largest passive seismic experiment in Europe. The MTA CSFK Geodetic and Geophysical Institute, as a Core Member of the AlpArray project, contributes to the AlpArray Seismic Network with its entire permanent network as well as with 11 temporary broadband seismic stations deployed in Western Hungary. Three additional station equipment were provided by the Swiss-AlpArray SINERGIA program. The average station distance together with the permanent stations is around 40 km in the area of interest. The temporary network has been installed between December 2015 and July 2016 and the planned operation period is 3 years. In this paper we describe the characteristics of the 29 permanent and temporary stations, introducing not only the equipment, but the location, housing and geological setting, as well. We present median power spectral density curves in order to characterise the noise conditions at each station.