Casablanca seismic station (COBS). Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya

Code: CA.COBS Name: Casablanca

Latitude: 40.7141 N Longitude: 1.3573 E Height: -160 m

Local depth: 0 m

Owner: Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya

Subsoil features
Lithology	Period	Vs30 (m/s)	Classe EC8	F0 (Hz)
-	-	-	-	-

Instrumentation by channels and periods
Channels	Start date	Sensor type	Digitizer type	Instrumental response
HHZ, HH1, HH2	01/03/2007	Broadband velocimeter	24 bits	[StationXML]

The COBS station has the uniqueness of being the only ocean bottom seismometer (OBS) of the seismic network of Catalonia. It was first installed during the summer of 2005 in the framework of a pioneering project, since it was the first permanent OBS in the State. This project was carried out by the ICGC and the Observatori de l'Ebre, which counted on the participation of Repsol Investigaciones Petrolíferas S.A. Funding was provided by the Ministry of Education and Science, FEDER funds and the ICGC.

OBS before its installation

The main motivation of this project was the study of the seismicity of the coastal area of Catalonia, densely populated and with a remarkable industrial and tourist activity.

The seismometer is within the safety perimeter of the Casablanca oil platform, about 50 km off the coast of Tarragona. The power supply and data transmission is done by an underwater cable that connects the sensor with the platform, from where the signal is sent to the ICGC headquarters via satellite.

Although the sensor is located on the seafloor and near the oil platform, seismic noise levels are within accepted standards for most frequencies. The COBS station is fully integrated in the seismic network of Catalonia.

OBS location on the Mapa de Sismicitat de Catalunya 1977-1997 (ICC, 1999)