The National Seismological Archive (NSA) is the United Kingdom national repository for seismological material. It was created principally to preserve data from seismological observatories in the UK that have now closed. In many cases in the past records have been lost or destroyed when there is no longer anyone to look after them; the NSA provides a permanent home for these historical scientific documents, to preserve them for posterity. The principal collection consists of the seismograms stores from defunct observatories; also bulletins and reports from all over the world dating from the 1890s onwards, held in a variety of media, including earthquake-related newspaper cuttings, glass slides, microfilm, and comprehensive UK earthquake research material collected over a 30 year period. The archive has a public access room available for researchers and welcomes visiting scientists who wish to study material held in it. If it is impractical to visit, we may be able to supply data from it, subject to staff availability. One of the major projects of the archive has been the presentation of current knowledge of UK historical earthquake seismology material in a short series of reports, easily accessible to researchers. These are available for download as Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format files (.pdf) from the NSA download page.

This data set is an archive of original data for the seismic reflection surveys conducted by the National Coal Board (NCB) and its successor, British Coal Corporation (BCC). The data consists of observers' logs, surveyors' reports, (some 3000 files of written records), location data, field data records and processed data. The processed data are at various stages of processing from demultiplexed field data to migrated stack (not all available for all profiles). The data were originally recorded on over 13000 tapes and have been transcribed to more modern media in Tape Image Format (TIF/ARC) to retain the tape block integrity. These data are owned by the Coal Authority (CA), as successor to the NCB and BCC, BGS being the custodian under an agreement with the CA. The Coal authority surveys cover various areas in the UK, shot and processed or reprocessed between 1973-94. There is at an initial estimate half a terabyte of Coal Authority data. The seismic data will be stored as standard format SEGY files which can be read by a variety of software packages designed to manipulate seismic data. Catalogue available.

The Seismic Locations and Sections database (LOCSEC) stores digitised seismic reflection survey location and line-interpretation data. Supplementary data stored includes map projection information and rock-unit seismic velocity data. The data are grouped by interpretation project area. Location data are input from digitised seismic shotpoint (SP) or common depth point (CDP) maps, or from direct input of digital navigation data. [See: Original Seismic Shotpoint Location Maps (ORIGSPMAPS) and Digital Seismic Shotpoint Location Maps (DIGSPMAPS) datasets]. Line-interpretation data are input from digitised pick-lines on manually interpreted printed seismic sections. [See: Copy Seismic Sections dataset (COPYSEISECS)]. In-house software is used for data management and display, to perform interpretation related tasks, e.g. depth-conversion, and to merge data into X, Y, Z form for input to 3D mapping and modelling packages such as EarthVision. Data in LOCSEC may also be related to the borehole interpretations held in the Stratigraphic Surfaces Database (SSD). Almost all data are within the UK Onshore area; although there are some UK near-shore and offshore (North Sea, Irish Sea) and foreign data. Most data were acquired for commercial hydrocarbon exploration and subsequently provided to BGS for use on specific projects. Some data were acquired by BGS and other public-sector bodies, e.g. BIRPS, for academic research.

This digital data set contains original files of seismic reflection survey location (navigation) data and dates from the late 1970s. These provide location information for the Digital Seismic Sections data set (DIGSEISECS) and some of the printed seismic sections of the Original Seismic Sections dataset (ORIGSEISECS) and Copy Seismic Sections dataset (COPYSEISECS). Most data are within the UK Onshore area; although there are some UK near-shore and offshore (North Sea, Irish Sea) and foreign data. Most data were acquired for commercial hydrocarbon exploration and subsequently provided to BGS for use on specific projects. Some data were acquired by BGS (British Geological Survey) and other public-sector bodies, e.g. BIRPS (The British Institutions Reflection Profiling Syndicate), for academic research. The data are used with the Seismic Locations and Sections Database (LOCSEC) and for workstation-based interpretation. There are approximately 20 tapes and 15 Exabyte cartridges. The data are mostly concentrated in coal, oil and gas prospecting areas.

The Seismic Line Index database stores summary administrative information about the collection of printed seismic sections, Original Seismic Sections dataset (ORIGSEISECS). This includes: details of data ownership or source, date of acquisition, purpose of survey, confidentiality, media, survey acquisition and processing parameters, and storage location in BGS. Almost all data are within the UK Onshore area; although there are some UK near-shore and offshore (North Sea, Irish Sea) and foreign data. Most data were acquired for commercial hydrocarbon exploration and subsequently provided to BGS for use on specific projects. Some data were acquired by BGS and other public-sector bodies, e.g. BIRPS (British Institutes Reflection Profiling Syndicate), for academic research. There is also scope to add relevant information about the data held in Copy Seismic Sections (COPYSEISECS) and Original Seismic Shotpoint Location Maps (ORIGSPMAPS) datasets.

This document dataset contains original prints, on paper, sepia or film, of seismic reflection survey sections, dating from the 1960s. Most data are within the UK onshore area; although there are some UK near-shore and offshore (North Sea, Irish Sea) and foreign data. Most data were acquired for commercial hydrocarbon exploration and subsequently provided to BGS for use on specific projects. Some data were acquired by BGS and other public-sector bodies, e.g. BIRPS (British Institutions Reflection Profiling Syndicate), for academic research. This data set is a master set; copies must be used for interpretation purposes. Documents stored rolled in tubes, approximately 10 sections per tube, approx 850 tubes. The data are mostly concentrated in areas prospective for coal, oil and gas.

Index to various collections of Aerial Photographs purchased or obtained by BGS and its precursors as part of its surveying activities. The index was set up in 2000 and mainly covers Great Britain. The level of spatial detail depends on the flight plans provided, but most are referenced at least to OS quarter sheet level.

All type and figured calcareous microfossils and palynmorphs held in the BGS collections are registered using the prefix 'MPK'. To date MPK1 to 13400 have been used. Information includes name, locality, geological details and journal details.

Reports of 267 mineral exploration projects carried out in the UK under the Mineral Exploration and Investigation Grants Act (MEIGA). Produced by external mineral exploration companies between 1971 and 1984. Includes project files kept on behalf of DTI (Department of Trade and Industry). All reports are held in hard copy and all are now on openfile.

A series of technical palaeontological and biostratigraphical reports produced in the London, Leeds, Edinburgh and Keyworth offices of BGS between 1953 and March 2000. The reports provide information on fossils collected during Geological Survey mapping or supplied by clients. Fossils are collected in order to date (relative age) the rocks in which they occur and/or to provide evidence for the conditions of deposition, so the information contained in each report usually includes determinations of the fossils present in a collection and an interpretation of their stratigraphical and/or their palaeoenvironmental/palaeogeographical significance.Individual reports vary enormously in scope, depending on the reasons for the investigation. Some reports may be site specific, documenting the fossil fauna/flora from a particular locality or borehole, whereas others may deal with material from a number of localities on a 1:10 000, 1:25 000 or 1:50 000 sheet, or from several boreholes. Other reports may be in the form of reviews. Geographical coverage is wide, covering the UK and Northern Ireland onshore, UK offshore and overseas localities.All reports are held as hardcopy only. Each report bears a unique identifying number in the form SS/YY/NN, where 'SS' identifies the series, 'YY' identifies the year in which it was written and 'NN' is a serial number. Reports were numbered sequentially, regardless of whether they dealt with material from the UK and Northern Ireland onshore, UK offshore, or overseas, and a sequential set is held by BGS. Reports are also filed by 1:50 000 sheet, (UK onshore), offshore quadrant and foreign country, as appropriate.