Broadband Seismic Network
Multi-Station Broadband Seismic Network
The Multi-Station Broadband Seismic Network is a distributed array of at least four buried broadband seismic stations spaced 1 to 10 kilometers apart to detect seismic activity and determine source locations on the Moon. Operating on 20 watts of total power with a system mass of 20 kilograms, the array uses coordinated network analysis and GPS-disciplined time synchronization to achieve unique source localization. Surviving the lunar surface to conduct long-mission seismology research demands buried station configurations capable of a 25-year operational lifetime and a 200,000-hour mean time between failures.
Multi-station broadband seismic network with 4+ stations enabling source localization and lunar seismology research.
Purpose
Multi-station broadband seismic network with 4+ stations enabling source localization and lunar seismology research.
Context
Child of L2-SSM-SEIS within the Lunar Ark system
Principles
- ▸4-station minimum for unique source localization
- ▸Inter-station distances 1-10 km
- ▸GPS-disciplined time synchronization via L3-COM-TIME-DIST
- ▸Coordinated network analysis
- ▸Per Lunar Geophysical Network proposals
Typical implementations
- ▸Apollo ALSEP 4-station network heritage
- ▸Mars InSight single-station network
- ▸Lunar Geophysical Network (proposed)
Lunar considerations
- ▸Network enables source localization
- ▸Long-life buried stations
- ▸Long-mission lunar seismology research
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | Multi-station broadband seismic network with 4+ stations enabling source localization and lunar seismology research. |
| stations | 4 |
Physical
| mass kg | 20 |
| materials | Distributed seismic stations + comms |
| vacuum compatibility | True |
Operational
| power consumption w | 20 |
| thermal range c | -40, 70 |
| lifetime years | 25 |
| mtbf hours | 200000 |
Interfaces
Provides
- Multi-station data
- Long-term seismology archive
Requires
- Per-station data
- Inter-station comm
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "Broadband Seismic Network" (L3-SSM-SEIS-BROAD). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L3-SSM-SEIS-BROAD
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.