The Iraqi seismic network has the important characteristic of being located at the western edge of the Zagros Mountain range. This range represents the convergent tectonic boundary between the Eurasian and the Arabian plates. The seismic data collected by this network has the unique feature of sampling the effects of the mountain belts to the east. The tectonic features of this convergent belt will affect seismic waves propagating from the east. The Iraqi stations will uniquely record these effects without receiving contaminating data from other tectonic regions. Currently, a monitoring gap exists from central Turkey in the north to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the south, and from Iran in the east to Israel and Jordan in the west. This gap makes it very difficult to study the tectonic setting of the region, especially the shallow as well as the deep structure of the Zagros Mountain. Analysis of regional seismic phases from the past and future manmade explosions and testing in the region will not be possible without data from the Iraqi Seismic Stations. The project was planned to accomplish four main goals: (1) reestablish communications with some of the Iraqi Seismological and geophysical scientists to assess the conditions of the seismic stations and their seismic archives, (2) schedule in coordination with the Iraqi counterparts, a 2 to 3 week visit to the Iraqi Seismological Unit and the Earth Science Departments at the University of Baghdad and Mosul to assess the status of the Iraqi seismological archive and the network hardware and software operational conditions to determine the requirements for future upgrade and restart; (3) assess the possibilities of future collaboration to start an updated broadband seismic network in Iraq, and (4)examine the possibilities of establishing a GSN station in Iraq.
