Lithoprobe Project

Lithoprobe Project

The Lithoprobe is a Canadian project funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. It was founded in 1984, and its goal is to map and study the diverse lithosphere of Canada to uncover clues on the formation of the continents and other geological processes. In addition to new information about the formation of Canada, the Lithoprobe provides geological models for mining of oil and valuable minerals, and can even provide useful information for assessing and predicting the impact of natural hazards such as earthquakes and volcanic activity. The Lithoprobe has gathered data from ten different study areas in Canada, spanning from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland, and from the US border to the northern territories. The Lithoprobe serves as a model for other countries to study the geology of the continents and to reveal information on the processes that created the continents as we know them today. One of the methods used to map out the earth’s surface and crust is called seismic reflection, which uses vibroseis trucks. These trucks have hydraulics that lift it in the air and vibrates the truck at a certain frequency. Although this method might sound strange, it can be used to map crustal structures to a depth of 50km.

Lithoprobe data has helped understand the evolution of the Superior Craton, which is an Archean craton (about 4 billion years old), that forms the core of the Canadian Shield. The Lithoprobe project has provided an enormous amount of data and studies on the formation of Canada. Geologists, geochemists, and geophysicists all came together to pool their knowledge and skills to be able to achieve the success of the Lithoprobe project. 






References
Clowes, Ron M. “A New View of the Continent Beneath Our Feet – LITHOPROBE'S Scientific, Economic and Social Contribu.” CSEG RECORDER Magazine, Mar. 2009, csegrecorder.com/articles/view/a-new-view-of-the-continent-beneath-our-feet.
“Techniques.” Lithoprobe, Canada's National Lithoprobe Geoscience Project, lithoprobe.eos.ubc.ca/media/studies/techniques.html.
“What Is Lithoprobe.” LITHOPROBE, Canada's National Lithoprobe Geoscience Project, lithoprobe.eos.ubc.ca/about/whatisit.html.
Wikimedia Contributors. “Superior Craton.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 June 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superior_Craton.