Background

Tephrabase was originally designed to be used by those involved in tephrochronological research in north-west Europe. In practice, this means those working in the British Isles, Scandinavia and Iceland (the source of the tephra layers). The aims of this project have not changed since Tephrabase was first unveiled in 1995, except that details about tephra layers and eruptions in central Mexico and other parts of Europe have been included.

More detailed information about this project can be found in Newton et al. (1997) and Newton (1996). The five point list below details the original aims of this project.

To provide the Quaternary community of north-west Europe with an easily accessible database of the diagnostic characteristics and spatial distribution of Icelandic tephra layers (initially post 20 ka BP).
To aid in the identification of tephra layers by using the spatial, temporal and geochemical information stored in the database.
To provide a database of Icelandic volcanic systems, their eruptions and products to which distal tephra layers may be correlated.
To encourage and promote responsible use of existing data.
To promote the use of tephrochronology in palaeoenvironmental studies and archaeology.

Structure of the Database

Details of design of the database are available from here. Included are details on the tables within the database and the relationships between these tables. If you are going to donate data to the database you will find it useful to look at these pages. Also if you are setting up your own database, you might find this information useful.

References

Newton A.J., Gittings B., Stuart N. (1997) Designing a scientific database Query Server using the World Wide Web: The example of Tephrabase. Innovations in GIS 4, Taylor and Francis, London, 251-266.

Newton A.J. (1996) Tephrabase. A Tephrochronological Database. Quaternary Newsletter, 78, 8-13.