140 years of Geophysics in Coimbra The Geophysical Institute of the University of Coimbra (IGUC) was founded in September 1, 1864, when the first climatic records were made, at the same location where it is now. The first geomagnetic records were made in 1866 and the first seismograms were recorded in 1907. All these data series are allmost uninterrupted till today. In 2002 we began to record air-quality parameters and, in the same year, we began research in Planetary Science, in collaboration with the European Space Agency who have granted us Recognised Collaborating Laboratory status for the Mars Express mission. Geographic Co-ordinates Latitude: 40º 12' 25'' N Longitude: 08º 25' 30'' W Altitude above sea level: 139.61 m. Ground constitution Red sandstones of Triassic age.