EPOS

European Plate Observing System

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

To understand the complex Earth System requires an integrated observational strategy and infrastructure to record key diagnostic features of its dynamics. Accordingly, this infrastructure must include geographically distributed and multidisciplinary monitoring instruments and observations. The European Plate Observing System (EPOS) will meet this challenge. The proposed RI (EPOS) will create a single sustainable, permanent and distributed infrastructure, integrating land-based geophysical monitoring networks, local observatories (including permanent in-situ and volcano observatories) and experimental laboratories in Europe. EPOS will give open access to geophysical and geological data and modelling tools, enabling a step change in multidisciplinary scientific research into different fields, including seismic and volcanic hazards, environmental changes as well as energy and long-term sustainability. This will result in benefits to society. Presently, the different European countries own a mosaic of hundreds of impressive, but separated networks, observatories, temporary deployments, labs and modelling facilities, etc... for solid earth studies. Long-term sustainability of plate observations, optimising access to, and combining a wide variety of solid Earth data and modelling tools are prerequisites to innovative research for a better understanding of the physical processes controlling earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other catastrophic events (landslides, tsunamis) together with those controlling Earth surface dynamics (crustal response to deformation and to global change). EPOS will enable the scientific community to study the same phenomena from a multidisciplinary point of view, at different temporal and spatial scales (from laboratory to field and plate tectonic scale experiments). EPOS intends to create the prerequisites for Europe to maintain a leading role in solid Earth science research.

Introduzione (Teaser)

An EU-funded project has been developing an open access infrastructure providing researchers with a wide range of geophysical and geological data and tools.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

At the moment, there is a great number of impressive though separate research networks, observatories, laboratories and modelling facilities for studying solid Earth (SE) in Europe. Sustainability of tectonic plate observations, easy access to SE data and modelling tools are, however, prerequisites to innovative research. These should allow better understanding of the physical processes controlling earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides and tsunamis.

The EU-funded project 'European plate observing system' (http://www.epos-eu.org/ (EPOS)) is establishing a long-term plan to facilitate the integrated use of data, models and services from existing and new research infrastructures. Its aim has been to create a sustainable and multidisciplinary research platform for the SE science domain in Europe.

Project members are integrating top-notch European facilities under one umbrella to produce a more coordinated European-wide monitoring facility boosted by new e-science opportunities. This involves integrating different sources of information from seismological and Global Positioning System data with onsite test facilities and laboratory experiments through a cyberinfrastructure.

Research infrastructures will be catalogued in the EPOS thematic services. These should include experimental laboratories, data repositories, satellite data information, and experimental, geomagnetic and volcano observatories, as well as seismic and geodetic networks. The distinct thematic services will be further combined into the EPOS integrated services. These are a variety of multidisciplinary services allowing access to data mining, data products, and processing and visualisation tools.

EPOS has already designed the integrated core services and ensured interoperability with thematic core services. The EPOS information and communication technology architecture was refined taking into account requirements as they evolved. The key to this functional architecture was the development of a metadata catalogue.

The EPOS platform will make access easier to an unprecedented wealth of high-quality data and services, supporting Europe to maintain a leading position in SE research. Beyond offering major advances to research, the platform is set to support educational and training activities, in addition to improving quality exchanges between stakeholders.