172 / 280
[
] 172
Contribution of the International Federation of
Digital Seismographic Networks (FDSN) to the
Global Earth Observation System of Systems
Gerardo Suárez, Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México;
Torild van Eck, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), the Netherlands;
Rhett Butler, Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS), USA;
Domenico Giardini, Swiss Seismological Service;
Tim Ahern, Data Management Center, (IRIS)
T
he International Federation of Digital Seismographic
Networks (FDSN) is an integrated system of seismological
observatories. The data stemming from the seismographic
observatories that are part of FDSN are linked to a structured
system of networked data centres that make available the infor-
mation generated to all interested users. FDSN is one of the early
contributors to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems
(GEOSS), providing high-quality, timely and reliable data to the
Group on Earth Observations (GEO) on earthquakes of all sizes
that occur anywhere on the globe.
FDSN is a signatory of the ten-year implementation plan of GEO. FDSN
provides GEO with an existing and fully functional global infrastruc-
ture for the acquisition of seismological information, its transmission
to the data centres and its distribution to interested users in a free and
open manner. The contribution of FDSN and the seismological infor-
mation that it collects, stores and distributes has been recognized to be
essential to one of the fundamental societal benefits enunciated in the
mission of GEO: the reduction of the loss of lives and properties due to
natural disasters; in particular, FDSN contributes to the prevention and
reduction of losses due to earthquakes and tsunamis.
The data produced by the seismographic stations that are part of the
federation has an important impact in understanding the natural
processes and phenomena that are responsible for the occurrence of
large earthquakes. Over the past 25 years, the scientific use of the data
generated by FDSN has been of fundamental importance to understand
the seismicity of the Earth, the global dynamic processes that are respon-
sible for this activity and the internal structure of our planet.
Seismological data stemming from FDSN stations are routinely used to
estimate seismic and tsunami hazard at the regional, local and global
level. Here again, the Federation answers an additional societal benefit
of GEO: understanding the environment that affects human health and
well-being.
Description of the FDSN: structure and membership
The FDSN is an international organization of true global scope insti-
tuted in 1986 with the mission of bringing together operators of
seismographic stations and networks. Membership in the FDSN is
voluntary and there are no fees or contributions. All
members participate in the activities of FDSN in a cooper-
ative manner, volunteering their time and resources. The
main goal of the FDSN is the collection, archiving and
distribution of high-quality seismological observations; all
of which is made available to interested users in a timely,
free and open manner.
FDSN is formed by 65 organizations from 53 countries
that contribute data to the three main data centres in the
United States, Europe and Japan. One of the main objec-
tives of FDSN is to encourage the transmission of
information in real time. A subset of the stations that are
part the FDSN is sent in real-time to the Data Management
Center (DMC) of the Incorporated Research Institutions
in Seismology (IRIS) consortium. Data from this real-time
network are crucial to the determination of the seismic
parameters of large earthquakes in a very short time after
their occurrence and to support the efforts of institutions
that are responsible for disaster relief or prevention.
FDSN promotes the installation of broadband seismo-
graphic instruments. This type of seismographs record
seismic signals with high fidelity over a very broad range
of frequencies, allowing scientists to observe on scale the
very small displacements produced by the bell-like oscil-
lations of the whole Earth after a great earthquake, as well
as the strong and high-amplitude seismic signals observed
at regional distances after major earthquakes. The FDSN
serves as a coordinating entity to plan the installation of
future seismic stations and networks in order to ensure a
homogenous global distribution. Also, FDSN developed
and encourages the use of common data format and proto-
cols for data distribution and exchange.
To date, over 6,000 stations contribute data to the three
main data centres of the Federation: the DMC in Seattle,
Washington; a European consortium called Observatories
and Research Facilities for EUropean Seismology
(ORFEUS) in de Bilt, the Netherlands, and the Institute for
Frontier Research on Earth Evolution (IFREE /JAMSTEC)
S
OCIETAL
B
ENEFIT
A
REAS
– D
ISASTERS