Technical Survey and e-Infrastructure Requirements for the European Plate Observing System (EPOS)

In November 2010, the new European Plate Observing System (EPOS) project was launched during a kick-off meeting in Rome. EPOS is the European integrated solid Earth Sciences Research Infrastructure (RI) approved by the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI). EPOS will create a single sustainable, permanent observation infrastructure, integrating existing geophysical monitoring networks (e.g. seismic and geodetic networks), local observatories (e.g. volcano observatories) and experimental laboratories (e.g. experimental and analytic labs for rock physics and tectonic analogue modeling) in Europe and adjacent regions. At this time, EPOS has 20 partners in 18 countries and additional 6 associate partners. During year one of the EPOS Preparatory Phase, the work of the technical EPOS Work Package WP6 focused mainly on: a) Identification of relevant RIs and establishment of a network of contact persons and technical groups, b) Survey and overview of already existing (and planned) RIs and data repositories in Europe, c) Evaluation of the survey results with emphasis on metadata, and d) Definition of the e-infrastructure requirements for an efficient EPOS architecture. Results of the 1st year EPOS Preparatory Phase will be presented in this poster together with an outlook on potential database designs for the prospective integrated EPOS Research Infrastructure.