The European Plate Observing System (EPOS)

BGS is one of 46 beneficiaries, representing 23 countries across Europe (including both EU member states and Associated Countries) participating in the Horizon 2020 EPOS Implementation phase project (EPOS IP). EPOS IP builds on the achievements of the successful EPOS preparatory phase project EPOS PP in which BGS was also a key member.

EPOS aims to create "a single, Pan–European, sustainable and distributed infrastructure" for solid Earth science to support a safe and sustainable society. It aims to integrate the most advanced European Earth Science Research Infrastructures through e-science. EPOS is the Earth Science infrastructure listed on the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) roadmap and was prioritised for implementation in 2014.

The vision:

When EPOS is complete '...a researcher will be able to sit in front of a computer screen and be able to download a great range of earth science data (including data from energy test beds) from across Europe, and visualise them in real time in many different ways...' This data will be standardised, harmonised and interoperable.

EPOS IP aims to connect ten thematic groups geo–infrastructures which have until now existed separately, enabling an unprecedented level of scientific integration. Through integration of the data, models and facilities EPOS will allow the Earth Science community to undertake innovative multidisciplinary research and to make a step change in developing new concepts and tools to better understand the Earth’s physical and chemical processes that control earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, ground instability and tsunami as well as the processes driving tectonics and Earth’s surface dynamics. EPOS will enable scientists to address key scientific and socio–economic questions, including understanding geo–hazards and geo–resource issues and improve our ability to better manage the use of the subsurface of the Earth. BGS will play a key role in achieving this.