Which types of data can I contribute?
- Parametric data i.e. source parameters (origin time, epicenter coordinates, hypocentral depth, magnitude) and arrival times (station code, phase picking, calibrated amplitude/period).
- Moment tensors and/or focal mechanisms
- Field observations after a significant earthquake
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What criteria does the EMSC apply to integrate my data?
Rapidity: to ensure the rapid dissemination of earthquake information.
Good station coverage: to ensure a reliable earthquake location. Highly valuable are also contributions from stations close to the epicentre, and/or which significantly improve the station coverage (e.g. offshore seismicity) even if only available several hours after the earthquake onset.
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How can I send real-time data to the EMSC?
Via email to both and .
Recommendations:
- Data messages must be sent in ascii (text) format. No html nor enriched text will be accepted. If ascii is not possible, please use utf8 encoding.
- Data must be included in the body of the message. No .doc nor .xls will be accepted.
- Data is processed automatically: once you choose a text format, data must always be formatted and sent in that format. Any modification of the format must be notified to EMSC several days before the sending. We recommend using standard formats such as isf, quakeml, scautoloc.
- One message must contain data of one single earthquake.
Via HMB : As an alternative to emails, you can use httpMsgBus (HMB), a messaging system using http (port 80) for communication. Developed by the GFZ, the system is used in seiscomp4 and is designed to transfer any kind of data (text or binary).
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What are the technical specifications a contributor should follow?
- Define the procedures before sending any parametric data contributions (contact ).
- Keep the same format (otherwise the parser will fail and the data won't be integrated). No attachment, nor .doc, .xls, .html files.
- Systematically send data to both EMSC and IGN. Indeed, IGN (Spain) runs back-up procedures for EMSC and takes over the duty for the alert system in case of technical problem or maintenance activities at EMSC.
Always send the data from the same identified email accounts (parsers are associated to specific email addresses).
- Ensure that the stations are registered in the International Registry. EMSC can help you on this matter.
- Same requirements are valid for the data exchange using HMB. Technically, EMSC will provide you with a python3 script that performs the sending.
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Is there a time limit to send data contributions?
The quicker the contribution, the better. Except for most significant earthquakes, for which a final revised location may be re-computed 2 to 3 days after the event occurrence, data contributions are more valuable if sent within 24 hours of the earthquake onset.
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Should data be automatic or manual?
Data can be both manual and automatic. A manual pick automatically replace the automatic one for the same station and same phase, therefore a manual message can be sent by the same network to update a manual one.
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Is data redundancy a problem?
No. Receiving data about an earthquake from different networks improves the reliability of the system in case of technical failure of a contributor. In practice, when available a manual pick replaces the automatic one. If only automatic picks are available, the one with the smallest residual is kept in the real time system. For the alert system, the selection is made by the seismologist on duty.
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