OpenLegislation

Division PART 1: Technical assistance and capacity building

United Kingdom

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Project 1: Enhancement of SHI automatic processing capabilities in NDC-in-a-Box [SeisComp3 SEEDLink and NET-VISA components] & simplified, standards compliant IDC products and services access for NDCs

Background

The IDC has introduced automatic processing capabilities in SHI NDC-in-a-Box SeisComp3 based on the NET-VISA associator. This new capability, which is currently being tested by NDCs, allows users to reproduce VSEL bulletin results achieved at the IDC. Building on this achievement, the IDC proposes to enhance the NET-VISA SeisComp3 component to also support the usage of NDC specific local stations and regional networks.

Additionally, the IDC is building a new capability to improve support for open source seismic analysis packages, such as SEISAN, by offering real-time waveform data transmission to NDCs using the standard SEEDLink protocol. This service will only be available to NDCs connected through the Global Communications Infrastructure network. This limitation is imposed by technical shortfalls in the SeisComp3 SEEDLink server component. The IDC proposes to enhance the SesiComp3 SEEDLink server by introducing robust authentication and encryption mechanisms so that the service can also be offered to authorised users through a secured internet connection.

To improve support in accessing IDC products and services, the IDC proposes to implement Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks (FDSN) compliant web services. This new, standards-compliant data access method will allow many users of open source seismic analysis packages, such as SEISAN, to easily retrieve products and data from the IDC from within applications that support this standard. It will augment Virtual Data Messaging System (VDMS), but not replace it, as many VDMS messages are not defined in FDSN web services (e.g. key requests) standard. All web services defined by the FDSN standard (fdsnws-station, fdsnws-dataselect, fdsnws-event and fdsnws-availability) shall be implemented.

Objectives

Provision of online material for NDCs in integrating IMS data with locally used open source seismic analysis packages such SEISAN

  • Enhance the automatic processing capabilities of SHI NDC-in-a-Box by supporting NDC specific local stations and regional networks in NET-VISA.

  • Simplify and modernise access to real-time IMS waveform data for authorised users.

Deliverables

All deliverables for this project consist in enhancements to the software modules that are part of the NDC-in-a-Box (including new software modules for future versions of NDC-in-a-Box).

Outcome

  • Continue building on the efforts for NDC-in-a-Box software initiated under Decision 2012/699/CFSP and continued under Decisions (CFSP) 2015/1837 and (CFSP) 2018/298 in allowing NDCs to process the data available from both the IMS and local stations, as well as regional networks.

  • Collaborate with NDCs to simplify authorised and secured access to real-time IMS waveform data.

Project 2: Training, workshops and follow-up for emerging NDCs (worldwide developing countries) acquisition and maintenance of Capacity Building Systems (CBS) for the NDCs

Background

Capacity building has proven to be fundamental for strengthening the CTBT’s verification regime.

The Commission has successfully continued with the support to States Signatories in providing means to develop capabilities to actively participate in CTBT verification. Developing countries from different continents have started taking advantage of the provision of data and products by the International Data Centre, as these are useful not only for verification purposes but also for civil, scientific and industrial applications.

The capacity-building strategy of the Commission has been recognised by the Working Group B (WGB). During the lifespan of the Union funding, scientific and technical staff (in the order of hundreds) have taken specialised training on the use of the NDC-in-a-box software package, as well as CTBT-related knowledge that directly rewards the potential national authorities at each State.

Developing country institutions hosting National Data Centres NDCs have also been benefitting from the provision of basic equipment to start or further develop their laboratories for data processing.

Objectives

The objectives of the Commission’s capacity-building activities are:

  • software and infrastructure development,

  • technical workshops,

  • training for emerging NDCs on IMS data access and on IMS and IDC tools,

  • training of experts from emerging NDCs though visits to EU NDCs,

  • systematic training for extended NDC-in-a-box (eNIAB) software,

  • support for integrating the processing of IMS data with national and regional seismic networks,

  • support for NDCs in integrating IMS data with locally used open source seismic analysis packages such as SEISAN,

  • provision of remedial technical assistance in the form of CBS equipment and related maintenance and replacement.

Outcome

The capabilities of States Signatories, in particular in developing countries, to participate in the CTBT verification regime will be enhanced.

Project 3: Evolution and homogenisation of the multi-waveform technology processing and interactive system

Background

The IDC has redesigned the infrasound automatic system and developed extended-NDC-in-a-Box projects with initial release of the software in 2016 and major updates in 2018 and 2019. The infrasound processing system efforts consisted of the development of an automatic processing array station system and the interactive review software. The tools developed have been integrated in NDC-in-a-Box (including the latest release version 5.0 in 2019) and in the IDC processing environment. In addition, the hydro-acoustic processing system has potential to greatly leverage from the efforts made in developing the infrasound technology, as many components between these two technologies are compatible on a large scale. However, there is a need to pursue efforts to homogenise the software components and processes while taking into account a number of independent and specific technology needs.

Thanks to NDC-in-a-Box and dedicated infrasound trainings provided using previous Union funding, NDCs have gained capabilities for infrasound technologies and they are making intensive use of the NDC-in-a-Box tools. The IDC continuously receives requests for dedicated waveform technology trainings, including infrasound and hydro-acoustic technologies, and demands for new or enhanced specialised software.

The IDC proposes to continue efforts to complete the infrasound and hydro-acoustic processing systems in support of IDC and IMS needs and to address the NDCs’ requests for state-of-the-art software. The project aim is to bring the hydro-acoustic processing system on par with the redesigned infrasound system and homogenise the common software components and refine specific individual technology dependencies, while continuing to advance the processing to keep abreast with the latest technology developments. This project should also allow IDC to plan a smooth integration of IDC specific tools into the IDC re-engineered system presently under development.

Objectives

  • Support the evolution of the station processing system to continuously meet IMS and IDC operations sustainment needs.

  • Support the NDC requests for software, software update and functionalities for performing NDC activities.

  • Continue the implementation of state-of-the-art functionalities to improve infrasound and hydro-acoustic signal analyses and interpretation for source identification, in order to maintain the scientific credibility of the hydro-acoustic and infrasound technologies at the CTBTO.

  • Pursue efforts to include wave propagation models with uncertainty quantification, in particular for infrasound technology by taking into account high resolution atmospheric specifications for network processing and in-depth event analysis to meet Medium Term Strategy objectives.

Deliverables

All deliverables for this project consist of enhancements to the software modules that are part of the IDC processing system and NDC-in-a-Box (including new software modules for future versions of NDC-in-a-Box).

Outcome

  • Continue building the technical and scientific credibility of the IDC infrasound and hydro-acoustic systems and ensure the sustainment of IDC and IMS operations as outlined in strategic goal 1 of the Medium Term Strategy 2018-2021

  • Continue building on the efforts for NDC-in-a-Box software initiated and developed from previous Union funding, allowing NDCs to process the data available from the IMS for both CTBT monitoring and for national purposes. These efforts have created a strong NDC user base and the proposed project would further increase NDCs’ trust in the credibility of the verification system. This also provides NDCs with additional capabilities to automatically process IDC data, mixing data from IMS and non-IMS stations in NDC-in-a-Box and reproducing IDC results in NDC-in-a-Box automatic processing.

  • Collaborate with NDCs to build state-of-the-art infrasound and hydro-acoustic systems as part of IDC re-engineering efforts.