GeoNet (New Zealand)

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Logo of the GeoNet project

GeoNet is a nationwide networked monitoring system for geophysical processes in New Zealand . About the network are earthquakes , volcanic activity , tsunamis , landslides and any tectonic deformations in the whole country recorded, monitored, analyzed and evaluated.

GeoNet is a collaborative project launched in 2001 by the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences ( GNS Science ), a New Zealand Crown Research Institute and the Earthquake Commission (EQC) founded in 1945 by the New Zealand government .

history

In 2000, after five years of preparatory work, GNS Science presented the government with a concept for a nationwide geophysical monitoring and evaluation network. The existing network was fragmented at the time and ran with outdated instruments that no longer corresponded to an international standard. As a result, the Earthquake Commission , various scientists, end-user groups and two parliamentary bodies from the fields of education and science and finance worked on the project for 12 months.

Finally, in February 2001, the Earthquake Commission announced that it would take over 60% of the long-term funding of a new Hazard Monitoring Network, providing NZ $ 5 million a year for at least 10 years. The commission concluded a contract for the realization of the project with GNS Science , in which the investment costs were estimated at NZ $ 35 million and the commission assumed NZ $ 50 million in maintenance costs for the first 10 years. The main focus in the first three years of implementation was on renewing the earthquake monitoring system. In the implementation, among other things, the possibility was used to also record weaker earthquakes. In this way, developments could be identified earlier based on the more comprehensive data. At the same time, a new data communication system was introduced that made modern data management possible. The key point of the project agreement was also to make all data, evaluations and findings available free of charge to everyone in New Zealand and beyond via a robust network that would still work in the event of a disaster despite partial failures.

A new conceptual review of the renewed network, which was completed in October 2004, led EQC in June 2005 to the realization that the funds for the further implementation of the network would have to be increased significantly with NZ $ 75 million for 10 years.

GeoNet played an important role in the secure availability of up-to-date earthquake data via the Internet during the last major earthquakes in the country, such as the Gisborne earthquake in 2007 , the Darfield earthquake in 2010 and the Christchurch earthquake in 2011 .

See also

literature

  • Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences (Ed.): GeoNet News - Exploring the GeoNet Project . tape 1 . Lower Hutt, New Zealand June 2002 ( Online ( Memento from May 11, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) PDF 1.4 MB).

Web links

  • GeoNet. GeoNet - GNS Science, accessed on February 28, 2011 (English, homepage and entry page for all relevant geophysical data).
  • About GeoNet. GeoNet - GNS Science, accessed on February 1, 2016 (English).

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences (Ed.): GeoNet News . tape 1 . Lower Hutt, New Zealand June 2002, p. 2 .
  2. ^ Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences (Ed.): GeoNet News . tape 1 . Lower Hutt, New Zealand June 2002, p. 4 .
  3. ↑ GeoNet . Earthquake Commission (EQC) , accessed February 1, 2016 .