DESCRIPTION
The Thematic Core Service (TCS) Tsunami coordinates tsunami-related services within the EPOS infrastructure. These services include real-time sensor data, historical tsunami data, numerical models and applications, workflows, and hazard and risk products.
The TCS Tsunami is a network of organisations and community resources aimed at serving basic and applied tsunami research and informing tsunami risk reduction in the North-eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean and connected seas (NEAM) region. The TCS is linked to the global tsunami community while supporting local and regional scientific and operational needs.
The official community portal for the EPOS TCS Tsunami is tsunamidata.org, which serves as the main gateway to the TCS Tsunami service portfolio, including services for Tsunami Service Providers, tsunami datasets, numerical modelling tools, workflows, and hazard and risk products.
The TCS Tsunami became a Candidate Thematic Core Service within EPOS in July 2021. It was approved as a fully operational EPOS TCS by the EPOS ERIC General Assembly at the end of 2023.
The TCS Tsunami community currently includes 30 partner institutions from 14 European countries. Its services are structured around four thematic pillars:
- Support to Tsunami Service Providers.
- Tsunami Data.
- Numerical Models.
- Hazard and Risk Products.
LEADERSHIP
- TCS Chair:
- Marinos Charalampakis, National Observatory of Athens, NOA.
- TCS Coordinator:
- Andrey Babeyko, GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences.
GOVERNANCE
The TCS Tsunami is operated within the legal framework of EPOS ERIC and adheres to EPOS policies on the Data Delivery Framework and the EPOS Data Policy.
The specific legal framework for the TCS Tsunami is governed by the Consortium Agreement and service contracts between TCS and EPOS ERIC.
The main governing bodies of the TCS Tsunami include:
- Consortium Board (CB):
Acts as the General Assembly of the TCS. It represents the partner institutions and is responsible for the consortium's main strategic and organisational decisions. - Executive Board (EB):
Acts as the operating board of the TCS. It is responsible for the organisation of meetings, communication with EPOS ERIC and other TCSs, representation of the TCS in EPOS ERIC committees, and coordination of operational activities.
The Consortium Board and the Executive Board are supported by strategic and operational advisory bodies, including:
- Strategy Board (SB):
Discusses the community strategy for the development of new and advanced services, standards, data products, and software products. - Tsunami Service Providers (TSP) Group:
Addresses TSP-related issues, specific TSP requests, and service needs. This group reflects a distinctive feature of the TCS Tsunami, namely the involvement of Tsunami Service Providers officially mandated for tsunami early warning in the Mediterranean. - User Feedback Group:
Provides advice to the Consortium Board concerning service performance, user requests, and user needs. - VA/TNA Provider Committee:
Discusses technical, financial, and policy aspects of virtual access, transnational access, and DDSS provision. - TNA Selection Committee:
Launches TNA calls and evaluates proposals for transnational access.
Additional permanent or temporary boards may be created as needed by decisions of the Consortium Board.
CONSORTIUM COMPOSITION
- Member organisations:
The TCS Tsunami community currently includes 30 partner institutions from 14 European countries. The community comprises universities, public research centres, and private research centres. Due to the multifaceted nature of tsunami generation and impact, partner institutions cover a range of geo-hazards, including seismic, volcanic, landslide, and meteotsunami hazards. Since tsunami research relies heavily on numerical simulations and modelling workflows, computational science is also a key component of the community.
The consortium follows principles of openness and inclusiveness. It maintains strong links with the broader tsunami and geoscience communities, including related initiatives and networks in seismology, volcanology, landslide science, coastal engineering, high-performance computing, multi-hazard, and multi-risk research.
For the updated list of partner institutions and services, please refer to the official TCS Tsunami portal:
- Official TCS Tsunami portal:
https://www.tsunamidata.org/ - Community page:
https://tsunamidata.org/community - Legal and Governance page:
https://tsunamidata.org/legal-governance
CONTACT
- TCS Chair:
Marinos Charalampakis, National Observatory of Athens, NOA.
cmarinos@noa.gr - TCS Coordinator:
Andrey Babeyko, GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences.
babeyko@gfz.de - Official TCS Tsunami portal:
https://www.tsunamidata.org/ - Feedback:
https://www.tsunamidata.org/feedback