U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

1. Natural Hazards Science – Reducing the World’s Risk “In-Situ Observing Systems within GEOSS”Workshop on the Utilization of Seismic Networks within the Global Earth Observation System of Systems Dr. P. Patrick Leahy Acting Director U.S. Geological Survey Aug. 23, 2005 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

2. The Need for Natural Hazard Preparedness • Natural disasters afflict all regions of the world. • Improved global disaster reduction and warning is a shared, global need. • Over the decade 1990-1999, disasters killed 500,000 people and caused $750 billion of damage, according to data in the, “Living with Risk” report of the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. • Losses from natural disasters are increasing in proportion to population growth.

3. Increasing Losses From Natural Disasters 50 years of disaster losses Changnon et al, 1997

4. USGS Earthquake Monitoring and Assessment Programs Global Seismographic Network (GSN), in partnership with National Science Foundation and the IRIS Consortium Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS): • National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) • Backbone/National Seismic Network • Regional networks, in partnership with universities and state geological surveys

5. Addressing Critical Needs Improving real-time reporting of GSN stations and around-the-clock analysis of earthquake events at NEIC will have a dual purpose: • Improved earthquake response • Support for NOAA’s tsunami warning capability

6. USGS Role in President’s Tsunami Warning Initiative • Operate NEIC 24-hours-a-day seven days a week • Enhance NEIC hardware and software • Make all 130 GSN stations real-time • Place GSN stations in the Caribbean • Map coasts for tsunami hazard assessment • Implement PAGER • Enhance distribution of NOAA tsunami warnings

7. In-Situ Monitoring Systems: Early Warning/Faster Emergency Response • In-situ hazard monitoring systems are needed for early warning and faster emergency response to natural hazards. • GEOSS could enable science and technology working together for a desired societal outcome – early warning and faster emergency response.

8. Connecting Terrestrial Observation Systems to GEOSS • By integrating observing systems, both nationally and worldwide, we can benefit from the increased number and distribution of observations of any given event. • Another goal of the international effort is to identify measures to minimize data gaps – with the intent to move toward a comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained Earth observation “system of systems.”

9. OBSERVATIONS TO SOCIETAL IMPACT

10. GEOSS Critical Needs: Research and Data Exchange Research is the engine that powers the outcome of reduced losses: • Mitigation strategies • Engineering solutions • Safer structures, safer infrastructure, and safer communities

11. Open Data Exchange Open data exchange is a key element of GEOSS. The July 2003 GEOSS Declaration: • Participants agreed to exchange data in a full and open manner with minimum time delay and minimum cost, • If successful, by fully networking these systems, we will advance our understanding of the Earth’s environment and improve decision-makers’ abilities to address pressing policy issues.

12. Economic Benefits of Seismic Monitoring National Academy report on the costs & benefits of seismic monitoring: • The estimated benefits from seismic monitoring may be ten times costs. • Improved seismic monitoring can significantly increase the accuracy of tsunami warnings and reduce the risk of missed warnings or costly false alarms. • For performance-based engineering, dollar estimates for benefits are estimated at $142 million annually –about three times the cost of operating the full ANSS. • The U.S. should rank seismic risk reduction as highly as other critical national programs, should track the growth of risk nationally, and should make the necessary long-term investments to reduce it.

13. Natural Hazards Science – A Matter of Worldwide Public Safety Natural hazards will always be with us. They can happen at any time and can have tragic consequences. With USGS science and technology, we are striving to prevent these natural hazards from becoming disasters. This is not just a scientific endeavor – it is a matter of worldwide public safety.