Observatories are highly specialized research infrastructures dedicated to the intensive study of geographical areas of exceptional scientific interest and high natural hazard. Unlike monitoring networks distributed on a national scale, observatories concentrate a dense network of multidisciplinary instrumentation in a limited area, transforming it into a true “natural laboratory.”
This approach allows for the investigation of geodynamic processes with a resolution and level of detail unattainable through other methodologies. Enhanced and newly created observatories, implemented in the framework of the PNRR MEET project, generate streams of very high-quality observational data (DPL 0-1), which are fundamental for testing new scientific hypotheses and developing advanced predictive models (DPL 2-3).
IPSES federates data from three main types of observatories.
Near-Fault Observatories
These infrastructures focus on studying seismogenic processes directly in the vicinity of active faults, which are responsible for some of the most energetic earthquakes in Italy. The goal is to monitor the entire seismic cycle, from the interseismic phase of strain accumulation, to the coseismic rupture phase, and through to the post-seismic readjustment phase.
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INFO (Irpinia Near Fault Observatory): located in one of Italy’s highest seismic hazard areas, the Irpinia observatory pilots innovative technologies, such as Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) with fiber optics, to monitor deformation and micro-seismicity with unprecedented sensitivity.
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NEMESI (NEar fault observatory of the MEssina StraIt): the Messina Strait observatory monitors a crucial tectonic area where the convergence between the Eurasian and African plates generates intense seismic activity.
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TABOO (The Alto Tiberina Near Fault Observatory): is a high-resolution infrastructure that monitors the highly seismic Upper Tiber Valley in Italy. It focuses on studying the low-angle Alto Tiberina fault to better understand its behavior and contribute to seismic hazard assessment.
Far-Fault Observatory
Unique in its kind, this type of observatory is situated in a geologically stable area with very low seismic and anthropogenic noise. This provides a privileged vantage point for recording faint geophysical signals that would otherwise be masked by background noise.
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FABER (Sardinia Far-Fault Observatory): established at the site of the decommissioned Sos Enattos mine in Sardinia, this observatory can detect signals from the Earth’s deep interior, such as Earth tides or the planet’s free oscillations, and study regional geodynamic processes from a novel perspective. The site is also a candidate to host the Einstein Telescope for detecting gravitational waves.
High-Altitude Observatory
These infrastructures are positioned near the summit areas of active volcanoes, enabling direct and proximal monitoring of eruptive phenomena.
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PDVO (Pizzi Deneri Volcanological Observatory): located at over 2800 meters on the slopes of Mount Etna, it is the highest volcanological observatory in Europe. Its strategic position allows for the installation of advanced instrumentation to study volcanic gases, ground deformation, and seismo-acoustic phenomena related to eruptive activity, providing essential data for research and surveillance.