Earth and geophysical science
Geoscience studies the composition, structure and dynamics of the solid Earth, including earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides and subsurface resources. It informs where and how often geological hazards occur and how they cascade into infrastructure and supply disruption. Climate and Hazards stewards this page for the Nexus Consortium.
- 01In briefThe short answer
- 02The methodWhat earth and geophysical science covers
- 03Reference practiceSeismic and volcanic hazard practice is shared openly
- 04In systemic risk workOne rupture, many networks
- 05Applied inPlatforms that apply this method
- 06StewardshipWho maintains this page
- 07Key termsTerms used on this page
GCRI · Institution · service level R0
The short answer.
Geoscience studies the composition, structure and dynamics of the solid Earth, including earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides and subsurface resources. Geoscience sets ground-shaking and ground-failure inputs for building codes, siting and catastrophe models. In the Nexus Consortium, Climate and Hazards stewards its canonical page, and 4 other platforms apply it, including Disaster Resilience and Recovery as well as Cities and Built Environment.
Disaster exposure and reach in Chile.
Where response must travel furthest from a large city, with the roads, airports and ports that carry relief, shown for Chile as an example geography for this subject.
What earth and geophysical science covers.
- 01
Core methods
seismic hazard analysis; geological mapping; geodetic deformation analysis; volcanic monitoring; slope stability analysis; subsurface imaging.
- 02
Data and instruments
seismometer networks; satellite radar interferometry; global navigation satellite system stations; boreholes and core samples; geological survey maps.
- 03
Validation
Hazard models are tested against historical and paleoseismic catalogues and observed ground motions. Deformation estimates are cross-checked between independent geodetic techniques.
- 04
Limits
Catalogues are short relative to recurrence intervals of large events. Fault interactions and triggering are difficult to predict deterministically.
- 05
Use in risk decisions
Geoscience sets ground-shaking and ground-failure inputs for building codes, siting and catastrophe models. It identifies where single geological events can disrupt multiple networks at once.
Seismic and volcanic hazard practice is shared openly.
| Reference | What it sets |
|---|---|
| Global Earthquake Model (OpenQuake) | Open probabilistic seismic hazard and risk modelling |
| USGS Earthquake Hazards Program | Global earthquake catalogues and ShakeMaps |
| Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program | Volcano and eruption records |
| UNDRR-ISC Hazard Information Profiles | Standard definitions of geological hazards |
One rupture, many networks.
Geological events are spatially concentrated and sudden, so they test many networks at the same moment: roads, pipelines, power, telecoms and ports in one region. In systemic analysis the value of geoscience is the shared event set: a single catalogue of plausible ruptures applied to every network, rather than each sector using its own hazard map with different assumptions.
- Apply one stochastic event set across sectors so correlated damage appears.
- Include secondary hazards: landslides, liquefaction, tsunami and fire following.
- State catalogue completeness; large events have recurrence intervals longer than the instrumental record.
- See Disaster Resilience and Recovery for recovery applications.
Who maintains this page.
Climate and Hazards stewards earth and geophysical science: it keeps this description current and reviews how the method is applied across the platforms.
Terms used on this page.
Each term as this page uses it. Where a standard-setting body defines the term, the wording follows that body.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Ground motion model | An equation estimating shaking at a site from magnitude, distance and site conditions. |
| Logic tree | A structure for weighting alternative models to represent uncertainty in hazard. |
| InSAR | Interferometric synthetic aperture radar, which measures ground movement by comparing radar images taken at different times. |
| Slip rate | The average rate at which the two sides of a fault move past each other over geological time. |
Where this page's references lead.
The bodies and documents this page is read against. Status and editions change; each link goes to the issuing body.
Where this page leads across the Consortium.
- Geoscience for geohazardsGCRIApplied in Climate and Hazards.
- Geoscience for disaster resilienceGCRIApplied in Disaster Resilience and Recovery.
- Geoscience for citiesGCRIApplied in Cities and Built Environment.
- Coastal geoscienceGCRIApplied in Oceans and Coasts.
- Earth and geophysical science for reinsurance and catastropheGRAApplied in Reinsurance and Catastrophe.
Questions and answers.
Why does one institution host every method page?
How do I suggest a correction to a method page?
Around GCRI.
Start with an enquiry.
The current service level is R0: information and enquiries. An enquiry receives a reference and names the next step; applications, payments, compute allocations and registrations open only when their team, terms and review capacity exist.