--- title: "Geophysical observatories monitoring | Nexus Observatory" description: "Geophysical observatories record the Earth's motion, magnetic field and gravity for decades, in vaults chosen for quiet." url: https://observatory.global/industries/research/geophysical-observatories/ publisher: Nexus Observatory Inc. updated: 2026-11-02 --- [Nexus Observatory](https://observatory.global/) / [Research](https://observatory.global/industries/research/) / [Specialized fields](https://observatory.global/industries/research/fields/) / **Geophysical observatories** # Observatories in quiet vaults, run for decades. Geophysical observatories record the Earth's motion, magnetic field and gravity for decades, in vaults chosen for quiet. Their data serve earthquake science, the magnetic field models every compass and phone uses, and geodesy. Running them to international standards keeps their records trusted and shared worldwide. [Plan a deployment](https://observatory.global/contact/deployment/) How it works [Station Builder](https://observatory.global/studio/builder/) **Industry**: Research **Measurements**: 4 **Sources cited**: 4 1. Research · Geophysical observatories Records for decades Geophysical observatories record the Earth's motion, magnetic field and gravity for decades from vaults chosen for quiet. Earthquake science, the magnetic field models every compass and phone uses, and geodesy depend on them. Their value is the length and continuity of the record. 2. What is measured Motion, field, gravity and position Broadband seismometers in the vault record ground motion, magnetometers in non-magnetic huts record the geomagnetic field each second, a gravimeter records gravity, and GNSS on a stable monument records the station's position. Environment sensors record vault temperature and pressure. Each reading carries its time and its quality flags. InstrumentsBroadband seismometers · Magnetometers · Gravimeter · GNSS · Vault environment 3. The base node Timed, streamed and archived The node timestamps every sample from satellite time, streams seismic data in the standard protocol, computes magnetic one-second and one-minute values, writes daily archives and keeps the metadata in step with every change so data centres accept the record. Nothing is lost when a link drops; the node keeps it. 4. Radio and links Fibre or satellite Observatories near institutes reach them over fibre for real-time streams, and remote observatories stream by satellite. Data flow on to international data centres through their standard formats and services. Each link is chosen for the place, not from a catalogue. LinksFibre · Satellite 5. How it works From a distant earthquake to the world A large earthquake strikes on another continent. Minutes later its waves reach the vault; the node timestamps and streams them, and data centres share them with scientists worldwide within minutes, alongside the same observatory's decades-long record. Every step is kept on the record. 6. From order to operation · Order Scope the observatory The scope reads the institute's observatories, their standards, data centres, gaps and plans. Nexus Observatory Inc. returns the instrument and vault design, timing, data flow and a price per observatory and per year. Every assumption in the scope is written down and priced. [Plan a deployment](https://observatory.global/contact/deployment/) 7. From order to operation · Survey Survey for quiet Crews survey candidate sites for seismic noise, magnetic gradients, stable ground, distance from traffic and steel, sky view for GNSS, power and backhaul. Noise and gradients are measured with portable instruments. Every finding is kept with the site record for the crews who follow. 8. From order to operation · Permits Land and quiet zones Long-term land agreements protect the site and a quiet zone around it. Planning authorities are told of the observatory. Every agreement is kept with the observatory record. Approvals are tracked site by site, so nothing waits unseen. No crew goes to site before its approvals are in place. 9. From order to operation · Build Build vaults and kits Vaults and non-magnetic huts are designed for the site; instruments, timing and nodes are tested together, enrolled with their identities and logged with serial numbers for the metadata. Test results travel with the kit to the site. Nothing ships until the whole kit has passed its tests together. [Open the Station Builder](https://observatory.global/studio/builder/) 10. From order to operation · Install Install in the vault Crews build vaults and piers, set seismometers and magnetometers, mount GNSS on its monument, install environment sensors, timing, power and backhaul, and record every orientation and position. The site record is updated before the crew leaves. Crews follow the site safety plan throughout the work. 11. From order to operation · Commission Commission and register Each node proves its identity and time. Instrument responses are verified, noise is compared with global models, magnetic baselines are fixed by absolute observations, and the observatory is registered with the data centres. Results are signed and kept with the site record. 12. From order to operation · Operate Stream to the world Data stream to the institute and the international data centres. Earthquake scientists, field modellers and geodesists use them as they arrive, and every value keeps its response and metadata. Reports for owners and funders come from the same record. Every alert and action is kept on the record. 13. From order to operation · Maintain Keep the record continuous Absolute magnetic observations, instrument checks and vault maintenance follow the agreed plan, every change is logged in the metadata, and software updates roll out in rings. The record stays continuous for decades. Spares and procedures travel with the crews. Maintenance history stays with each site for its whole life. [Book field services](https://observatory.global/contact/field-service/) 14. Data products For scientists and data centres Earthquake scientists and data centres receive seismic streams and archives; field modellers and navigation users receive definitive magnetic data; geodesists receive station positions; data users worldwide receive the observatory metadata, each value tied to its response and calibration. Each product carries its site, time and quality flags. [See the data products](https://observatory.global/data-products/) 15. Evidence International standards Seismic data follow the international seismograph federation's exchange format and web services, magnetic data the observatory reference manual and GNSS the international site guidelines. Every sample keeps its time, response and metadata, so the record is trusted worldwide. Records are open to the people who must check them. Drawn againstSEED Reference Manual · FDSN Web Service Specifications · INTERMAGNET Technical Reference Manual · IGS Site Guidelines 16. What you get Research site and instrument services Site power, connectivity, timing and operations for telescopes, flux towers and research stations. Delivered as managed service and professional services, for universities, research infrastructures, space agencies. Scale: Global research sites. Service levels are written as numbers you can measure on your own dashboard. [Talk to sales](https://observatory.global/contact/sales-enquiry/) 17. Next step Plan geophysical observatories with us Tell us the site, the measurements and the rules it answers to. We reply with a survey proposal, a design and a scope for geophysical observatories. An engineer replies with a survey proposal and a scope, and the plan grows from one site to the network you need, at your pace. [Plan a deployment](https://observatory.global/contact/deployment/) [Open the Station Builder](https://observatory.global/studio/builder/) [Open the Studio](https://observatory.global/studio/) **01** The place and its hazards ## Where it runs, and what can go wrong. Operating contextSeismic data are exchanged in the standard format and through the web services of the international seismograph federation, magnetic observatories follow the international observatory reference manual, and GNSS stations follow the international site guidelines. Data centres accept stations that meet these standards and their metadata rules. Hazards - Noise from traffic, wind and people near the vault - Temperature changes that move the instruments - Timing errors that corrupt the record - Metadata gaps after instrument changes - Power or link failures that leave gaps **02** What must be measured ## What, where, how often, and under which rules. Each measurement names where it is taken, how often, and the public standard or regulation behind it. Numbers in the sources column open the cited source below. | Measurement | Where | Cadence | Sources | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Ground motion | Broadband seismometers in the vault | Continuous, many samples each second | 12 | | Geomagnetic field | Magnetometers in non-magnetic huts | Every second | 3 | | Station position | GNSS on a stable monument | Continuous, daily solutions | 4 | | Vault temperature and pressure | Inside the vault and huts | Every minute | 13 | **03** The observation stack ## From one base unit to a network. The same blocks at every scale: instruments and a base node, a site with its radio, a fleet run as one, and a network federated on the open protocol. 1. **01** Base unit An observatory point: a seismometer, magnetometer, gravimeter or GNSS receiver with environment sensors on an edge node. [Build a station →](https://observatory.global/studio/builder/) 2. **02** Site An observatory: the vaults and huts, timing, power and two backhaul paths. [Plan a site →](https://observatory.global/contact/deployment/) 3. **03** Fleet A national or institute observatory network run to one standard. [Managed offers →](https://observatory.global/industries/research/solutions/) 4. **04** Network Observatories share data with international data centres through their standard formats and services. [The open protocol →](https://observatory.global/protocol/) - **01** Seismometer / strong-motion accelerometer - **02** Magnetometer (observatory class) - **03** GNSS geodetic station - **04** Sensor and instrument gateway - **05** Edge node (Wedge) - **06** Fibre terminal - **07** LEO flat-panel terminal - **08** Shelter Radio and links ### Fibre Observatories near institutes reach them over fibre for real-time streams. Radio and links ### Satellite Remote observatories stream by satellite. Edge computeThe node timestamps every sample from satellite time, streams seismic data in the standard protocol, computes magnetic one-second and one-minute values, writes daily archives and keeps metadata in step with every change. PowerMains with long battery backup, or solar at remote sites, with power equipment placed away from the instruments. **04** How it works ## From the instrument to the product. One observation's path, tier by tier, with the interface on every link and a bill of materials below; then how the one node grows to a site, a fleet and federated networks. Geophysical observatories: data path – of 07 01 Instruments Measurement with sensor identity andcalibration 02 Gateway 03 Node – Wrap in an observation envelope with timequality– Measure quality and uncertainty, attachquality flags– Buffer locally (store-and-forward when thelink drops) 04 Backhaul Commit with transactional outbox andpublish, delivered at least once 05 Site Consumer inbox deduplicates and applieseach record once into governed data 06 Data store Governed product through API, map orexport, correction-aware 07 Products SEED and SeedLinkFDSN web servicesIAGA-2002 08 Power and structure 01 Seismometer / strong-motionaccelerometer SDI-12 · RS-485 · Ethernet 02 Magnetometer (observatoryclass) SDI-12 · RS-485 · Ethernet 03 GNSS geodetic station Ethernet · GNSS antenna · 1PPS/10MHz Superconducting or spring gravimeter Not in the reference kit 04 Sensor and instrument gateway SDI-12 · RS-485 · Analogue I/O ·Ethernet · USB 05 Edge node (Wedge) Ethernet · Fibre · USB · RS-485 ·BMC 06 Fibre terminal Fibre · Ethernet 07 LEO flat-panel terminal Ethernet Site MQTT 5 with Sparkplug B Governed data store Versioned, correction-aware Seismic streams and archives Definitive magnetic data Station positions Observatory metadata 08 Shelter Ethernet · SeedLink RS-485 · Modbus Ethernet · ntp-nts Ethernet Ethernet · MQTT 5 Ethernet Ethernet Fibre Satellite IP From the instrument to the published product: each band is a tier, each connector names its interface, and the numbers match the bill of materials. Hover or focus a block to trace its path; scroll or step to follow one observation. | Item | Equipment | Data ports | Protocols | Power in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 01 | **Seismometer / strong-motion accelerometer** Short-period seismometer or strong-motion accelerometer for local earthquake and structural shaking. | SDI-12RS-485Ethernet | SEED / miniSEED streams, MQTT 5, OGC SensorThings API | 12 V DC | | 02 | **Magnetometer (observatory class)** Vector or scalar magnetometer for geomagnetic observation and space-weather monitoring. | SDI-12RS-485Ethernet | SDI-12, Modbus, MQTT 5, OGC SensorThings API | 12 V DC | | 03 | **GNSS geodetic station** Continuously operating GNSS station on a stable monument for geodesy, deformation and atmospheric water vapour. | EthernetGNSS antenna1PPS/10 MHz | NTP with NTS | 12 V DC | | 04 | **Sensor and instrument gateway** Data logger and gateway that reads instruments on SDI-12, RS-485, analogue and Ethernet ports and publishes observations with calibration and time. | SDI-12RS-485Analogue I/OEthernetUSB | SDI-12, Modbus, MQTT 5, OGC SensorThings API, OGC API Connected Systems, OMA LwM2M | 12 V DC, PoE | | 05 | **Edge node (Wedge)** Rugged edge node that boots from signed media, attests itself and establishes a site cell from little or no infrastructure. | EthernetFibreUSBRS-485BMC | MQTT 5, DMTF Redfish, IEEE 1588 PTP, NTP with NTS, OPC UA | 12 V DC, 24 V DC, 48 V DC, AC mains | | 06 | **Fibre terminal** Optical network terminal or media converter that lands fibre backhaul at a site. | FibreEthernet | IEEE 1588 PTP | 12 V DC, 48 V DC, AC mains | | 07 | **LEO flat-panel terminal** Electronically steered flat-panel user terminal for low-Earth-orbit broadband constellations. | Ethernet | — | PoE, 48 V DC, AC mains | | 08 | **Shelter** Walk-in shelter or container with HVAC, fire detection and power distribution. | — | — | — | How it scales 01 Instruments Arbitrary qualified sensors and instruments whosemeasurements are ingested with calibration, units,geometry, time, custody and uncertainty. ×n 02 Node The minimum useful deployable unit: server, ruggedappliance, radio node, sensor gateway, satelliteterminal, AI, scientific, vehicle or virtual node. Node Node agent 03 Site The minimum independently operable localgovernance and failure domain: one or more nodesplus local network, identity, policy, evidence,storage, products and operator surfaces. SITE Node Node Node ×n 04 Cluster An optional scale or specialisation domain forscheduling, shared storage, accelerators or datalocality. CLUSTER ×n 05 Fleet Coordinates plans, acknowledgements,convergence evidence, update campaigns andcorrection propagation across nodes and sites. FLEET Fleet controller ×n 06 Federation An exchange of products, capabilities, events orwork across approved, independently administeredtrust domains, using explicit trust, policy,data-locality, version and correction contracts. TRUST DOMAIN TRUST DOMAIN TRUST DOMAIN ×n Verifier Applications Data in the field Telemetry Control Data upstream Control Data upstream Control Exchange Evidence Events Exchange The smallest deployable unit is one node; the same unit is replicated to meet the demand. Nodes form a site, sites may form a cluster, sites and clusters are coordinated as a fleet, and fleets exchange across independently administered trust domains. Each plane is a separate channel with its own open binding. **Data in the field**: MQTT 5 with Sparkplug B; connectors for LoRaWAN, OPC UA and instrument buses. **Telemetry**: OpenTelemetry OTLP. **Control**: TLS 1.3 with mutual authentication; protobuf messages over gRPC or HTTP/2. **Data upstream**: At-least-once publication with repeat-safe keys over the control channel or NATS JetStream; QUIC MAY be used on lossy links. **Evidence**: DSSE-signed in-toto statements; SLSA provenance; SCITT transparency receipts. **Events**: Event envelopes mapped to CloudEvents 1.0; channels described in AsyncAPI 3. **Exchange**: OpenAPI 3.1; the OGC API family; SensorThings; STAC; WIS 2.0. **05** From order to operation ## Every step, from the first call to a running site. The same crew and the same record carry the work from scope to maintenance. 1. 01 Order Scope the observatory The scope reads the institute's observatories, their standards, data centres, gaps and plans. Nexus Observatory Inc. returns the instrument and vault design, timing, data flow and a price per observatory and per year. Every assumption in the scope is written down and priced. 23 2. 02 Survey Survey for quiet Crews survey candidate sites for seismic noise, magnetic gradients, stable ground, distance from traffic and steel, sky view for GNSS, power and backhaul. Noise and gradients are measured with portable instruments. Every finding is kept with the site record for the crews who follow. 3 3. 03 Permits Land and quiet zones Long-term land agreements protect the site and a quiet zone around it. Planning authorities are told of the observatory. Every agreement is kept with the observatory record. Approvals are tracked site by site, so nothing waits unseen. No crew goes to site before its approvals are in place. 4. 04 Build Build vaults and kits Vaults and non-magnetic huts are designed for the site; instruments, timing and nodes are tested together, enrolled with their identities and logged with serial numbers for the metadata. Test results travel with the kit to the site. Nothing ships until the whole kit has passed its tests together. 5. 05 Install Install in the vault Crews build vaults and piers, set seismometers and magnetometers, mount GNSS on its monument, install environment sensors, timing, power and backhaul, and record every orientation and position. The site record is updated before the crew leaves. Crews follow the site safety plan throughout the work. 6. 06 Commission Commission and register Each node proves its identity and time. Instrument responses are verified, noise is compared with global models, magnetic baselines are fixed by absolute observations, and the observatory is registered with the data centres. Results are signed and kept with the site record. 13 7. 07 Operate Stream to the world Data stream to the institute and the international data centres. Earthquake scientists, field modellers and geodesists use them as they arrive, and every value keeps its response and metadata. Reports for owners and funders come from the same record. Every alert and action is kept on the record. 2 8. 08 Maintain Keep the record continuous Absolute magnetic observations, instrument checks and vault maintenance follow the agreed plan, every change is logged in the metadata, and software updates roll out in rings. The record stays continuous for decades. Spares and procedures travel with the crews. Maintenance history stays with each site for its whole life. 3 **06** Data products and integration ## What it delivers, to whom, and into which systems. Data products - **Seismic streams and archives** Earthquake scientists and data centres - **Definitive magnetic data** Field modellers and navigation users - **Station positions** Geodesists - **Observatory metadata** Data users worldwide Integration - **Seismic data centres** Streams and archives use the standard format and services. - **Magnetic data centres** Data are submitted in the observatory formats. - **Geodetic services** GNSS data are shared with international services. Exchanged through SEED and SeedLink, FDSN web services, IAGA-2002. **07** Questions buyers ask ## Before you scope it. Will our data be accepted by data centres? They are produced to the formats and metadata the centres require. How quiet must the site be? Quiet enough for the instruments chosen, checked in the survey. What about timing? Every sample is timestamped from satellite time with holdover. Can existing instruments stay? Yes. They join through their interfaces. **08** Resources ## The sources behind this page. Public standards, regulations and guidance, cited where they apply. Each applies only where its jurisdiction or scope does. 1. **1** [SEED Reference Manual: Standard for the Exchange of Earthquake Data](https://www.fdsn.org/) International Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks 2. **2** [FDSN Web Service Specifications](https://www.fdsn.org/) International Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks 3. **3** [INTERMAGNET Technical Reference Manual](https://intermagnet.org/) INTERMAGNET 4. **4** [IGS Site Guidelines](https://igs.org/) International GNSS Service **09** Related ## Use cases and solutions. [Use case Citizen seismology nodeA compact seismograph on a network connection, registered in an open seismic data network.The full use case →](https://observatory.global/use-cases/citizen-seismology/) [Solution Research site and instrument servicesSite power, connectivity, timing and operations for telescopes, flux towers and research stations.Solutions for research →](https://observatory.global/industries/research/solutions/#research-site-services) [Solution Observation data products and evidence bundlesLicensed feeds and archives with metadata, quality flags and provenance on every value; evidence bundles for audits and claims processes.Solutions for research →](https://observatory.global/industries/research/solutions/#observation-data) [Solution National observing network programmesBuild-operate-transfer of national observing infrastructure as digital public infrastructure, with transfer of skills and records.Solutions for research →](https://observatory.global/industries/research/solutions/#national-networks) **10** Research: specialized fields ## Other fields of this industry. [Specialized field Radio observatories and quiet zonesInterference monitoring, site weather and timing for radio telescopes and their quiet zones, so astronomers know what in their data is the sky and what is a transmitter.The full field →](https://observatory.global/industries/research/radio-observatories/) [Specialized field Polar research stationsPower, fuel, environment, weather and communications at polar research stations, run so science continues through the winter and the station meets its environmental duties.The full field →](https://observatory.global/industries/research/polar-stations/) [Specialized field Field research campaignsDeployable instruments, mesh networking, drones and satellite backhaul for field campaigns, with data that are findable, documented and reusable from the first day.The full field →](https://observatory.global/industries/research/field-campaigns/) ### Bring us the site. Plan a deployment, configure a station, model it in the Studio or talk to sales. 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