The document describes the European Plate Observing System (EPOS), a research infrastructure for solid Earth science. EPOS integrates diverse data from seismic and GPS stations, laboratories, and other sources across Europe. It includes 244 research infrastructures from 138 institutions in 22 countries, containing millions of data points. EPOS addresses the heterogeneous nature of these resources through a compatibility layer and core services. A key component is a common metadata catalog based on CERIF, which aims to make all EPOS data and services findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable according to FAIR principles. The catalog will be central to enabling workflows and connections between different components of the EPOS system.

1. EPOS
European Plate Observing System
Keith G Jeffery NERC/BGS (Representing the ICT team)
keith.jeffery@keithgjefferyconsultants.co.ukKeith G Jeffery CC-BY-NC

2. Solid Earth Science
KEYWORDS
• Multidisciplinary
contributions
• Geo-Hazards
• Geo-Resources
• Environmental changes
ESFRI
• EPOS-PP 201011-
201410
• EPOS-IP 201510-
201909

3. “Numbers” of solid earth science
MAP OF:
- Seismic/GPS stations
- Laboratories
-- etc….
Diversity in data type and formats
http://www.epos-eu.org/ride/Research Infrastructure
List
• 244 Research
Infrastructures
• 138 Institutions
• 22 countries
• 2272 GPS receivers
• 4939 seismic stations
• 464 TB Seismic data
• 1.095 PB Storage
capacity (seismology)
• 1.240 PB Storage
capacity (GNSS DC)
• 828 instruments in 118
Laboratories

4. COMPATIBILITY LAYER
Compatibility layer
Heterogeneous domains / user
communities
TCS (thematic core services)
User access homogeneous view
ICS (integrated core services)

5. FR Seismic
networksFR Seismic
networksNational RIs
FR Seismic
networksFR Seismic
networksNational RIs
EPOS GUI
METADATA
catalogue
EPOS APIs
System
Managing
Software
IAAA
system
Workflow
Engine
PID
system
ICS-D
ICS-C
TCSs
National
RIs
FR Seismic
networksFR Seismic
networksNational RIs
FR Seismic
networksFR Seismic
networksNational RIs
Data
products
Services Software
TCS API
Data
set
Data
products
Services Software
TCS API
Data
set
Interoperability/compatibility Layer: ICS-APIs (wrappers)
ICS:
Integrated
Core Services
1. Understand user
intent
2. Discover/access
assets
3. Assist in
workflow
construction and
deployment
Depends on CERIF
catalog for asset
characterisation

6. Common European Research
Information Format
An EU Recommendation to Member
States
• Base Entities (boxes) and Relationship
Entities (lines)
• Rôle and temporal duration
• <person P> <creator> <datetime1> <datetime2>
<dataset D>
• Referential and Functional integrity
• person not creator
• Preceded RDF (almost 20 years old) !
• CERIF-XML exchange format and APIs
• Convertors for DC, DCAT, CKAN, ISO19115,
native RDF…; working on PROV
(http://www.eurocris.org/cerif/main-features-cerif )
Compatibility through Canonical
Rich Metadata Catalog

7. DATASET
locationlocation
location
project
equipment
facility
publication
publicationpublication
software
replicated at
stored at
fragment n at
generated by
generated by software
processed by
Is part of
managed by
owned by
documented by
organisation
organisation
organisation
title
abstract
keywords
described by
person
Classification descriptive
input by
classified by
indicatormeasurement characterised by
licenced by
classified byClassification restrictive
MELODIC
A suggested simplified
metadata scheme for
DATASET
updated by
copied by
deleted by
accesssed by
person
person
7
read authorised
copy authorised
write authorised
delete authorised
Execute authorised
Temporal range omitted for clarity

8. EPOS Demonstrator Seismology &
Geology and Geodesy

9.  Unique Identifier (for later use
including citation)
{http://bit.ly/2ryRr12}
 Location (URL)
{http://bit.ly/2rujALv}
 Description
{http://bit.ly/2ss2CwH}
 Keywords (terms)
{http://bit.ly/2se44QX}
 Temporal coordinates
{http://bit.ly/2sdVKAR}
 Spatial coordinates
{http://bit.ly/2ru6kGt}
 Originator (organisation(s) /
person(s)) {http://bit.ly/2ruFCgZ}
 Project {http://bit.ly/2rukIid}
RDA Metadata Element Set - and URL of ‘unpacking’ (1)
https://www.rd-alliance.org/groups/metadata-ig.html
Note: the elements are not simple attributes but structures with syntax and semantics

10.  Facility / equipment
{http://bit.ly/2sdEj3h}
 Quality {http://bit.ly/2svs0Cc}
 Availability (licence, persistence)
{http://bit.ly/2t56LEy}
 Provenance
{http://bit.ly/2se59Z1}
 Citations {http://bit.ly/2se9efQ}
 Related publications (white or
grey) {http://bit.ly/2rjHFR5}
 Related software
{http://bit.ly/2rutPzn}
 Schema {http://bit.ly/2srMUl3}
 Medium / format
{http://bit.ly/2svtEEe}
RDA Metadata Element Set - and URL of ‘unpacking’ (2)
https://www.rd-alliance.org/groups/metadata-ig.html
Note: the elements are not simple attributes but structures with syntax and semantics

11.  To be Findable:
 F1. (meta)data are
assigned a globally unique and
eternally persistent identifier.
F2. data are described
with rich metadata.
F3. (meta)data
are registered or indexed in a
searchable resource.
F4. metadata specify the data
identifier.
 To be Accessible:
 A1 (meta)data are retrievable by their
identifier using a standardized
communications protocol.
A1.1 the protocol is open, free, and
universally implementable.
A1.2 the protocol allows for
an authentication and authorization
procedure, where necessary.
A2 metadata are accessible, even when
the data are no longer available.
FAIR Principles: EPOS Catalog (CERIF)
All in design; some implemented already, some being implemented

12.  To be Interoperable:
 I1. (meta)data use a formal, accessible,
shared, and broadly applicable
language for knowledge representation.
I2. (meta)data use vocabularies that
follow FAIR principles.
I3. (meta)data include qualified
references to other (meta)data.
 To be Re-usable:
 R1. meta(data) have a plurality of
accurate and relevant attributes.
R1.1. (meta)data are released with
a clear and accessible data usage
license.
R1.2. (meta)data are associated with
their provenance.
R1.3. (meta)data meet domain-
relevant community standards.
FAIR Principles
All in design; some implemented already, some being implemented

13. • We have designed the EPOS architecture
• Interfaces to TCS (user communities), ICS-D (e-Infrastructures),
other initiatives
• Hence can change any of these components at any time
• Their existence in EPOS requires entries in the ICS-C catalog
• Which characterises them so that ICS-C can make the required
connections (workflow co-composition and deployment)
• Respecting NFRs
• VRE-ready
• BUT THE KEY TO EVERYTHING IS THE (FAIR) CERIF CATALOG
• “ for EPOS, if it is not in the catalog it does not exist”
Take Home Message