The center of the HOTSPOT network is at the center of the Icelandic SIL system. It will enjoy the experience and knowhow of scientists and technicians responsible for the development and the operation of the SIL network.
Much of the work in preparing the existing networks in Iceland and adapting them into the HOTSPOT network is carried out in WP 1. It cooperates especially with WP 2 in linking new observations to the HOTSPOT network. Adapting the continuous GPS networks to the HOTSPOT center is carried out in close cooperation between WP 1 and WP 3.
The objective to make the multidisciplinary Icelandic data accessible is realized at the SIL center, in close collaboration with ongoing work there in building up multidisciplinary databases and an early warning system. This ongoing work is partly within the PRENLAB-2, an EU 4th framework project, and partly supported by Icelandic funding. This part of HOTSPOT will gain very much from the experience obtained at the SIL center in providing researchers and the public with information and research data. Very effective internet information service is run at the SIL center through its website.
One of the main targets of the HOTSPOT project is to strengthen and to organize the infrastructures in such a way that they will be attractive for various scientific institutions to use them for their observational purposes, collecting data of basic interest for their research work. It is a part of WP 1 to lead and encourage this by networking activities. A group of Icelandic scientists and technicians within WP 1 will be the core of the technical and infrastructure aspects of this work. WP 1 will cooperate closely with the WP 6 about the storing and dissemination of Icelandic teleseismic data from the 38 Icelandic SIL stations. WP 1 closely cooperates with all participants, especially in WP 4, encouraging observations and research projects to utilize the infrastructure, and to design new infrastructures.
WP 2 focusses on designing the infrastructure facilities, basically the SIL system, to adapt various types of available sensors to it, both to the computer facilities at the observational sites but also to the communication with the center facilities. This is a part of designing a multidisciplinary observatory in the difficult and remote area near the center of the Iceland Hotspot, i.e. the HOTSPOT Observatory Station. WP 2 cooperates closely with WP 1 to prepare a test site by upgrading one of the seismic stations in the central highlands to become the most multidisciplinary station of the HOTSPOT network, the prototype HOTSPOT observatory station. WP 2 cooperates closely with WP 3 and WP 1 in utilizing the SIL infrastructure as a basis for deformation observations with continuous Global Positioning System (continuous GPS or CGPS) observations.
WP 3 comprises the preparation and unification of all crustal deformation measurements in Iceland into one data structure. All continuous GPS (CGPS) networks in Iceland will also be included in this database. This new database will be created in cooperation between WP 1 and WP 3 to make all crustal deformation data collected in Iceland easily accessible to research.
WP 2 and WP 3 will cooperate on upgrading 10 SIL stations to include continuous GPS observations. WP 1 supervises the installation phase and is responsible for maintaining the stations and data retrieval.
WP 3 and WP 1 are responsible for GPS data processing and will provide the raw data and station coordinates to the HOTSPOT datacenter.
WP 5 will provide the project with an existing structure for efficient data distribution through the European datacenter EMSC, and necessary information to link to the HOTSPOT website for receiving data from there. It will provide the project with a special link to the EMSC website for direct access to the seismic data stored at this website.
WP 6 organizes the wider area seismic network integration as regards broad-band seismic waveform data observed in the countries around the North Atlantic Ocean, outside Iceland. It upgrades a few key stations to provide broader band data than earlier and better communication. It provides good access to broad-band waveform data from 16 stations and arrays. In cooperation with WP 1 it implements various HOTSPOT datasets from Iceland in the ORFEUS database and creates links to make the data easily accessible from the HOTSPOT center through the ORFEUS website.
WP 6 watches the preparation and operation of the wider area platform for the HOTSPOT infrastructure, mainly the seismic network infrastructure. The lead contractor of WP 6 will on basis of data and information supplied by his assistant contractors in different countries make accessible to research, data from seismic networks in countries on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean outside Iceland, which can be linked to from the HOTSPOT website. WP 1 prepares and provides the Icelandic teleseismic and regional seismic events to WP 6 in the same way. In cooperation with others, especially WP 1 and WP 4, WP 6 carries out special networking with the aim of planning necessary extensions of the existing infrastructures in light of the evolving scientific need for a still larger platform and denser observations for studying the plume dynamics.
WP 4 provides the scientific background for observing plume dynamics and activity within the HOTSPOT infrastructure at various temporal and spatial scales. In organizing observations within the infrastructure and in designing new infrastructures it is very significant to understand what will be measurable at different sites. On basis of ongoing modelling work WP 4 will advise the other participants and newcomers which want to introduce new observations about scales and recommended sites for the observations. It will also assist to initiate and to organize new projects for making observations inside the established infrastructures on basis of new and evolving models, and participate in design work for new infrastructures. The work is to a large extent carried out by participation in networking with all the partners of the project including end users outside the project. Especially in the networking part and in work aiming at a wider scope of the infrastructure and research based on that it is closely linked with WP 1.
Yearly workshops for organizing the infrastructure and for initiation of new observations and of new infrastructures are the core of the networking activities of the project, with the participation of all contractors, assistant contractors, subcontractors, cooperators and end users. New potential end users and institutes with interest in extensions of the infrastructures will be attracted to these workshops. For all the workpackages the participation in the annual organizing workshops continues throughout the 4 year project time.
A special group consisting of Icelanders, participants and cooperators from Icelandic institutions concerned will meet for planning and discussion of future objectives to be a standing advisory board for the HOTSPOT coordinator.