Instituto Portuguese do Mar e Atmosfera – IPMA

The Instituto Portuguese do Mar e Atmosfera (Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere – IPMA) is the Portuguese National Meteorological Service. Its mission is to execute national policies in the fields of meteorology, climate, seismology and geomagnetism, being the national designated authority in such domains.
Its main activities include weather and climate monitoring, weather forecasts and severe weather warnings as well as seismic monitoring.
To implement its responsibility to monitor and watch the seismic activity in the national territory, IPMA has to plan, install, operate, maintain and ensure the efficient operation of the seismic network. IPMA makes the data available to the users in due time, and, in particular, disseminates warnings to the Civil Protection Authorities. IPMA is furthermore responsible for defining methods and standards in observation and data processing, as well as for elaborating studies in the domains of seismology, particularly seismotectonics, seismic risk assessment and tsunamis. Support for all activities requiring seismic data is provided.
IPMA has been nominated as the National Focal Point for the Tsunami Warning System in the NE Atlantic, EuroMediterranean and Connected Seas, coordinated by the ICG/NWAMTWS, and is preparing to inherit the national responsibility to monitor tsunamis and disseminate adequate messages to the Civil Protection Authorities.

Relevant project experience:
IPMA has been an active partner in international research projects dedicated to the assessment of earthquake and tsunami risk affecting the SW Iberian peninsula. The most recent EU-funded project is NEAREST (Project n. 037110, "Integrated observations from NEAR shore sourcES of Tsunamis: towards an early warning system"). As regards the establishment of a Tsunami Warning System for the NEAM region, IPMA has participated in all ICG meetings since 2006 and has been an active member of the ICG/NEAMTWS Working Group 2 devoted to seismic monitoring.
IPMA provides a continuous seismic monitoring system, issuing timely messages to national and international organisations with information on relevant earthquakes occurring in Portugal and the surrounding oceanic area. In order to establish the National Tsunami Warning Centre, IPMA is collecting real-time sea-level data from coastal tide-gauges. IPMA has a long experience on seismic data acquisition by land networks and mobile stations.

Specific role in TRIDEC:
IPMA is involved in the End-User Requirements and Scenario definitions (WP2), as well as in the project‘s Dissemination and Exploitation (WP8).

Co-funded by the European Commission under FP7 (Seventh Framework Programme) Action Line: ICT-2009.4.3 Intelligent Information Management Project Reference: 258723

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