The Tsunami Service Provider InterOperability Tool (TSP-IOT) for the NEAM region

Shared virtual access services and interoperable tools can significantly improve the effectiveness, reliability, and resilience of tsunami early warning systems at both regional and global scales.

Here, we present the rationale behind the Tsunami Service Provider InterOperability Tool (TSP-IOT) running prototype, that is being developed at the moment to support Tsunami Early Warning operations in the NEAM (North-Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Connected Seas) region through virtual access (VA) to an integrated web-based platform. The activity is fundamental to improving interoperability among warning centres, enabling more effective information exchange and coordinated response during tsunami events.

The system incorporates tools that enable real-time data exchange, including sea-level state information, provided by Sea Level Station Monitoring Facilities (e.g. UNESCO-IOC SLSMF; https://www.ioc-sealevelmonitoring.org/), tsunami warning messages, and enhanced operational products, such as alert levels and tsunami travel time maps. These capabilities allow Tsunami Service Providers (TSPs) to access consistent, up-to-date information during both routine operations and acute event processing. In its final version, TSP-IOT will provide access to a common database that includes earthquake parameters, bathymetric data sets, pre-computed tsunami scenarios, and finite fault models, ensuring harmonized inputs for tsunami analysis and forecasting.

By adopting shared services and standardized interfaces, TSP-IOT supports greater interoperability and consistency among TSPs, reducing discrepancies in warning products and facilitating cross-centre collaboration. Additionally, the tool enhances the overall robustness of tsunami early warning systems by increasing redundancy and providing fallback solutions in case of partial system failures or high operational loads during emergencies.

The development and enhancement of TSP-IOT is the result of a collaborative effort involving the five TSPs of the ICG/NEAMTWS (Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System in the North-Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Connected Seas) of UNESCO-IOC, that is CAT-INGV (Italy), HLNTWC-NOA (Greece), KOERI (Türkiye), CENALT (France), and IPMA (Portugal). All of the activities are carried out within the framework of the EPOS ON European Project (https://www.epos-eu.org/on), which aims, among other objectives, to contribute to tackling societal challenges and make a step forward in defining concrete actions through which EPOS may provide added value for society. In addition; TSP-IOT is provided via the EPOS Integrated Core Services portal, as part of the Tsunami Thematic Core Service (TSC Tsunami).