The NSF National Geophysical Facility operated by EarthScope Consortium supports research in the geosciences using geophysical tools. Funded in 2025, it provides instrumentation, data access, and educational resources for researchers, local governments, educators, and students, among other users.
Geophysics uses physics-based tools and techniques to make precision measurements of Earth processes that can reveal subtle effects with profound implications for hazards, resources, and global change. This includes the study of tectonic motion, earthquakes, and volcanoes, but also extends beyond the solid Earth to the hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere.
Instrumentation can be expensive and difficult to obtain and operate, creating roadblocks to ambitious science. By maintaining a pool of instruments and guiding researchers in their use, the NSF NGF serves a critical function for the Earth sciences community. This includes
seismometers, GPS/GNSS, magnetotellurics, ground penetrating radar, terrestrial lidar, and more. The NSF NGF also supports the operation of permanent networks, including the Network of the Americas and a portion of the Global Seismographic Network.
Data deliver maximum value to science when formats are consistent and complete, and access is open to all. The NSF NGF data archive stores data from networks and temporary experiments, providing a central access point for scientists to extract as much insight as
possible from all the collected data. This archive can deliver data in real time with low latency, and is being optimized for cloud computing to enable researchers to apply new techniques like machine learning to massive amounts of data.
Education and workforce efforts can help build the next generation of scientists. The NSF NGF seeks to sustain and grow the geophysics community with support for students and early career researchers including classroom resources, internship programs, and technical training,
as well as outreach to communicate the value of geophysics and the Earth sciences to a broader audience.
Applications of geophysics in hazards science extend from fundamental research to monitoring and public education. The NSF NGF supports volcano observatories and the ShakeAlert® Earthquake Early Warning system by maintaining networks and delivering data. Similarly, data from the Global Seismographic Network is used by the International Monitoring System for detecting underground nuclear explosions, and by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as part of their tsunami warning system.
Beyond hazards, geophysical tools aid a broad range of Earth systems sciences. Groundwater and surface water resources are studied with multiple technologies, for example. And both space weather monitoring and our understanding of the susceptibility of electrical grid infrastructure to space weather events have benefited. Geophysical data also have government and commercial applications like high-precision positioning for surveying, construction, autonomous vehicles (including aerial systems), and agriculture.
Federal support for this facility, in addition to the U.S. National Science Foundation, includes agreements with the United States Geological Survey and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Facility Citations
Governance and Oversight
The NSF National Geophysical Facility is overseen by Advisory Committees, all composed of members of our community.