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FranceSéisme

In brief

The Bureau central sismologique français - Réseau national de surveillance sismique (BCSF-Rénass) is a service responsible for analyzing seismic activity in mainland France and neighboring regions, as well as assessing the severity of ground shaking in mainland France and overseas territories.

Its main activities include:

  • the detection and analysis of earthquakes occurring in mainland France or in border areas, in particular the determination of seismic event parameters such as geographical location, depth, time of origin, magnitude, etc.;

  • the discrimination between natural and anthropogenic seismicity (directly or indirectly linked to human activity: mining, explosions, demining, underground exploitation, for example in connection with geothermal energy production, etc.);

  • the assessment of ground shake severity (macroseismic intensities) in the event of an earthquake significantly felt in mainland France, the French West Indies, Mayotte, and Réunion, through the collection of macroseismic data and the creation of shake maps (ShakeMaps);

  • the centralization, archiving, and dissemination of seismological data for Earth science research purposes (seismicity bulletins and catalogs, macroseismic intensities, etc.);

  • the provision of instrumental information related to this seismicity to international seismological centers (Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Center [EMSC], International Seismological Center [ISC], etc.);

  • making information on observed earthquakes available via its website to scientists, authorities, the general public, and the media.

The BCSF-Rénass is a national observation service (SNO) in the field of solid Earth science, certified by the CNRS-INSU, and part of the national seismic observation initiative (ANO). The service is managed by EOST (Ecole et observatoire des sciences de la Terre) and its central site is located in Strasbourg.

BCSF-Rénass participates in the cross-cutting thematic action “Seismicity” (ATTS) of Epos-France, co-piloting axes 1 and 2 (seismicity bulletins/catalogues) with the CEA-LDG, axis 3 (historical and contemporary seismicity) with IRSN, and axis 4 (ShakeMap) with BRGM. This organization aims to promote collaboration and exchange within the scientific community of Epos-France.