About Us

Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, together with the tsunamis and landslides that they trigger, represent a significant proportion of the natural hazards faced by human societies. The public perception that risks from these phenomena are growing is well founded; vulnerable populations are increasing within, and sometimes migrating towards, areas of hazard. During this century, several million deaths, and severe economic damage, will be caused directly by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Moreover, volcanic gases contribute significantly to the long-term average atmospheric composition, while major eruptions can modulate regional or global atmospheric composition and climate in detrimental ways.

Fundamental scientific advances are needed if policy makers, and those responsible for disaster management, are to make informed decisions about preparing for such events, and mitigating their consequences. The Centre for the Observation and Modelling of Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Tectonics (COMET+) draws together scientists with proven expertise in tectonics, volcanology and space geodesy from several universities: University of Cambridge, University of Glasgow, University of Leeds, University College London, University of Oxford and the University of Reading. Together we form the Dynamic Earth and Geohazards research group within the National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO). 

Our basic objective is to exploit satellite observations, combined with complementary terrestrial observations and with physical models, to measure and analyze the earthquake and volcanic cycles on a global scale and to quantify earthquake and volcano hazards. Global observations are necessary because of the time scales of the processes. The earthquake cycle on any one fault may take hundreds to thousands of years, and individual volcanoes yield major explosive eruptions on time scales of centuries to tens of thousands of years. But on a global basis these events occur frequently, and understanding gained in one location can then be applied generally.

Independently of their societal impact, earthquakes and volcanoes are central to our basic understanding of the earth system; they are messengers of the fundamental processes that shape the surface of the Earth and, ultimately, the environment in which we live. Volcanoes are the surface expression of partial melting of the Earth's mantle, which is the major engine of chemical differentiation of the earth. Volcanic arcs, where most of the Earth's explosive eruptions occur, is where continental crust begins its life. Earthquakes play a key role in the deformation of the continents, which is where most of the human race resides, where many of our natural resources lie, and where most of geological history is recorded.

COMET+ builds on the success of its predecessor, the Centre for the Observation and Modelling of Earthquakes and Tectonics (COMET). Started in 2002, COMET was one of several Earth Observation Centres of Excellence supported by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). COMET focused on the observation and modeling of the earthquake cycle, the effect of faulting and uplift on the Earth's surface, and the physics of continental deformation. In 2008 COMET, along with the other EO Centres, became part of the National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO) newly established by NERC. At the same time, we added expanded expertise in volcanology. Within NCEO, we are the Dynamic Earth and Geohazards research group, focusing on earthquake and volcanic processes, the driving forces underlying these processes, and the hazards that result from them.