The Institute of Physics of the Earth (IPE) is a geoscience department of the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University focused primarily on basic and applied research into seismic activity on a local, regional and global scale and active tectonics in the Czech Republic.
The team of seismologists, geologists, engineers and technicians uses long-term experience in building seismic stations and their networks and detailed monitoring of weak seismic activity in the Czech Republic and Central Europe. Since the 1990s, it has put into operation 4 local seismological networks for monitoring regions with increased natural geodynamic activity (KRASNET network - 1991-2008; MONET network - since 1994) and nuclear power plant sites (Temelín network - since 1991 and Dukovany network - since 2015). In addition, it operates 5 broadband stations, including the VRAC station, which is part of the international monitoring system for verification of compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBTO). At present, the infrastructure of the Institute of Physics comprises a total of 22 stations in the southern and eastern parts of the Czech Republic.
The subject of the research is mainly a detailed seismotectonic analysis of the Bohemian Massif and its immediate surroundings and evaluation of fault activity, including paleoseismicity. The results of this research serve as important inputs for the seismic hazard assessment and both the operator and regulator of Czech nuclear power plants are among their users. The IPE team also participates in teaching students of geology at the Faculty of Science at Masaryk University.
IPE is part of an international network of institutions providing seismological service. It shares records of seismic stations as well as the results of their analyses and co-creates basic sources of information about earthquakes in the region and in the world. Data from IPE seismic stations are provided to international seismological data centers (EMSC, ISC, ORFEUS, GEOFON, IRIS, NEIC) and other institutions.