Dear Colleagues and Members of Working Group II:
I have been observing some of the discussions and exchanges
in WGII concerning the efforts of developing a standard for
a new/updated miniSEED format.
It is clear from these discussions, as well as from input
from users, data managers, and equipment manufacturers, that the
time is right for FDSN to address -- with a new standard -- the
shortcomings of the current miniSEED format.
The development, adoption, and promotion of standards throughout
the international seismological community is, in my view, the
most important and lasting contribution of the FDSN.
I strongly support the current efforts of WGII, with the hope that
significant technical progress can be made before Kobe, so that
next steps towards adoption and implementation can occur at the
FDSN meetings in Kobe.
Specifically, I strongly believe that continued work on the
current straw-man proposal is important and that it is important
to continue the process that came out of the EGU meetings.
I also believe that the meeting in late 2016, suggested in Angelo
Strollo’s July 8 email, to develop an alternative proposal for a
new miniSEED format would be extremely beneficial for the exchange
of ideas and could lead to an alternative solution. I encourage
the work on these two alternative approaches to continue so that
they can both be presented at the FDSN meetings next year in Kobe
for consideration.
I reiterate the importance of good standards to our community, and
the contributions that FDSN has made to the seamless interchange
of data between seismologists across the globe. I thank all of you
for your contributions to this effort.
Best regards,
Göran Ekström
Chair, FDSN
Goran Ekstrom