Upcoming Events

Regional NDC Workshop on CTBT Technologies and Simulation Exercise for Eastern Europe

1. Practice the whole workflow of event characterization from initial alert to national reporting. 2. Demonstrate the utility of IMS data, national data, and fusion methods in a verification context. 3. Strengthen regional cooperation and data exchange between NDCs. 4. To harmonize the approaches of States' Signatories participating in and benefiting from the CTBT verification system.

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Technical Training for Stations Operators of IMS Infrasound Stations with Nanometrics Centaur or Quanterra Q330M+ Equipment

To equip IMS infrasound station operators with the knowledge and technical skills required to operate, maintain, and manage stations utilizing Nanometrics Centaur and Quanterra Q330M+ digitizers.

Upon completion, trainees will be able to perform essential operational, reporting, and configuration tasks efficiently; conduct effective State-of-Health (SOH) and data quality monitoring; and apply systematic approaches to equipment and software configuration, troubleshooting, and maintenance.

 

Specific Learning Outcomes

Trainees will be able to:

• Identify and describe the primary station systems, components, equipment, site/channel names, and codes.
• Configure Centaur and Q330M+ digitizers as well as SSI software, and utilize associated monitoring tools.
• Perform key operational tasks, apply monitoring procedures, and report incidents using the IRS system.
• Explain configuration management concepts and demonstrate proficient use of DOTS and station documentation.
• Conduct daily State-of-Health (SOH) monitoring, assess data quality, identify issues, and implement corrective strategies.
• Describe the interconnections between operations, maintenance activities, and available support resources to sustain IMS station performance.
• Develop and apply strategies for mitigating, troubleshooting, and resolving failures that significantly impact station performance.

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Hydroacoustic Training Course for National Data Centers (NDCs) with a Focus on Data Analysis

Objectives:

• Understand the basic principles and concepts of hydroacoustic.
• Learn about the application areas and significance of hydroacoustic data.
• Acquire proficiency in processing and analyzing hydroacoustic data using NDC-in-a-Box.
• Develop skills to interpret hydroacoustic data accurately.
• Apply hydroacoustic techniques to practical scenarios

Participation Profile

• NDC technical staff and analysts, preferably authorized users (Principal or Regular);
• Experience in waveform data analysis and/or similar experience related to nuclear test ban verification;
• Seismologists with an advanced degree who operate or have access to regional and local seismic network data and the means of processing that data to provide accurate phase pick information;
• Basic knowledge of the Linux operating system and SQL is desirable;

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International Hydroacoustics Workshop 2026

The objective of the workshop is to support the CTBTO verification regime by creating a forum for scientific knowledge exchange on four main themes and their topics:

Theme 1: Hydroacoustic monitoring networks in support of the CTBT International Monitoring System

1.1 The CTBTO Hydroacoustic Monitoring Network: Status, challenges, and needs

1.2 Engineering and technological advancements for hydroacoustic monitoring networks in marine environments

1.3 Station installation, maintenance, and major underwater repair strategies in challenging marine environments

1.4 Sustainability, reliability, and long-term performance of hydroacoustic monitoring networks

1.5 End-to-end calibration and quality assurance of hydroacoustic monitoring stations under field conditions

1.6 Protection, inspection, and fault detection strategies for subsea cables and sensors supporting hydroacoustic monitoring stations

1.7 Potential synergies with other subsea monitoring networks and civil and scientific applications

 

Theme 2: Emerging technologies and future concepts for next-generation hydroacoustic monitoring stations in support of the CTBT International Monitoring System

2.1 Station design concepts, structural and material innovations, and hydrophone technologies for next-generation hydroacoustic monitoring

2.2 Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) and fiber-optic technologies for hydroacoustic monitoring

2.3 Smart subsea cable concepts and multi-functional sensing technologies

 

Theme 3: Data analysis and signal processing methods for CTBT verification purposes and civil and scientific applications

3.1 Identification of signal source-type (seismological-phase classification)

3.2 Improved event-location algorithms

3.3 Advanced signal processing methods for characterization of event properties (e.g. deduction of event depth from T-phase spectral contents)

 

Theme 4: Modelling for long-range hydroacoustic signal propagation

4.1 Three-dimensional acoustic propagation modelling.

4.2 Crust-water coupling near coastal seismometers

 

As always, CTBT-related contributions on additional relevant topics are also welcome.

 

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Training Course on NDC Capacity Building: Introductory Training Course on Radionuclide IMS Data and IDC Products (particulates and noble gas)

Objectives

• Understanding the role of National Data Centres in the CTBT verification regime;
• Building and/or improving National Data Centre capabilities;
• Providing participants with sufficient knowledge for accessing and using IMS data and IDC products; and
• Initiation to software tools for the analysis of IMS radionuclide data.

Participants Profile

• NDC technical staff/ authorized users (preferably Principal User or Regular User).
• Experience in radionuclide data analysis and/or similar experience related to nuclear test ban verification.

Application Procedures

Applicants are requested to register online at the Commission’s CTNW platform: https//ctnw.ctbto.org

NDC technical staff are invited to submit their applications for this training through established official channels (their Permanent Missions to the CTBTO or Ministries of Foreign Affairs).

Registration Form

Applicants are requested to use the enclosed registration forms, which are also available at https://www.ctbto.org/news-and-events/capacity-building-and-training.  Applications will be reviewed, and applicants will be notified accordingly.

However, pending the official nomination, participants may submit their registration via email, once it has been approved by the Director/Head of the institution, in order to allow the Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) to make timely travel and accommodation arrangements

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Webinar for Expert Meetings on Special Studies and Expert Technical Analysis with Waveform, RN and ATM methods

Staying Up to Date on ETA and SPS Procedures and Developments;

Join us for an informative webinar where you will be updated on the latest status of procedures for Expert Technical Analysis (ETA) and Special Studies (SPS), as well as the ongoing work to gather the methods and software at the IDC to be used in such Special Analysis.

Attend this webinar to:

1. Stay informed about the latest procedures and requirements for ETA and Special Studies

2. Understand the current state of developments and their impact

3. Engage with our experts and ask questions in a live Q&A session

4. Get involved in shaping the content for the next live workshop

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Training Course on NDC Capacity Building for Advanced Webgrape Users

Objectives:

• Gain a good understanding of CTBTO’s ATM output (the SRS file).
• Establish a full comprehension of Webgrape’s potential to support both the verification regime and scientific applications in general by using IDC (SRS) data and IMS (sample) data.
• Refresh basic skills and explore and refine advanced skills of all (beginner and advanced) Webgrape functionalities available in both the desktop application (complementing the NDC-in-a-Box package) and in its online Webgrape app (Webgrape Internet-Based Services).
• Promote the exchange of experience and expertise in ATM and Webgrape among the NDCs.

Participation Profile

• NDC technical staff/authorized users (preferably Principal User or Regular User);
• Experts involved in applying and developing radionuclide monitoring, atmospheric transport modelling (ATM) and data fusion methods;
• Webgrape basic skills are desirable

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International Atmospheric Transport Modelling Workshop 2026

The workshop is targeted at scientific experts, NDC technical staff and analysts, and prospective scholars who seek a common goal in building a capacity for scientific knowledge exchange to strengthen the Atmospheric Transport Modelling community affiliated to CTBTO’s verification regime. The workshop’s objectives are:

• Advance understanding of recent technological developments in Atmospheric Transport Modelling (ATM) and their relevance to verification technologies under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
• Strengthen expertise in uncertainty quantification (UQ) methods for ATM and radionuclide (RN) analyses to enhance confidence in ATM applications for RN-related verification assessments.
• Investigate and introduce innovative data fusion methodologies to spatially and temporally integrate seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound (SHI), and radionuclide event data, improving event characterization across the CTBT verification system.

Topics of interest:

1. Strengths, weaknesses, and future directions of different atmospheric transport models (ATMs)

• How do FLEXPART, HYSPLIT, and other models compare in terms of capabilities and limitations?
• What developments are expected in the near future?

 

2. Scientific enhancements

• How can spatial–temporal source–receptor sensitivity be improved?
• What advances are needed in physical parameterizations?
• How should data representation be handled?

 

3. Lagrangian versus Eulerian modeling frameworks

• Which approach is more suitable for long-range simulations, and under what conditions?
• Are backward and forward modeling truly equivalent for a given source–receptor pair in a Lagrangian framework?

 

4. High-resolution ATM

• What strategies and configurations are most effective for supporting real-world deployments like field exercises?
• How to make hi-res ATM feasible for operational and time-critical modes?

 

5. Uncertainty quantification

• What methodologies are best suited for ATM?
• How can ensembles be aggregated into a small set of clear, interpretable metrics or plots for expert assessments?
• How should uncertainty in general be distinctly communicated to policy makers.

 

6. Machine learning (ML) versus physics-based models

• Could ML realistically replace physics-based models for computationally intensive tasks?
• How can we leverage ML in ATM?

 

7. Source-term localization and background estimation

• What methods offer the greatest improvements in accuracy, robustness, and computational efficiency?
• Do species‑specific or spatio‑temporal factors call for different methodological approaches?

 

8. Data fusion across technologies

• How can ATM data be integrated with seismic, hydroacoustic, and infrasound observations?

 

9. Impact of network density

• What does a denser spatio-temporal detection network imply for source sensitivity and attribution accuracy?

CTBT-related contributions on additional relevant topics are welcome.

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8th Workshop on the Operation and Maintenance (O&M-8) of the IMS

Objectives: 

The workshop will:

• Facilitate interaction between Station Operators and the PTS;
• Highlight major achievements in the Operation and Maintenance of IMS stations while focusing on the necessary steps to be taken to ensure their long-term sustainment;
• Focus on the way forward to enhance IMS station data availability, quality and its authentication;
• Update Station Operators on tools available for monitoring and assessing IMS network performance;
• Experience and challenges of network Operation and Maintenance under unforeseen circumstances.

Participants Profile:

Participants Profile:

Station Operators, local operators, NDC staff, contractors and equipment suppliers involved in the operation and maintenance of the IMS.

Themes:

The main themes of the O&M 2026 Workshop will be:

1. OPERATIONS
   • Station operator experience in operating individual IMS stations or a network of stations
   • Monitoring, troubleshooting, communication and software tools
   • Data surety requirements and status of data authentication
   • Best practices for operational workflows

2. MAINTENANCE
   • Preventive and corrective maintenance
   • Documentation and knowledge management
   • Configuration management (CCN, CCI, etc.)
   • Logistical challenges and best practices
   • Remote technical support

3. ENHANCING DATA AVAILABILITY AND QUALITY
   • Power- and GCI links-related challenges
   • Technology refreshment and recapitalization experiences
   • Network QA/QC programme (results comparison for RN-P and RN-NG, PTE and SAV for laboratories, calibration for SHI, etc.)
   • Identifying and resolving root causes for station downtime

4. NEW TOPICS AND CHALLENGES
   • Performance and sustainment challenges of the auxiliary seismic network
   • Emerging technologies and their impact on O&M (including AI applications)

 

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2026 NDC Workshop

The 2026 National Data Centre (NDC) Workshop is being organized by the Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) in cooperation with the Government of Uruguay. The NDC workshop provides an opportunity for participants from State Signatory NDCs to meet and discuss their activities and share experiences accessing IMS data, using IDC products, and operating as an NDC. The objectives of the workshop are: 1. Provide an environment for NDC experts to share their experiences in fulfilling their verification responsibilities; 2. Provide NDC feedback to the PTS on all aspects of the data, products, services and support provided to NDCs; under this objective, particular emphasis will be put on • NDC contributions to Performance Monitoring and Testing (through NDC Preparedness Exercises, or NPEs, and other means); • Discussions on NDC involvement in the IDC Progressive Commissioning; • Discussion of recent and ongoing IDC projects. 3. Review NDC recommendations; 4. The progress and initial results of the NDC Preparedness Exercise 2026 (NPE26) will be presented and discussed, including analysis of the NPE26 event using IMS Data and other data obtained by national means. 5. Contributions on the interaction between NDCs and research and development-related topics will be discussed. 6. Discuss progress on the NDCs4ALL initiative. 7. Discuss challenges faced by NDCs.