Quest for predictability of geodynamic processes through computer simulation

The Earth´s history includes many catastrophes. Our survival in the 21st century requires that we understand the Earth´s inherent variation mechanism and predict future catastrophes by integrating observations and computer simulations. To meet this goal, we need both international and interdisciplinary collaboration. Since 1998, the APEC Cooperation for Earthquake Simulation (ACES) has made great efforts to foster international collaboration between seismologists, geophysicists, and computational scientists. We´re now furthering these efforts through the international Solid Earth Research Virtual Observatory (iSERVO) program, which will let scientists seamlessly merge multiple data sets and models with computer grid technology. Predictive Earth science compares observed actual processes with computed virtual processes. As this overview of Japan´s efforts in solid earth simulation describes, the field´s goal is to predict system variations such as geomagnetic field reversal and earthquake occurrence.