The institute
Mission
OGS is a scientific internationally orientated institution, whose roots go back to the School of Astronomy and Navigation founded in Trieste by the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa in 1753.
It is a multidisciplinary research institute in the field of Earth Science. According to its historical tradition of excellence and aimed at spreading knowledge and scientific culture, OGS operates and develops its own mission in E.R.A. (the European Research Area) as well as at international level with particular focus on the basic and applied research field such as
- Oceanography (physics, chemistry and biology),
- Geophysics and Marine geology,
- Applied and exploration Geophysics,
It promotes and implements on a national and international scale with similar partners scientific and technological research with the aid of global oceanographic research vessels as well as strategic and excellence infrastructures according to the field of competence.
History
Until 1999, the acronym OGS stood for “Experimental Geophysics Observatory”. Such title has been kept after the recent transformation in National institute in order to stress the fact that other tasks have been added to the disciplines in which the Observatory gained significant experience.
Its origins may be dated back to the second half of XVIII century when, upon request of Maria Theresa of Habsburg, the Jesuits established a School of Astronomy and Navigation for catering to the needs of traffic development after the proclamation of Trieste as a free port in 1719.
From that time on, passing through a number of re-organisations under different name such as Imperial Academy for Commerce and Marine Sciences (1817), Meteorological Observatory (1841), Maritime Observatory (1903), Geophysical Institute of Trieste (1921), Thalassographic Institute of Trieste (1941, with autonomous Seismic Station of Trieste which became Geophysics Observatory in 1949), Experimental Geophysics Observatory of Trieste (1958), Experimental Geophysics Observatory (1989), until the actual status of National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics (1999).
The National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics – OGS is a public research institute located in Sgonico, Trieste, Italy. The kind and mission of OGS are ruled according to Law nr. 399/1989 concerning the clearing-up of the Experimental Geophysics Observatory as well as legislative decree nr. 381/1999 in force of which it turned into national institute.
The most important research facilities
• R/V OGS Explora, 1400 gross tonnage
• A/C Piper Seneca II
• Seismic processing station
• Taratura’s Centre for oceanographic instruments
• Permanent networks for sismologic monitoring
• Geophysic and ocenaographic data banks
