Monitoring data and their analysis are central to the verification effort of the CTBT/CTBTO. It is often emphasized that the data belong to the Member States. A State Signatory has the right of full access to all monitoring data and data bulletins, which can assist a State in exercising its prerogative to make the final judgement in the case of a suspicious event. In order to enable Member States to come to an informed judgement on a suspicious event, they need to have at their disposal all raw data and data analysis results in a reliable, equal and timely fashion. The International Data Centre (IDC) makes sure that these requirements are met and is supported in its efforts by the Global Communications Infrastructure (GCI).
National Data Centres To facilitate the technical interaction between a Member State and the CTBTO, the establishment of a national data centre (NDC) is very advantageous. Although the Treaty does not require that a Member State has an NDC, as this is a national issue, the CTBTO strongly encourages their formation and use. Currently, 100 States have established an NDC. NDCs are usually institutions specializing in verification technologies, such as a national earthquake institution or a nuclear radiation monitoring agency. In some cases, several institutions jointly assume the functions of an NDC. The exact modalities of an NDC’s operation are defined by the Member State itself which may adjust the NDC, its functions and its levels of operations to suit the national needs.
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