The Swiss Seismological Service’s wide range of duties and activities are the result of statutory mandates that are mostly set out in Federal Council rulings. Its main tasks include:
- Monitoring of seismic activity in Switzerland and its neighbouring countries
- Assessment of seismic hazard and risk in Switzerland
- Warning and informing the authorities, the public, and the media
- Teaching at ETH Zurich within the framework of the Bachelor's and Master's programs at the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences as well as professional continuing education (CAS ETH in Applied Earth Sciences)
- Applied and basic research on a wide range of topics relevant to understanding natural and anthropogenic earthquakes and their consequences
- Swiss involvement in the international monitoring of the nuclear test ban treaty
In addition to these main tasks the SED provides scientific services, runs research programs and does public relations. Knowledge gained by our research efforts and the methods developed in the process are in turn influencing the services offered by the SED.