EarthScope is a scientific infrastructure initiative for new observational facilities that will address fundamental questions about the evolution of continents and the processes responsible for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The integrated observing systems that will comprise the EarthScope facility include: USArray that maps in 3-D the earth's interior by means of seismic and magnetotelluric systems; Plate Boundary Observatory that monitors the distortion of the earth's surface by means of geodetic systems; and the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD) that defines the conditions and physics of an active plate boundary fault at depth. These systems capitalize on recent developments in sensor technology and communications to provide Earth scientists with synoptic and high-resolution data derived from a variety of geophysical sensors. All data from the EarthScope facility will be openly available in real-time to maximize participation from the scientific community and to provide on-going educational outreach to students and the public. The intellectual merit of EarthScope is derived from the coincidence of technological opportunity and scientific discovery. The design and implementation of the EarthScope facility has been shaped with input from a broad sector of the academic research community. Through a series of workshops and working groups, the research community, along with federal and state partners, has defined the tools they require to take the next steps in exploration of the fundamental processes that shape the structure and influence the deformation of continents. The broader impacts of EarthScope will be achieved through applications in hazard assessment and resource management and through direct linkages with the EarthScope education and outreach program. While EarthScope is a national program, it will be installed and operated at a local level through interactions with literally hundreds of universities, schools and organizations across the nation. EarthScope will serve as a tool for communicating both scientific understanding, and perhaps as importantly, the nature of the scientific method. As EarthScope observatories are installed across the US, students and the public will be introduced to scientific questions and the role that their region plays in understanding the North American continent. Improved understanding of the natural environment is the first step towards improved land use, environmentally-sound development, and resiliency to natural hazards. The broad participation that is necessary for EarthScope to operate will provide clear pathways for underrepresented groups, especially in rural areas, to participate directly in a national experiment. Educational portals for EarthScope data will allow under-resourced schools to have equal access to state-of-the-art science and scientific infrastructure. EarthScope will provide a much-needed opportunity for students and the public to observe geological processes in real-time and to measure geological deformation within the time frame of an academic school year. EarthScope will provide the public with practical examples of how science advances as they see new data being collected and watch new theories being formulated and tested.
