576 
Processing Facilities, 2) International/National 
(Regional) Processing Nodes, 3) National Analysis and 
Early Warning Workstations. Each stage will augment 
the entire system's capabilities by adding new areas 
of interpretation, new capabilities of data handling 
and processing, or new telecommunication linkages. 
Systems development is depicted as a matrix in 
Figure 2. 
Suggested International/National (Regional) 
Processing Nodes 
The expansion of data processing centers into 
regional centers will help facilitate the 
transmission of data derived in those particular 
regions to national/international agencies, 
organizations and nations, globally. In addition, a 
regional node can serve as a center of regional data 
collection and storage needed in analysis of regional 
events. This regional node should have the basic 
software-hardware configuration capabilities as more 
comprehensive data processing facilities, perhaps 
with not quite the data storage capacity. (Figure 1) 
Hardware, software and peripheral needs determined 
for the above section are directly applicable to this 
node. 
National Analysis and Early Warning Workstation 
Below the Regional nodes in the configuration 
hierarchy are the national workstations. National 
workstations will further provide data procurement 
within the individual countries and assist the 
transmission of information to regional nodes and the 
other internationally available data and processing 
centers. National workstations particularly 
developing countries could provide country-wide data 
for the overall system. The workstation however, 
will have limited capabilities of GIS, image 
analysis, statistical analysis, along with input and 
output capabilities, as a result of computer size and 
complexity. Basic environmental monitoring and 
impact assessment could be capable of being carried 
out at a national scale, however regional anlaysis 
will take place at regional and international 
processing centers. National monitoring capabilities 
would be further augmented through integrating a 
DWIPS Type image processing system along with the 
necessary transmission needs outlined below. 
Computer processing capacity and capabilities might 
consist of an 8 or 16 bit micro-computer with 500 
plus kbytes of internal real memory such as an IBM 
PC. Floppy disks and mini 20 Mbyte hard disk drives 
would be the median of data storage for this 
configuration. The software package for a national 
workstation must contain image analysis capabilities, 
basic GIS capabilities, such as overlaying and 
distance measurement functions, data management and 
report generation capabilities. 
The workstation software packages do not include 
statistical analysis, extensive image processing and 
data base management. They have limited capabilities 
to be used as workstations in this context only. De 
vices, such as a high resolution monitor, printer/ 
plotter, should also be incorporated as well as input 
devices such as digitizing tablet, and transmitting 
receivers for digital and analog data. 
Global Telecommunication Networks and Early Warning 
Systems 
Since the components of computer hardware/software 
systems and source data are distributed on a global 
scale (e.g. the node/workstations of the Sahel region 
potentially involving seven countries with work 
stations of IBM/PC quality with DWIPS type analog 
receive/transmission capabilities, and at least one 
regional node with MICRO VAX II type and work 
station), they must be able to communicate 
effectively. This communication must be analog 
and/or digital to maximize information exchange and 
decision making potential at all levels. Information 
from global data bases may often be needed to 
supplement or augment locally or regionally derived 
information (Brumfield, 1985). For instance, 
precipitation/temperature data or pre-existing 
resource data are available from such agencies as 
WMO, NOAA and NASA along with climate/weather 
satellite data; UNEP and the World Bank can provide 
accessibility to environmental and socio-economic 
data; USDA, UNESCO, FAO, UNDRO AND USAID, can 
provide information, pertaining to disaster 
mitigation and agricultural production. Various 
national and international laboratories, centers and 
universities can also provide technical/scientific 
expertise and/or R & D in applications on resources 
monitoring, management and disaster mitigation. 
In order to efficiently utilize all the various 
data bases, effective telecommunication links, such 
as JNET, RSCS (now available on MICRO VAX II, JNET) 
should be implemented to access multinational data 
bases and provide file transfer capabilities among 
the various proposed facilities (Brumfield 1985). 
For example, data processing may become available at 
the node for more in-depth modeling and statistical 
analysis, particularly on larger data sets. The data 
sets themselves may be accessed via global counter 
networking such as EARTHNET/BITNET (Brumfield 1985). 
(See Figure 3). 
Analog (e.g. audio/facsimile) transmission can 
provide direct telecommunication among workstations 
to facilitate data transmission of NOAA's GOES 
weather satellite at high rates (approximately 38.4 
kbits/sec.). Appropriate analog to digital and 
digital to analog conversion equipment such as DWIPS 
interfaced with the IBM/PC type workstation can 
provide a backup system to traditional computer 
telecommunication via standard telephone lines 
(Boice, 1984). The above system can be incorporated 
as an additional effective early disaster warning 
telecommunication link. 
Summary and Conclusions 
Hierarchial levels of environmental data availability 
and processing capabilities were discussed and 
presented for the following global configuration of 
components based on experimental design results: 
1. National Analysis and Early Warning 
Workstations. 
2. International/National (Regional) Processing 
Nodes. 
3. International Data and Processing Facilities. 
4. Global Telecommunication Networking for 
Computers and Early Warning Systems. 
In as much as the components of computer 
hardware/software systems and source data are 
spatially distributed on a global scale, workstations 
and nodes must be able to communicate effectively 
(analog and/or digital) to maximize information 
exchange and decision making potential on a national 
or regional basis. Further information/data from 
global data bases are often necessary to supplement 
or augment locally or regionally derived information. 
Climate data from NOAA and NASA in the USA and WMO in 
Switzerland and AVHRR and/or GOES data from NOAA in 
the USA. and/or environmental data from UNEP, GENEVA; 
NOAA, USA; World Bank, USA; or NERC/Thematic 
Services, UK is only a partial list of examples of 
data bases available to a world of users. Also, 
through global networking, various national and 
international laboratories/centers and universities 
are accessible for scientific and technical expertise 
in problem solving in resource monitoring, manage 
ment, and disaster mitigation. 
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