5th ERCIM Environmental Modelling Group Workshop
by Jean-Paul Berroir
The fifth workshop of the ERCIM Environmental Modelling Group, dedicated to Information Systems for Environmental Modelling, was held on 3-4 June 1999. It was organized by INRIA and hosted in Palais des Congrès, Versailles, France and attracted some 20 participants from six countries. The workshop chairman was Isabelle Herlin from INRIA.
The lectures and discussions focused on information systems designed for environmental modelling. More specifically, several issues were addressed, all being crucial for the operational implementation of environmental models, such as systems for air quality monitoring, coastal zone management, hydrology, climate: these issues were system architecture, data collection on the Internet, data management, access to distributed geographic data sources, GIS applications over the Internet.
The workshop was divided into three sessions, the first one concerning applications of information systems to environment (air quality, risk management), the second being focused on systems themselves. A final session concerned ongoing European projects sharing the concern of designing systems for environmental modelling. Four projects have thus been presented, related to the European Telematics or Inco programs.
The workshop ended with a lecture by Achim Sydow,GMD, chairman of the working group, summarizing the IST/Telematics Environment Concertation Meeting. This was the opportunity to discuss ideas for future projects, to be formed within the working group. The DECAIR project, dedicated to the use of remote sensing data for air quality simulation, which has recently started under the framework of the CEO program (Centre for Earth Observation), is a good example of the success of the collaboration between members of the working group.
Detailed information about the workshop program can be found at:
http://www-air.inria.fr/ercim.
Please contact:
Thomax Lux - GMD
Tel: +49 30 6392 1820
E-mail: lux@first.gmd.de