Contributions to an On-line Exchange of Environmental Data

Abstract

Meanwhile in almost all countries automatic environmental monitoring systems are installed and under operation. Most of them are designed either for local, regional, or national survey, using distinct parameters and settings for data acquisition, transmission, evaluation and storage. Due to these different and often non-compatible systems, scheduled transboundary data exchange is costly and up to now rarely realised. Reliable decision support and forecast requires international co-operation to gain access to environmental data beyond national borderlines. At present, financed by the Commission of the European Communities, TechniData is realising an international online exchange of radiometeorological data and information for decision support, governmental and public information. The concept is based on most modern data base and communication techniques, using TCP/IP connections and EURDEP file standard. The system is suitable to exchange measured and processed data, graphical information, results of prediction models and text information, operating in three modes (normal, intensive, test). The task is designed on different levels: national systems are interfaced to a National Data Centre (NDC) for concentration and standardisation of related information. Several NDCs are associated to a Regional Data Centre (RDC), exchanging collected data and information on a regular basis with other RDCs. For realisation of this, multilateral agreements on standardisation and data provision were a pre-condition.