D60 Computer simulation software for crisis management, first delivery at M12 - SRPCBA(XISTOS)

The first version of the computer simulator is ready and available at the XISTOS computer server. A demonstration has been performed during the first annual meeting in April, in France.

Xistos had in charge to realize a simulator for the training and the assistance in decision-making for operational agencies (fire brigade, civil defence), in case of an earthquake occuring in San Miguel Island in Azores. The main caracteristics of this simulator is that, as long as there is no earthquake occurence in the region, it gives the occurence, the progress and the consequences of a “virtual” earthquake from which operational agencies can train for:

§ management of resources

§ decision-making

§ communication

In the case of an earthquake occurrence, the same tool can be used in decision-making and lets its users to:

§ anticipate the progress of the earthquake

§ realize synthesis of the event

§ to make some diagnosis

In this deliverable, CVUA and SRHE/SRPCBA had in charge to identify and collect all the necessary knowledge for the elaboration of the simulator. These informations allowed XISTOS Développement to have the sufficient amount of knowledge to efficiently manage the achievement of the first step of the development of the simulator which is the occurrence, the progress and the consequences of an earthquake on the small city of Povoação (San Miguel Island). Validation of the proposed simulation will be achieved from observations based on earthquakes that occurred in 1932 and 1953, which particularly affected this island region.

The computing development, made by XISTOS Développement, is consistent with what was planned in the Retina project. The simulator has been realized in object oriented language and more particularly in Smaltalk. It can be described as the combination of three domains of knowledge:

1. Physical and mathematical modeling domain which requires knowledge in:

§ geophysics

§ seismicity

§ geology

§ geography

2. Geographic environment and socio-economic practicals domain

3. Domain of representation of the institution using the system

For the time being, only the first two domains of knowledge has been taken into account in the computing developments.

The first version of the computer simulator is ready and available at the XISTOS computer server. A demonstration will be performed in next April, in France.