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APPENDIX B INTERNATIONAL COMMENT ON THE WORLDWIDE STANDARDIZED SEISMOGRAPH NETWORK: INTEGRATED NETWORKS AND USER SERVICES In December l975, a letter on behalf of the Panel on Seismograph Networks was sent to the President of the International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior (IASPEI) and to the President of the Interunion Commission on Geodynamics. The letter explained the charge to the Panel and requested comments from the international seismological community regarding the value of the Worldwide Standardized Seismograph Network (WWSSN) to the community and ways in which potential upgrading of the WWSSN and the collection and dissemination of data might best meet the research requirements of major scien- tific problems. This letter was distributed by the Secretary General of IASPEI to all national correspondents, and replies have been received from national correspondents of l7 countries. While several of the correspondents presented the letter to the National Committee of their country, the majority of the correspondents replied directly; the following is a summary of their main comments: l. There was general endorsement of the WWSSN, which was viewed as a key ingredient in seismology's future. The significant contributions made by WWSSN data were recognized. 2. Upgrading the WWSSN would be of international importance. Furthermore, maintaining analog records remains necessary for use by some countries that do not have facilities to process digital data. 3. A network providing a broadband digital data base would provide new research opportunities to seismologists; the future of seismological studies lies with this type of data base. 74
75 4. The user community should have convenient and easy access to any new digital-data base and computer facilities. 5. It is important to supplement any new network capa- bility with more adequate "routine services" [Preliminary Determination of Epicenters (PDE), for example].
