| Coordinating a successful oil spill response operation requires fast and reliable data access, expert guidance, and efficient communication of information. In this thesis, the theory, development and implementation of prototype oil spill response Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) are discussed in detail. In order to aid decision-makers and response personnel during the initial hours of a coastal zone oil spill, this SDSS integrates the analysis, storage and visualization functions of a Geographic Information System (GIS), with the logical reasoning capabilities of an expert system.; The prototype SDSS is developed through three main phases: (1) creation of the oil spill response expert system, (2) modification of the GIS environment and automation of GIS analysis, and (3) integration of the GIS and the expert system through a graphical user interface (GUI). The functionality of the final system is tested by means of four annotated examples, each representing a different oil spill scenario. Results of the sample scenarios demonstrate the successful transfer of knowledge and data between the GIS, the expert system and the user, and indicate that a SDSS can provide a feasible alternative to the traditional oil spill response decision-making process. |
