Eighteen members of the Division of Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences （CAS）proposed on May 20 at a meeting on the Wenchuan Earthquake that a new seismic intensity map of China shall be produced to meet the demands of scientific research as well as high-level decision making.

The information about the distribution of seismic active regions is essential for analyzing earthquakes, the experts pointed out, from which seismologists and geologists may identify potentially dangerous spots for earthquake in a long run.

One may give pretty good long-term predictions about earthquake, but the precise date when a quake strikes remains a difficulty, and would not be solved in the near future. Therefore, a nation-wide earthquake zoning and seismic intensity mapping are necessary. The national resources of remote sensing should be well coordinated and developed, so that the relevant data could be shared, a unified command be achieved, and prompt responses be achieved. These are not only conducive to dealing with breaking incidents, but are also favorable to the rapid development of remote sensing.

What’s more, it is also proposed to pay more attention to the restoration of science and technology resources, so that they could serve the society. In the field of earth sciences, we have had a quite good accumulation of knowledge, which should be shared in a wider range to avoid duplications at a low level. The warning system is also very important, which should be developed along with social development on the whole. It is pointed out at the end of the meeting that the earth sciences should be regarded as a system science, be studied along with other interdisciplinary subjects and be provided with full technical support.