The IUGG Electronic JournalVolume 4 No. 6 (June 1, 2004)This short, informal newsletter is intended to keep IUGG Member National Committees informed about the activities of the IUGG Associations, and actions of the IUGG Secretariat. Past issues are posted on the IUGG Web site. Please forward this message to those who will benefit from the information. Your comments are welcome. Contents
1. The GeoUnions - A New Consortium for Earth Sciences At the International Council for Science (ICSU) Unions meeting in February, officers of four of the Unions with an emphasis on Earth science met together to explore common areas of interest. These were IUGG, the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), the International Geographical Union (IGU), and the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS). Together, they selected 5 topics for further development: Cities and Megacities, Desertification, Groundwater, Geophysical Hazards, and Health. Ideas for cooperative work in these areas are being exchanged among representatives of each Union, and proposals for projects will be prepared for a meeting in Boulder, Colorado (USA) on September 3, 2004. At that meeting, the Secretary-General of International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing will also attend to access ways in which ISPRS could contribute to each initiative. We believe that improved communication and co-operation among the GeoUnions will greatly enhance the achievement of our common goals. Correspondents to the Associations are Prof. D. Mangombi (IAG), M.F. Moshi (IAGA), G. Gulemvuga (IAHS), S. Mukenge (IAMAS), N. Zana (IASPEI),and M. Wafula (IAVCEI). 2. IGY+50: IPY, IHY, and CAWSES The May issue of the IUGG E-Journal featured information about two of the initiatives (the electronic Geophysical Year and International Year of Planet Earth) planned to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the International Geophysical Year (IGY). This issue features three more - IPY, IHY, and CAWSES. The International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008 is envisioned as an intense, internationally coordinated campaign of research that will initiate the dawn of a new era in polar science. IPY 2007-2008 will include research in both polar regions and involve strong links to the rest of the globe. It will be multi- and interdisciplinary in scope and international in participation. It will educate and excite the public, and help train the next generation of engineers, scientists, and leaders. Previous IPYs (1882-1883, and 1932-1933) promoted unprecedented exploration and discoveries and fundamentally changed how science was conducted in the polar regions. The new campaign will include elements from a wide range of scientific disciplines, including issues related to human populations. It coincides with the 50th anniversary of the International Geophysical Year (1957-1958), which began as an IPY, as well as the 50th anniversary of the ICSU Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR). More information is posted at www.us-ipy.org. The International Heliophysical Year 2007 (IHY) aims to advance our understanding of the phenomena and physical processes that govern the Sun's influence on Earth. It will enhance an ongoing NASA program "Living with a Star," and is coordinated with the UN Basic Space Science Initiative through their Office for Outer Space Affairs. While an extraordinary event of the IGY was the launch of Sputnik on October 4, 1957, the emphasis of the IHY will rather be on science, not new missions. A recent workshop identified several international projects that will employ existing data to promote increased understanding of the basic physical processes in space. The web site for the IHY is ihy.gsfc.nasa.gov. Climate and Weather in the Sun-Earth System (CAWSES) is an initiative of the ICSU Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics (SCOSTEP). During 2004-2008, CAWSES will link the world's scientists in a cooperative effort to study the entire interactive Sun-Earth system. Recognizing the impressive past, present, and planned space missions; ground-based observations; and theory, modeling, and data analysis efforts aimed at understanding aspects of the Sun-Earth system, CAWSES, seeks to mobilize the international solar-terrestrial science community to fully utilize past, present, and future data; to produce improvements in space weather forecasting, design of space- and Earth-based technological systems, and understanding the role of solar-terrestrial influences on Global Change. The CAWSES Science Steering Group (SSG) has organized around four themes: Solar Influence on Climate; Space Weather: Science and Applications; Atmospheric Coupling Processes; and Space Climatology. Current information about CAWSES can be found on the SCOSTEP web site: www.ngdc.noaa.gov/stp/SCOSTEP. 3. PAIGH Cartography Commission The Cartography Commission of the Pan-American Institute for Geography and History (PAIGH) has recently announced their new officers and a message that they are sincerely interested in improving relationships with the international associations related to cartography, especially those involved with the development of geo-informatics matters in the Pan American region. IUGG President Dr. Uri Shamir extended congratulations to the new Commission President Lt.-Col. Barriga Vargas, Vice-President Mrs. Alejandra Coll, and Technical Secretary Mr. Juan C. Montero. The IUGG liaison to PAIGH is Dr.-Ing. Hermann Drewes (Germany). 4. IUGG Activities in Capacity Building ICSU has established a Panel for Priority Area Assessment on Capacity Building. Dr. Harsh Gupta, a member of the IUGG Bureau, is a member of this Panel that will access present activities in capacity building and recommend future actions including development of new programmes, policy initiatives, and new priorities for the ICSU grants programme. IUGG was invited to update our report prepared in 2001 (posted on the IUGG Web site) as input to the Panel. Each of the IUGG Associations has programs aimed at supporting Earth science in developing countries using strategies such as topical workshops and other training opportunities, free distribution of observational methods and analysis manuals and other scientific publications, and by providing direct support for disadvantaged scientists to attend international meetings. At the Union level, in 2002-03 IUGG awarded $25,000 to assist scientists from economically disadvantaged countries to attend conferences, and nearly $87,000 to support interdisciplinary research initiatives in South America, South East Asia, and Africa. In addition, the IUGG ad hoc committee 'Geophysics: The Future' continues to engage young scientists worldwide in the work of the Union. 5. IUGG-related Meetings Occurring During June-August 2004 A calendar of meetings of interest to IUGG disciplines (especially those organized or sponsored by IUGG Associations) is posted on the IUGG Web Site [www.IUGG.org]. Specific information about these meetings, including web links, can be found there. Individual Associations also list more meetings on their web sites appropriate to their disciplines. June 1 - 8, 2004 June 9 - 11, 2004 June 14 - 25, 2004 June 16 - 18, 2004 June 20 - 23, 2004 June 21 - 24, 2004 June 21 - 25, 2004 June 30 - July 3, 2004 July 4 - July 9, 2004 July 5 - July 9, 2004 July 12 - July 14, 2004 July 12 - July 15, 2004 July 12 - July 16, 2004 July 12 - July 23, 2004 July 18 - July 21, 2004 July 18 - July 25, 2004 July 18 - July 23, 2004 July 19 - July 22, 2004 July 20 - July 23, 2004 July 21 - July 25, 2004 July 25 - July 31, 2004 July 26 - July 30, 2004 August 1 - August 6, 2004 August 1 - August 6, 2004 August 2 - August 6, 2004 August 2 - August 8, 2004 August 8 - August 11, 2004 August 15 - August 20, 2004 August 16 - August 19, 2004 August 20 - August 28, 2004 August 30 - August 31, 2004 August 31 - September 2, 2004 End of IUGG Electronic Journal Volume 4 Number 6 (June 1, 2004) |
