The IUGG Electronic JournalVolume 4 No. 7 (July 6, 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. GEOSS - A New International Initiative The Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) is a 10-year international plan to share Earth-observation data and to identify and fill gaps in the data networks. A summit meeting, held in Tokyo in April, was attended by representatives from governments of 47 nations as well as Dr. Gerhard Beutler, President of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG). IAG was accepted as a participating organization through the advocacy of the German delegation. Dr. C. Reigber, Chair of IAG's Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) project, is working directly with the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) organizers with regard to observations of "geometry and Earth dynamics" but expects to be able to act as an informant between other GEO subgroups and the IUGG Associations. We are fortunate that IAG was able to seize the opportunity to make sure that the Earth observations that are critical to IUGG disciplines are adequately considered in this new international initiative. A report about the Tokyo summit can be found at the web site www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEMTR077ESD_index_0.php, and information about GEO is posted at http://earthobservations.org. 2. SWARM Selected as an ESA Programme On Friday May 28, the Earth Observation Programme Board of the European Space Agency approved the mission SWARM - Earth's Magnetic Field and Environment Explorers, for full implementation and launch in 2009 as number 5 in ESA's Living Planet Programme. This mission, a constellation of three satellites, during its 4-year operational phase will complete the International Decade of Geopotential Field Research that was announced in a resolution adopted by IAGA and IUGG and initiated so successfully with the Danish satellite Ørsted. The Lead Investigator of the mission proposal is Dr. Eigil Friis-Christensen, a Vice President of the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (IAGA). 3. The 2004 Geodesist's Handbook The International Association of Geodesy (IAG) has completed the 2004 Geodesist's Handbook, edited by Ole B. Andersen. The Handbook is published every four years as a special issue of the Journal of Geodesy (Vol. 77, Number 10-11, April 2004). It contains all of the current organizational information regarding IAG, a report of the IAG activities at the XXIII IUGG General Assembly in Sapporo, Japan in July 2003, and a compendium of general information related to geodesy, such as a discussion of fundamental parameters by E. Groten, a listing of the Geodetic Data Centers, and educational institutions offering geodetic instruction. Most of the information contained in the Handbook can be found on the IAG web site: www.iag-aig.org 4. IAHS's Tison Award for 2004 The International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) will present their Tison Award to Dr. Francis Chiew of the Cooperative Research Centre for Catchment Hydrology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The IAHS Tison Award, which aims to promote excellence in research by young hydrologists, is granted for an outstanding paper published by IAHS in a period of two years previous to the deadline for nominations. The winning paper, Global ENSO-streamflow teleconnection, streamflow forecasting and interannual variability, was published by F.H.S. Chiew and T.A. McMahon in Hydrological Sciences Journal, Vol. 47 (3), 505-522, 2002. Nominations for the 2005 International Hydrology Prize and the Tison award are invited. Please send them to the IAHS Secretary General (iahs@ensmp.fr) by 31 December 2004. The IAHS (International Association of Hydrological Sciences) Press has just announced the following new publications. For further information including contents and price, please contact Mrs. Jill Gash (jilly@iahs.demon.co.uk). Wastewater Re-Use and Groundwater Quality (IAHS publ. 285, April 2004) edited by J. Steenvoorden and T. Endreny. The Basis of Civilization - Water Science? (IAHS publ. 286, July 2004) edited by J.C. Rodda and L. Ubertini. 6. IGY+50: Update on IYPE and IPY The International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE) has added Soils as a 9th Science Objective. The International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS), also a full partner in IYPE, will take the lead to develop this theme. Dr. Tom Beer, IUGG Vice President and Chair of the GeoRisk Commission, has accepted responsibility to Chair the team that is developing the Hazards Science Objective. Dr. Yoram Rubin, President of the IAHS International Commission on Groundwater, is a member of the team that is developing the Groundwater Science Objective, and Dr. Keith Alverson, President of the IAMAS Commission on Climate, is a member of the team that is developing the Climate Science Objective. The web site for IYPE is www.esfs.org. The International Polar Year 2007-2008 (IPY) has added several documents to their web site including a summary of the report of the US National Committee for the IPY, A Vision for International Polar Year 2007-2008. This report, which includes the initiative's scientific challenges that form the framework for IPY activities, can be found at www.ipy.org or http://us-ipy.org. 7. IUGG-Related Meetings Occurring during July - September 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 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 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 30 - September 4, 2004 August 31 - September 2, 2004 September 5 - September 9, 2004 September 12 - September 17, 2004 September 13 - September 16, 2004 September 14 - September 17, 2004 September 17 - September 18, 2004 September 26 - September 30, 2004 September 26 - October 1, 2004 September 27 - October 1, 2004 September 27 - September 30, 2004 September 29 - October 1, 2004 End of IUGG Electronic Journal Volume 4 Number 7 (July 6, 2004) |
