bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Computation of a precise mean sea surface in the eastern north Pacific using SEASAT altimetry
Authors: Marsh James G. , Cheney Robert E. , Martin Thomas V. , McCarthy John J.
Published: October 2011

Satellite altimetry has application to both solid earth and ocean dynamics research. Because the mean surface of the ocean coincides with the geoid to within about 1 m, three‐dimensional maps constructed from grids of altimeter measurements yield information about the gravity field and processes taking place in and beneath the earth's crust. At the same time, statistical analyses of the altimeter data used to construct the surface can provide a survey of the mesoscale eddy field [Cheney and Marsh, 1981].

This short report presents results obtained by using SEASAT altimetry in a 5000×5000 km area of the eastern North Pacific. We hope to illustrate several points: the precision of the SEASAT data, the power of the crossing‐arc technique employed in the data reduction, and the geodetic/oceanographic implications of precise altimetric maps.
New Saturnian satellites
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

Four, and possibly as many as six, new satellites of Saturn have been found as a result of data from the Voyager 2 encounter with the planet in August 1981. The discoveries bring the number of Saturnian satellites to between 21 and 23. The two ‘possible’ satellites were seen in only one observation each, so their orbits are not yet confirmed.

The innermost satellite, found by Stephen P. Synnott of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., moves at about the same orbital distance from Saturn as the already known satellite, Mimas. The object was originally suggested by data from charged‐particle instruments aboard Voyager 2. Synpott and colleague Richard Terrile found the satellite.
White House Science Council formed
Authors: Richman Barbara T.
Published: October 2011

The new 13‐member White House Science Council, established in mid‐February by President Reagan's science advisor George A. Keyworth, II, meets for the first time today. On the agenda is a briefing of the activities of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and a discussion of possible topics for future in‐depth study.

Chief among its responsibilities, the council is to advise Keyworth on science and technology issues of national concern. The council, scheduled to meet once every 2 months, will discuss specific issues assigned by the science advisor and will keep him abreast of changing perspectives in the science and technology communities. The council may form subgroups or panels to conduct studies on specific issues assigned by Keyworth.
Geophysical events
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

This is a summary of SEAN Bulletin, 7(1), January 31, 1982, a publication of the Smithsonian Institution. The complete bulletin is available in the microfiche edition of Eos, as a microfiche supplement, or as a paper reprint. For the microfiche, order document number E82‐001 at $1.00 from AGU, 2000 Florida Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009. For reprints, order SEAN Bulletin (give dates and volume number) through AGU Separates: $3.50 for the first copy for those who do not have a deposit account; $2 for those who do; additional copies are $1.00. Order must be prepaid.
Notes from a capitol fellow
Authors: Shaw George H.
Published: October 2011

As we await the opening of the 2nd session of the 97th Congress [which began on Jan. 24—Ed.], a lull in activity affords me the chance to communicate some views on my experience as the 1981–1982 AGU Congressional Science Fellow. In trying to avoid repetition of what previous fellows have written, I specifically refer you to the two articles written by last year's fellow Carroll Ann Hodges (Eos, 62, March 3, 1981, p. 89; 63, Feb. 2, 1982, p. 137).

Two questions naturally arise with regard to Congressional Science Fellows: Who becomes a fellow? Why does one become a fellow?
Re: Soviet river diversions
Authors: Robertson Jas O.
Published: October 2011

The paper on ‘Soviet River Diversions’ by Phil Micklin (Eos, 62(19), May 12, 1981) has just come to hand.

Referring to the map on page 489, I was interested to see the estimates of river flows for the Amu and Syr Darya, which clearly show the effect of irrigation on inflows to the Aral Sea. Recently, I was passing over the northeast corner of the sea on a flight from Tashkent to Moscow when I got the impression that increasing irrigation development on the Syr Darya is likely to decrease the annual inflow even more than in the recent past. The same state of affairs has been going on in the Caspian Sea for years, as a result of irrigation development on the Volga. My impression was that the Aral Sea had shrunk considerably from the 26,000 odd square miles (67,304 km2) area quoted (from memory) in Encyclopaedia Britannica (edition circa 1970).
Scorecard on weather predictions
Authors: Richman Barbara T.
Published: October 2011

No matter that several northern and eastern states were pelted by snow and sleet early in March, as far as longterm weather forecasters are concerned, winter ended on February 28. Now is the time to review their winter seasonal forecasts to determine how accurate were those predictions issued at the start of winter.

The National Weather Service (NWS) predicted on November 27, 1981, that the winter season would bring colder‐than‐normal temperatures to the eastern half of the United States, while temperatures were expected to be higher than normal in the westernmost section (see Figure 1). The NWS made no prediction for the middle of the country, labeling the area ‘indeterminate,’ or having the same chance of experiencing above‐normal temperatures as below‐normal temperatures, explained Donald L. Gilman, chief of the NWS long‐range forecasting group.
Cosmic dust for study
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

Since May 1981, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has had a program to collect cosmic dust particles in the earth's stratosphere at altitudes on the order of 18 km. The cosmic dust particles are presumed to be micrometeorites, and thus they constitute a useful source of extraterrestrial material, free of the contamination that can be found in meteorites collected on the ground.

The cosmic dust particles are not easy to collect, considering the altitude and the requirements to avoid contamination. The methods employed include the use of a high‐flying WB57F aircraft (a recommissioned light‐duty bombertype aircraft), on the wings of which are mounted eight flat‐plate ‘flags’ coated with silicone oil. The flags are mounted in specially constructed wing pylons that insure maintenance of a high level of cleanliness between periods of active sampling. When the plane reaches altitude, the pilot can cause the flags to be exposed by remote control, and he can cause the flags to retreat into sealed storage containers before descent.
JGR to publish LPSC Proceedings
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

AGU will publish the Proceedings of the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC), organized by the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), as a special supplement to the Red section of the Journal of Geophysical Research. The conference, being held this week in Houston, Tex., is sponsored by LPI, the Johnson Space Center, and AGU. The present 39‐member board of JGR‐Red associate editors will be expanded to account for the handling of the increased number of papers in petrology and geochemistry.

William Boynton has accepted a 1‐year special assignment as Proceedings Editor and will work in concert with JGR‐Red Editor Thomas Ahrens. In addition, the regular JGR‐Red board of associate editors has been expanded to include Boynton, Michael J. Drake, Richard A.F. Grieve, John F. Kerridge, Guenter W. Lugmair, James Papike, Robert O. Pepin, and Heinrich Wönke.
NSF peer review revisited
Authors: Bell Peter M.
Published: October 2011

Much recent attention has been focused on the peer review system, the process by which research grants are awarded by the various divisions within the National Science Foundation (NSF). A recent study by Cole, Cole, and Simon found that grant approval to proposals submitted to NSF depends about as much on the selection of reviewers as it does on the scientific merit of the proposal (Eos, December 15, 1981, pp. 1181‐1182). One critic of the study, geologist John Hower, points out that Cole et al. failed to evaluate the most valuable part of the peer review system. Hower, director of the NSF geochemistry program from 1976–1978, refers to a second panel review, such as that carried out by the Division of Earth Sciences.
Mt. St. Helens eruption forecast
Authors: Richman Barbara T.
Published: October 2011

‘Accelerating rates of ground deformations in the crater of Mount St. Helens suggest that an eruption, most likely of the dome‐building type, will probably begin in 1 to 5 days,’ according to a statement issued on March 15 by scientists at the U. S. Geological Survey and the University of Washington. The statement supersedes one issued on March 12 which stated that an eruption would be likely in the following 3 weeks.

According to the report issued at 10:30 P.M. (EST) on March 15, ‘Deep earthquakes have almost ceased, and shallow earthquakes continue at a moderate rate. Further increase in shallow seismicity is likely before eruptions start.’
OTA congressional fellowships
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) is seeking qualified candidates from academic, industrial, and governmental communities for its Congressional Fellowship Program for 1982–83. The program is similar to AGU's Congressional Fellowship Program (Eos, February 16, p. 164) in that it provides an opportunity for individuals who have demonstrated outstanding ability in management or research to gain a better understanding of the science and technology issues facing Congress and the way in which Congress establishes national policy related to these issues.

The fellowships, open to men and women of all disciplines of science and technology and related policy or research activities, will emphasize interdisciplinary approaches to public policy concerns. Candidates must have completed research and training at the doctoral level or have equivalent experience, as determined by the OTA Selection Committee. Salaries will range from $25,000 to $37,000 for 1 year, based on the fellows' current salary, training, and experience.
Increase voted to NSF Budget
Authors: Richman Barbara T.
Published: October 2011

The Subcommittee on Science, Research, and Technology of the House Committee on Science and Technology voted by a narrow margin on March 10 to increase the National Science Foundation (NSF) budget authorization by $30 million, pushing the total budget to $1099.5 million. The increase is targeted solely for science and engineering education (see table). Although the total for research and related activities in NSF remained the same as in President Reagan's budget request, the subcommittee shifted funds among directorates, including an $8.9 million decrease from the budget of the Directorate for Astronomical, Atmospheric, Earth, and Ocean Sciences (AAEO). The subcommittee action also calls for $1.6 million to be allocated to United States participation in the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (NASA).
Geological age of reactors
Authors: Bell Peter M.
Published: October 2011

Nuclear reactors become obsolete by wearing out or by becoming outclassed or out of date. The lifetime of a conventional power reactor is probably less that 30 years, but the life of its potentially dangerous radioactivity is now known to be of a geological time scale. When a reactor is shutdown permanently, the fuel rods, cooling water, and radioactively ‘hot’ pieces are removed for long‐term storage. High‐level and low‐level radioactive isotopes contained in the liquids and solids removed present a special problem (see Eos, Feb. 9, 1982, p. 147). It is the main frame and construction of worn out reactors that are the major problem, however. Mainly because of neutron activation processes that occur during reactor operation, components have been found to contain nickel‐59 and niobium‐94, both of which have very long half‐lives: 80,000 and 20,300 years, respectively. The two isotopes are only present in trace amounts in metals incorporated in reactor components, but they emit levels of radiation above acceptable levels. The result is that the entire reactors must be dismantled, reduced to shippable size pieces, and the pieces stored for geologic time periods (several half‐lives).
Fram 2 in the eastern Arctic
Authors: Baggeroer Arthur B. , Dyer Ira
Published: October 2011

Fram 2 was a research program conducted from ice stations on drifting pack ice from March 19, 1980 to May 5, 1980. The research concentrated on underwater acoustics, marine geophysics, and physical oceanography in the eastern Arctic Ocean and had the financial support of the Office of Naval Research.

Personnel from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Lamont‐Doherty Geological Observatory (LDGO), Bedford Institute of Oceanography (BIO), University of Washington (UW), Naval Underwater Systems Center (NUSC), Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), and Polar Research Laboratory, Inc. (PRL), participated in the program. The Fram 2 program had logistic air support by the 317th Tactical Air Wing of the U.S. Air Force, by the Danish Air Force, Greenland Air Charter, Bradley Air, and PolAir. The Polar Science Center of the University of Washington (PSCUW) was responsible for the overall planning and management of the logistics support.
SEQUAL: A study of the equatorial Atlantic Ocean*
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

SEQUAL (Seasonal Response of the Equatorial Atlantic) is a program to study the dynamical response of the upper equatorial Atlantic Ocean to the seasonally varying surface winds. This response affects the climate of the earth because, in low latitudes, seasonal and interannual changes in the heat content of the upper ocean a redetermined not only by the local fluxes of heat from the atmosphere to the ocean but also by the large‐scale dynamical response of the ocean to variable winds. In the tropical Atlantic, for example, seasonal changes in the heat storage are caused primarily by the horizontal redistribution of heat associated with wind‐induced changes in the topography of the thermocline (Figure 1). The object of SEQUAL is to describe accurately, and to model correctly, the changes in the upper ocean currents, density field, and surface winds during one season throughout the equatorial Atlantic Ocean.
Problems and promises of NODC
Authors: Richman Barbara T.
Published: October 2011

The National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), the nation's warehouse for ocean data, often hears complaints from its users that requests for data from recent oceanographic cruises cannot be filled. The complaint highlights both sides of the data traffic problem that besets NODC: Researchers delay sending their data to the center, and NODC has had difficulties in processing some data, especially when changes in the computer systems are made or when data is submitted in incomplete form. Plans within NODC promise to minimize the data processing problems with eventual direct communication from desktop to data base.
Proceedings of the International Committee on Geodynamics
Authors: Jacob Klaus
Published: October 2011

This special volume, vol. 13, 1980, of the Geological Bulletin, University of Peshawar, Pakistan, on the Geodynamics of the NW Himalayas, contains 213 pages, 23 articles with 96 figures and 28 tables, authored by 36 contributors from 7 countries (Pakistan, U.S., France, India, Switzerland, Italy, U.K.). The volume truthfully reflects the diversity and intensity of the recent international scientific effort toward understanding Himalayan geodynamics.

To be frank: The editorial, production, and scientific quality of this conference book is as mixed as Himalayan collision tectonics itself. Yet, beneath the poor editorial melange, there rest valuable scientific treasures. Particularly to those earth scientists' interested in oceanic subduction zones and island arcs, this book on (now) purely continental tectonics is a really surprising find. The centerpiece of attention is the now deeply eroded Kohistan belt interpreted to be an uplifted Mesozoic island arc and its associated fore‐arc, back‐arc, and subduction complexes. Cenozoic collision tectonics has partially exposed lower crustal or subcrustal levels of any or all of the arc‐trench elements. They appear petrologically characterized by pyroxene granulites, eclogite, and garnet amphibolitic mineral assemblages. Structural and stratigraphic control is poor in most regions; and, thus, tectonic interpretations given by some authors may need revisions. But, geochemists will find a surprising number of major and minor element analyses and composition diagrams to test for possible affinities of the sampled rocks with ocean floor‐, island arc‐, and continent‐derived igneous or metamorphic assemblages. Trace element and isotope studies are still few.
Automated mapping system patented
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

A patent on a satellite system dubbed Mapsat, which would be able to map the earth from space and would thereby reduce the time and cost of mapping on a smaller scale, has been issued to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The Mapsat concept, invented by Alden F. Colvocoresses, a research cartographer at the USGS National Center, is based on Landsat technology but uses sensors that acquire higher‐resolution image data in either a stereo or monoscopic mode. Stereo data can be processed relatively simply with automation to produce images for interpretation or to produce maps. Monoscopic and multispectral data can be processed in a computer to derive information on earth resources. Ground control, one of the most expensive phases of mapping, could be kept to a minimum.
OPEN team selected
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The Office of Space Science Applications of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has completed the selection of the scientific team that will work on the science definition for the Origins of Plasma in Earth's Neighborhood (OPEN) mission. These scientists will define the instrument packages that will fly aboard the four‐spacecraft mission proposed for later in the decade. The mission, although not currently authorized, is expected to provide detailed information about the sun's energy and its transfer from the solar wind through the earth's magnetosphere down through the ionosphere, according to NASA.
General Climatology 3
Authors: Hartmann Dennis L.
Published: October 2011

General Climatology 3 is volume 3 of the series World Survey of Climatology, which consists of 15 volumes containing review articles on a broad range of topics. General Climatology 3 contains four chapters: ‘Human Bioclimatology,’ ‘Agricultural Climatology,’ ‘City Climate,’ and ‘Technical Climatology.’ Each of these chapters will be briefly described here.

‘Human Bioclimatology,’ the first chapter, was authored by E. Flach and provides a survey of the effects on the human organism of the physical conditions at the earth's surface. It contains four main sections. A section entitled ‘Light and Life’ deals with the effects of solar radiation on man and contains much interesting information on the response of the human eye and human skin to radiation at various frequencies. ‘Air and Life’ discusses the composition of air and its effect on human health and performance, including discussions of the effects of altitude, aerosols, and noxious trace gases. ‘Temperature and Life’ discusses how the body responds to temperature and how it maintains its heat budget under the variety of conditions to which it falls subject and considerable discussion is given to objective ways to characterize air conditions that give an accurate measure of their impact on the body. This discussion leads naturally into the final section, ‘Bioclimatological Evaluation Systems,’ which addresses the problem of how to classify a particular site according to its overall suitability to human habitation.
How did the Cretaceous world end?
Authors: Bell Peter M.
Published: October 2011

Factors related to evidence of a major impact on the earth by an extraterrestrial body, at about the time of the close of the Cretaceous period, have been the center of discussion at a number of recent symposia. An example is the one entitled ‘Terminal Cretaceous Extinction: A Comparative Assessment of Causes,’ held at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, D.C., in January 1982. Another was simply ‘Terrestrial Impacts and C‐T Extinctions,’ held at the Thirteenth Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, Tex., March 1982.

The possibility that an impact may have caused global‐scale extinctions of terrestrial and marine life was the main reason for organizing the conferences, but the focus that emerged was on the geochemistry and geophysics of the impacts themselves. A possibility is that the impact occurred in an ocean, resulting in some rather major consequences, including oceanic temperature changes of several degrees Centigrade, an earthquake that would rate magnitude 12 on the Richter scale, and a tsunami, initially about 5 km high, that would have traversed the globe, inundating all low‐lying continental areas on the earth within 27 hours.
Sea level up
Authors: Bell Peter M.
Published: October 2011

It is no surprise that sea level is neither level nor constant. What is surprising is that new analyses of data from tide‐gage stations throughout the world indicate a 12‐cm rise in the mean sea level over the past century (Science, March 26, 1982). Much like the global temperature effects postulated as the result of increasing growth of carbon dioxide and trace gases, an increase in sea level could have some important consequences on the continental ice sheets. V. Gornitz, S. Lebedeft, and J. Hauser of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, who made the study, note potential coastal damages that could result from the sea level rise in many parts of the world.
Geodetic Positioning Using a Global Positioning System of Satellites
Authors: Anderle R. J.
Published: October 2011

This report analyzes various techniques of using range, Doppler or phase measurements of signals from the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine absolute or relative positions of the observer. The first two chapters give an introduction and background, the third chapter considers the relative strengths of the various techniques in the absence of systematic errors, the fourth chapter gives a detailed development and error analysis of dynamic positioning techniques, the fifth chapter discusses interferometric solutions based on phase measurements and the sixth chapter summarizes the study.

Several changes have been made in the proposed satellite system and receivers since the publication of this report. These changes require reinterpretation of the results of simulations given in the report. The GPS is now proposed to consist of 18 satellites rather than the 24 satellites assumed in the study. This change degrades the geometric strength of solutions by about 50%. The study assumed observations would be made on satellites sequentially in the dynamic mode or on pairs of satellites in the interferometric mode. All receivers now proposed for use in geodetic applications will make simultaneous or quasi‐simultaneous observations on four or more satellites. This change primarily reduces the time on site required to achieve a given level of accuracy. The receivers now being developed by MacDoran and Counselman for interferometric observations are drastically different from those originally proposed. However, the principal error sources are not significantly affected by the changes in measurement technique. Since Fell gives a detailed break down of the contribution of each error source to the total error and of the variation of the errors with time on site, the results given can be used to evaluate the accuracies currently achievable or those which would be obtained under other assumptions.
Mesoscale processes: Some biological and physical connections
Authors: Haury L. R.
Published: October 2011

The February joint AGU/ASLO meeting in San Antonio brought together scientists from a wide range of oceanographic and limnological subdisciplines. One of the implicit themes in many of the sessions was the importance of mesoscale processes (space scales: 10–1000 km; time scales: days to a few years) and the interdisciplinary nature of the studies needed to understand them. Several sessions addressed mesoscale phenomena directly; one, organized by John Steel of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, focused on the relations between biological and physical mesoscale processes. This article is adapted from the introductory talk to Steele's mesoscale session. The talk attempted to give a general pverview of some of the less emphasized connections between physical and biological mesoscale processes and the relationships between them, larger‐ and smaller‐scale phenomena, and the strategies and instrumentation used to study such processes.
Joint CCCO/JSC Study Conference
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

Scientists designing the oceanographic research component of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), under the auspices of the Committee on Climate Changes and the Ocean (CCCO) and the Joint Scientific Committee (JSC), will meet in Tokyo in May 1982 to begin synthesizing the numerous concepts and proposals, under study or being advocated, into a focused research strategy.

The objectives of the conference are to establish the scientific basis for an experimental research strategy and to review, assess, and identify critical experiment components. As would be expected, there are many wellfounded views on this subject, and the conference has, therefore, been structured so that these views can be expressed and debated.
Beyond the Atmosphere: Early Years of Space Science
Authors: Spencer N. W.
Published: October 2011

Homer Newell's book, Beyond the Atmosphere: Early Years of Space Science, provides the reader with an excellent history of space science and the intricate governmental as well as personal travails that brought the U.S. space program from its beginnings in the early V‐2 days to its enviable state (in today's terms) in the early seventies.

The account is developed and well based on fundamental and classical descriptions of the meaning of science as the baseline theme of the space program, the driving force behind most of the devotees of the formative period. Space science began in those days as a burgeoning effort by vigorous competent scientists and engineers eager to move into an exciting extension of the physical sciences, and Newell was a central character in it. How their efforts made possible innovative and productive probing of many aspects of the earth's environment that had not previously been accessible to man's inquiries guides the writing.
Dynamics of the Upper Atmosphere
Authors: Richmond Arthur
Published: October 2011

The earth's upper atmosphere is highly dynamic, receiving strong energy inputs both from below in the form of upward propagating waves and from above in the form of electromagnetic and particle radiation from the sun and magnetosphere. Above 100 km the dynamics become increasingly influenced by factors that are of minor importance in the lower atmosphere, in particular by the long mean free paths of particles, which give rise to strong molecular diffusion effects, and by the appearance of an ionized component, which interacts dynamically with the neutral constituents. The study of upper atmospheric dynamics has been motivated by the interesting variety of theoretical problems that arise, as well as by the needs of communications and space applications and by the extensive collection of relevant data from satellites, radars, and optical and geomagnetic observatories.

Susumu Kato has been one of the outstanding researchers in the field of upper atmospheric dynamics over the past 3 decades. His book treats a number of topics in areas in that field where he has made major theoretical contributions: acoustic‐gravity waves, atmospheric tides, electrodynamics, and ionospheric dynamo effects. No attempt is made to cover the entire field of upper atmospheric dynamics in this book nor to be exhaustive in the treatment of the selected areas, but the variety of topics treated is nonetheless impressive.
Hinners moves to Goddard
Authors: Richman Barbara T.
Published: October 2011

Noel W. Hinners, president‐elect of AGU's Planetology Section and director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, has been appointed director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. He succeeds A. Thomas Young, who left Goddard in late March; Leslie Meredith, AGU General Secretary, is serving as acting director until Hinners' appointment becomes effective in mid‐June.

Looking back at his 3 years as director of the museum, Hinners told Eos that he believed one of his most important accomplishments was to increase the historical and archival programs. His aim was to ensure that the histories of space physics, astronomy, and aeronautics will not be lost. Documentation on the evolution of ideas in these areas was scattered, improperly indexed, or nonexistent, Hinners explained, so he brought to the museum several professional historians to organize the existing information and to glean additional information through oral histories from scientists involved in such events as the International Geophysical Year.
Women researchers lead wage hikes
Authors: Bell Peter M.
Published: October 2011

Women employed in the research and development fields in universities, government, and industry made substantial increases and lead men in salary gains in 1981, according to a far‐reaching survey of 5000 respondents (Industrial Research and Development, April 1982). At the upper end, 20% of women researchers received salary increases of 14% or more, compared to 13% of the men. The raises were high in 1981; more than half the women in research and development had salary gains of over 9%.

The employment picture for women in the scientific and technical fields is somewhat complicated by the affirmative efforts of hiring. More women were hired in 1981, and most newly hired women and men begin at the lowest salaries. This factor contributed to the reality that more women than men at the lower salary ranges received zero raises. However, according to the survey, this is not a trend, since the current efforts to add women in research fields are providing more rewards for women per amount of experience than for men: “…women working in R&D have far less experience than their male counterparts.” (IR&D, op cit.). The median years of experience is down in 1981 from previous years. Some 40% of the women surveyed had less than 6 years experience, compared to about 14% of the men. These figures contrast with those of the survey trends of previous years, which indicated a direct relation between salary and experience. It is still true that because larger numbers of men have over 16 years of experience, the highest paid employees in research and development fields are men. It is noted, however, that in the beginning salary scales ($16–27 k/yr) women outnumber men.
Science grads and R&D funds down
Authors: Bell Peter M.
Published: October 2011

Scientific research and development in the United States apparently is suffering a trend of reduction in all phases, according to a number of federal government documents recently made available.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released a series of reports, such as ‘Trends in Science and Engineering Degrees’ (Mosaic, Jan./Feb. 1982), ‘Foreign Participation in U.S. Science and Engineering and Labor Markets,’ and ‘Science Indicators—1980,’ that all point to a decrease in the number of science and engineering graduates; in the amount of academic, nondefense research being done; and in the federal funding of science training and science and engineering R&D.
'80's priorities for astronomy research
Authors: Richman Barbara T.
Published: October 2011

Four major new programs for astronomy and astrophysics research should receive top billing in the 1980's, according to a report by the National Academy of Sciences Astronomy Survey Committee. The report, ‘Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 1980's,’ also recommends priorities for seven of what it dubs ‘moderate new programs’ and for four smaller ones. Total costs through the decade for the 15 priority programs are estimated at $1.72 billion (in 1980 dollars).

Highest priority goes to an advanced X ray astrophysics facility (AXAF) that would be a permanent national observatory in space. It would combine greatly improved angular and spectral resolution with a sensitivity up to 100 times greater than that of any previous X ray mission. AXAF would cost an estimated $500 million dollars over the decade.
Geophysicists
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

Steve H. Blair, a specialist in surface water hydrology, has been appointed a senior hydrologist in the Phoenix office of Dames & Moore, engineering and environmental consultants. Recently, he has been responsible for the hydrologic design of several large dams in Arizona, New Mexico, and California.

Several AGU members recently were elected to the National Academy of Engineering. They are Jan D. Achenbach, Walter P. Murphy Professor of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics at the Technological Institute, Northwestern University; Peter S. Eagleson, president‐elect of the AGU Hydrology Section and professor of civil engineering at the Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory at Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Allyn C. Vine, oceanographer and senior scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Mass.
Nation's water picture mixed
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The nation's water picture for April showed mixed trends: More than half of the index gaging stations reported normal streamflow conditions during the month, while the spring snowmelt boosted streamflow in the Northeast and Northwest to well above normal levels. Parts of the Southeast, however, from West Virginia south to the Carolinas, reported well‐below normal streamflow conditions, according to a month‐end check on water resources conditions by the U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior.

After nearly 2 years of drought conditions the three major reservoirs supplying New York City reached full storage capacity and were spilling during April. Combined contents of the three reservoirs on May 1, 1982, was 272 billion gallons, 101% of their full usable capacity. The full reservoirs and the generally good surface and groundwater conditions throughout the Delaware River basin allowed the Delaware River Basin Commission to lift its drought emergency warning on April 27.
PNW region election results
Authors: Johnson Walter R.
Published: October 2011

The results of the recent election to the Pacific Northwest Regional Committee of AGU are as follows: Each of the section representatives was unopposed and was thus elected.
Salinity tables
Authors: Abram Richard J.
Published: October 2011

The National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) is soliciting the cooperation of and comments from the physical oceanography community in the implementation of the new internationally recommended Practical Salinity Scale and International Equation of State of Seawater.

The international organizations that fostered development of the new salinity scale and the new equation of state of seawater recommended that all oceanographers and oceanographic data centers begin this past January to use the new procedures, formulas, and tables. As NODC confronts the need to adapt its data processing and archiving operations to the new equations, it is important that all researchers who submit data to NODC clearly state in the accompanying documentation whether the data are based on the old or new systems. In addition, NODC would appreciate receiving letters from physical oceanographers indicating when they plan to begin to use the new system and how rapidly they expect the new system will be adopted throughout the oceanographic community. Address comments to Edward L. Ridley, Director, NODC, NOAA/EDIS OA/D7, Washington, DC 20235.
NOSS science working group
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The members of the NOSS Science Working Group are John Apel, Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratories/NOAA; Tim Barnett, Scripps Institution of Oceanography; Francis Bretherton (chairman), National Center for Atmospheric Research; Otis Brown, University of Miami; Joost Businger, University of Washington; Garrett Campbell, NCAR; Mark Cane, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Robert Edwards, National Marine Fisheries Service/NOAA; James Mueller, Naval Postgraduate School; Peter Niiler, Oregon State University; James J. O'Brien, Florida State University; Norman Phillips, National Meteorological Center/NOAA; Owen Phillips, The Johns Hopkins University; Stephen Piacsek, NSTL Station, NORDA; Trevor Platt, Bedford Institute of Oceanography; Stephen Pond, University of British Columbia; Stanley Ruttenberg (executive secretary), NCAR; William Schmitz, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; Jerry Schubel, State University of New York; Robert Stewart, Scripps; Norbert Untersteiner, NOAA; and Alan Weinstein, Naval Environmental Prediction Research Facility.
Minerals Management Board
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The five‐member Minerals Management Board, headed by Undersecretary of the Interior Donald Paul Hodel, supervises and oversees the operations of the Minerals Management Service, according to the January 19 order by Secretary of the Interior Watt. The board is charged with developing the ‘appropriate policy and guidelines to implement the approved recommendations and findings of the Commission on Fiscal Accountability of the Nation's Energy Resources and monitor program activities directed toward the improvement of the royalty management program.’ Also on the board are Daniel Miller, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Energy and Minerals; Kenneth L. Smith, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs; Garrey E. Carruthers, Assistant Secretary for Land and Water Resources; and J. Robinson West, Assistant Secretary for Policy, Budget, and Administration.
Geophysical events
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

This is a summary of SEAN Bulletin, 7(4), April 30, 1982, a publication of the Smithsonian Institution. The complete bulletin is available in the microfiche edition of Eos, as a microfiche supplement, or as a paper reprint. Subscriptions to the SEAN Bulletin are also available. For the microfiche, order document E82‐004 at $1.00 from AGU Fulfillment, 2000 Florida Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009. For reprints, order SEAN Bulletin (give dates and volume number) through AGU Separates: $3.50 for the first copy for those who do not have a deposit account; $2 for those who do; additional copies are $1.00. For a subscription, order SEAN Bulletin from AGU Fulfillment. The price for 12 monthly issues is $18.00 for a subscription mailed to a United States address, $28.00 (U.S.) if mailed elsewhere. Orders must be prepaid.
Comments on stratospheric dust
Authors: DeLuisa John
Published: October 2011

Recently, two separately observed enhancements of stratospheric dust concentrations have been detected by Kinsell Coulson and Thomas Defoor with ruby lidar and sun photometers at the NOAA Geophysical Monitoring for Climatic Change (GMCC) Observatory on Mauna Loa, Hawaii. The popular press has referred to the two episodes as the ‘mystery cloud’ (the source of the dust has not been definitively identified but is presumed to be volcanic) and the ‘monster cloud.’ Representative highlights of the observations at Mauna Loa are given here. The figure shows plots of stratospheric dust profiles as the ratio of (Rayleigh + Mie)/Rayleigh scattering observed by lidar. The bottom plot (a) represents data from December 30, 1981, showing a rather clean stratosphere but with some dust above 18 km. The middle plot (b) shows the first lidar observation of the ‘mystery cloud’ on January 28, 1982. The upper plot (c) shows the first lidar observation of the ‘monster cloud’ on April 9, 1982. Note the different ordinate scale on this plot. Other observations at Mauna Loa suggest that both clouds were over Hawaii several days before being positively detected by lidar.
Facies Interpretation and the Stratigraphic Record
Authors: Cisne John
Published: October 2011

This book is a short, readable, and interesting introduction to facies analysis—or as Hallam prefers to call it, facies interpretation—in the form of an advanced undergraduate to beginning graduate level textbook. Unlike conventional textbooks on the subject, the emphasis here is not so much on the basics of sedimentation and stratigraphy as on applying the basics to sweeping, large‐scale problems in tectonics, paleo‐oceanography, paleoclimatology, and the history of life. This is not a comprehensive textbook. One must know the basics to appreciate it fully. But its very brevity and portability combine with its extensive bibliography to make it a particularly useful guide to recent work.
IMS Meridian Chain Workshop
Authors: Kamide Y.
Published: October 2011

Earth environment, encompassing the ionosphere, magnetosphere, and solar wind, is filled with dynamically varying plasma through which electric currents are continually flowing. Changes in the state of this system result in changes in its electrical current that can be monitored remotely through the magnetic perturbations they produce. For this reason it is common practice to use geomagnetic data obtained at the earth's surface to diagnose processes occurring in our plasma environment.

In the first half of this century the pioneering work of K. Birkeland, soon followed by S. Chapman and H. Alfvén, attempted to estimate the electric current system responsible for ground magnetic disturbances. Studies of ground‐based magnetic records have been vital in understanding the processes occurring in the magnetosphere‐ionosphere system, especially the growth and decay of the three‐dimensional current distribution, which consists of ionospheric currents and field‐aligned currents. In the past, studies on this subject were primarily based on the statistically obtained, so‐called ‘equivalent’ current systems, which can be determined by assuming all currents flow in a spherical shell (i.e., the ionosphere) concentric with the earth. Owing to the significant improvement of the ground magnetic networks, as well as recent direct measurements of the field‐aligned currents and electric field by satellites and radars, it is now possible to infer the three‐dimensional current system over the polar region during individual magnetospheric substorms with a sufficient time resolution. Meanwhile, various numerical techniques have been developed to analyze global magnetometer data for the purpose of facilitating this inference. It has taken more than half a century to quantify these pioneering concepts of Birkeland, Chapman, and Alfvén, although much improvement is still needed for better accuracy.
Geothermal zones get close scrutiny
Authors: Bell Peter M.
Published: October 2011

A recent study of the interaction of groundwaters and brines with magma‐heated zones in the crust could result in a number of far‐reaching geophysical implications if the conclusions reported by J.C. Dunn and H.C. Hardee are correct (J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 11, 189–201, 1981). Fluid convection in near‐critical aqueous groundwater solutions is strongly enhanced, resulting in significantly enhanced heat flow. Single‐ and two‐phase flow may lead to processes that cause shallow pooling of magma in the crust. The solutions are chemically active and could initiate formation of extensive hydrothermal ore deposits. Geophysical data and experimental values make it possible to predict depths to superconnecting zones in the crust. Improved heat transfer in these zones could be responsible for the development of geothermal fields in the southwestern United States and other areas in the world that overlie shallow magma zones.
Focus on science education
Authors: Richman Barbara T.
Published: October 2011

That the quality of precollege science and mathematics education in this country is sagging is not news. What is noteworthy, though, is that the science community is sizing up the dilemma and beginning to take official action. Last month, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) hosted a National Convocation on Precollege Education in Mathematics and Science, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and its affiliate societies met to form a coalition of affiliate societies on science and mathematics education. In addition, in mid‐April the National Science Board, the policy‐making arm of the National Science Foundation (NSF), announced the establishment of a new Commission on Precollege Education in Mathematics, Science, and Technology.
The Thermodynamics of Soil Solutions
Authors: Bohn Hinrich
Published: October 2011

Soil chemistry has spawned a number of textbooks in the last 5 years, and this is one of the best. The mathematical treatment makes the reading heavy going, but it will provide many rewards. The book's scope is too narrow and the treatment too detailed for beginning soil chemistry courses, but it is excellent for advanced soil chemistry courses. It is also an excellent book for those wishing an introduction to the thermodynamics of terrestrial waters contacting sediments. Some people object to the use of equilibrium in natural open systems because, in the strict sense, they never reach equilibrium. Soils seem to be close enough, and their rate of change slow enough, that equilibrium thermodynamics often apply. Brought into the laboratory and made a closed system, soils can attain at least a partial equilibrium.
Underwater Acoustics and Signal Processing
Authors: McKisic Michael
Published: October 2011

This book is a compilation of papers presented at the NATO Advanced Study Institute held at Kollekolle, Copenhagen, Denmark in August 1980 and represents the latest in a series of NATO Advanced Study Institutes. The editor, Leif Bjorno, has organized the 59 papers into five subdivisions: (1) ‘Underwater Sound Sources and Propagation,’ (2) ‘Transducer Technology,’ (3) ‘Mathematical Fundamentals of Signal Processing,’ (4) ‘Computational Background of Signal Processing,’ and (5) ‘Contributions from Other Fields.’ Although the book contains underwater acoustics in its title, the great bulk of the book (some 65%) is devoted to aspects of signal processing per se or related topics. Following most of the papers are a few pages presenting the authors' answers to questions asked by various attendees at the conference.
Nation's water picture
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

After well‐below normal streamflow conditions during May throughout much of the Northeast, recent heavy weekend rainfall (June 5–6) boosted streamflow and produced record high streamflows and flooding in parts of Connecticut. For much of the rest of the nation, May was a month of normal streamflow conditions, according to a month‐end check on the nation's water resources by the U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior.

USGS hydrologists said that 60% of the key index gaging stations across the country reported normal streamflow conditions during May. Well‐above normal flows were reported in California, Nevada, and several of the Great Plains states.