bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Avissar appointed Editor of JGR—Atmospheres
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

Roni Avissar, of the Department of Environmental Science at Cook College, joins Mary Anne Carroll as editor of JGR—Atmospheres for a term beginning January 1, 1997, and ending December 31, 2000. He received his B.S. in soil and waterscience in 1980, an M.S. (summa cum laude) in micrometeorology in 1982, and a Ph.D. in mesoscale meteorology in 1987 from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. He currently works as an associate professor at Rutgers University.

He is an active member of two AGU committees: the AGU Precipitation Committee and the Large‐Scale Field Experiment Committee. His editorial experience as associate editor for JGR—Atmospheres for the past 3 years has well prepared him for his new role.
Access to atmospheric data reaches new heights
Authors: Vaughan William W.
Published: October 2006

The newly updated Global Reference Atmospheric Model (GRAM‐95) provides complete geographical, altitude, and monthly variations of atmospheric temperature, pressure, density, and winds for the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere. The model can also simulate spatial and temporal perturbations in these atmospheric state parameters. Estimates are included for atmospheric concentrations of water vapor, ozone, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, molecular oxygen, atomic oxygen, argon, and helium below 90 km and nitrogen, molecular oxygen, atomic oxygen, argon, helium, and hydrogen above 90 km. Other features include a new variable‐scale perturbation model and a pressure perturbation model.
Balancing interests, needs, and resources
Authors: Spilhaus Fred
Published: October 2006

To conduct activities beyond publications and meetings, the Union depends increasingly on your contributions. For many years, the publications and meetings programs provided sufficient surplus to fund public affairs, public information, and education programs; to provide travel grants to students; and to extend the helping hand of the Union to colleagues in the lesser privileged countries. That is no longer the case. The scope of the Union's nonrevenue producing programs has increased, while the massive changes in the way we communicate science has been reducing revenue streams and increasing costs.
Will AGU survive in the 21st century?
Authors: Prescott William H.
Published: October 2006

AGU is facing a difficult transition during the next few years. A major shift is underway in the communication of scientific information. Printed journals occupying meters of shelf space will be replaced by some form of electronic distribution. All scientific societies must rethink their role in communicating scientific research, if they want to continue to play a significant part. Otherwise, the 21st century will bring the same fate to scientific societies that the 20th century brought to railroads: obsolescence.
Hydrology days chips away at “Culture” barrier
Authors: Morel‐Seytoux Hubert J.
Published: October 2006

John Walton once said, upon embarking on a study of how Los Angeles took water away from Owens Valley, “Community only became a reality when economic and political rights were fought for and partially gained.” He called culture “the system of meanings that people construct in social life and use to guide their action.” Walton's words are true of hydrologists: hydrologists have fought to become a community, but we do not yet have a productive culture. Creating such a culture is what the Hydrology Days meeting is all about.
Marcel Nicolet (1912–1996)
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

A pioneer in the study of atmospheric chemistry and a truly international scientist, Marcel Nicolet died of pneumonia on October 8. A member of AGU since 1959, he was awarded the William Bowie Medal in 1984 for his contributions to the study of the chemistry of Earth's upper atmosphere and for his service from 1953 to 1960 as Secretary General of the Special Committee of the International Geophysical Year.

In the citation for his Bowie Medal, Nicolet was praised for his role in determining photoionization and photodissociation coefficients; elucidating the mechanism for infrared airglow formation; predicting the presence of the atmospheric helium layer; and predicting the presence of NO, NO2, HNO3, HO2, and H2O2 in the atmosphere before they were measured. He also founded in 1964 the Institute for Space Aeronomy in Belgium.
A Practical Guide to Groundwater and Solute Transport Modeling
Authors: Tracy John C.
Published: October 2006

Discussing a book's appendices is a somewhat odd way to begin a book review. However, Appendix A in A Practical Guide to Groundwater and Solute Transport Modeling by Spitz and Moreno provides not only a concise overview of the steps involved in a groundwater modeling study, but also a good starting point to discuss why this text would be a valuable addition to a groundwater modeler's library. The general approach to modeling that Spitz and Moreno take can be found in many groundwater modeling books. However, one rarely finds a text that covers each step in the modeling process as well as this one does. This is especially true in three areas: the selection of model input data, the calibration of a model, and the development of model summaries.
Space scientists clearing up the Jovian atmospheric picture
Authors: Carlowicz Michael
Published: October 2006

With the Galileo orbiter now swinging past Jupiter and its moons every few months, and the Hubble Space Telescope being used to complement the close‐up studies, new data and observations are flooding in from the gas giant and its satellites each week. For instance, in the photo below, researchers constructed a stereoscopic view of the Galileo Regio region of Jupiter's moon Ganymede. Using images collected on two separate flybys (June 27 and September 6), researchers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Remote sensing for hydrology: At an impasse or pushing forward?
Authors: Kirby Celia
Published: October 2006

Everyone feels that there is a vast amount of valuable information embedded in remotely sensed data; the challenge is how to extract it! This cri‐de‐coeur was thoroughly discussed at an international workshop on how remote sensing can contribute to the most pressing global hydrological problems such as climate change, deforestation, and desertification. Large‐scale modeling of these processes and the development of remote sensing techniques is necessary since we could never directly measure the key hydrological and meteorological variables at enough points on the ground to adequately describe large regions and continents. As John Stewart, one of the organizers of the meeting put it: “Hydrologists always want more accuracy than I as a meteorologist can ever attain.” At these large scales the surface is always heterogeneous, so scaling up both spatially and temporally is no trivial problem
Roving for rocks on the red planet: The Mars Pathfinder Mission
Authors: Golombek M.
Published: October 2006

Mars is the most Earth‐like planet in our solar system. After Earth, it is the only other planet that is capable of supporting life. Recent scientific evidence suggests that life did once exist on Mars and makes the planet a doubly exciting target for exploration. Mars is a unique terrestrial planet. Evidence suggests it underwent major climatic changes and has a geologic record of surface rocks that spans the entire history of the solar system. The geologic record suggests that early climate on Mars was warmer and wetter, and that liquid water—a requirement for life—may have been present. Studying the geological, climatological, and exobiological conditions of Mars may provide the data science needs to address the almost theological question of: “Are we alone in the universe?”
Virtual library
Authors: Carlowicz Michael
Published: October 2006

If you have a computer and a grasp of algebra, you can learn physics. That is one of the messages behind the release of Physics—The Root Science, a new full‐text version of a physics textbook available at no cost on the World Wide Web.

The interactive textbook is the work of the International Institute of Theoretical and Applied Physics (IITAP) at Iowa State University, which was established in 1993 as a partnership with the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). With subject matter equivalent to that of a 400‐page volume, the text is designed to be completed in one school year. The textbook also will eventually include video clips of experiments and interactive learning modules, as well as links to appropriate cross‐references about fundamental principles of physics.
Reviewing reviews
Authors: Carlowicz Michael
Published: October 2006

an effort to simplify its grant review process, the National Science Foundation (NSF) is proposing that reviewers divide by two. Instead of the current four criteria used to judge the relative merit of proposals for research grants, NSF has shortened its list to two questions.
Edward P. Ney (1920–1996)
Authors: Jones Tom
Published: October 2006

On July 9, 1996, Edward P. Ney, whose research spanned many disciplines across physics, astronomy, and geophysics, succumbed to a long battle with congestive heart disease at his home in Minneapolis at the age of 75.

Ney was a member of both the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was regents' professor emeritus of physics and astronomy at the University of Minnesota, where he had been a member of the faculty since 1947. Although he retired from teaching in 1990, Ney remained active in research until his death.
Pavlof Volcano darkens the Alaskan sky
Authors: Neal Tina
Published: October 2006

Pavlof Volcano, historically the most active volcano in the Aleutian volcanic arc and a serious potential threat to aviation safety, began a vigorous strombolian eruption in mid‐September. Located 965 km southwest of Anchorage, Pavlof lies beneath the heavily traveled North Pacific jet air routes through which 10,000 passengers fly each day. During its most recent eruption in 1986–1988, an 8‐hour explosive event at Pavlof sent ash more than 15 km above sea level and dropped 3 mm of ash on Cold Bay, 60 km southwest of the volcano. A similar, unanticipated explosive eruption today would pose a significant hazard to air traffic in the region.
NWS hydrologists predict better river forecasts
Authors: Carlowicz Michael
Published: October 2006

Equipped with more powerful computers, more precise weather data, and more accurate long‐range weather predictions, hydrologists at the United States' National Weather Service (NWS) believe they are prepared to extend river stage and discharge forecasts further into the future. Automated weather and river measurements, when coupled with new computer models, could allow hydrologists to predict the ebb and flow of rivers as much as several months in advance, instead of the current one, two, and three days.
Earthquake Prediction: Seismo‐Electromagnetic Phenomena
Authors: Park Stephen
Published: October 2006

Earthquake Prediction: Seismo‐Electromagnetic Phenomena is a review of research on electromagnetic emissions (EME) as precursors to earthquakes. The authors state in the introduction that the book is primarily based on their own work, so there is heavy emphasis on the Russian literature. Fewer than 15% of the references are taken from European, Asian, and North American sources. Though the title implies a diverse range of signals, the authors focus mostly on EME in the kHz‐MHz range. There is little discussion of signals in the ULFand lower‐frequency bands.
Lessons from the lava lamp
Authors: Advocate Dev L.
Published: October 2006

As far as I know, no one has written a paper on the physics of lava lamps. This is a pity since lava lamps may be telling us something about the Earth. Of course, the physics of the lava lamp would have to be simplified: “Consider a spherical lava lamp…”.

A geophysicist does not take a lava lamp apart to understand how it works. She observes it from outside and infers the physics. R.U. Shure, after hours of observation, concludes the following: The active material in the lamp appears to be a wax that is denser than the oil it is in when it is cold but buoyant when it is hot. The thermal expansion of the two fluids must be quite different so that there is a density cross‐over when density is plotted against temperature. The wax rises to the surface when it is hot, cools off, becomes dense, and then sinks to the bottom where it is heated by the underlying lamp. The wax is therefore stable at the top or the bottom of the system, presumably because it is much denser or much lighter than the surrounding oil. It therefore does not have time to mix, even though the fluid in the lamp is clearly convening. (Surface tension may be important, as it was in the Benard experiments, of Rayleigh‐Benard fame. The theoretical basis was provided by Lord Rayleigh, who ignored surface tension.)
Cool connection
Authors: Carlowicz Michael
Published: October 2006

According to a pair of paleoclimatologists from the Lamont‐Doherty Earth Observatory, the vast armadas of icebergs that floated across the North Atlantic periodically during the last Ice Age were the work—more specifically, the lack of work—of winds in the equatorial Atlantic.

Andrew Mclntyre and Barbara Molfino, of the Lamont‐Doherty Earth Observatory, recently advanced the theory that the cyclical waning of winds in the tropics allowed warm equatorial waters to flow north and break up the edges of the massive ice sheets that blanketed North America. Essentially, equatorial winds relaxed in synchronicity with the recurrent changes in the Earth's orbital cycle, allowing a large reservoir of warm tropical water—which is typically pushed into the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico by the winds—to flow eastward and into the Gulf Stream. Those waters moved north with the current and warmed the North Atlantic ocean enough to trigger melting along the edges of the ice sheets.
Reply [to “Comment on ‘Policy offers protection from harassment” by Marcia McNutt”]
Authors: McNutt Marcia
Published: October 2006

I certainly agree with the second paragraph of the accompanying reply. I cringe when a friend says that he would have liked to comment on a female colleague's stunning blue jacket, but feared that his compliment would be misinterpreted. Or when an AGU member hesitates to walk his female dinner companion back to her hotel for fear that she would resent being considered a potential victim. I think that the entire country has lost its common sense when it comes to male/female issues. I hope my male coworkers will always feel comfortable offering to carry my new computer if I cannot lift it, and I hope that they will not be offended if I insist on actually wiring it up.
Carroll joins JGR–Atmospheres
Authors:   Atmospheres Editorial Office, the University of Michigan, Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences
Published: October 2006

Mary Anne Carroll recently began work as editor of JGR—Atmospheres, collaborating with fellow editor Roni Avissar, for a term which began January 1, 1997, and will extend to December 31, 2000. This editorship will complement her present roles as associate professor of the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences and the Department of Chemistry at the University of Michigan; as director of the University of Michigan Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratory: Instrument Development and Field Measurements; and as director of the Program for Research on Oxidants: Photochemistry, Emissions, and Transport (PROPHET) at the University of Michigan Biological Station. Carroll also serves as a member of the editorial advisory board of Atmospheric Environment.
Researchers study tsunami generated by Mexican earthquake
Authors: Filonov Anatoliy E.
Published: October 2006

Barra de Navidad is a small Mexican tourist town on the coast of a lagoon that is buffered from the Pacific Ocean by a narrow strip of sand. The town is a favorite rest spot of American and Canadian tourists. On October 9, 1995, at 9:36 local time (1536 GMT), a strong earthquake that measured Mx = 8.0 disrupted the lives of the townspeople. The epicenter of the earthquake was located in the ocean at 18°51.5′N and 104°8.4′W [Ortiz and Synolakis, 1996], but it destroyed many hotels and homes, and the shifting of the land tore up the highway that connects Barra de Navidad and Manzanillo. Crevices of up to 3 m wide opened across the road, and bridges over small rivers were knocked down. In an instant, the town was disconnected from the outside world. Frightened townspeople roamed the streets, assessing the destruction.
ASTM Standards on Ground Water and Vadose Zone Investigations: Drilling, Sampling, Well Installation and Abandonment Procedures
Authors: Kramer John H. , Dohms Peter
Published: October 2006

A review of any American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) publication requires some discussion of the evolution of the organization. ASTM is a not‐for‐profit organization that publishes more than 9,800 standard guides, practices, or test methods in the 71‐volume Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Traditionally, the role of ASTM has been to ensure uniform quality by publishing standards for materials and processes. ASTM has made an important contribution in this regard, particularly in manufacturing and materials testing. In the past decade, ASTM standard methods and guides for the environmental field have proliferated and spread into the realm of professional practice. The large number of new standards alarms some practicing professionals who believe their ability to exercise professional judgment is being threatened.
Stress and Deformation: A Handbook on Tensors in Geology
Authors: Allmendinger Rick
Published: October 2006

Okay, everyone who thinks that continuum mechanics makes inherently fascinating, light reading, raise your hands. Hmm, I thought so. Most geologists and not a few geophysicists view continuum mechanics almost as a necessary evil, somewhat akin to a bad tasting medicine, which will make us better scientists even though the process of acquiring that knowledge may be unpleasant. Nonetheless, there is something appealing about the common mechanical underpinnings of such diverse topics as structuralgeology, crystallography, glacial physics, and seismology, to name a few. The question is, how can we teach continuum mechanics to students so that they not only “get it” but appreciate it?
[Reply to “Comment on “Will AGU survive?” by William H. Prescott’”] Editor's note
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

It is always valuable to learn how our publications processes are perceived—even if the news is not always good. AGU staff are aware that our processes and instructions are not where we would like them to be, and we appreciate the additional push that this letter provides.
New map of earthquake hazards
Authors: Carlowicz Michael
Published: October 2006

After three years of compiling data from more than 500 faults and applying new hazard assessment techniques, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has produced new seismic hazard maps for the continental United States. The map shown here provides estimates of earthquake ground accelerations (as a percentage of g, the acceleration of a falling object due to gravity) having a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years. The map is based on seismicity and fault‐slip rates, and it accounts for the frequency of occurrence of earthquakes of various magnitudes. According to the USGS and the California Department of Conservation, which collaborated on a joint hazard assessment for California, more than 70% of California's population lives in an area where high levels of ground shaking could occur in the next 50 years.
Spring Meeting to feature remote sensing of hydrology
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

The Hydrology Section will hold six special sessions at the Spring 1997 Meeting dealing with the application of remote sensing to hydrology and surface processes. The sessions are complementary, yet each has a unique focus and highlights the diverse and increasing roles remote sensing plays in hydrology.
Field survey of Mexican tsunami produces new data, unusual photos
Authors: Borerro Jose , Ortiz Modesto , Titov Vasily , Synolakis Costas
Published: October 2006

On October 9, 1995, an earthquake of Mw = 8.0 shook the Pacific coast of central Mexico. Centered offshore of the states of Jalisco and Colima, the earthquake caused extensive damage near Manzanillo and was felt strongly in Mexico City. Approximately 40 people were killed and about 100 injured, and many hotels and tall buildings were destroyed or severely damaged. The earthquake also set off a moderate tsunami that affected approximately 200 km of coastline and sent tsunami run‐up ranging from 1 to 5 m from north of Playa de Cuyatlan to south of Tenacatita Bay. In regions with steep onshore topography, the damage was minor, but along the shallowest beaches, the damage was severe.
Core evidence
Authors: Carlowicz Michael
Published: October 2006

Ocean scientists studying sediments gathered off of the coast of South Carolina have found new evidence that a meteorite smashed into the Caribbean some 65 million years ago, forming the Chicxulub impact crater and wiping out many of Earth's species. Researchers returning from a winter expedition of the Ocean Drilling Program announced in mid‐February that they had found a signature of the impact more than 1600 km from the crater itself.
Bercovici receives Macelwane Medal
Authors: Schubert Gerald , Bercovici David
Published: October 2006

The James B. Macelwane Medal, which is given for significant contributions to the geophysical sciences by a young scientist of outstanding ability, was presented to David Bercovici at the 1996 Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony on December 17, 1996, in San Francisco. The award citation and Bercovici's response are given here.
For Russian scientists, intellectual freedom comes with a cost
Authors: Carlowicz Michael
Published: October 2006

The second of two parts

“Without doubt, the strongest negative factor—which not only hinders the reform of science but also creates a real danger for the very existence of science in Russia—is the current budgetary crisis,” notes Boris Saltykov, former science minister of Russia. “The government has virtually excluded science from its list of priorities.“
Foul weather
Authors: Carlowicz Michael
Published: October 2006

In an effort to cut costs and meet its operations budget for fiscal year 1997 and into the future, the National Weather Service (NWS) will be cutting staff and services throughout the rest of the budget year, which ends in October. After reviewing current programs and identifying ways to reduce operating costs, NWS management announced on March 21 that the Service will accelerate planned cuts in staff and operations at headquarters, regional offices, and central operations and field offices, while “re‐engineering certain programs.”
Smith heads Reviews of Geophysics
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

On January 1, Jim Smith began his term as editor‐in‐chief of Reviews of Geophysics. As editor‐in‐chief, he leads the board of editors in enhancing the journal's role as an integrating force in the geophysical sciences by providing timely overviews of current research and its trends. Smith is already beginning to fulfill the journal's role of providing review papers on topics of broad interest to Union members as well as the occasional definitive review paper on selected topics of narrower focus. Smith will lead the editorial board until December 31, 2000. Michael Coffey, Tommy Dickey, James Horwitz, Roelof Snieder, and Thomas Torgersen have been appointed as editors to serve with Smith. At least one more editor will be named to round out the disciplinary expertise on the board.
Climatic fish story
Authors: Carlowicz Michael
Published: October 2006

The development of a natural antifreeze in fish may provide a new line of evidence for when Earth's southern ocean froze, according to a team of biologists from the University of Illinois at Urbana. In studying the evolution of fish native to polar waters, the researchers made a discovery that affirms conventional estimates of an era when the waters around Antarctica once froze.
Ned A. Ostenso (1930–1997)
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

AGU has lost an unselfish leader and tireless supporter with the death of Ned Ostenso from a heart attack on April 13. A member of AGU since 1953, Ostenso served as chairman and member of the Russian Translations Board for many years. He was instrumental in starting AGU's public affairs program and served as chair of that committee. As a member of the Budget and Finance Committee for 20 years, he was a leader in establishing the Union's financial stability through an investment policy that enlarged the financial reserves more than tenfold. As chairman of the ad hoc Real Estate Committee, he guided the Union through the planning and construction of the widely acclaimed headquarters building, which he envisioned as a structure that would provide services to the scientific community as a whole and not just a place to house the AGU staff.
Spring sprung earlier
Authors: Carlowicz Michael
Published: October 2006

According to a team of researchers studying satellite images from the 1980s, spring has started to arrive more than a week earlier in the high northern latitudes. Climatologist Ranga Myneni of Boston University and colleagues suggest that vegetation may have been actively responding to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and warmer‐than‐average surface temperatures during the past three decades.
1997 Fellows Citations
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

AGU congratulates the thirty‐five distinguished sceintists who were selected by a committee of their peers to be AGU Fellows in 1997. This selection was based on the individuals' attainment of acknowledged eminence in a branch of geophysics.

The number of Fellows selected annually is limited to no more than 0.1% of the AGU membership. The new Fellows are listed below along with citations recognizing their specific achievements.
Comparing the hydrology journals
Authors: McDonnell Jeff
Published: October 2006

How do the various water resources journals stack up? This question is frequently asked at scientific meetings, within promotion and tenure committees, and around graduate student lunch counters. Several years ago G. Dagan (Eos, June 20,1989) published a very useful report of findings by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), which publishes annual reviews of scientometric indices. I read his report just after receiving my Ph.D., and the numbers greatly influenced my choice of where to publish my dissertation. For those graduate students and water resources professionals who may benefit from the latest figures, I report my compilation of the 1995 impact factors from ISI.
Dickinson receives the Revelle Medal
Authors: Barron Eric J. , Dickinson Robert
Published: October 2006

The 1996 Revelle Medal, given by AGU in recognition of sustained and continued superior contributions to the science of climate dynamics and to predictions of expected climate changes, was presented to Robert Dickinson at the AGU Fall Meeting Honor Ceremony December 17, 1996, in San Francisco, Calif. The award citation and Dickinson's response are given here.
Kanamori receives the Bucher Medal
Authors: Stein Seth , Kanamori Hiroo
Published: October 2006

Hiroo Kanamori was awarded the Walter H. Bucher Medal at the AGU Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony on December 17, 1996, in San Francisco, California. The Bucher Medal recognizes original contributions to the basic knowledge of the Earth's crust. The award citation and Kanamori's response are given here.
Locked‐in stress in viscoelastic Earth materials
Authors: Barrows, Larry
Published: October 2006

Contrary to popular belief, viscoelastic Earth material can adjust itself to its pressure environment over extended periods of geologic time. When this happens, the internal shape of the material then possesses an internal equilibrium pressure. Solid rocks are expected to contain shear stresses that are dependent on the configuration of the rock and the difference between their current pressure environment and the equilibrium pressure. This pressure could date from the rock's formation, an episode of metamorphism, a tectonic deformation, or a long period of slow, viscous relaxation. We should regard the internal equilibrium pressure as an intrinsic physical property of Earth materials.
Viewing the morphology of the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge from a new perspective
Authors: Smith D. , Humphris S. , Tivey M. , Cann J.
Published: October 2006

The nature of the volcanic and tectonic response of mid‐ocean ridges to magmatic and rifting processes is a key component in understanding how new ocean crust is created. New high‐resolution side‐scan sonar images of the axis of the slow‐spreading Mid‐Atlantic Ridge (MAR) show volcanic constructs and faults and fissures that are similar in size and shape to those observed at well‐studied subaerial rift zones such as Hawaii and Iceland. The new information provided by these high resolution side‐scan sonar images, combined with swath bathymetric coverage, is now allowing us to apply the terrestrial analogs to the MAR to understand dike emplacement, shallow transport of magma, eruption mechanisms, tectonic strain, and crustal evolution.
Study demonstrates importance to industry of publicly funded science
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

The value of publicly funded basic science to industry is described in a March 17 study performed for NSF, The Increasing Linkage Between U.S. Technology and Public Science examines the connection between U.S. industrial patents and their citation of publicly‐funded research papers. The study, performed by CHI Research, Inc., runs 17 pages of text and numerous charts and has been submitted to the magazine Research Policy for publication.
Knowledge holes
Authors: Friebele Elaine
Published: October 2006

According to a new Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program report, our understanding of the Arctic and how changes to its pristine environment might alter global environments is quite meager. “This report reveals serious gaps in our present knowledge, which prevent us from making firm predictions on how the Arctic will respond to future changes,” said E.C. Weatherhead, a researcher at the NOAA Air Resources Laboratory in Boulder and author of the report's chapter on climate change, ozone, and UV radiation.

The Arctic climate can influence weather around the world, according to Weatherhead. The degree of glacial melting in the Arctic affects sea level and governs ocean circulation that transports colder water from the Arctic to lower latitudes. In addition to the long‐term decline of ozone in the Arctic stratosphere, short‐term episodes of ozone depletion have been observed.
Walker receives the Flinn Award
Authors: Kivelson Margaret , Walker Raymond J.
Published: October 2006

Raymond Walker was awarded the Edward A. Flinn III Award at the AGU Fall Meeting Banquet on December 17, 1996, in San Francisco, California. The Flinn Award is awarded to recognize those individuals who personify the Union's motto “unselfish cooperation in research” through their facilitating, coordinating, and implementing activities. This award is given not more often than annually. The award citation and Walker's response are given here.
Nominees for officers for 1998”2000
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

The nominees listed below constitute the slate approved by the AGU Council for the election of officers for the next biennium.
Researchers request collaborative observations of Hale‐Bopp
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

In August, during the flight of mission 85 of the Space Shuttle (STS‐85), NASA and the Southwest Research Institute, along with scientific collaborators from Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Applied Physics Laboratory, and the University of Maryland will be flying a wide‐field UV imager to observe comet Hale‐Bopp. The primary objectives of the Southwest Ultraviolet Imaging System (SWUIS) Hale‐Bopp Imaging Experiment are to obtain image sequences of Hale‐Bopp to study its coma and tail morphology and its response to solar wind conditions during the scientifically interesting, classical H2O‐sublimation turnoff phase as the comet moves outbound beyond 2 AU. Observations are scheduled on 4 days during the 11‐day STS‐85 mission; each observation period will last approximately 3 hours and should garner ñ105 images in up to 6 filter bandpasses.
Researchers pool knowledge about Antarctic Dry Valleys
Authors: Fountain Andrew G. , Spaulding Sarah
Published: October 2006

Most of us think of ice when we think of the Antarctic, and rightly so, considering that only 5%of it is ice‐free [Drewry et al. , 1982]. Dry valleys—the ice‐free areas—have sandy, rocky valley floors, ice‐covered lakes, and streams that flow only two months of the year. The McMurdo Dry Valleys (78°S 163°E are the largest of these regions [Green and Friedmann, 1993].
Changes in tax laws could affect universities
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

A major item on the agenda of the U.S. Congress during July is the passage of legislation implementing the budget agreement worked out between the President and Congress.

There are two components to be considered: changes in program spending and taxes. Attention is now focused on the massive tax bill, the first of this size to be considered since 1981. Congress is considering several important changes that would alter the conduct of education, and related matters, at universities. The House and Senate have passed different versions of the bill (H.R. 2014), which now must be reconciled by a conference committee. Although many issues in the tax bill may be resolved by July 18, issues needing more attention may not be settled until the end of July, and all indications point to the House—Senate conference being long and difficult, with major battles over tobacco taxes, family tax credits, capital gains, and corporate taxes, among other issues.
Do localized electric fields cause the structure of the aurora?
Authors: Calvert W.
Published: October 2006

The aurora, which has fascinated mankind for centuries, is characterized by thin, discrete auroral arcs, also referred to as auroral curtains and draperies. Their latitudinal thickness is often only a few hundred meters or less, as measured by Akasofu [1961], Maggs and Davis [1968], and Borovsky et al. [1991]. Explaining this thin structure still remains one of the major mysteries of auroral research. Borovsky [1993] has recently shown that no currently accepted theory can account for this remarkable feature of the aurora. It is therefore relevant to reexamine the underlying assumptions for these theories, virtually all of which are premised on localized electric fields in the high‐altitude auroral zone being the cause of the structure of the aurora.
Watch the creep!
Authors: Friebele Elaine
Published: October 2006

The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that shook California helped to delay large earthquakes near San Francisco by relaxing stress on the Hayward fault, the most hazardous fault zone in the San Francisco Bay region. After the magnitude 7.0 Loma Prieta earthquake, creep rates for the Hayward fault, a major branch of the San Andreas fault system, declined significantly. However, in 1996, a large increase in the creep rate in the Hayward fault was observed by James Lienkaemper of the U.S. Geological Survey and colleagues, who reported their findings in the June 27 issue of Science.
Data collected in Mongolia offers key clues to past climate
Authors: Fowell S. J. , Peck John
Published: October 2006

Located in the interior of the Asian continent, Mongolia lies at the northern limit of the Asian monsoon and occupies the zone of highest seasonal climate contrast on Earth. Sediment cores from Mongolian lakes contain crucial information about paleoclimatic variability from a region that is poorly understood relative to continental margins and ocean basins. As the locus of four very large (M≥8) earthquakes during this century, Mongolia is also a natural laboratory for studies of slip on active, intracontinental faults [see Molnar and Prentice, 1996].
Outstanding student papers
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

Six presentations were named Outstanding Student Papers in the Tectonophysics Section at the 1996 AGU Fall meeting in San Francisco, California.
Access to scientific databases threatened
Authors: Applegate David
Published: October 2006

As scientists, we take the ability to obtain and use data for granted. Our attitude reflects the easy access that has been the foundation on which this country's highly successful research system was built. Open access is particularly important for scientists who rely on large public‐domain databases to study the Earth, its oceans, and particularly its atmosphere. Data from global seismographic networks, weather satellites, and other remote‐sensing technologies are critical to modern research of the Earth system.
Scientists share knowledge about island arc magmatism
Authors: Turner Simon
Published: October 2006

A thorough understanding of island arcs is crucial to modelers of plate tectonics, mantle differentiation, and crustal recycling. There exists, however, considerable uncertainty over issues ranging from the thermal structure beneath arcs to the fluxes of fluids and sediment from the downgoing slab. Furthermore, the relationship between back arc and island arc magmatism is not well understood either. Fortunately, significant developments are now being made in modeling the thermal structure of the mantle wedge as well as in analytical techniques.
Science budget bills wind through U.S. Congress
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

With the U.S. economy booming and the science community pushing for across the board increases for federal research and development programs, science budgets are faring well in the House and Senate. When Congress returns to Washington in September following a summer recess, its priorities include finalizing four major, nondefense budget bills that affect science. These bills could provide significant funding increases for fiscal year 1998.

How do these number compare to the new balanced budget agreement? According to analysts, the budget for the next fiscal year actually increases, with precipitous cuts delayed for several years. Although the outlook for long‐term funding may be grim, science budgets look good for this year.
1996 Editors' citations: Excellence in reviewing
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

The reviewers whose names appear below have been cited by editors of AGU journals for excellence in refereeing. The editor's citation recognizes this special service to the Union, and these individuals are to be commended for consistently providing constructive and thoughtful review. They were recognized at the Spring Meeting in Baltimore, Md.
Marcus G. Langseth (1932–1997)
Authors: Von Herzen R. , Pitman W. , Glen William
Published: October 2006

Marcus (Mark) G. Langseth, a pioneer in marine geothermal research, died at his home in Palisades, N.Y., on January 4, 1997, at the age of 64 after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife, Lillian, and two sisters. A memorial service held on January 11 at the Presbyterian Church in Palisades was attended by many of his colleagues, friends, and neighbors. Mark was associated with the Lamont‐Doherty Earth Observatory for most of his 40‐year career. Beginning as a research assistant and graduate student in the mid‐1950s, he became a senior research scientist and an adjunct professor of geology at Columbia University. In 1993 he was appointed to an endowed position as a Palisades Geophysical Institute senior scientist.
Climate bargains
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

At an estimated $12.3 million per year, El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) forecasting techniques may seem costly. However, a new study, “The Value of Improved ENSO Prediction to U.S. Agriculture,” indicates that such long‐term forecasting is a bargain that could offer economic benefits to the U.S. agricultural sector of $240 to $324 million each year.
Turekian receives the Ewing Medal
Authors: Brewer Peter G. , Turekian Karl K.
Published: October 2006

The 1997 Ewing Medal, given for outstanding services to the marine sciences, was presented to Karl Turekian at the AGU Spring Meeting Honor Ceremony on May 28, 1997, in Baltimore, Md. The award citation and Turekian's response are given here.
Imperfect science: Uncertainty, diversity, and experts
Authors: Hanks Thomas C.
Published: October 2006

Seismic safety issues related to nuclear reactors in the eastern United States pose special challenges to the Earth and engineering sciences, given the severe consequences that can attend even very infrequent earthquakes. To deal with low‐probability, potentially damaging ground motions, two major probabilistic seismic hazard analyses were conducted in the 1980s for nuclear reactors in the eastern United States, that part of the country east of the Rocky Mountains. The first study was performed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) [Bernreuter et al., 1989] and was supported by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC). The second was commissioned by the Seismicity Owners Group of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), [1989]. These studies generally agreed in terms of median hazard estimates, but mean hazard estimates at individual sites varied considerably, in several cases by 2 orders of magnitude or more.
Structure and Fate of Subducting Slabs
Authors: Frohlich Cliff
Published: October 2006

Yesterday Larry, a colleague, rushed desperately into my office asking whether the subducting lithospheric slab in Vanuatu is continuous from the surface down to 600 km depth. For some reason I have the reputation of knowing such things, and even I suppose that I should know them. The truth is, I can never remember, so what do I do? I look in Lay's book on subducting slabs to find a discussion and references detailing the search for high‐frequency signals traveling upslab in Vanuatu and elsewhere. A becalmed Larry leaves my office; for now, my reputation is safe.
The martial art of scientific publication
Authors: Parker E. N.
Published: October 2006

Publication of scientific results in refereed journals is an essential part of the scientific process. It is the final payoff for the obscure labors that compose scientific research. Unfortunately, effective operation of the publication procedure requires simultaneous rational scientific judgment on the part of the author, the referee, and the editor, and the coincidence of all of these cannot be taken for granted on every given occasion. There are times when the working definition of truth is taken to be the consensus of one's scientific intimates: the “good old boys.” Anything outside that limited horizon is discomforting and improper and is to be barred from consideration.
Eruption of Soufriere Hills Volcano in Montserrat continues
Authors: Young Simon , Sparks Stephen , Robertson Richard , Lynch Lloyd , Aspinall Wills
Published: October 2006

On July 18,1995, the Soufriere Hills volcano in Montserrat erupted for the first time in recorded history. The eruption began with intense fumarolic venting and phreatic explosions following 3 years of elevated seismicity. An andesite lava dome emerged on November 15, 1995, and continued to grow, with several periods of copious pyroclastic flow generation and an explosive eruption on September 17, 1996. The largest pyroclastic flows to date (on June 25, 1997) and a period of vulcanian explosions with fountain collapse (during early August 1997) indicate continued escalation of the eruption.
Science and sociology butt heads in tomography experiment in Sacred Mountains
Authors: Baldridge W. Scott , Braile W. , Fehler Michael C. , Moreno Frederico A.
Published: October 2006

After a lengthy battle against opposition by specific interest groups, researchers with the Jemez Tomography Experiment (JTEX) investigated the crustal structure beneath a large, continental silicic magmatic system in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico (Figure 1) in 1995. The seismic component involved both active and passive sources as well as a modest effort to interpret existing magnetotelluric data acquired during geothermal exploration of Valles caldera. While the data are still being processed and interpreted, early results indicate that magma is present in the middle crust and that an additional negative velocity anomaly exists at the base of the crust. Additionally, the southeastern part of the caldera is at least a kilometer deeper than the northwestern part.
Scientists aim to translate El Niño data into mitigation efforts
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

With sophisticated forecasting models tracking the strength and potential impact of the current El Niño stirring in the Pacific, many scientists say the next pressing challenge is to warn the public about potentially disruptive weather patterns. Scientists say they hope that the three to six month lead time provided by advanced monitoring systems will translate into quick dissemination of the information and prompt action by end users—whether they be countries, states, relief agencies, private industry, or individuals affected by El Niño—to mitigate and prepare for potential disasters. The economic and social benefits of providing accurate advance warning are high. Scientists estimate the benefit‐cost ratio of paying for forecasting and for a public education program at anywhere from 10:1 up to 300:1. Some say that a perfect prediction season could save the U.S. alone about $1–2 billion per year during El Niño events. The major El Niño of 1982 and 1983, which occurred before forecasting techniques had been honed, caused an estimated $8 billion in destruction worldwide, with nearly $2 billion in losses in the United States.
Intercomparison makes for a better climate model
Authors: Meehl Gerald A. , Boer George J. , Covey Curt , Latif Mojib , Stouffer Ronald J.
Published: October 2006

Global coupled climate models are elaborate numerical/physical formulations of the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, and land which are “coupled” together and interact to simulate the three‐dimensional distribution of the climate over the globe. Such models are used to make projections of future climate change due to human activity. Simulation results are widely used to identify vulnerabilities and to study societal impacts that have policy implications. It is clearly important for the scientific community to systematically assess the simulation capabilities of these models.

The climate modeling community is doing so in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) which is an assessment of the “state‐of‐the‐art” in global coupled climate modeling. This activity is being organized by the World Climate Research Programme under the auspices of the Climate Variability and Predictability (CLIVAR) project.
Outstanding student paper
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

One presentation in the Ocean Sciences Section was named Outstanding Student Paper at the 1996 Fall Meeting in San Francisco, California.
Graduate school and the job market of the '90s: A survey of young geoscientists
Authors: Golde Chris M. , Fiske Peter
Published: October 2006

The last 5 years have seen an explosion in concern about the health and vitality of the research job market. Once the subject of hushed conversations in the hallways and laboratories of the nation's research universities, fears of a “black hole in science employment” are featured headlines in newspapers, magazines, and broadcast media. While a genuine love of science remains the foundation of a healthy research career, nagging doubts about the availability of good jobs, job security, and compensation can cause even the most dedicated student to question the viability of a research career.