bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Radar Remote Sensing of Planetary Surfaces
Authors: Gaddis Lisa R.
Published: October 2006

Radar has been recognized as a practical tool for Earth and planetary science for more than 30 years. In recent years, radar images from orbiting platforms have provided spectacular views of features as diverse as volcanoes in Guatemala, buried river channels in the Egyptian desert, and the surface of Venus. Each of these features is commonly obscured by clouds or dust and had been difficult or impossible to see with other methods.
The Search for Life in the Universe, Third Edition
Authors: Deamer David W.
Published: October 2006

Astrobiology as defined by NASA, is the study of life in the universe. Some of my colleagues scoff at astrobiology and its definition. How can we study life in the universe when its only example is confined to a single planet? Others find a comfortable scientific home. The reason has to do with the metaphor of rising above the trees and discovering the forest. The space program has, for the first time in human history, lifted our eyes above the biosphere and allowed us to see universal connections between life on the Earth and its roots in stellar and even galactic processes. It is this story—evolution writ large—that is at the core of astrobiology.
Global Tropical Cyclogenesis
Authors: Hobgood Jay S.
Published: October 2006

Tropical cyclones are potentially devastating natural hazards, and yet the processes that lead to the formation of these powerful atmospheric storms are poorly understood. Tropical cyclogenesis is the process whereby an organized area of thunderstorms known as a tropical disturbance is transformed into an identifiable surface low pressure system; that is, a tropical cyclone. Numerous questions remain unanswered about tropical cyclogenesis. Why do tropical cyclones form? How do tropical cyclones form? Can tropical cyclogenesis be forecasted? How might tropical cyclogenesis be affected by global climatic changes?
Geographic information systems help teach introductory Earth science
Authors: Hall‐Wallace Michelle K. , Walker C. Scott , Wallace Terry C. , Butler Robert F.
Published: October 2006

A growing challenge facing college Earth science instructors is how to maximize learning in large, introductory lecture courses. These courses cover a great deal of information, yet students' gains in understanding science concepts and processes are often limited. Research shows that real learning occurs when students investigate scientific questions first hand [Halloun and Hestenes, 1985; DeLaughter et al., 1998; Kusnick, 2002] and faculty are able to challenge students' preconceived notions about Earth. Inquiry the process of seeking knowledge through questioning and investigations, is the most effective teaching method [NRC, 1996; Dykstra, 1997], but it can be challenging to implement in large lecture courses.
2002 Fellows Citations
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

AGU congratulates the forty‐one distinguished scientists who were selected by a committee of their peers to be AGU Fellows for 2002. 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 names of the new Fellows are listed below, along with citations recognizing their specific achievements.
Nature and Tectonic Significance of Fault Zone Weakening
Authors: Evans James P.
Published: October 2006

Bob Holdsworth of the University of Durham has made something of a cottage industry in organizing symposia on various fault‐related topics under the auspices of the Geological Society of London, and then seeing the papers submitted to these symposia published in the Society's Special Publication series. This contribution, edited by Holdsworth and three other workers in the field, presents 17 papers organized into four sections; in addition to an introductory paper by the editors.
Penn State 1950: Ionospheric physics comes of age
Authors: Rishbeth Henry
Published: October 2006

Recently I came across a piece of ionospheric history; namely, the record of a discussion symposium held at State College, Pennsylvania, in July 1950. The symposium was part of a conference on ionospheric physics sponsored by Pennsylvania State College and “Air Force Cambridge” (AFCRL, now the Space Vehicles Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory). As far as I am aware, this conference was the first large gathering devoted to the physics of the ionosphere; the topic of radio propagation, which hitherto had largely dominated ionospheric science, was hardly mentioned except as a tool for the physics. The proceedings of this one symposium fill 21 typescript pages with several pages of diagrams, which were, no doubt, run off on an old‐fashioned office duplicator. I have tried to select salient points, adding a few comments from a 2002 perspective in brackets (…).
Improved geographic information needed for Sub‐Saharan Africa, report notes
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

Geographic data can make a tremendous difference in understanding and managing natural resources in Africa, and U.S. assistance can help countries overcome enormous technological and financial hurdles in gaining and utilizing this data.

These are two of the main conclusions of a 26 July report prepared by the U.S. National Research Council (NRC) in advance of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in August and September in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Managing new satellite data
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

With the first satellite in the $6.5‐billion U.S. National Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite System (NPOEES) scheduled for launch as early as 2008, some critics are concerned that planning efforts to manage and archive satellite data are lagging.

Experts at a 24 July hearing of the House of Representatives science subcommittee on environment, technology, and standards called for more progress in managing data from NPOESS. The system is expected to produce more than 200 terabytes annually and also produce more types of data products than NOAAs existing Polar‐orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) data management system. By comparison, POES was designed to accommodate about 2 terabytes of data per year.
Pub Matters @ AGU: How to cite an AGU article correctly
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

A “citation number” has been added to the recommended way to cite AGU articles published in 2002 and later. This addition is necessary so that the Institute of Scientific Information (ISI) can count the number of times specific articles are cited.

The AGU “citation number” is a 4‐digit number that will be assigned at the time of publication; i.e., when an article is posted online. For contributions, the numbers will be sequential throughout the year within a journal or section of JGR. Special issue papers will be numbered sequentially but in a different series. The new citation number is used in addition to the DOI (Digital Object Identifier). See www.agu.org/pubs/e_publishing/index.html?anchor = diff for further discussion of AGU's use of the DOI.
Looking Into the Earth
Authors: Wolf Lorraine W.
Published: October 2006

Anyone who has taught an introductory course in geophysics to non‐geophysics students has faced the challenge of finding an appropriate text. At one end of the spectrum of choices are the classic exploration‐oriented texts written for applied geophysics courses. These texts, while good choices for students destined for the oil and mining industries, are either lacking in critical information required by students interested in the upper 10 meters of the Earth's crust, or are much too quantitative for the non‐geophysics major. A few authors have extended the audience to include those interested in shallow subsurface investigations. Some of these books, however, lack a comprehensive treatment of surveying methods, or assume a background beyond the level that can be reasonably expected from this fraction of applied geophysics students.
Congress requests report on NSF ranking and management of large projects
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

At a time when many scientists and politicians are calling for substantially increasing the budget for the National Science Foundation (NSF), some influential U.S.senators who are generally supportive of the NSF are insisting on improvements in its method for prioritizing major science projects and in NSF's management and oversight of these projects.

This Congressional concern likely will lead to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) agreeing to prepare a report on this issue.
Highlights From AGU's virtual session on new magnetic field satellites
Authors: Purucker Michael , McCreadie Heather , Vennerstrøm Suzanne , Hulot Gauthier , Olsen Nils , Lühr Hermann , Garnero Edward
Published: October 2006

In conjunction with the 2002 Spring Meeting (28–31 May), AGU hosted a virtual session on the analysis of satellite magnetic field observations from the low‐earth orbiting Ørsted, CHAMP, and SAC‐C mini‐constellation. Some 27 authors and co‐authors from 9 countries presented talks at an AGU session without leaving their office or home. The purpose of the virtual session was to facilitate interactions among the far‐flung community working in the areas of geomagnetism and space physics. Our Web page (www.dsri.dk/multimagsatellites) hosted visits from researchers representing 29 countries. More than 100 important questions, answers, and comments were received during the course of two online sessions, each two hours long, occuring on 28–29 May. In addition to highlighting some of the exciting new science taking place, we, as the conveners, felt that the wider membership would want to know the ingredients for the successful electronic interaction that we conducted.
2002 Horton (Hydrology) Research Grant recipients
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

The 2002 Horton (Hydrology) Research Grant Committee selected three recipients this year—David F. Boutt, Ruben IJpelaar and Brett L. Valle. The research grant, which is separate from the Horton Award, supports research projects in hydrology and water resources by doctoral candidates at institutions of higher learning. The grant's objective is to foster graduate student research leading to the completion of doctoral dissertations. All three recipients will be formally awarded at the upcoming AGU 2002 Fall Meeting in San Francisco, California.
Tectonic Modeling: A Volume in Honor of Hans Ramberg
Authors: Cobbold Peter Robert
Published: October 2006

A book in honor of Hans Ramberg will attract attention. Hans is widely remembered not only as a gifted scientist, but also as an unusually balanced human being. He was generous, enthusiastic, unassuming, and had a mischievous sense of humor. The combination was almost irresistible to colleagues and students alike.
Storms From the Sun: The Emerging Science of Space Weather
Authors: Bellaire Paul J.
Published: October 2006

Storms From the Sun: The Emerging Science of Space Weather expounds on a term that is now familiar to the general public. In the United States, educational programming about space weather routinely appears on the Public Broadcasting System, the Discovery Channel, the Learning Channel, and other networks. Space weather articles appear in the popular press around the world, while AGU members often read about the topic in Eos and Physics Today. Indeed, during recent AGU meetings in San Francisco and Boston, attendees enjoyed free screenings of the IMAX movie “Solar Max,” which received standing ovations from appreciative audiences. However, there have been few documents describing space weather in its full historical, economic, technological, and political context. This book attempts to fill that niche.
Report calls for expanded studies of South Asian haze layer
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

In 1999, Veerabhadi Ramanathan flew on the final research flight of the Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX), a four‐year international study of the atmospheric and climate effects of a thick, largely man‐made layer of haze hovering above parts of South Asia, and on which he served as co‐chief scientist.

“It was pretty sobering, the haze,” he said. Expressing regret, he added, “I had the feeling that we [the INDOEX research team] were just leaving one billion people to this problem.” Ramanathan is director of the Center for Clouds, Chemistry and Climate (C4) at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California.
Advance earthquake warnings
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

Urban centers can receive a 15‐to‐30‐second advance warning about impending earthquakes if several technical criteria are met, according to a study by Ta‐liang (Leon) Teng of the Southern California Earthquake Center and Yih‐Min Wu of the Taiwan Central Weather Bureau. The study is published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, vol. 92, no. 5, June 2002).

Teng and Wu's system for developing early warnings for earthquakes relies on data from a “virtual sub‐network” automatically established when an earthquake triggers a group of nearby seismic stations. That information can then be immediately distributed as an early warning.
Hurricane Watch
Authors: Hobgood Jay S.
Published: October 2006

Hurricanes, the strongest form of tropical cyclones over the Atlantic Ocean, are among the most deadly and destructive natural hazards. Population growth along the eastern and southern coasts of the United States places millions of people who have never experienced a major hurricane in harm's way during each hurricane season. A successful evacuation requires accurate forecasts and public education about the hazards associated with these violent storms. Bob Heets and Jack Williams' Hurricane Watch informs readers without formal training in meteorology about hurricanes and the dangers they present. Although the authors make some references to tropical cyclones in other parts of the world, the book's primary focus is on hurricanes over the Atlantic Ocean.
Reassessing past European gasoline lead policies
Authors: von Storch Hans , Hagner Charlotte , Costa‐Cabral Mariza , Feser Frauke , Pacyna Józef , Pacyna Elisabeth , Kolb Steffen
Published: October 2006

For the foreseeable future, the atmosphere and the environment will remain a dumping ground for various anthropogenic substances. Some substances will have negative properties, and society will sooner or later begin regulating their emissions. To that end, science must provide society with the tools for retrospectively evaluating the physical and economical impacts of past regulations, and for evaluating scenarios in which alternative future regulations are implemented.

A tool for reconstructing lead air concentrations and depositions across Europe from 1958 through 1995 has been developed that incorporates detailed emissions, a regionalized history of weather events, and an atmospheric transport model. This tool was used, in conjunction with lead measurements in both biota and human blood and with economic analysis, to assess past European gasoline‐lead regulations. Some of the specific questions asked in this assessment were: How did lead emissions, atmospheric concentrations, and depositions develop since the 1950s? Was the decline in air concentrations matched by corresponding declines in plants, animals, and humans? Did the regulations result in considerable economic burdens in Germany, for example?
Modeling the role of mineral aerosols in global climate cycles
Authors: Tegen Ina , Harrison Sandy P. , Kohfeld Karen E. , McTainsh Grant
Published: October 2006

Mineral aerosols play multiple roles in the global system, but the magnitude of their impact on climate and global biogeochemical cycles remains uncertain. The extent to which atmospheric dust concentrations warm or cool the climate is still poorly quantified, as it depends on factors such as the physical and radiative characteristics of dust. Dust‐cycle models must be improved before dust impacts can be more reliably predicted. Progress in this direction is hindered by a shortage of global data sets to determine model input parameters on multiple spatial scales and data sets to comprehensively validate model simulations. A workshop, which was recently held in Germany, brought experts together to formulate strategies for using existing global data sets and creating new data sets to improve model parameterizations and model evaluation.
Seeking explanation affects numerical modeling strategies
Authors: Murray A. Brad
Published: October 2006

Controversy concerning numerical modeling strategies has arisen in the geophysics community I believe communication between researchers can be improved by considering the wide range of goals that motivate various modeling endeavors and the associated strategies.

In one end‐member model type, which I call “simulation models,” a modeler attempts to reproduce the natural system as accurately as possible, striving to include all the processes that could significantly affect the quantitative veracity of the model, and treating these processes in as much detail, and often at as small a scale, as is practical. The modeler represents the processes by well‐established, well‐tested equations, with only as much parameterization and approximation as is necessary. Setting aside the utility that models approaching this end member can have for making quantitatively accurate predictions, their use as an explanatory tool is limited. If many complicated processes and interactions are represented, the model may offer no more mechanistic insight into how the enigmatic behavior comes about than can be gained by observing nature.
Volcanoes in America's National Parks
Authors: Lockwood John P.
Published: October 2006

Such fun Bob and Barbara Decker are having in their “retirement” years! After distinguished academic and government careers, Bob and his wife Barbara have established productive second careers as authors of popular guidebooks to America's national parks, and they have managed to travel extensively for research on books yet to be published. The Deckers have identified 39 volcano‐related national parks and National Monuments in the United States, and offer Volcanoes in America's National Parks to introduce readers to most of them.

This attractive, well‐bound, soft‐cover book begins with a concise 48‐page introduction to modern volcanology with lucid explanations of eruptive processes, volcanic features, and why volcanoes form where they do. The descriptions of individual parks that follow are brief, but they give essential information about the geologic and human history of each park, with well‐written explanations of how individual volcanic features of scenic interest formed.
Physicochemical Groundwater Remediation
Authors: Imhoff Paul
Published: October 2006

Restoring contaminated soil and groundwater is one of the most challenging problems faced by environmental scientists and engineers. Any one of a large number of chemicals may contaminate a particular site, and these pollutants may be found in a wide variety of geological settings. The scope of the problem is enormous, with cleanup costs at U.S. Department of Energy sites alone estimated in the hundreds of billions of dollars. It is not surprising, therefore, that once many of the original remediation technologies were found to be costly or ineffective, considerable effort was spent to develop new technologies, most of them in situ.
NOAA satellite‐derived hydrological products prove their worth
Authors: Ferraro Ralph , Weng Fuzhong , Grody Norman , Guch Ingrid , Dean Charles , Kongoli Cezar , Meng Huan , Pellegrino Paul , Zhao Limin
Published: October 2006

Satellite observations are particularly important for monitoring the global changes of atmospheric and surface features. For many parameters, satellite measurements are the only means of obtaining this information, particularly over the oceans and sparsely‐populated land areas. For example, multi‐spectral measurements from both geostationary and polar‐orbiting satellites are key components of the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) [Huffman et al., 1996], which has measured global rainfall for over 20 years. In addition, the longstanding National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)‐based Northern Hemispheric snow cover climatology has relied almost solely on satellite observations that are interpreted by satellite analysts [Robinson et al., 1993].
New journal to provide venue for rigorous surface process work
Authors: Grant Shermonta
Published: October 2006

Robert S. Anderson, an AGU member (Hydrology) since 1987, has been selected as editor of a new section of JGR, titled Earth Surface, scheduled to begin in the spring of 2003. This new section will focus on surficial processes; in particular, the physical, chemical, and biological processes that affect the form and function of the surface of the solid Earth over all temporal and spatial scales.

Anderson told Eos, “I want this journal to serve as an outlet for science that applies rigorous quantitative methods to surface process problems; and through publication, to promote this approach to such problems,” emphasizing that the section could be a primary venue for science performed by individuals or small teams. Currently articles related to this discipline are printed in various publications, including some AGU journals. But with an increase in the number of scientists working in this area, a publication designated to this subject is critical.
EGS, EUG combine to form European Geosciences Union
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

On 7 September, the councils of the European Geophysical Society (EGS) and of the European Union of Geosciences (EUG) established a joint association, the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The new society will encompass the full spectrum of the geosciences, and of planetary and solar system sciences.
Disturbing the Solar System and The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Meteorites
Authors: McCoy Timothy J.
Published: October 2006

Whether we study igneous rocks, oceans, or magnetospheres, all geoscientists are inherently planetary scientists. Earth and planetary sciences are inextricably linked, as the Earth is but one of a set of planets orbiting a common star. Our solar system evolved from a single cloud of gas and dust that spawned the Sun, planets, comets, and asteroids. The scientific bond among these objects is obvious to those of us who study the other planets, in large part because we typically began studying terrestrial geology and only later delved into planetary science. In contrast, most terrestrial geoscientists have had little formal training in planetary science. Too often, they have only a vague appreciation of why they should even bother to study our nearest neighbors.
New satellite technologies enhance study of terrestrial biosphere
Authors: Running Steven W.
Published: October 2006

Since 1984, when global observations of terrestrial vegetation were first made using the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), Earth scientists have developed a host of new techniques for studying the biosphere. Many recent papers have used the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to quantify large‐scale changes in global vegetation from the early 1980s through the present. Global NDVI time series data have even provided evidence that spring vegetation growth is occurring earlier and enhancing the carbon sink of temperate latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere
B. Randall Tufts (1948–2002)
Authors: Greenberg Richard
Published: October 2006

Randy Tufts, an explorer who made major discoveries on Earth and beyond, died on 1 April. The date surprised no one who knew him. Nationally known for his model of environmental stewardship, which stemmed from his co‐discovery of Kartchner Caverns in Arizona, Tufts more recently had turned to planetary exploration and conducted path‐breaking research into the geology and geophysics of Jupiter's moon Europa.

Tufts began spelunking as a high school student, and he vowed to friends that one day he would discover a cave. As with everything he did, he committed himself completely to reaching that goal. He majored in geology at the University of Arizona and combed the region for undiscovered caves through maps, fieldwork, analysis, and of course schmoozing old‐time desert rats.
Experiment in New Madrid Zone to employ active source
Authors: Langston Charles A. , Mooney Walter , Bodin Paul , Powell Christine , Withers Mitch
Published: October 2006

An active source seismic experiment is scheduled for the end of October in the central United States' New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ). Researchers from the center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI) of the University of Memphis and the U.S. Geological Survey are planning 2600‐lb and 5000‐lb explosions at the southern and northern ends of the NMSZ, respectively.

Broadband seismic instruments, other temporary broadband seismic stations, and an array of accelerographs near each source will record the large surface waves generated by the explosions in the unconsolidated sediments of the Mississippi embayment.
Using Webcasts for Earth sciences classroom instruction: Lessons learned
Authors: Czajkowski Kevin
Published: October 2006

Webcasts are a potential way to reach a large number of people simultaneously, and therefore, have the potential to transform classroom instruction. A recent Webcast aimed at secondary school students in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York demonstrated the possibilities of this technology in teaching Earth sciences. It also demonstrated some of the real‐life obstacles to be overcome for its effective utilization.
Workshop highlights iron dynamics in ocean carbon cycle
Authors: Johnson Kenneth S. , Moore J. Keith , Smith Walker O.
Published: October 2006

The role of iron in regulating the flux of carbon through the surface layer of the ocean has become increasingly apparent during the past 15 years. Before that time, the analytical challenges of measuring trace (parts per trillion) iron concentrations from iron ships using gear suspended on an iron wire precluded oceanographers from making accurate measurements. Laboratory experiments were invariably conducted with samples that were seriously contaminated with elevated iron concentrations. We now recognize, through greatly improved methodologies, that iron is a key regulator of phytoplankton primary production throughout the ocean. Small changes in iron concentration may produce large variations in the export of particulate organic carbon from the ocean's sunlit surface layer into deep‐sea sediments. These variations in carbon export may occur over glacial/interglacial cycles at a scale sufficient to influence the flux of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to the ocean. Such processes have been hypothesized to be an important driver of the changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration that have been recorded in ice cores over the past 400,000 years.
Activity in mantle could influence Earth's surface features
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

Convection in the Earth's mantle can cause crustal plates to be pushed aside or even reverse direction, according to a new paper, whose lead author is Scott King, professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

King said that while other theories consider plates as essentially flat objects that break into smaller pieces or slide under each other during a collision, this theory focuses more attention on movement in the Earth's depths.
Outstanding student awards
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

AGU's Mineral and Rock Physics Focus Group will formally award their 2002 Outstanding Student Awards at the M&RP‐SEDI Reception. The reception will be held 7 December, during the 2002 Fall Meeting in San Francisco, California.
Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences
Authors: Berger W.H.
Published: October 2006

When I mentioned to a colleague that there was a new, six‐volume encyclopedia in ocean sciences that I had agreed to review, all he said was, “That will keep you busy for awhile.” Indeed, reviewing 3000‐plus pages of condensed matter is quite an order. In addition to simply reading one item after another and skipping a lot, I decided to work with the encyclopedia for a month in a writing project involving general oceanography. On the whole, the Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences is comprehensive, up‐to‐date, well illustrated, and well written, and the writing falls somewhere between that of an introductory textbook and a professional review. The marine biology portion, which is large, is particularly accessible. If you are studying oceanography, or teaching it, do gain access to this set of volumes. You will come to treasure it as a great source of information.
Acoustics advances study of sea floor hydrothermal flow
Authors: Rona Peter A. , Jackson Darrell R. , Bemis Karen G. , Jones Christopher D. , Mitsuzawa Kyohiko , Palmer David R. , Silver Deborah
Published: October 2006

Sub‐sea floor hydrothermal convection systems discharge as plumes from point sources and as seepage from the ocean bottom. The plumes originate as clear, 150–400°C solutions that vent from mineralized chimneys; precipitate dissolved metals as particles to form black or white smokers as they turbulently mix with ambient seawater; and buoyantly rise hundreds of meters to a level of neutral density where they spread laterally. The seepage discharges from networks of fractures at the rock‐water interface as clear, diffuse flow, with lower temperatures, metal contents, and buoyancy than the smokers. The diffuse flow may be entrained upward into plumes, or laterally by prevailing currents in discrete layers within tens of meters of the sea floor. The role of these flow regimes in dispersing heat, chemicals, and biological material into the ocean from sub‐sea floor hydrothermal convection systems is being studied on a global scale.
Controversy over beached whales affects operation of seismic research cruise
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

The finding of two beached beaked whales on 24 September in Mexico's Gulf of California has raised concerns among some scientists about a possible link to the research being undertaken by a U.S. science vessel, and has prompted changes in that ship's operating procedures. The whales subsequently died.

At the time of the strandings on Isla San Jose in the gulf, the R/V Maurice Ewing was conducting seismic research with an airgun array in the general vicinity as part of a 17 September–4 November seismic and geological study of gulf rifting and magmatism. The $1.6‐million project is part of the MARGINS research program, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation.
Picture of outer heliosphere develops with new data
Authors: Zurbuchen Thomas H. , Jokipii J. R.
Published: October 2006

In August and September 1977, Voyagers 1 and 2 were launched to embark on the most extensive tour ever undertaken by a spacecraft. The Voyager spacecraft visited a number of previously unexplored planets and provided unique insight into these unknown worlds. In 1989, the Voyager spacecraft started an even bigger adventure into a new frontier that is, according to specialists in this field, very close to completion. Voyager is supposed to leave the space that is carved out by the supersonic solar wind of the Sun and begin exploring the region where the heliosphere interfaces with the interstellar medium. When this occurs, the Voyager spacecraft will be part of the history of humankind once again. They will be the first spacecraft to leave the region of space dominated by the Sun!
Debate on expanding survey of near Earth objects
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

NASA officials told a U.S. House of Representatives Science Subcommittee on 3 October that a ground‐based survey to detect near‐Earth objects (NEOs) is on target for achieving its goals. The NEOs that are the subject of the survey are those 1 km across or larger, and could therefore cause devastating damage if they collided with Earth.

Representatives of NASA, the National Research Council, and other agencies also told the subcommittee that astronomers and policy‐makers need to consider whether to expand the survey to scan for even smaller NEOs that also could inflict widespread damage to Earth on collision.
PLUME investigates South Pacific Superswell
Authors: Barruol G.
Published: October 2006

The French Ministere de la Recherche is funding a multidisciplinary project, the Polynesian Lithosphere and Upper Mantle Experiment (PLUME), to image the upper mantle structures beneath French Polynesia. This region of the southwestern Pacific, which is far from any plate boundary comprises oceanic lithosphere with ages varying between 30 and 100 Ma, as well as two major fracture zones. The area is characterized by a “swarm” of volcanic island chains—the Society Islands, the Austral Islands, and the Marquesas—that may represent “hot spot” tracks [Duncan and McDougall, 1976]. The individual hot spots are superimposed on the large South Pacific Superswell [McNutt, 1998]. The region is also characterized by a large‐scale, low‐velocity anomaly in the lower‐most mantle [Su et al., 1994] and anomalous converted phases from the 660‐km discontinuity [Vinnik et al., 1997].
AGU member running to fill congressional seat
Authors: Crum Emily
Published: October 2006

John F Mink, an AGU member (Hydrology) for 50 years, and husband of the late Representative Patsy T. Mink (D‐Hawaii), will run in a special election on 30 November to fill the remainder of his wife's unexpired congressional term. Patsy Mink, who represented the 2nd Congressional District of Hawaii, passed away on 28 September after battling pneumonia.

Her name will appear on the 5 November election ballot as a candidate for Hawaii's 2nd District in the 108th Congress. If she is elected posthumously, the state of Hawaii will hold a special election in January to select an official to serve the full two‐year term.
Kick‐off symposium series to help New Ph.D.s is a success
Authors: Chernys Michael , Roughan Moninya
Published: October 2006

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) recently sponsored the first of what is expected to be many symposia to be held every couple of years to help new scientists begin their research careers. The inaugural dissertation symposium, Physical Oceanography Dissertation Symposium I (PODS I), provided a forum for new Ph.D.s and doctoral candidates soon to receive their degrees in physical oceanography or a related field, to discuss science and forge future professional relationships. The next symposium is expected to be in October 2003, in Hawaii, in concert with the Dissertation Symposium for Chemical Oceanographers (DISCO); information to be posted at http://spars.aibs.org/pods/. Applications from prospective participants were sought internationally, with the sponsoring agencies and coordinators advertising by e‐mail, through personal communication with established researchers, and by informing degree‐granting institutions in the related fields.
Taking stock of water resources
Authors: Nuttle William
Published: October 2006

You can only manage what you measure. If this maxim is correct, then a recent report by the U.S. Geological Survey [2002] promises a vast improvement in water management in the United States. The report proposes a consolidated, national accounting of availability and use of fresh water. The proposed accounting clearly will be superior to the present absence of a nationwide assessment of fresh water resources. But is it enough? Traditionally, water managers have measured the availability of fresh water by comparing the volume of water available from various sources against estimated demand. The proposed national assessment adheres to this approach. Gauging water by volume is fine if we are only interested in whether our glasses will be full or empty. But throw an endangered species or wetland preservation into the mix, and the picture becomes less clear.
Crustal Heatl Flow, A Guide to Measurement & Modeling
Authors: Gosnold William
Published: October 2006

Temperature variations and thermal properties of the Earth influence many processes and features of interest to geoscientists, and a diverse array of geoscientists have used thermal data in a variety of applications. However, heat flow is a relatively small field in terms of the number of specialists—barely more than 200 worldwide—and non‐specialist users of thermal data commonly lack the basic knowledge and understanding necessary to avoid errors in application and interpretation. Crustal Heat Flow, A Guide to Measurement & Modeling, by G. R. Beardsmore and J. P. Cull, promises to provide the necessary background to ensure accuracy in analysis of thermal data, and to function as a handbook for all geologists and geophysicists who analyze thermal data.
Kara Sea Expedition yields insight into extent of LGM Ice Sheet
Authors: Polyak L. , Gataullin V. , Gainanov V. , Gladysh V. , Goremykin Yu.
Published: October 2006

Extensive efforts have been made in recent years to improve the knowledge of Pleistocene glaciations in the Arctic and related climatic changes. Special interest is focused on the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) in northern Eurasia—an issue of a long‐standing debate involving a discrepancy between minimal and maximal reconstructions of at least double the size of the modern Greenland ice sheet. Critical evidence lies on the continental shelf of the Barents and Kara seas that contained much of the grounded ice in northern Eurasia and was itself a significant center for ice growth. Ice sheets on the Barents‐Kara shelf dramatically diminished the exchange of water and air masses between the Arctic and North Atlantic and dammed the discharge of Eastern European and, possibly, Siberian rivers into the Arctic Ocean.
Geophysicists
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

Planetary spacecraft are sometimes considered to be extensions of our senses. This metaphor is truest in describing spacecraft imaging systems, which serve as our eyes on the planets and their satellites. Two recent books offer to be our guides to the solar system as viewed through the lenses of planetary spacecraft.
7.9‐quake shakes Alaska
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

The magnitude‐7.9 earthquake that shook Alaska on 3 November not only is one of the largest quakes ever recorded on U.S. soil. It is also the first recorded quake beneath a glacier, according to Peter Haeussler, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, who has been helping to lead surveys of the quake after‐effects.

“It is amazing how clear the details of the fault traces show up,” he said. “Some cracks are easily large enough to fit a bus in, where the fault pulled ice blocks away from each other.”
The Spark of Life: Darwin and the Primeval Soup
Authors: Zimmer Carl
Published: October 2006

It's possible that within a decade, a space probe may swing into orbit around Europa and hurl a drill‐tipped robot into its icy crust. If that turns out to be the case, no one will watch its performance more anxiously than Christopher Wills and Jeffrey Bada, the coauthors of The Spark of Life. As Europa orbits around Jupiter, the giant planet's gravity exerts enormous tidal forces on the moon with clock‐like regularity‐forces that Wills and Bada predict should create an environment favorable to the origin of life. If the probe does uncover some kind of indigenous life on Europa, it may bolster the central claim of this intriguing book: that similar processes made life possible on our own planet.
Active Tectonics and Alluvial Rivers
Authors: Talwani Pradeep
Published: October 2006

Flying into San Francisco, California, for the AGU Fall Meeting from the east coast of the United States, one sees an ever‐changing pattern of rivers below. From straight channels, the rivers take on a meandering pattern, become braided, and form oxbow lakes. Their drainage patterns change from regional directions in response to local structures and tectonic activity This carving of the landscape is the response of alluvial rivers to active tectonics manifested locally by ongoing tectonic uplift, river erosion, and alluvial deposition.
Shining a light on the ocean's twilight zone
Authors: Burd Adrian B. , Jackson George A. , Lampitt R. S. , Follows M.
Published: October 2006

Carbon in the environment continually cycles between the land, the atmosphere, and the oceans. The oceanic carbon pool is one of the largest of these, with a capacity under equilibrium conditions to contain 50 times more carbon than the atmosphere.

Phytoplankton in the surface ocean incorporate this inorganic carbon into organic carbon through photosynthesis (primary production). Between 2% and 50% of this organic material settles out of the surface ocean as particulate material (POC), consisting of heterogeneous aggregates (marine snow), zooplankton fecal material, and phytoplankton aggregates. This POC provides a food source for both zooplankton and bacteria, which can recycle some of the material back into inorganic forms (e.g., through respiration) or repackage it for further settling (Figure 1).
Bill spurs efforts to improve forecasting of inland flooding from tropical storms
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

Newly‐enacted U.S. legislation to reduce the threat of inland flooding from tropical storms could provide a “laser beam“ focus to dealing with this natural hazard, according to Rep. Bob Etheridge (D‐N.C.), the chief sponsor of the bill.

The Tropical Cyclone Inland Forecasting Improvement and Warning System Development Act, (PL. 107‐253), signed into law on 29 October, authorizes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's U.S. Weather Research Program (USWRP) to improve the capability to accurately forecast inland flooding from tropical storms through research and modeling.
Midlife refit of UNOLS research vessel debated
Authors: Lehnert Kerstin
Published: October 2006

Approximately 50 marine scientists from most of the major U.S. marine research groups recently convened to debate the planned refit of the 239‐ft research vessel Maurice Ewing, which is owned by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by Columbia University's Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory. The workshop focused on defining the science priorities and research capabilities that should determine the nature of the planned refit.
Sediment modeling system enhances education and research
Authors: Slingerland Rudy , Syvitski James M. , Paola Chris
Published: October 2006

The Community Sediment Modeling System (CSMS) is a new Earth sciences initiative to develop a community‐built and freely available suite of integrated, ever‐improving software modules that predict the transport and accumulation of sediment in landscapes and sedimentary basins over a broad range of time and space scales. The initiative will allow sedimentary modelers from the geological, oceanographic, and engineering communities to determine the optimum algorithms, input parameters, feedback loops, and observations to better predict sedimentary processes and their products.
Plate Tectonics: An Insider's History of the Modern Theory of the Earth
Authors: Minster Jean‐Bernard
Published: October 2006

Anyone who has ever taught an introductory class or talked to a general audience on plate tectonics has attempted to tell how the theory came about. A challenge is to convey the enormous excitement that characterized the years of the “plate tectonics revolution.” The gestation and birth of this “new view of the Earth,” to borrow the term from S. Uyeda, took place merely 4 decades ago; yet it has changed forever the way we look not only at Earth, but also at all the terrestrial planets, and even at the larger icy bodies in our solar system.
New receiver network advances long‐range lightning monitoring
Authors: Anagnostou Emmanouil N. , Chronis Themis , Lalas Dimitri P.
Published: October 2006

An experimental long‐range lightning detection system (ZEUS) based on a network of six very low‐frequency (VLF) receivers is being implemented and operated by the National Observatory of Athens and the University of Connecticut. The system hardware takes advantage of the latest computing technology signal processing algorithms, geographic positioning systems (GPS), and communications networking to improve the state‐of‐the‐art in receiver design at long‐range frequencies. The receivers are situated in six remote locations around Europe, selected for their low rates of manmade electric noise. The sites are near Birmingham, United Kingdom; Roskilde, Denmark; Iasi, Romania; Larnaka, Cyprus; Mt. Etna, Italy; and Evora, Portugal. Deployment of the ZEUS receivers was completed on 15 June 2001. Since then, lightning activities have been monitored with great detail and accuracy throughout Europe and its surrounding waters, and with lesser accuracy along the U.S. east coast and in west Asia and central Africa.
Science meets public service in Washington, D.C.
Authors: Vasavada Ashwin R.
Published: October 2006

Same planet, different worlds—that's how many scientists see the relationship between science and government. Yet science and technology have become so infused into society that those worlds are colliding. Today, a number of national issues share a strong connection to science, from stem cells to climate change and energy to bioterrorism. For scientists who can adapt to the culture of politics, working in the collision zone can be an exciting and rewarding way to spend a year or even a career.

This past year, I was one of 35 scientists in Washington serving as Congressional Science and Technology Fellows, sponsored by a number of scientific societies, including AGU. The Fellows vary widely in age and carry resumes listing Ph.D.s in not only physics, biology, and chemistry but also in Earth science, food safety, psychology, and veterinary medicine. With a group like that, weekly lunches and happy hours become the kind of broadening experience that one rarely gets in focused academic departments. And then there's the politics.
Web‐based U.S. gravity data system planned
Authors: Hildenbrand Tom , Briesacher Allen , Hinze William , Keller G. Randy , Kucks Robert , Smith Dru , Roest Walter
Published: October 2006

A concerted effort is underway to prepare a substantially upgraded digital gravity anomaly data base for the United States, and to make this data set and associated usage tools available on the Internet. This joint effort, spearheaded by the geophysics groups at the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA), the University of Texas at El Paso, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS),and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is an outgrowth of the new geoscientific community initiative called Geoinformatics (www. geoinformaticsnetwork.org). This dominantly geospatial initiative reflects Earth scientists' realization that existing information systems and techniques are inadequate for addressing many complex scientific and societal issues.
Mixed prognosis for coral reefs
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

A new report on the global state of coral reefs indicates that there is “strong evidence that the corner is being turned” in the ability to stop reef decline.

However, attempts to manage coral reefs to arrest their decline still lag behind the increasing rate of reef degradation, according to the report, “Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2002,” issued on 10 December. The report is produced biennially by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN).
Rubble around Jupiter
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has announced that Amalthea, a 270‐km‐long, potato‐shaped inner moon of Jupiter, “apparently is a loosely packed pile of rubble,” with empty space where the rubble does not fit well together.

This is among the new findings about the moon announced by JPL astronomer John Anderson and his colleagues on 9 December at the AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco.