bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comment [on “Deep‐penetration heat flow probes raise questions about interpretations from shorter probes” by Géli et al.]
Authors: Davis Earl E. , Wang Kelin , Becker Keir
Published: October 2006

Géli et al. [2001] (Eos, 17 July 2001, p. 317) recently presented three examples of particularly deep marine gravity‐corer temperature observations made to 18 m below the sea floor (mbsf). They noted large deviations of shallow temperatures from the trends of the deep thermal gradients and called into question the accuracy realized with short probes commonly used in detailed heat‐flow studies. We show this to be not a general concern, although attention must be given to perturbations from bottom water temperature variations in some deep ocean locations. We also show that the detail with which geographic and depth variability of heat flow must commonly be defined cannot be achieved with corer‐outrigger observations. Successful interpretation of widely spaced observations like those presented by Géli et al. [2001] requires complementary detailed data collected with multi‐penetration probes.
New chairman takes helm at Climate Change Panel
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

An Indian industrial engineer and economist who supports the Kyoto Protocol, and who has sharply criticized the administration of George W. Bush on the climate change issue for not doing enough to curb greenhouse gas emissions, won the first‐ever contested election for chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) during a meeting on 19 April.

Rajendra Pachauri is the first representative from a developing country to chair the IPCC, a panel of about 2,500 experts on a wide range of areas related to climate change. The IPCC was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme. In total, the IPCC currently includes 192 member states. Although the bulk of the IPCC's work is conducted by three technical working groups, the chairman plays a key role in facilitating the overall process of the IPCC, organizing the scientific debate within the IPCC, and serving as chief spokesman.
[Reply to “Did the Italian Government approve an obsolete project to save Venice?” by P.A. Pirazzoli] Obsolete? No. Necessary! Yes. The gates will save Venice
Authors: Bras Rafael L. , Harleman Donald R. F. , Rinaldo Andrea , Rizzoli Paolo
Published: October 2006

We are confused by Paolo Antonio Pirazzoli's argument in these pages that the proposed sea gates to protect Venice from flooding by exceptional tides will not work in the event of sea‐level rise. In fact, the two case studies he provides show that they would protect the city. In his examples, Pirazzoli arbitrarily adds a very large, 50‐cm sea‐level rise to the peak level of the October 1976 flood, which was a week‐long event. A 50‐cm rise in sea level corresponds to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's central value within an extraordinary range that he cites as 9‐88 cm of sea‐level rise at the end of 100 years. Even if one accepts this number, given the range of uncertainty, recall that it is the assumed sea‐level rise at the end of 100 years.
Genesis mission to return solar winds samples to Earth
Authors: Wiens Roger C. , Burnett Donald S. , Neugebauer Marcia , Sasaki Chester , Sevilla Donald , Stansbery Eileen , Clark Ben , Smith Nick , Oldham Lloyd , Barraclough Bruce , Dors Eric E. , Steinberg John , Reisenfeld Daniel B. , Nordholt Jane E. , Jurewicz Amy , Cyr Kimberly
Published: October 2006

The Genesis spacecraft, launched on 8 August 2001 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, will be the first spacecraft ever to return from interplanetary space. The fifth in NASAs line of low‐cost, Discovery‐class missions, its goal is to collect samples of solar wind and return them to Earth for detailed isotopic and elemental analysis. The spacecraft is to collect solar wind for over 2 years, while circling the L1 point 1.5 million km Sunward of the Earth, before heading back for a capsule‐style re‐entry in September 2004. After parachute deployments mid‐air helicopter recovery will be used to avoid a hard landing. The mission has been in development over 10 years, and its cost, including development, mission operations, and initial sample analysis, is approximately $209 million.
Magnetic Reconnection in Plasmas
Authors: Birn Joachim
Published: October 2006

Magnetic reconnection is one of the most fascinating subjects in plasma physics. It is basically a process by which the close tie between plasma motions and magnetic fields is broken. This enables plasma to penetrate magnetic boundaries; for instance, to enter into the Earth's magnetosphere from the solar wind. It is also a key process in explosive processes, converting magnetic energy into plasma kinetic and thermal energy, such as solar flares, magnetospheric substorms, as well as current disruptions in laboratory devices.

The concept of magnetic reconnection was first introduced in 1946 by Ronald G. Giovannelli as a suggested mechanism for particle acceleration in solar flares. Consistent with modern definitions of reconnection, he related this process to the presence of an electric field in a region of low‐magnetic field strength or parallel to the magnetic field, both of which require the breakdown of the ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) “frozen‐in” field concept and enable charged particle acceleration.
Meteorology‐hydrology study targets Typhoon Nari and Taipei flood
Authors: Sui Chung Hsiung , Huang Ching‐Yuang , Tsai Yi‐Ben , Chen Ching‐Sen , Lin Pay‐Liam , Shieh Shinn‐Liang , Li Ming‐Hsu , Liou Yuei‐An , Wang Tai‐Chi Chen , Wu Ray‐Shyan , Liu Gin‐Rong , Chu Yen‐Hsyang
Published: October 2006

Typhoon Nari struck Taiwan on 16 September 2001, taking 92 lives. Analysis reveals that the storm's heavy rains were due to warmer ocean temperatures, Nari's unique track and slow‐moving speed, and the terrain of Taiwan. Analysis further suggests that the heavy rains in Nari contained many small raindrops. The typhoon rains overwhelmed existing flood protection capacities downstream of the Chi‐Lung River in a part of Taipei that has no regulatory reservoirs, resulting in major flooding. Preliminary findings underscore several key issues for future study, the goal of which will be to improve quantitative precipitation estimation/prediction, hydrologic modeling, and flood prediction.
Isostasy and Flexure of the Lithosphere
Authors: McNutt Marcia
Published: October 2006

When I first began graduate work in geophysics nearly 30 years ago, there was, thankfully only a small body of written material I needed to read and comprehend prior to diving into my own research. Much has happened since then, and I often wonder how new graduate students today come up to speed in their areas of specialization. The answer is now obvious for any students undertaking research in broadly‐defined areas involving lithospheric flexure and isostasy: they simply read Tony Watts' new book.
Atmospheric scientists examine issues in policy‐driven research
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

Government funding to support basic research is not “workfare for scientists,” said Daniel Jacob, professor of atmospheric chemistry and environmental engineering at Harvard University. In a talk on “reconciling scientific curiosity and policy needs” on 30 May at the 2002 AGU Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C., Jacob said scientists and policy‐makers often view research funding very differently.
AGU adopts position statements on education, government support for geophysical research
Authors: Folger Peter
Published: October 2006

At the 2001 Fall Meeting in San Francisco, California, the AGU Council adopted a new position statement, “Importance of the Earth and Space Sciences in Primary and Secondary Education: An Endorsement of the AAAS Benchmarks and NRC Standards.”

The statement endorses recommendations included in two reports issued by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the National Research Council NRC) both of which highlight the Earth and space sciences, along with the physical and life sciences, as essential elements in education at all grade levels. The statement (see below) is posted on the AGU Web site: http://wwwagu.org/ sci_soc/policy/earthspace_educ.html.
La Niña influences U.S. fires forecast
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

As forest fires blaze across a number of states in the western U.S., a federal official told Congress on 13 June that “we expect the fire season to be a severe one.” He pointed to a climate anomaly as one reason. Testifying before an agriculture subcommittee of the House of Representatives, Mark Rey, Agriculture Department undersecretary for natural resources and environment, said the fire forecast for this year is influenced by drought conditions across much of the country. He said the La Niña climate phenomenon has brought much of the country drierthan‐usual weather since 1999. Rey said the greatest potential for fires in the U.S. is in southern California, the Southwest, the Great Basin, the Rocky Mountain, and along the Eastern seaboard.
Where's my April issue?
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

It's online. Members subscribing to the printed version of any AGU journal only will have access to the online version of the corresponding journal through 31 August 2002. If you suspect that the print versions of AGU journals are running late, you are correct. The April and May issues have been deliberately held up to correct an error in the type size. The type in the January through March issues is smaller than intended—an error in the specifications that went undetected in the first issues. Before the April, May and subsequent issues are printed, the type is being enlarged for all journals except GRL. For GRL, the type size will be the same as it was when the author saw the proof. The type size for more newly processed GRL papers will be comparable to that of all journals in prior years.
Remote sensing used to estimate land surface evaporation
Authors: Caparrini Francesca , Castelli Fabio , Entekhabi Dara
Published: October 2006

Land surface evaporation links the global water, energy and carbon cycles. Currently, there are neither in situ networks nor established procedures for mapping fields of this important variable. Remotely‐sensed data have the coverage necessary for mapping; what is lagging is the ability to infer evaporation from space‐borne radiometric measurements. Established inference procedures must be free from empiricism and should not require auxiliary data on effects such as soil hydraulics and vegetation water relationships that are difficult to scale.
Neogeomorphology
Authors: Haff P. K.
Published: October 2006

We live at a time when the surface of the Earth, as represented by its soils, vegetation, streams, and topography, is being radically transformed by human activity. The change is global and rapid (occurring on human time scales). Periods of change provide opportunity for science, and the present time is no exception for the opportunities it offers to geomorphologists. Geomorphology has traditionally had a strong focus on the past as it attempts to explain and help us understand the nature of landforms and Earth surface processes. The landforms and processes that have been the main subject of geomorphology are the classical ones associated with rivers, dunes, glacial moraines, and other natural landscape features. This is still largely true today: modern geomorphology textbooks often barely touch upon anthropic effects.
The Secret Life of Dust
Authors: Muller Richard A.
Published: October 2006

The Secret Life of Dust by Hannah Holmes is not a quick read. I frequently paused to reach for a pen to mark interesting pages, to write down surprising facts, or to tell my spouse about some wonderful story I had just read. This is not a book to rush through; it is a book to sink into, and it is densely packed with information. Holmes does not glorify dust, but she certainly finds it fascinating, little appreciated, and much misunderstood. The Secret Life of Dust is her attempt to open our eyes to something that is too small to see easily but too large to catch the attention of most physicists or chemists. Dust is everywhere, and it is far more important than most of us realize.
Atmosphere in the Solar System: Comparative Aeronomy
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

This is the second in an occasional column in which the author or editor of a book recently published by AGU will be interviewed and the book discussed.

A new AGU title Atmospheres in the Solar System: Comparative Aeronomy, edited by Michael Mendillo, Andrew Nagy and J.H. Waite, is a monograph on the subject of aeronomy, the study of upper atmospheres.

The authors offer an overview of the subject, providing existing theory, computational models, physical observations, future research possibilities, and the connections among planetary atmospheres. In this issue, Eos talks with Michael Mendillo, the lead editor of the monograph.
Did the diverson of a small water course change the course of the history?
Authors: Dincer Turgut
Published: October 2006

The 600th anniversary of the Battle of Ankara between the Mongol and Ottoman armies—the subject of this article—was observed on 28 July.

Throughout history, water has played an important role in military camgaigns and battles.
Two commissions preparing major reports on oceans
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

Two high‐level commissions are preparing reports on the state of the world's oceans, more than 30 years after the Stratton Commission—the last congressionally authorized body to make recommendations on US. national ocean policy—issued its landmark 1969 report.

That earlier report led to the creation of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),the 1972 federal Coastal Zone Management Act, and other initiatives. The current commissions are grappling with a variety of major issues, at a time when scientists are gaining more sophisticated tools to understand the seas, when oceans face a number of threats, and when government jurisdiction of oceans is divided among a dizzying and sometimes uncoordinated array of 44 separate congressional committees, 9 federal agencies that control funds for ocean issues, and numerous local authorities.
Superhighway savings
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

Most space missions take advantage of gravity assists from planets or moons. However, NASA's Genesis mission, launched in August 2001, also is saving fuel by being one of the first spacecraft designed to utilize a theory of space travel based on Lagrange points.

These points, where the gravity of one solar system body balances with another's, form a kind of “inter‐planetary superhighway according to Martin Lo, an engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
North Pole Environmental Observatory delivers early results
Authors: Morison James , Aagaard K. , Falkner K. K. , Hatakeyama K. , Moritz R. , Overland J. E. , Perovich D. , Shimada K. , Steele M. , Takizawa T. , Woodgate R.
Published: October 2006

Scientists have argued for a number of years that the Arctic may be a sensitive indicator of global change, but prior to the 1990s, conditions there were believed to be largely static. This has changed in the last 10 years. Decadal‐scale changes have occurred in the atmosphere, in the ocean, and on land [Serreze et al., 2000]. Surface atmospheric pressure has shown a declining trend over the Arctic, resulting in a clockwise spin‐up of the atmospheric polar vortex. In the 1990s, the Arctic Ocean circulation took on a more cyclonic character, and the temperature of Atlantic water in the Arctic Ocean was found to be the highest in 50 years of observation [Morison et al., 2000]. Sea‐ice thickness over much of the Arctic decreased 43% in 1958–1976 and 1993–1997 [Rothrock et al., 1999].
Whither Fall Meeting?
Authors: Grove Tim , Wesson Rob
Published: October 2006

The international nuclear test monitoring system of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, or CTBT, provides a high level of confidence to verify treaty compliance and detect nuclear explosions, according to a new report.

This is with or without additional U.S. national technical means of verification, the report notes. The high level of confidence assumes the full capability of the international monitoring system, which is currently under construction and will eventually include a global network of 337 sensors and laboratories to detect seismic, infrasound, hydroacoustic, and radionuclide signals.
Test Ban Treaty provides high level of verification, explosion detection capabilities, report notes
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

The international nuclear test monitoring system of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, or CTBT, provides a high level of confidence to verify treaty compliance and detect nuclear explosions, according to a new report.

This is with or without additional U.S. national technical means of verification, the report notes. The high level of confidence assumes the full capability of the international monitoring system, which is currently under construction and will eventually include a global network of 337 sensors and laboratories to detect seismic, infrasound, hydroacoustic, and radionuclide signals.
Record temperatures measured
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

Globally 2002 could prove to be the warmest year on record, according to the Meteorological Office of the United Kingdom.

Already, the average temperature in the Northern Hemisphere for the first six months of 2002 is .73°C above average, the warmest in 143 years, the Met Office announced on 31 July
AGU 2002”2003 Congressional Science Fellow
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

Illa Amerson, a Ph.D. candidate at the Oregon Health & Science University in Beaverton, was selected as AGU's 26th Congressional Science Fellow for 2002–2003. Starting in September, Amerson will serve a one‐year assignment in the office of a senator or representative, or on a committee's staff as one of only a handful of scientists on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Once in an office, Amerson can expect to work as a regular member of the staff, serving as a legislative assistant. Her duties could include advising her boss how to vote on specific bills, writing speeches or press releases, crafting legislation, meeting with lobbyists and special interest groups, and even answering constituent mail.

Amerson expects to receive her Ph.D. in environmental science and engineering this summer. Her dissertation focuses on the environmental impact of the gasoline additive methyl tert‐butyl ether (MTBE). She completed a M.S. in civil and environmental engineering at Arizona State University and a S.B. in chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Amerson has also spent three years working in environmental regulation and consulting, dealing primarily with air and water quality issues.
Rock Magnetism: Fundamentals and Frontiers
Authors: Geissman John W.
Published: October 2006

Since the first lodestone was used as a compass, the subject of rock magnetism has fascinated a broad range of scientists. In the late 1840s and early 1850s, A. Delesse and M. Melloni showed that Earth materials were capable of faithfully recording the ambient geomagnetic field, and in the early 1900s, P. David and B. Brunhes first recognized magnetizations anti‐parallel to the local field.
New environmental research platform begins to take shape
Authors: Laursen Krista , Friesen Richard , Carlson David , Huning James
Published: October 2006

Work is underway at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, to develop the High‐performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER). This advanced research platform is actually a modified Gulfstream V (G‐V) business jet that is being built to serve the environmental research needs of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) for the next several decades. HIAPER will be maintained and operated for the NSF by NCAR's Atmospheric Technology Division. The first research deployment of the aircraft is planned for June 2005.
Officer deliver “State of the Section” address
Authors: Geissman John
Published: October 2006

On 1 July 2002, officers of the AGU Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism (GP) Section and the GP Section Executive Committee began a new 2‐year term. The officers, listed here, take this opportunity to address the GP membership about the state of the section and where it is headed.
SAPS: A new categorization for sub‐auroral electric fields
Authors: Foster J. C. , Burke W. J.
Published: October 2006

Sub‐auroral electric fields play critical roles in energizing and transporting ring current ions, as well as convecting thermal plasma in the inner magnetosphere and in the mid‐ to low‐latitude ionosphere. A number of terms have been employed to describe the sub‐auroral electric fields and many of these are specifically associated with processes established through their prior use in the literature. The continued use of descriptive terms such as penetration electric fields, polarization jets, and sub‐auroral ion drifts could lead to misunderstanding, especially when comparing the broad/narrow, persistent/transient regions of sub‐auroral electric field and plasma flow. An inclusive name for these phenomena is sub‐auroral polarization streams (SAPS).
Geography and USGS
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) should take a leadership role in several important areas of geography, according to a new report by the U.S. National Research Council. The report calls for the survey to expand its Geography Discipline beyond the current function of largely producing maps and images. Instead, it should be “an engine for research;” using tools such as GIS and remote sensing to produce spatial data bases and other scientific products that will improve the capacity to solve problems involving society's interactions with “the Earth's surface and near‐surface environments.”

To facilitate achieving this goal, the report—titled “Research Opportunities in Geography at the U.S. Geological Survey”—also recommends that USGS geography personnel strengthen their connections to the academic and other useful communities.
Comment on “Assessing flood hazard on dynamic rivers”
Authors: Goldman David M. , Olsen J. Rolf , Nanda S. K.
Published: October 2006

N. Pinter, R. Thomas, and J. H. Wlosinski (Eos, 31 July 2001) propose an alternative to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' methodology for estimating stage‐frequency curves in the Upper Mississippi River System Flow Frequency Study (UMRSFFS). They suggest that the stage‐frequency relationship can be obtained through direct analysis of the period of record stages adjusted for trends and present a stage‐frequency curve for St. Louis (Fig. 5, p.339). However, the direct analysis of stages proposed by these authors produces erroneous results, and their results will undoubtedly differ significantly from the stage‐frequency curves that will be produced by the UMRSFFS.

Their methodology is not acceptable as an alternative for flood risk estimation because it: (1) uses an at‐site regression estimator of the flood distribution, which is subject to significant sampling error and cannot easily be used to infer the underlying flood population; (2) does not account for the effect of reservoir regulation and other human activities on the flood flow record; (3) assumes that the stage‐discharge data have been uniformly recorded; (4) assumes the stage non‐stationarity can be represented by a simple linear trend model that assumes that channel changes have occurred uniformly over time; and (5) ignores many factors that cause a large natural variability in the stage‐discharge relationship.
Abnormal phenomenon noted in Arctic sea ice dynamics
Authors: Bessonov Vladimir , Newyear Karl
Published: October 2006

The Greenland, Iceland, and Norway (GIN) Seas to the northwest of Norway are an important region of interaction between the ocean, ice, and atmosphere. A northward‐flowing branch of the warm Gulf Stream system and the southward‐flowing East Greenland current provide the only major pathways for the exchange of water between the warm, salty Atlantic and the cold, fresh Arctic Oceans. A bathymetric study of the GIN and Barents Sea region reveals a broad continental shelf including the Yermak Plateau northwest of the Spitsbergen Archipelago, which rises sharply over ˜150 km from a depth of over 3000 m east of the mid‐Atlantic Ridge to only 500 m near 82°N, 10° [State Polar Research Office, 1998]. The co‐location of strong ocean currents and dramatic bathymetry can create trapped eddies and other unusual oceanographic features, including Taylor columns [Martin and Drucker, 1997].
Foley to steer new course for Earth Interactions
Authors: Lifland Jonathan
Published: October 2006

Jon Foley, director of the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment at the University of Wisconsin, recently began his 3‐year term as editor of Earth Interactions and plans to steer the interdisciplinary journal in a new editorial direction.

The electronic‐only journal, published jointly by AGU and the American Meteorological Society (AMS) was initially launched in 1997. The new focus of Earth Interactions (EI) aims for the e‐journal to become a comprehensive source of information for Earth system science researchers focused on human interactions with the natural world, Foley said. His objective for the journal is to help revitalize it as the first and foremost publication for such multidisciplinary science, recognizing the discoveries being made at the interfaces of the physical, biological, and social sciences.
2001 Editors citation for excellence in refereeing
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

These reviewers have been cited by Editors of AGU journals for excellence in refereeing. The Editors' citation recognizes this special service to the Union, and the individuals listed are to be commended for consistently providing constructive and thoughtful reviews. They were recognized at the 2002 Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C.
Wetlands Drainage, River Modification, and Sectoral Conflict in the Lower Illinois Valley 1890‐1930
Authors: Hartmann Holly C.
Published: October 2006

In the United States, many households buy flood insurance to hedge losses due to rivers overtopping their banks and inundating property mortgage institutions require homebuyers to purchase insurance when property lies within the “100‐year floodplain,” where floods have a 1% chance of occurrence each year. Yet haven't we all read about communities experiencing several extreme floods within a few years? Haven't we read about disputes between property developers and community planners over flood risks and flood insurance rates?
Mesozoic dipole low: Myth or reality?
Authors: Goguitchaichvili Avto , Urrutia‐Fucugauchi Jaime , Alva‐Valdivia Luis
Published: October 2006

Study of the long‐term variation of polarity and paleo‐direction of the Earth's magnetic field in the Precambrian and Phanerozoic has proved valuable in geosciences. Magnetic polarity in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic is fairly well established, with some first‐order trends defined for older times. Defining Earth's comparable long‐term dipole moment variation has proved far more difficult [e.g., Selkin and Tauxe, 2000]. Among many other findings, magnetic polarity studies have defined several first‐order features like the Permo‐Triassic and Cretaceous superchrons, characterized by constant reverse and normal polarity, respectively, over long intervals.
Comment [on “The Parker Challenge”]
Authors: Williams L. L.
Published: October 2006

Fundamental to considering the relative merits of a (B, V) versus an (E, j) description of a plasma, one must first define the bulk fluid velocity and characterize the dissipation mechanism responsible for fluid cohesion. While the equations of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) owe a heritage to studies of Coulomb‐collisionally dominated plasma, many geospace regions of interest are, in fact, Coulomb‐collisionless. Yet, the fluid equations of collisional MHD give a remarkably good and predictive description of this plasma. Still, collisionless plasma have qualities not captured by the collisional MHD paradigm, and their recognition requires an interpretation of the bulk fluid velocity that distinguishes the frozen‐in frame and the flux‐defined fluid velocity of conventional MHD.
Mesospheric clouds and the duality of gravity waves
Authors: Gerrard Andrew , Thayer Jeffrey , Kane Timothy
Published: October 2006

Mesospheric clouds, also known as noctilucent clouds and polar mesospheric clouds, are the highest clouds in the Earth's atmosphere. They occur at an average altitude of 83 km, approximately ten times higher than cirrus clouds, in the atmospheric region known as the mesosphere. At most a few kilometers thick, mesospheric clouds are comprised of ice water and generally form in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere polar regions during their respective summer months—typically from about 3–5 weeks before summer solstice to 7–9 weeks afterward. Ground‐based observations indicate that the occurrence frequency of mesospheric clouds has been increasing over the past ∼100 years. In addition, mesospheric cloud displays have been observed as far equatorward as 42° in the summers of 1999, 2000, and 2001 over the Rocky Mountain states.
“Drought Conference“ heightens awareness, rallies action across North Carolina
Authors: Ramey Sally
Published: October 2006

When it comes to public awareness and media coverage, short‐term severe weather is an easy sell. However, sustained severe weather and hydrological events, like extended drought, do not inspire the immediacy that grips the public's interest. In these cases, scientists need effective communications strategies to achieve appropriate public response.

Scientists in North Carolina succeeded with such efforts in July when a record‐setting, 4‐year drought tightened its grip on the state. About 80% of monitored streams in the state were at less than 10' normal capacity. Salt water was leaching into coastal groundwater. Many reservoirs had less than 4 months' supply, and wells across the state were going dry One town's only water source was a fire truck connected to a neighboring community's fire hydrant.
Improvements urged in national hazard warning system, risk communication
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

The United States needs an adequate national warning system to alert people about natural and human‐made hazards, several scientists told a forum on disasters at the U.S. National Academies of Science in Washington, D.C. on 31 October.

They also urged other improvements in risk communication and understanding risk perception. While natural and human‐made hazards can cause significant damages, so can improper risk communication, they said.
Long‐term course of cloud genera frequency in Cracow (1906–2000)
Authors: Matuszko Dorota
Published: October 2006

The studies on the contemporary climate fluctuations seldom analyze the multi‐annual qualitative changes of cloudiness, although many authors emphasize the necessity of undertaking nephological research which is indispensable to know, model, and monitor the climate. There are hypotheses that in various regions of the world an increase of frequency of occurrence of certain cloud genera (Ci, Ac, Sc, Cu, and Cb) and a decrease of frequency of other genera (Cc, Cs, Ns, St, and fog) takes place.
Numerous methane gas‐related sea floor structures identified in Gulf of Cadiz
Authors: Somoza L. , Gardner J. M. , Díaz‐del‐Río V. , Vázquez J. T. , Pinheiro L. M. , Hernández‐Molina F. J. ,   TASYO/ANASTASYA shipboard scientific parties
Published: October 2006

Until recently, the importance of intense sea floor emissions of hydrocarbon‐enriched fluids related to the ongoing movement and development of the olistostrome‐accretionary wedge complex located in the Gulf of Cádiz (Figure la), remained uncertain. The Gulf of Cádiz is located in the transitional zone between the Gloria transform fault zone, which is the African‐Eurasian plate boundary in the Atlantic, and the western‐most part of the Alpine‐Mediterranean orogenic belt.
Bill sets NSF on path to double its budget
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

The US. National Science Foundation (NSF) is one step closer to having its budget more than doubled over the next five years, thanks to legislation approved 14 November by both houses of Congress.

President George W. Bush is expected to sign the bill into law.
Unique U.S. magnetic anomaly data base forthcoming
Authors: Hildenbrand Thomas G. , Hinze William J. , Keller G. Randy , Labson Victor , Roest Walter R.
Published: October 2006

The year 2004 will offer an exciting and cost‐effective opportunity to acquire a new U.S. magnetic anomaly data base. High Altitude Mapping Missions Inc. (HAMM) is currently planning an airborne mission to collect high‐resolution Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (IFSAR) imagery at an altitude of about 15 km, with a flight‐line spacing of about 14 km over the conterminous United States and Alaska. Total and vector magnetic field data will also be collected with a “piggy‐back” magnetometer system as a secondary mission objective. Because HAMM would fund the main flight costs of the mission, the geomagnetic community would acquire invaluable magnetic data at a nominal cost. These unique data will provide new insights on fundamental tectonic and thermal processes and give a new view of the structural and lithologic framework of continental areas and offshore regions.
Research combines with public outreach on a cruise ship
Authors: Williams Elizabeth , Prager Ellen , Wilson Doug
Published: October 2006

An innovative partnership among academia, government, and private industry has created a unique opportunity for oceanographic and meteorological research on a cruise ship. The University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Royal Caribbean International, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Office of Naval Research have collaborated to establish two modern laboratories for oceanic and atmospheric research on the 142,000‐ton Royal Caribbean ship Explorer of the Seas.

The Explorer of the Seas combines extensive research capabilities with public outreach. Hundreds of passengers experience the planet's atmosphere‐ocean systems through laboratory tours and presentations given by experienced guest scientists and graduate students. In addition to weekly public lectures, guided tours of the ocean and atmospheric laboratories are available, and ocean‐related films are shown during selected afternoons. Two interactive eco‐learning areas onboard are equipped with a series of interactive displays and large informational touch screens that illustrate marine and atmospheric concepts as well as the onboard research program.
U.N. hydrology initiative pairs societal needs with science
Authors: Endreny Theodore A. , Wallace James , Schulze Roland
Published: October 2006

In many developing countries, human suffering due to water‐related issues is on the rise. At times, the paradox of droughts and floods occurring simultaneously in neighboring regions, or consecutively within the same region, is responsible. There are persistent problems of water scarcity for basic health, frequent and deadly flooding, extensive pollution of drinking water and of waters where fish are caught. Moreover, forecasts are predicting greater water shortages, as well as excesses and degradations for many regions [Johnson et al., 2001].
Arctic‐based course teaches integrated climate impact assessments
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

Carrying out interdisciplinary global change research is not only scientifically challenging; often, the lack of sufficiently trained young professionals presents a quite profound obstacle. Thus, there is an urgent need to train and educate young graduate students—and infuse them with enthusiasm—in the hope that they will choose a career in global change research. Current university curricula, while partly addressing such issues, still largely concentrate on disciplinary courses with a high degree of specialization. While such training is certainly important in its own right, it fails to prepare students for the more holistic approaches necessary for tackling the issues of global change.
Soft Plate and Impact Tectonics
Authors: Tikoff Basil
Published: October 2006

In the field of tectonics, most of our ideas are published in journals. This is not true of other fields, such as history, in which ideas are primarily published in books. Within my own field of structural geology, I can recall only one book, Strain Fades by E. Hansen (Springer‐Verlag, 1971), which presents a new idea in book form. However, even this book is more useful for its philosophical approach and particular methodology of determining directions of folding, than for its overarching idea.

Enter Soft Plate and Impact Tectonics, a new book with an interesting hypothesis that has been informally discussed in the geoscience community: A fundamental tenet of plate tectonics is incorrect—namely, that the plates are rigid. This assertion is evident when looking at any mountain range, and is perhaps most clearly stated in Molnar [1988].
RANGES improves satellite‐based information and land cover assessments in southwest United States
Authors: Qi Jiaguo , Marsett Robin , Heilman Philip , Bieden‐bender Sharon , Moran Susan , Goodrich David , Weltz Mark
Published: October 2006

Because of its influence on hydrology climate, and global biogeochemical cycles, land cover change may be the most significant agent of global environmental change. Land degradation results not only from land cover conversion, but also land cover function. For example, human activities in the southwest U.S., such as grazing regimes and fire frequency, are accelerating functional changes to fragile rangeland ecosystems, causing increased proportions of shrubs in grasslands, decreases in overall vegetation density and the introduction and spread of non‐native invasive species.
Chemistry of Marine Water and Sediments
Authors: Klinkhammer G.
Published: October 2006

Chemistry of Marine Water and Sediments is a compilation of lectures presented at the 3rd International School on Marine Chemistry held in Ustica, Italy, in September 2000. The content of this offering is almost unique in the sense that it addresses topics from the air‐sea interface to the sediments. Whether or not the organizers set out to collect the necessary group of individuals to cover this breadth is unclear. Regardless, the result is effective.
New mechanisms studied for creek formation in tidal flats: From crabs to tidal channels
Authors: Perillo Gerardo M. E. , Iribarne Oscar O.
Published: October 2006

Mechanisms for the formation of creeks in tidal flats are rarely discussed in the peer‐reviewed literature. Moreover, while there are general theories about how creeks form in tidal flats, there is no data to support these theories. It is generally believed that marshes inherit creeks from previous tidal flats that plants colonize, and that further modify the creeks. Recently, we have discovered new mechanisms for creek formation in three different environments of Argentina in which tidal creeks are actually originating in both fresh and salt marshes. One of the most surprising and interesting findings is that creek formation can actually be a product of the intense action of crabs (Chasmagnatus granulata). In these settings, crabs first interact with a halophytic plant (Salicornia ambigua), developing zones of high‐density of crab holes, which then are utilized by groundwater and tidal action to form channels. This specific interaction forms a series of rings that, to the best of our knowledge, have not been described elsewhere in the literature.
Lars Block (1925–2002)
Authors: Fälthammar Carl‐Gunne
Published: October 2006

Lars Block, a pioneer in space plasma physics, died on 25 July 2002 at age 77.

He will be remembered for important scientific contributions in areas ranging from plasma experiments in both the laboratory and in space, to theoretical research on fundamental plasma physics problems. His laboratory experiments were aimed at cosmic plasma physics problems such as modeling solar wind interaction with celestial bodies and anomalous interaction between plasma and neutral gas. His experiments in space were focused on electric fields above the aurora, and he played a key role in the Swedish space program, especially in the Viking project.
Exploring Space Exploring Earth
Authors: Plescia J.
Published: October 2006

The preface of Exploring Space Exploring Earth states that its objective is “…to explore the impact of space flight on geology and its subsurface counterpart, geophysics…” As promised, some of the book's chapters deal with geophysics—space geodesy, satellite studies of geomagnetism, and remote sensing. Others cover geology—impact cratering, terrestrial geology, and comparative planetology. Biology is also covered, and the book includes data acquired from Earth orbiting and planetary spacecraft.
Sea level and coastal erosion require large‐scale monitoring
Authors: Leatherman Stephen P. , Douglas Bruce C. , LaBrecque John L.
Published: October 2006

There is a coastward migration of the world's population, which is occurring at the same time as rising sea level and shoreline recession; this is the definition of a collision course. Rates of beach erosion along the U.S. east coast average slightly less than a meter per year, putting expensive beachfront development at risk to storm impact. Global sea levels have risen about 20 cm in the last century; relative rates of rise have more than doubled this amount in some areas due to land subsidence. Future sea levels are projected to rise significantly faster than occurred in the 20th century, resulting in acceleration of the present rate of shore recession.

There is much debate about future rates of sea level rise, and even some disagreement about the historical rate based on analysis of tide gauge records [IPCC, 2001; Douglas etal, 2001]. An array of satellites are providing the requisite measurements to determine global sea level changes in concert with tide gauges and terrestrial references. At the same time, new technologies such as airborne and spaceborne laser mapping are beginning to provide the data sets necessary for three‐dimensional monitoring of shoreline changes.
Funding for Everglades Restoration Research Program “Inadequate” says Academy Report
Authors: Showstack Randy , Jacobs Judith
Published: October 2006

Inadequate funding is hampering the efforts of a science research component of the ambitious, multi‐year, federal‐state‐private sector effort to restore the Greater Everglades ecosystem, according to a recent report by the U.S. National Research Council.

Investment in the U.S. Interior Department's Critical Ecosystem Studies Initiative (CESI), established in the mid‐1990s, “has measurably eroded,” the NRC report noted, and as a result, “high‐priority scientific research needs” of the restoration effort “have gone unmet.”
2002—A quick review
Authors: Spilhaus Fred
Published: October 2006

The past 12 months were hectic and rewarding. On 1 January 2002, the transition to electronic publishing culminated with all journal articles from that date published electronically and nonprintable material archived as an integral part of the journal. Before 2002, only the electronic‐only journals, G‐Cubed an Earth Interactions, incorporated dynamic material as part of the record of science.

Once again, as in almost every year since 1969, the Fall Meeting surpassed previous highs for attendance and abstract submissions. There were three other major AGU meetings: Ocean Sciences (Hawaii), Spring (Washington, D.C.), and Western Pacific (Wellington, N.Z.).
Supercomputing moves to universities and makes possible new ways to organize computational research
Authors: Bunge Peter , Tromp Jeroen
Published: October 2006

Too cheap to meter? Surely not. But microprocessors have come a long way in delivering inexpensive computing power.

The development is eroding the distinction between computers made from low‐cost microprocessors, and more conventional supercomputers operated—for example—at the U.S. National Science Foundation's Supercomputer Centers. It is also shifting the balance in high‐performance computing (HPC) away from the NSF's Supercomputer Centers, to powerful, local computer facilities run by academic departments and universities.
Learning more about Antarctic geoscience
Authors: Johnstone Glenn
Published: October 2006

Windy, cold, remote, hostile, barren, extreme. These are just some of the words that come to mind when describing Antarctica.

Antarctica is the highest, coldest, and windiest continent on Earth. Less than 3% of Antarctica is free of ice, and the continent contains some of the most spectacular mountain ranges in the world. The most extensive are in the Antarctic Peninsula, 1700 km in length, and the Transantarctic Mountains, which are more than 3000 km long. The highest mountain, Vinson Massif in the Ellsworth Mountains, peaks at 4897 m.
Observation of the Earth and Its Environment—Survey of Missions and Sensors
Authors: Lakshmi Venkat
Published: October 2006

Observing Earth's surface and atmospheric processes has always posed a challenge to scientists. Ground‐based observations are point‐based and do not quantify the spatial variability Such measurements are also expensive and difficult to maintain. Space‐based observation solves this problem by affording spatial coverage with a specific temporal repeat. Satellite remote sensing in the Earth sciences has come of age in the last 10–20 years with the launch of numerous satellites with Earth‐observing sensors.

Observations of the Earth and Its Environment is a carefully constructed book with sections emphasizing different aspects of remote sensing in the Earth sciences. It begins with history of Earth observations; this important section helps to put missions and sensors in their proper chronological and scientific perspective. Rather than presenting missions as stand‐alone, the book confers an understanding of the scientific and sometimes technological purpose associated with sensors and missions. The interconnections between missions and the physical variables/processes observed in these missions are expressed clearly.
President's page: Who speaks for science?
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

The National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration look like winners in the Bush administration's proposed U.S. federal budget for fiscal year 2004. However, NASA and several other science agencies fare more modestly. The overall $2.23‐trillion budget proposal now goes to Congress.

The proposed FY04 budget, which relies on deficit spending, includes $122.7 billion for research and development, 6.7% increase over the administration's FY03 request. (As this issue of Eos went to press, Congress was still trying to reach agreement on the federal budget for FY03. This work had not been completed at the time Congress recessed for the Christmas holiday last year.)
USGS proposed budget gains offset by concerns about minerals and hazards programs
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2006

Among the surprises in the Bush administration's proposed U.S. federal science budget for fiscal year 2004 is a decision to not slash funding for the U.S. Geological Survey.

During the past several budget cycles, the administration has targeted the agency for major cuts below previous budgets, and the President's proposed FY03 budget calls for the transfer of several major USGS water programs. Congress has rebuffed these proposed reductions.