bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fluids in accretionary prisms
Authors: Langseth M. G. , Casey Moore J.
Published: October 2006

Subduction zones are the most dynamic tectonic environments on the face of Earth. Most subduction zones are submarine and at many, large accretionary prisms are formed of sediments scraped from the subducting oceanic lithosphere. These prisms grow in a water‐saturated environment; consequently, their tectonic, thermal and chemical evolution is strongly influenced by fluids, and the role of the aqueous phase must be considered in any study in this realm.

In view of widespread and growing interest, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and National Science Foundation sponsored the workshop “The Role of Fluids in Sediment Accretion, Deformation, Diagenesis and Metamorphism at Subduction Zones,” which convened September 19–23, 1988, at Il Ciocco, Tuscany, Italy. This meeting assembled 60 geologists, geochemists and geophysicists representing eight countries whose interests spanned both marine and continental environments.
High resolution aeromagnetic survey of Lake Superior
Authors: Teskey D. J. , Thomas M. D. , Gibb R. A. , Dods S. D. , Fadaie K. , Kucks R. P. , Chandler V. W. , Phillips J. D.
Published: October 2006

A 57,000 line kilometer, high‐resolution aeromagnetic survey was flown in 1987 as a contribution to the Great Lakes International Multidisciplinary Program on Crustal Evolution (GLIMPCE). Existing aeromagnetic data from the United States and Canada were combined with the new data to produce a composite map and gridded data base of the Lake Superior region (Figure 1).

Analysis of the new data permits more accurate definition of faults and contacts within the Midcontinent Rift system (MCR). The aeromagnetic map provides important information supplemental to the seismic profiles acquired under the GLIMPCE program in 1986, allowing lateral extension of the seismic interpretation. In particular, modeling of the data provides an independent assessment of a reflection seismic model derived along line A (Figure 2). The profile and gridded digital data are available to geoscientists through the Geophysical Data Centre of the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC), while the gridded data are available from the USGS‐EROS Data Center.

GLIMPCE was established in 1985 to study the nature and genesis of the crust in the Great Lakes region. Program participants include the GSC, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provincial and state surveys, and Canadian and American universities. In the Lake Superior area, a major objective of the program is to develop thermal, tectonic, and petrogenetic models for the evolution of the MCR and to evaluate these in the broader context of the tectonic evolution of the North American continent.

Pre‐1982 geological and geophysical knowledge of the MCR in the Lake Superior region has been summarized byWold and Hinze[1982]. The Lake Superior region provides a unique window on this Proterozoic rift system, exposing igneous rock of the Keweenawan Supergroup that disappears under Paleozoic cover to the southwest.
Ocean acoustic research initiative announced
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

A new long‐term research initiative in ocean acoustic signal processing has been announced by the Ocean Acoustic Program (Code 11250A) and the Mathematical Sciences Division (Code 1111) of the Office of Naval Research. Ocean acoustic signal processing is defined as the development of phase coherent signal processing formalisms that incorporate the physics of acoustic wave‐field propagation through and scatter from an anisotropic, inhomogeneous stochastic ocean environment. It is motivated by the problems of detection, classification, and source localization in both passive and active sonar systems.

The Ocean Acoustic Program and the Mathematical Sciences Division invite the submission of 2‐ or 3‐page planning letters that outline research. The planning letters should include budget estimates for 1‐ to 3‐year research programs that address the key issues given above.
Geophysics News 1990
Authors: Cole Stephen
Published: October 2006

The last two years have witnessed many major geophysical events such as the Loma Prieta earthquake, new insights into plate motions, new seismic and mid‐ocean ridge observational programs, and new views of a distant planet. AGU's Public Information Committee, chaired by Debra Knopman of the U.S. Geological Survey, was asked by the American Institute of Physics to prepare a series of articles on the major topics in geophysics for publication in Physics News in 1990. Several of those papers did appear in the AIP publication.

In the absence of a comparable publication devoted solely to a summary of news in geophysics, AGU is publishing the 20 articles solicited by the Public Information Committee as a booklet, Geophysics News 1990, that is being distributed to the media. The articles are also being published in Eos starting with this issue and continuing for the next several weeks.

The topics covered in these articles range from the world's deepest rocks to the powerful blast waves from major solar flares.
Clark R. Chapman Leads New JGR‐Planets
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

The new section of the Journal of Geophysical Research devoted to planetary science, which begins publication in 1991, is a vehicle for the rapid publication of excellent research papers in the field. Clark R. Chapman of the Planetary Science Institute has been appointed Editor of this new section effective January 1, 1991. His office became fully operational on February 4. Manuscripts submitted during February, if rapidly reviewed and revised, are candidates for the inaugural issue, tentatively scheduled to appear by July 1991.

As Editor of JGR‐Planets, Chapman plans to provide a forum for publication of a wide variety of technical articles in planetary science, including the kinds of solar system articles that were previously published in other sections of JGR as well as other research covering the breadth of planetary science. Three of Chapman's priorities are to provide an efficient, timely review of papers to speed publication, foster constructive dialog between authors and referees to improve the quality of reported research, and encourage authors to write in more concise, readable styles to improve communication to a broader readership.
Clouds and climate change
Authors: Kiehl Jeffrey T.
Published: October 2006

As concern grows over the possibility of altering the Earth's climate, a major uncertainty exists in computer models used to study the Earth's atmosphere, regarding our current understanding of clouds and our ability to simulate their effect on climate. A number of recent observations and computer simulation studies, however, have shed light on the important role of clouds in determining the present and future climate of our atmosphere.

Data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Earth Radiation Budget Experiment have been used to obtain an accurate picture of how clouds affect our present global climate system [Ramanathan, 1989]. The effect of clouds on solar and thermal radiation entering and leaving our climate is known as cloud forcing. Low clouds generally cool the Earth's surface, while high clouds warm the climate system. For the entire planet, however, the cooling effect of low clouds is stronger than the warming effect from high clouds, so that overall, clouds cool the climate.
Olympiodorus's eruption of Mount Etna: A possible date of A.D. 417
Authors: Uchrin Gregory
Published: October 2006

The list of historic volcanic eruptions in the Mediterranean dating from roughly 1500 B.C. to A.D. 626 of Stothers and Rampino [1983a] is of great usefulness, not only to scientists, but to historians researching the antique and late antique periods. One of the more recent eruptions in the survey is only approximately dated, that of Mount Etna placed sometime within the period 417–425 (this and all remaining dates in this article are A.D.).

The reason for the approximate nature of this dating was that the only known reference to the eruption at the time of the survey was a fragment of Olympiodorus's History quoted by Photius. The fragment alludes to an eruption of Mount Etna following the destruction of a pagan guardian statue by the Christian steward of the Sicilian estates of Placidia and Constantius [Gordon, 1961, p. 35].
More Geosat altimeter data available
Authors: Cheney Robert
Published: October 2006

Two new data sets from the U.S. Navy's Geodetic Satellite (Geosat) have been produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) National Ocean Service. Both were derived principally from classified data collected during the 18‐month geodetic mission (April 1985–September 1986). Designed and built by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the Geosat radar altimeter measured global sea level with a precision of 3 cm.

The first data set consists of approximately 44‐million crossover differences (sea‐level differences at ground track intersections). These include the initial 18‐month period and the first year of the subsequent exact repeat mission, enabling computation of the continuous 30‐month sea level time series spanning the two missions. Thirty‐six 6250‐bpi magnetic tapes organized in 18 ocean regions document the Geosat crossover differences.
Central Andes Gravity Data Base
Authors: Götze H.‐J. , Lahmeyer B. , Schmidt S. , Strunk S. , Araneda M.
Published: October 2006

From 1982 to 1986, more than 2500 gravity data were taken in an Andean Geotraverse covering northern Chile and northwestern Argentina between 64° and 71°W and 20° and 26°S. Including 2100 reprocessed older data, there is now a data base of about 4600 gravity values available, which can be used together with other geophysical and geologicalin formation for an interdisciplinary interpretation to solve some problems of the structure and development of the Central Andes. The new gravimetric data base, which includes the Bouguer‐, free‐air‐ and isostatic residual anomaly, is presented together with a preliminary interpretation.
Meteorite impact and the Early Earth Workshop
Authors: French Bevan M.
Published: October 2006

Scientists trying to decipher the early history of the Earth are like people who arrive late for a movie, after the basic story line and characters have been established. Like tardy moviegoers, geologists are frustrated by the absence of any preserved geological record from the Earth's early years, the “Hadean Interval,” which extended from about 4.6 billion years ago, when the solar system formed, to about 3.8 billion years ago, when rocks started to be preserved.

It is in this Hadean Interval that much of the basic character of the Earth was established. A metal core formed, a magnetic field developed, the first lavas erupted, continental nuclei possibly formed, and there may have been the first stirrings of plate tectonics. Oceans and an atmosphere formed, prebiotic chemical evolution took place, and the first primitive life forms may have appeared.
Mid‐Atlantic Ridge Hydrothermal Processes
Authors:   Mid‐Atlantic Ridge Hydrothermal Research Team
Published: October 2006

A series of dives by the submersible Alvin at hydrothermal fields on the slow‐spreading Mid‐Atlantic Ridge has returned new information about the hydrothermal vents, massive sulfide deposits and vent biota. The dives and related regional plume studies were done in January 1990 from the support vessel RIV Atlantis II.
Chemistry of Greenland Ice Sheet studied
Authors: Jaffrezo Jean‐Luc , Dibb Jack E. , Davidson Cliff I.
Published: October 2006

The first ice coring project to include a major emphasis on the study of atmospheric processes and changes in the Greenland Ice Sheet that influence the chemistry of the ice core began in April of this year under the auspices of the Greenland Ice Sheet Project Two (GISP2). The project is also unique in that it is tightly coordinated with a European effort, the Greenland Ice Core Project, to recover a parallel core to bedrock 30 km east of the GISP2 site. This is the third field season in the Summit region of Greenland. (See “First GISP2 Field Season Just Completed,” Eos, October 31, 1989.)

The U.S. Ice Core Research Workshop (1988) reached the consensus that the value of ice core records and the rigor with which such records could be interpreted in terms of past climatic and global atmospheric conditions would be greatly enhanced by improved understanding of atmosphere‐snow transfer functions. Specifically, it was felt that gaps in current knowledge limit our ability to relate changes in snow and ice chemistry to changes in the chemistry of the atmosphere. The topic areas of greatest interest include source regions and transport pathways for atmospheric constituents reaching polar ice sheets, mechanisms that incorporate these constituents into the snowpack, and processes that modify the chemistry of the Ice Sheet as the snow ages.
International Decade of East African Lakes
Authors: Johnson Thomas C.
Published: October 2006

A workshop funded by the National Science Foundation's Climate Dynamics Program and Switzerland's National Climate Program convened in Bern, Switzerland on March 29–31 to discuss the establishment of a multinational, multidisciplinary study of the East African rift lakes. The 10‐year project, entitled the International Decade of the East African Lakes (IDEAL), has two primary goals. The first is to obtain long, high‐resolution records of climatic change in tropical East Africa. The second is to provide a comprehensive training program for African students and scientists and to strengthen African institutions' capabilities in the aquatic sciences, resulting in collaboration between African and northern hemisphere limnologists and paleoclimatologists.
ONR seafloor natural laboratories on slow‐ and fast‐spreading mid‐ocean ridges
Authors: Tucholke Brian E. , Macdonald Ken C. , Fox Paul J.
Published: October 2006

Long‐term Natural Laboratories for in‐depth studies of the seafloor at both a slowspreading (<30 mm/yr) and a fast‐spreading (>60 mm/yr) mid‐ocean ridge are being established by the Office of Naval Research. The two Natural Laboratories were selected for their representativeness of global mid‐ocean ridge environments, and for their logistic accessibility. The Natural Laboratory region for the slow‐spreading regime is on the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge from Kane Fracture Zone north to about 27°30″N (Figure 1), and the fast‐spreading counterpart is on the East Pacific Rise at about 8°–10°30″N, from Siqueiros to Clipperton Fracture Zone (Figure 2). Together, the two Natural Laboratories include most significant geologic variables that are thought to control both the shape and structure of the igneous crust and the scatter of acoustic wavefields from the bottom/subbottom (BSB) at low angles of incidence.
Global impact unlikely from Kuwait fires
Authors: Simarski Lynn Teo
Published: October 2006

The smoke from the Kuwait oil fires is unlikely to have large‐scale effects on global climate, say atmospheric scientists who have just returned from studying the massive plume. The smoke is already altering the local environment of the Gulf region, however. Over 500 Kuwaiti oil wells have been burning since the close of the Gulf War, producing a smoke plume tens of thousands of square miles in extent.

The 27‐scientist team probed the smoke with two instrument‐laden planes, which were flown on a total of 35 flights from May 16 through June 12. The expedition, which was sponsored by the National Science Foundation, presented its results on June 24 in Washington, D.C. The study was led by Peter Hobbs of the University of Washington and Lawrence Radke of the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
Origins of radar
Authors: Hill R. D.
Published: October 2006

Sessions on the history of thunderstorm and lightning research were held December 11, 1985, at the AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco, Calif. At that time, since it was well known that lightning researchers were intimately involved in the development of radar and since the 50th anniversary of radar in the United States was at hand, it was suggested that a session on the history of meteorological radar would be appropriate and interesting. The following contribution was presented in the History of Meteorological Radar session May 22, 1986, at the AGU Spring Meeting in Baltimore, Md.
Volcanoes of the Antarctic Plate and Southern Oceans, Antarctic Research Series, Volume 48
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

Antarctica and its surrounding oceans include some of the largest, but least known, of the worlds' Neogene volcanic provinces. The continent of Antarctica includes two major volcanic environments: (1) the West Antarctic rift system (Figure 1), and its associated alkaline provinces, which is similar in scale to the Basin and Range or the East African rift systems, and (2) the northern Antarctic Peninsula volcanic field, which is approximately the scale of the Cascade Mountains. In the vast area of the ocean basins surroun ding Antarctica there are about two dozen widely scattered intraplate oceanic island volcanoes; and the active South Sandwich island arc, which adjoins the Antarctic plate in the South Atlantic Ocean, is roughly the size of the Caribbean arc.
Examining several Southern Ocean data sets
Authors: McClain Charles R. , Koblinsky Chester J. , Firestone James , Darzi Michael , Yeh Eueng‐nan , Beckley Brian D.
Published: October 2006

The Southern Hemisphere ocean covers approximately 45% of the Earth's surface and poses a major scientific challenge to initiatives such as the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) and the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) programs, whose goals include elucidation of its deep circulation and its contributions to global bio‐geochemical budgets. The Southern Ocean is generally regarded as the region south of about 30°S and, in many respects, is quite different from its northern counterpart. Unlike the oceanic and atmospheric flows in the Northern Hemisphere, the Circumpolar Current “Nowlin and Klinck, 1986” and surface winds have relatively unobstructed circulations around Antarctica that allow the exchange of water between basins and result in the most intense wind forcing in the global ocean.

An analysis of the annual cycle of sea level using Geosat altimetry has shown that seasonal changes in the surface ocean circulation are much weaker in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere. Also, comparison of the pigment fields obtained from the Nimbus‐7/Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) indicates that the biology of the northern and southern oceans is quite different in that the northern oceans exhibit a pronounced spring bloom, while the Southern Ocean is relatively constant the year round “Esaias et al., 1986; Feldman et al. 1989”. The cause of this dissimilarity is a topic of some debate, with various arguments focusing on differences in trace nutrient supply, physical forcing, and illumination.
GPS measurements of regional deformation in Southern California: Some constraints on performance
Authors: Dixon T. , Blewitt G. , Larson K. , Agnew D. , Hager B. , Kroger P. , Krumega L. , Strange W.
Published: October 2006

Geodetic measurements are an important tool for understanding plate boundary zone deformation. They provide data on fault motion rates and indirectly provide constraints on crustal rheology, earthquake processes, and evolution of geologic structures. In southern California the pattern of strain resulting from interaction of the Pacific and North American plates is very complex, and a robust geodetic experiment requires dense spatial sampling. In addition, the signals of interest may have strain rates smaller than 10−7/yr. Taken together, these conditions imply the need for geodetic techniques that are both economical, enabling large numbers of measurements, and highly accurate. Conventional terrestrial surveying techniques can satisfy the requirements for sampling density and accuracy for some applications, but are limited to line‐of‐sight, or distances less than about 50 km [e.g., Snay et al, 1983; Savage et al., 1986]. The precision a of these techniques may be described by σ = (a2+ b2L2)frac12;(1) where L is baseline length (station separation) and a and b are constants representing, respectively, length‐independent and length‐dependent sources of error [Savage and Prescott, 1973]. For high‐precision Geodolite surveys, a = 3 mm, and b = 2 × 10−7[Savage et al., 1987].
NRC assesses solar and space physics
Authors: Simarski Lynn Teo
Published: October 2006

The National Research Council recently released its “Assessment of Programs in Solar and Space Physics, 1991.” The report, issued by the NRC's Space Studies Board, concluded that research in the field progressed considerably in the past decade, but mainly through projects begun in the 1970s.For newer starts, in contrast, the report observed that “cancellation, long delays, and major programmatic restructuring have been routine.” This has slowed or stopped progress in implementing the NRC's recommendations.

The NRC's committees advise the government on where particular scientific disciplines should be heading. The panels of the Space Studies Board, representing space researchers, take “an abiding interest in evaluating the nation's accomplishments and setbacks in space.”
1991 Horton Research Grant Recipients
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

The Hydrology Section awarded the 1991 Horton Research Grants to Timothy Green and Jeffrey P. Raffensperger May 30, at the Spring Meeting in Baltimore. The grants, each for $9,500, were presented by Hydrology Section president Don Nielsen. In 1982 the section established this grant to foster graduate student research in hydrology and water resources leading to the completion of doctoral dissertations. Funded by income from the Robert E. Horton Fund for Hydrologic Research, the grant is awarded annually to Ph.D. candidates.

Timothy Green is a 1986 graduate of the University of Washington where he received a B.S. degree in civil engineering. Green is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in civil engineering/water resources at Stanford University. His research focuses on the roles of landscape topography and moisture‐dependent anistropy in soil‐water flow and groundwater recharge
Probing the heliomagnetosphere
Authors: Venkatesan D. , Krimigis S. M.
Published: October 2006

Space exploration has contributed considerably to knowledge of the heliomagnetosphere, the region encompassed by the Sun's magnetic field, and a proposed mission would clarify the understanding of some of the features and processes in this very dynamic region. To comprehend how future exploration will help to chart the heliomagnetosphere, however, one must begin with a basic understanding of the Sun's characteristics.
Microwave polarization inversion observed
Authors: Brosius Jeffrey W. , Holman Gordon D. , Schmelz Joan T.
Published: October 2006

An inversion of solar active region microwave polarization was observed during the Coronal Magnetic Structures Observing Campaign (CoMStOC) [Brosius et al., 1992; Nitta, 1991; Schmelz and Holman, 1991; Schmelz, 1991; Schmelz et al., 1988]. This campaign, carried out in November and December 1987, was intended to improve our understanding of active region coronal plasmas and magnetic fields. The intensity and polarization of solar active region microwave emission provides probes of the coronal magnetic field. When combined with simultaneous x‐ray and photospheric magnetic field observations, they form a powerful data set that can be used to deduce the physical properties of the plasma and the magnetic field in the active region corona. This article describes some results from a highly successful campaign.
NSF's ambitious Arctic system program
Authors: Simarski Lynn Teo
Published: October 2006

The Arctic is the least known of any region of the world, but a new National Science Foundation program called Arctic System Science (ARCSS) aims to change that. Climate models suggest that global change will be amplified at the Earth's poles, particularly in the Arctic. Increasing carbon dioxide could change the Arctic's temperature more than 12°, as opposed to the 2–3° increase projected at the equator—a compelling reason for scientists to get to know the region better.

NSF's research effort is “a systematic, multidisciplinary approach to all the science in the region,” according to Ted De Laca, head of ARCSS. The purpose of this special endeavor of the Division of Polar Programs is not to measure global change per se, he says, but to promote basic research on how the Arctic functions.
Satellite radar altimetry aids seafloor mapping
Authors: Vogt Peter R. , Jung Woo‐Yeol
Published: October 2006

The connection between gravity and oceanic water depth was realized more than a century ago. In 1859, J. H. Pratt derived a formula relating anomalous vertical deflection and sea level height on the coast of India to the depth of the adjacent Indian Ocean. Because the predicted deflections (5′–20′ for a mean depth of 4.8 km) were not measurable, Pratt later (in 1871) inferred an excess of mass below the ocean basins, thus prefiguring the concept of isostasy in marine geology. With the accurate measurement of marine gravity on submarines by F. A. Vening Meinesz in the 1920s and 1930s, isostasy was verified and later [e.g., Watts and Ribe, 1984] related to the thickness and flexural rigidity of mechanical lithosphere.
Near‐Earth asteroids and the history of planetary formation
Authors: Swindle Timothy D. , Lewis John S. , McFadden Lucy‐Ann A.
Published: October 2006

The asteroids are remnant planetesimals from the period of planetary formation ∼4.5 Ga ago. Although most probably experienced some thermal evolution during the earliest chapter of solar system history, few have been heated significantly since then, and hence they are “relics” of that era. Gravitational perturbations between Jupiter and the Sun prevented the largest asteroid, 1 Ceres, from becoming a major planet. A belt of planetesimals, ranging in size from 1000 km in diameter down to the limits of detectability, exists between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter (Figure 1). In addition, there are asteroids whose orbits cross those of the inner solar system planets, including Earth, which we collectively call Near‐Earth Asteroids (NEAs).
National workshop on gas hydrates
Authors: Max Michael D. , Dillon William P. , Malone Rodney D. , Kvenvolden Keith A.
Published: October 2006

The range of present knowledge on the subject of gas hydrates and related federal research programs was the topic of discussion at the National Workshop on Gas Hydrates, April 23–24. The intention of the meeting was to provide the impetus for an expanded and broader‐based national research program in both academia and government. Held at the U.S. Geological Survey National Center, Reston, Va., the workshop was organized by Michael D. Max, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C.; William P. Dillon, USGS, Woods Hole, Mass.; and Rodney D. Malone, U.S. Department of Energy, Morgantown Energy Technology Center, Morgantown, W.Va. The 33 attendees represented academia (33%), federal agencies (58%), and industry (9%).
Transport of Cerro Hudson SO2 clouds
Authors: Doiron Scott D. , Bluth Gregg J. S. , Schnetzler Charles C. , Krueger Arlin J. , Walter Louis S.
Published: October 2006

The Cerro Hudson volcano in southern Chile (45.92°S, 73.0°W) emitted large ash and sulfur dioxide clouds on August 12–15, following several days of minor activity [Global Volcanism Network Bulletin, 1991]. The SO2 clouds were observed using (preliminary) near real‐time data from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) as they encircled the south polar region. The injection of SO2 into the stratosphere has essentially created a gigantic chemical tracer that could provide new insights into the wind patterns and seasonal circulation around the Antarctic region.

around the Antarctic region. The TOMS instrument, on board the National Aeronautic and Space Administration's Nimbus 7 satellite, measures the ratio of backscattered Earth radiance to incoming solar irradiance in the ultraviolet spectrum. Although originally designed to measure ozone, it was later discovered that the TOMS instrument could also detect and quantify SO2 [Krueger, 1985]. After this discovery, measurements from TOMS were examined for SO2 emissions for all recorded volcanic eruptions since Nimbus‐7 was launched in October 1978, and current data are analyzed as new eruptions occur. The satellite is in a polar, Sun‐synchronous orbit so that it crosses the equator at local noon and observes the whole sunlit Earth in approximately 14 orbits each day. Total column amounts of SO2 are determined that represent the amount of gas affecting the reflection of ultraviolet light through a column of the atmosphere from the satellite to the reflecting surface, Earth, given in terms of milli atmospheres centimeter (1000 milli atm cm = a gas layer 1‐cm thick at STP). The mass of SO2 is calculated by integrating over the cloud area to obtain a volume, then converting to tons.
The restructured Earth observing system: Instrument recommendations
Authors: Moore B. , Dozier J. , Abbott M. R. , Butler D. M. , Schimel D. S. , Schoeberl M. R.
Published: October 2006

Responding to directions from the EOS Engineering Review Committee [Frieman, 1991] and Congress, the Payload Advisory Panel for NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) has proposed a restructured EOS to address high‐priority science and environmental policy issues in Earth system science. The panel, which met at a workshop October 21–24 in Easton, Md., is comprised of the EOS interdisciplinary investigators and chaired by Berrien Moore of the University of New Hampshire. The panel's recommendations were submitted to NASA last week.

Although the panel's recommended EOS program remains ambitious, it is reduced from the original plan proposed last year. While EOS will retain its emphasis on collecting observations over a 15‐year period, many important measurements are cancelled, deferred, or proposed for provision by international partners. For many measurements, EOS will now rely on international or domestic instruments that are less capable than those originally selected. Some risk is associated with such reliance, and continuity may be endangered.
Clay Mineral Society Meeting
Authors: Moore Dewey
Published: October 2006

Walter Keller had a birthday party. And 300 clay mineralogists came to help him celebrate his 90th birthday. They stayed for the 27th annual meeting of the Clay Mineral Society, October 6–11, hosted by the Department of Geological Sciences, University of Missouri‐Columbia. A short course, “Neutron Scattering Technology for Clay Mineral Investigation,” preceded the technical session.

The three important points that came out of the technical session were that inelastic scattering of neutrons yields information about the character and orientation of organic and water molecules in the interlayer space; that small‐angle neutron scattering (SANS) gives information on the level of aggregation of clay‐sized particles; and that Rictveld techniques are not yet applicable to deciphering clay mineral structures.
Lessons from a major eruption: Mt. Pinatubo, Philippines
Authors:   Pinatubo Volcano Observatory Team
Published: October 2006

Small phreatic explosions on April 2, 1991, ended more than 400 years of quiescence at Mount Pinatubo. A joint Philippine‐United States team worked quickly to understand the unrest and the eruptive history of Pinatubo, and to warn those at risk. These warnings led to the evacuation of at least 58,000 people prior to the volcano's climactic eruption on June 15. Although 320 people died in that eruption, mostly due to collapse of ash‐covered roofs, the evacuations and other precautions averted a much greater loss of life and property.
Recent improvements in GEOSAT altimeter data
Authors: Cheney Robert E. , Emery William J. , Haines Bruce J. , Wentz Frank
Published: October 2006

Altimetric sea level measurements made by the U.S. Navy's geodetic satellite (Geosat) during its exact repeat mission (1986–1989) have been successfully applied to the study of a variety of oceanic phenomena [Douglas and Cheney, 1990], and comparisons with in situ measurements have shown that monthly mean altimetric sea level is accurate to approximately 5 cm rms [Miller and Cheney, 1990; Taietai, 1989]. Nevertheless, the original release of geophysical data records (GDRs) produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Ocean Service [Cheney et al., 1987] showed significant uncertainties in two important fields: the tropospheric water vapor correction and the satellite orbit. Data from other satellites have been used to derive improved water‐vapor fields specifically for Geosat, while satellite ephemerides that are more precise by an order of magnitude have resulted from the application of advanced gravity models and the incorporation of new tracking data. To make these data readily accessible to the scientific community, new versions of the Geosat GDRs have been produced and are being distributed on compact disc/read only memory, or CD‐ROM [Cheney et al., 1991a]. In this report, we document the increased sea level accuracy attainable in the tropical oceans using these new T2 GDRs.
Heat flow and hydrothermal vents in Lake Baikal, U.S.S.R.
Authors: Crane Kathleen , Hecker Barbara , Golubev Vladimir
Published: October 2006

The processes that generate thinning, extension, and finally rifting of continental crust are often assumed to be either “active” or “passive.” There are two major continental rifting provinces active in the world today: the East African Rift and the Baikal Rift in Siberia. Many authors suspect that the Baikal Rift formed in response to the India‐Eurasia collision, which deformed the lithosphere in central Asia creating the Himalayas in the south and an extensional province in Siberia [Molnar and Tapponier, 1975; Tapponier and Molnar, 1979; Zonenshain and Savostin, 1981]. Others believe that the Baikal Rift is primarily an active phenomenon, citing updoming around Lake Baikal and the presence of Cenozoic volcanics as an example of slightly elevated partial melting in the asthenospheric material underneath the lake [Artemyev and Artyushkov, 1971; Zorin, 1971, 1981; Puzyrev et al., 1974; Logatchev et al., 1983].
Proposed changes to the statutes and bylaws
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

At the AGU Spring Meeting in May, the Council recommended adoption of changes to the Union's statutes and bylaws proposed by the Statutes and Bylaws Committee, chaired by John T. Lynch. Most of the changes were made to bring the Union's practices into conformance with the laws of the District of Columbia, under which AGU is incorporated; other changes simply clarify the language of these documents. No amendments have been made that alter the way AGU operates.

Before the revised statutes can be formally adopted, the AGU membership must vote on the proposed changes. The Council accepted the report of the committee in May and submits the revisions to the membership for approval. Ballots will be mailed in early July. Members have the opportunity to adopt individual changes or adopt all changes.
Magnetic imprints of continental accretion in the U.S.S.R
Authors: Zonenshain Lev. P. , Verhoef Jacob , Macnab Ron , Meyers Herbert
Published: October 2006

The evidence for these events has been studied extensively by Soviet investigators, who in recent years have applied the concepts of plate tectonics to the geological framework and evolution of the continental U.S.S.R. and summarized their findings in a series of tectonic reconstructions. The results of these studies have been synthesized, and their English publication “e.g., Khain, 1987; Zonenshain et al, 1990a,b” has provided Western investigators with a modern and comprehensive overview of the geological structure and history of the Soviet Union.

Complementing these recent publications is a new digital grid of about 16 million points describing the magnetic anomaly field of the U.S.S.R. This data set was produced from a series of 18 maps, scale 1:2,500,000, published by the U.S.S.R. Ministry of Geology “Makarova, 1974” and digitized recently by the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office in Bay St. Louis, Miss.
Paleoclimate of Arctic lakes and estuaries: A new NSF initiative
Authors: Andrews John
Published: October 2006

The U.S. Arctic System Science Program of the National Science Foundation has been created “to document and understand the processes of the Arctic system that interact with the total Earth system” (NSF, ARCSS 1990). ARCSS research has three components: Land/Atmosphere/Ice Interactions, Ocean/Atmosphere/Ice Interactions, and Paleoenvironmental Studies, made up of the Greenland Ice Sheet Program and Paleoclimates of Arctic Lakes and Estuaries. PALE forms a link between the first two components as it seeks to document and understand changes in both terrestrial and nearshore marine environments.

The need to integrate the community of Arctic paleoclimate researchers was perceived in the middle 1980s and this resulted in a focus on lake and nearshore sediment cores as a basis for proxy records of environmental change across the Arctic. Several workshops, held at the University of Colorado between 1987 and 1990 resulted in a proposal to the National Science Foundation Division of Polar Programs to establish a Steering Committee that would outline a science plan and coordinate national efforts toward these goals.
New GSA precollege education program
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

Partners for Excellence is a new educational initiative of the Geological Society of America's Science Awareness Through Geoscience Education (SAGE) Program. Partners for Excellence brings together K‐12 science teachers, students, and professional Earth scientists in cooperative and mutually beneficial educational partnerships to provide teachers with new resources, greater confidence, and increased flexibility in teaching about the Earth.

Through Partners for Excellence, Earth science professionals can learn more about and become a part of precollege science education, enrich the geological understanding of their partners, provide quality demonstration materials, advise about exhibits, lead field trips, and mentor students. Geoscientists who wish to get involved register, choose a partner at a school or museum, and collaborate with their partners to plan a presentation which focuses on scientific concepts that are useful and relevant to the students' lives.
Comparative studies of planetary magnetospheres
Authors: Mauk Barry H.
Published: October 2006

Three recent “flyby” spacecraft encounters of planetary magnetospheres have provided new glimpses of the broad spectrum of plasma behaviors that occur within such environments. Voyager 2's encounter with Neptune in August 1989 and Galileo's grav itational assist encounters with Venus in February 1990 and Earth in December 1990 have revealed significant new information and have highlighted the comparative aspect of magnetospheric study. By viewing multiple examples of naturally occurring, complex plasma systems [for example, Hill and Dessler, 1991], we can gain an understanding of the fundamental behavior of astrophysical plasmas.

The magnetospheres of Venus, Neptune, and Earth span a very broad range of magnetospheric types. Venus does not have a significant internal magnetic field, and the comet‐like plasma regions surrounding Venus do not contain the Van Allen or radiation belt regions found at magnetized planets. Thus, it is of substantial interest that Galileo detected very energetic charged atoms (ions) outside of the Venusian bow shock (formed in the supersonic solar wind) and streaming away from Venus (D. J. Williams, personal communication, 1991). By eliminating a leaking radiation belt as a source of these particles, known to contribute if not dominate at other magnetospheres, this new result shows that planetary bow shocks are efficient accelerators of charged particles to high energies. The mechanisms of that acceleration remain highly controversial.
The making of a quake: Some surprises from Loma Prieta
Authors: Ellsworth William L.
Published: October 2006

Two years after California's devastating Loma Prieta earthquake of October 17, 1989, some surprising results are emerging from the study of the faulting that created the earthquake. These surprises include a significant discrepancy between the two most reliable methods of locating the fault break, the very short duration of sliding on the fault in the earthquake, and the discovery of a magnitude 5 foreshock at the beginning of the event. The Loma Prieta earthquake marks an important watershed in the study of the earthquake source. Never before have such complete measurements been obtained for both the distortion of the Earth's surface and the strong shaking produced during one earthquake. As a result, detailed comparisons between models of the earthquake developed from independent observations permit geophysicists to test some of their fundamental assumptions about the nature of earthquakes and to evaluate the ability of different methods to decipher the earthquake.
NSF cuts likely, says House panel
Authors: Jones Richard M.
Published: October 2006

At key congressional hearings held recently on the National Science Foundation's budget for fiscal year 1993, the bottom line was clear: the agency should not expect the 18% increase it has requested.

The chair of the House VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Subcommitee, Bob Traxler (D.‐Mich.), indicated his support for NSF, but added that his subcommittee “lives and dies by its 602(b) allocation.” This is the amount with which the subcommittee funds programs under its jurisdiction, including veterans' health care and housing support. Traxler said the administration had “shortchanged” some activities to provide the NSF increase, and that money would have to be returned to other programs. Throughout the hearings, Traxler spoke of a possible 4–6% increase for NSF in fiscal 1993, less than one‐third the amount requested.
Climate variability and the Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Gordon Arnold L. , Zebiak Stephen E. , Bryan Kirk
Published: October 2006

Climate models indicate global warming ranging from 1.5°C to 4°C in response to a doubling in greenhouse gases. Whether this warming occurs in 50 years or 100 years is not certain, due in part to our limited understanding of natural climate variability. Apart from its intrinsic merit, the study of natural climate variability is motivated by the societal need to address climate change issues. From this perspective, the interannual to interdecadal time scales are of particular importance. These are precisely the time scales at which coupling to the ocean circulation becomes of paramount significance.
Global views of Venus from Magellan
Authors: Arvidson R. E. , Phillips R. J. , Izenberg N.
Published: October 2006

Analysis of a global radar backscatter mosaic generated from cycle 1 and 2 Magellan data shows that the Venusian surface is, on average, only hundreds of millions of years old, dominated by volcanic plains, and that it exhibits a variety of tectonic features. Impact craters are well‐preserved and widely distributed. In this article, we consider resurfacing models that are consistent with these observations and interpretations.

On August 10, 1990, the Magellan spacecraft, with its 12.6 cm wavelength radar system, was placed in a highly inclined elliptical orbit around Venus, with a periapsis located at ∼10° northern latitude. [Saunders and Pettengill, 1991]. Since September 15, 1990, the 3.7‐m diameter high gain antenna (HGA) has been used to acquire side‐looking synthetic aperture radar (SAR) backscatter images and passive radiometry data in HH (horizontally polarized transmit and receive) polarization [Pettengill et al., 1991]. A smaller, nadir‐pointing antenna (ALTA) that shares electronics with the high gain antenna has been used to obtain echoes from which elevation and surface scattering properties have been derived [Pettengill et al., 1991]. The orbital ground track shifts approximately 20 km eastward at the equator from orbit to orbit, returning to the same position in 243 days, the time it takes Venus to rotate once beneath the orbital plane. Each complete circuit is called a “mapping cycle.” Mapping cycle 1 ended on May 15, 1991. After completion of cycle 1, the spacecraft's orbit was changed to offset the ground track relative to cycle 1 to allow for interleaving of altimetry ground swaths.
House to vote on EOS, Station on April 29
Authors: Jones Richard
Published: October 2006

The House has scheduled the first vote of the year on funding for Space Station Freedom, the Earth Observing System (EOS), and other NASA funding, for April 29. While this is but the first in a series of votes on fiscal year 1992 NASA funding, it will serve as an important indicator of congressional sentiment on space programs.

On April 8, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee approved by voice vote H.R. 4364, the NASA Multiyear Authorization Act of 1992. This 3‐year bill authorizes NASA to spend $15.3 billion in fiscal 1993. Of this amount, $14.3 billion is authorized for ongoing science and technology programs that are the core of NASA's space programs. Another $952.1 million would be made available for “special initiatives” that would compete for funding if the overall NASA appropriation is increased by the appropriations committees. NASA now receives $14.3 billion, an amount the appropriations committees have warned may not be increased for fiscal 1993.
Watershed Hydrology
Authors: Gifford G. Fred
Published: October 2006

The topic of watershed hydrology, is, in the author's words, “…simply the study of the movement and storage of water on and in the context of the natural land unit of the hydrosphere, the watershed.” The organizational structure of Watershed Hydrology has storage and process as a focus, and this theme is reflected throughout. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the hydrologic cycle and some basic concepts of storage in the hydrologic cycle. Hydrologic processes are briefly defined, and several misconceptions about the hydrologic cycle are noted. Sites of storage within the hydrologic cycle (depression storage, channel storage, detention storage, groundwater storage, retention storage, and vegetation storage) are briefly introduced, along with the concept of a watershed.
International Earthquake Hazard Program underway
Authors: Bolt Bruce A.
Published: October 2006

Over a year into the International Decade of Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR), significant steps were taken at the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) assembly in Vienna last August to develop major activities in a number of associations. In particular, a broad program on the reduction of earthquake hazards was adopted by the International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior (IASPEI).

First, a major IASPEI report on the proposed goals and activities of the association, “Minimizing Earthquake Vulnerability” (IASPEI Committee for IDNDR, 29 pp., 1991), was adopted. This report sets out program goals and an organization for dealing with proposals and allocating resources. It contains twenty‐two recommendations that cover all aspects of seismological risk reduction and associated research and education. At the IUGG assembly, a keynote lecture on the decade and its relation to seismological work was given by R. Hamilton, director, United Nations‐IDNDR Secretariat in Geneva.