bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Sun and the Heliosphere as an Integrated System
Authors: Rust David M.
Published: October 2006

The heliosphere is a bay in the interstellar space around the Sun where the solar wind blows lustily and holds back the magnetic fields and plasma of the local interstellar cloud. According to recent measurements from the Voyager 1 spacecraft, the radius of this bay, which is where the solar wind ceases to be supersonic, is about 94 astronomical units (AU) (1 AU = distance from the Sun to Earth).

Much of what happens at the outer edges of the heliosphere is determined by what happens on the Sun. Magnetic fields generated in the solar interior boil to the surface and emerge into the outer atmosphere, called the corona, where they destabilize and propel coronal mass ejections (CMEs) into the heliosphere. The corona is also the source of the solar wind.
In Memoriam
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

Robert Decker, 78,2005,AGU Fellow and Life Member,Volcanology Geochemistry, Petrology, 1959.

Dallas Lynn Peck, 76,21 August 2005, AGU Fellow,Volcanology, Geochemistry, and Petrology, 1968.
Tsunami geology and its role in hazard mitigation
Authors: Atwater Brian F. , Bourgeois Joanne , Yeh Harry , Abbott Dallas , Cisternas Marco , Glawe Ulrich , Higman Bretwood , Horton Ben , Peters Robert , Rajendran Kusala , Tuttle Martitia P.
Published: October 2006

The timely topic of tsunami geology was addressed during a recent international workshop sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Participants from 15 nations compared criteria for identifying tsunamis by their geologic signatures; explored applications to plate tectonics, hazard assessment, and public education; and discussed recommendations for research priorities. A post‐workshop trip occasioned heartfelt exchanges with Washington state coastal residents two days after a local tsunami scare.
Mountain Ecosystems: Studies in Treeline Ecology
Authors: Körner Christian
Published: October 2006

Except for water edges, cold climate treelines are the only land cover boundaries that have a global distribution. They are obvious even to the layperson, and they have fascinated biologists and geographers since the early days. High‐elevation treelines separate the montane forest and the treeless alpine region. This transition zone is commonly not sharp and is controlled by a multitude of environmental influences.

This collection of case studies from around the world, edited in honor of treeline ecology pioneer F.‐K. Holtmeier, illuminates an impressively broad spectrum of phenomena associated with treelines. This broad spectrum, though, is also a limitation: The volume has no logical structure, and chapters neither build upon each other nor cover subjects by distinct thematic fields.
Seismic data reveal eastern Black Sea basin structure
Authors: Minshull T. A. , White N. J. , Edwards R. A. , Shillington D. J. , Scott C. L. , Demirer A. , Shaw‐Champion M. , Jones S. M. , Erduran M. , Besevli T. , Coskun G. , Raven K. , Price A. , Peterson B.
Published: October 2006

Rifted continental margins are formed by progressive extension of the lithosphere. The development of these margins plays an integral role in the plate tectonic cycle, and an understanding of the extensional process underpins much hydrocarbon exploration.

A key issue is whether the lithosphere extends uniformly, or whether extension varies with depth. Crustal extension may be determined using seismic techniques. Lithospheric extension may be inferred from the waterloaded subsidence history, determined from the pattern of sedimentation during and after rifting. Unfortunately, however, many rifted margins are sediment‐starved, so the subsidence history is poorly known.
Carrington, Schwabe, and the Gold Medal
Authors: Cliver Edward W.
Published: October 2006

The mid‐nineteenth‐century sunspot studies of Heinrich Schwabe and Richard Carrington helped revitalize the then‐lagging subject of solar astronomy, ushered in the new field of solar‐terrestrial relations, and pointed astronomers toward a more modern view of the Sun's interior. This article recounts a little‐known connection between these two astronomers.

Both Schwabe (Figure 1) and Carrington and were wealthy amateurs who pursued precise observational goals to great effect. While Schwabe's monumental result, the discovery of the 11‐year sunspot cycle, required 18 years of labor before its announcement and another seven before its acceptance, Carrington's key discoveries were all made within the first six years of his sunspot observations. Schwabe's solar observing career spanned 43 years (1825–1867); Carrington's spanned less than a fifth of that (1853–1861).
Meet the Editor: JGR Biogeosciences
Authors: Kumar Mohi
Published: October 2006

Diane M. McKnight was appointed in February 2004 as the first editor for AGU's newest publication, JGR‐Biogeosciences. The journal just published its first papers in September.

“Launching this new journal was an important step forward for the biogeosciences community,” McKnight said.
Survey presents broad approach to tsunami studies
Authors: Moran Kathryn , Austin James A. , Tappin David R.
Published: October 2006

The Sumatra Earthquake and Tsunami Offshore Survey (SEATOS) investigated the seafloor area near the 26 December 2004 earthquake. An early look at the data suggests that only small ground motions occurred. This raises major questions about how the enormous amount of energy from that earthquake could dissipate over relatively short distances, and whether the ground motion is characteristic of other active margins.

SEATOS, which included an international, interdisciplinary team of scientists, conducted a detailed seafloor expedition in the vicinity of the epicenter of the Great Sumatra earthquake, in May 2005. The success of this interdisciplinary effort has led to a follow‐on workshop and a Union session at the upcoming AGU Fall Meeting on 5–6 December in San Francisco.
WMO head highlights link between climate and land degradation
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: October 2006

soundunderstanding of the underlying factors of land degradation—particularly climate and the risk of natural hazards related to or induced by climate—is necessary for the sustainable development of countries affected by drought and desertification, according to Michel Jarraud, secretary‐general of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Jarraud spoke on 17 October at the seventh session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Nairobi, Kenya.

Land degradation, including one of its most extreme forms, desertification, directly affects about 250 million people and threatens one billion in over 100, mostly developing, countries worldwide, according to Jarraud.
New challenges in biogeochemical gradient research
Authors: Barth Johannes A. C. , Kappler Andreas , Piepenbrink Matthias , Werth Charles , Regenspurg Simona , Semprini Lewis , Slater Gregory F. , Schüth Christoph , Grathwohl Peter
Published: October 2006

At a recent workshop focusing on biogeochemical gradients predominantly in groundwater and sediments, 32 North American and German scientists discussed research needs in three areas including (1) redox and microbes; (2) contaminants, isotopes, and fluxes; and (3) instruments, monitoring, and modeling.

The presentation topics at the workshop at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen in Germany ranged from new concepts for monitoring contaminant attenuation, microgradients, microbial and abiotic recycling of iron and arsenic, porous media characterization, modeling in marine and groundwater environments, and stable isotope as well as radioisotope techniques.
Seismic Reflection Processing With Special Reference to Anisotropy
Authors: Burns Dan
Published: October 2006

Seismic reflection data are used extensively in petroleum exploration and development to provide subsurface images and estimates of rock and fluid properties. Data acquisition, processing, and interpretation methodologies have progressed over the past 30 years to allow high‐resolution three‐dimensional imaging, pore fluid and lithology prediction, and, in certain situations, time‐lapse monitoring of reservoir production. Exploration seismology experiences and applications are also finding their way into whole‐Earth imaging problems (and vice versa) with great success.

Into this long and successful history, S. K. Upadhyay's book, Seismic Reflection Processing With Special Reference to Anisotropy, is introduced.
Great Sumatra Earthquake registers on electrostatic sensor
Authors: Röder Helmut , Schuhmann Wolfram , Büttner Ralf , Zimanowski Bernard , Braun Thomas , Boschi Enzo
Published: October 2006

Strong electrical signals that correspond to the Mw = 9.3 earthquake of 26 December 2004, whichoccurred at 0058:50.7 UTC off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia, were recorded by an electrostatic sensor (a device that detects short‐term variations in Earth's electrostatic field) at a seismic station in Italy, which had been installed to study the influence of local earthquakes on a new landslide monitoring system.

Electrical signals arrived at the station practically instantaneously and were detected up to several hours before the onset of the Sumatra earthquake (Figure 1) as well as before local quakes. The corresponding seismic signals (p‐waves) arrived 740 seconds after the start of the earthquake. Because the electrical signals travel at the speed of light, electrical monitoring for the global detection of very strong earthquakes could be an important tool in significantly increasing the hazard alert window.
Flood risk and protection highlighted at hearing
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: October 2006

Witnesses at a U.S. congressional hearing on reducing hurricane and flood risk argued for better assessments of flood risk, a national survey of levees, and a reevaluation of flood protection threshold levels.

The hearing, held on 27 October by the U.S. House of Representatives' Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, was one in a series to examine failures of hurricane and flood protection measures during hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Young Scientist Network holds Inaugural Workshop
Authors: Scholze Marko , Mahowald Natalie , Hibbard Kathy
Published: October 2006

The vulnerability and sustainability of the global human‐environment system is poised on a threshold of uncertainty in the near‐ and long‐term future. The future of the planet may at least be partly in the hands of young scientists.

Because Earth system science has become increasingly integrative and the need for international communication is increasingly important, an international young scientist network was established in June 2005 as a key activity of the Analysis, Integration, and Modeling of the Earth System (AIMES) project of the International Geosphere‐Biosphere Programme.
Hydrologic measurement facility conducts user survey
Authors: Selker John
Published: October 2006

The Hydrologic Measurement Facility (HMF) of the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Sciences, Inc. (CUAHSI), which in October 2005 received three years of start‐up funds from the U.S. National Science Foundation's (NSF) Hydrological Sciences Program, aims to help researchers obtain effective access to cuttingedge techniques required to study hydrologic processes.

The facility's first three years focus on determining the optimal types of, and delivery methods for, technical assistance, in order to provide the greatest benefit for the entire hydrological community.
U.S. congressional review targets nation's first environmental law
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: October 2006

In November, the U.S. National Science Foundation determined, through an environmental assessment, that a proposed marine geophysical survey to be conducted in the Pacific Ocean in early 2006 would have no significant environmental impact. This was just one of the 50,000 environmental assessments and 350 environmental impact statements the government completes each year under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
International Climate Change Assessment highlighted at workshop
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: October 2006

With the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) still more than a year from completion in 2007, organizers are attempting to keep the process open and to respond to criticism of some of its contents, including uncertainty in climate models, that was received after release of the 2001 report.

Since 1990, the IPCC has produced three assessments of the scientific and socio‐economic information relevant to understanding human‐induced climate change, the potential impacts of climate change, and options for mitigation and adaptation. AR4 will contain an evaluation of the current understanding of climate change, based on peer‐reviewed science that has been published or is in press by December 2005.
A new eruptive cycle at Mount St. Helens?
Authors: Pallister John S. , Reagan Mark , Cashman Kathy
Published: October 2006

What triggered the recent and ongoing eruption of Mount St. Helens? Is it new magma or just leftovers from the 1980s? How long will the eruption continue? Will the magma composition change, and will it become more explosive?

The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) hosted a three‐day workshop at which 25 petrologists addressed these fundamental questions. The workshop began with a review of monitoring data by CVO staff and was followed by presentations and discussions of new petrologic data.
Making scientific data sets easier to find, access, and use
Authors: Wright Dawn , Watson Stephanie , Graybeal John , Bermudez Luis
Published: October 2006

Over the years, a tremendous challenge has developed in the Earth and atmospheric sciences: that of managing and searching increasingly large volumes of data collected over relatively short time periods across multiple disciplines and from multiple platforms.

Significant resources have been spent often on activities that are program‐ or project‐specific, which has resulted in many different standards, conventions, approaches, and tools for data documentation and management. However, it is still difficult to make data truly interoperable across the breadth and depth of the Earth and atmospheric sciences. Indeed, a key issue identified by scientists and technologists alike is the ability to use data (and its descriptive metadata), as described by different vocabularies, in a transparent, discipline‐independent, and scientifically valid way. With the proliferation of vocabularies specific to individual projects, data repositories, domains, and even individual scientists, finding and using data has become a manual and often labor‐intensive task.
Workshop highlights progress in solar‐heliospheric physics
Authors: Gopalswamy Nat
Published: October 2006

The Solar, Heliospheric, and Interplanetary Environment (SHINE) group is an affiliation of researchers dedicated to promoting an enhanced understanding of the processes by which magnetic fields, plasmas, and energetic particles are produced near the Sun and propagated through the interplanetary medium to Earth and other locations in the heliosphere. The group conducted its annual workshop in July to discuss recent developments in the study of solar variability and its impact on Earth's space environment. One hundred fifty‐five scientists, including 27 students, participated in the plenary working group, and poster sessions.

Student Day activities on 10 July consisted of tutorials given by experienced scientists: solar flares and particle acceleration (Robert Lin, University of California Berkeley), the origin of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) (Spiro Antiochos, Naval Research Laboratory Washington, D.C.),connecting the Sun and heliosphere (Thomas Zurbuchen, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor),and acceleration and transport of solar energetic particles (SEPs) (Christina Cohen, California Institute of Technology Pasadena). The tutorials were followed by student presentations on CMEs near the sun and in the interplanetary medium, solar wind, and SEPs.
Atlas of Antarctica: Topographic Maps From Geostatistical Analysis of Satellite Radar Altimeter Data
Authors: Luyendyk Bruce
Published: October 2006

The shape of the Antarctic continent was only determined after the mid‐twentieth century to any reasonable accuracy by a combination of spotty geodetic surveys, aerial photography and satellite imagery. The advent of satellite radar altimetry late in that century allowed mapping the geoid of the ocean basins. The result was a new understanding of the tectonics and evolution of the ocean basins.

Now, a few researchers have applied radar altimetry to determining the shape and ice mass of the Antarctic. Ute Herzfeld's book represents a monumental effort to map the topography of the coastal regions of Antarctica to high accuracy by these means.
The Initiation, Propagation, and Arrest of Joints and Other Fractures
Authors: Schultz Richard A.
Published: October 2006

The growth of joints is a fundamental issue in structural geology and related disciplines since joints exert a profound influence on the strength, deformability geophysical properties, and hydrologic characteristics of a rock mass. Joints in large igneous intrusions such as granitic plutons can provide exceptionally fine views of joint surface topography that are of interest to studies of joint propagation, interaction, and arrest.

On the other hand, layered sedimentary sequences present opportunities to investigate the influence of heterogeneous layer thicknesses on joints, as well as properties involved with geometry and spacing of joints as they attempt to propagate laterally across and vertically through the sequence. Because the geometries and characteristics of subsequent geologic phenomena, such as faults, folds, and fluid‐bearing fracture networks, are influenced by those of the joints, field‐based studies of joint growth and pattern development are necessary prerequisites to clearly understand the later joint‐dependent phenomena.
Survey explores active tectonics in northeastern Caribbean
Authors: Carbó; A. , Córdoba D. , Muñ Martín A. , Granja J. L. , Dávila J. Martín , Pazos A. , Catalán M. , Gómez M. , Brink U. ten , Von Hilldebrandt C. , Payero J.
Published: October 2006

There is renewed interest in studying the active and complex northeastern Caribbean plate boundary to better understand subduction zone processes and for earthquake and tsunami hazard assessments [e.g., ten Brink and Lin, 2004; ten Brink et al., 2004; Grindlay et al., 2005]. To study the active tectonics of this plate boundary, the GEOPRICO‐DO (Geological, Puerto Rico‐Dominican) marine geophysical cruise, carried out between 28 March and 17 April 2005 (Figure 1), studied the active tectonics of this plate boundary.

Initial findings from the cruise have revealed a large underwater landslide, and active faults on the seafloor (Figures 2a and 2c). These findings indicate that the islands within this region face a high risk from tsunami hazards, and that local governments should be alerted in order to develop and coordinate possible mitigation strategies.
Convention sets next steps on climate change efforts
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: October 2006

Delegates from more than 180 countries have adopted rules for implementing the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and also have agreed to two separate decisions that set in motion the next steps for international efforts to mitigate climate change.

More than 9000 participants discussed the future of the Framework Convention and the Kyoto Protocol at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, which was held 28 November through 10 December in Montreal, Canada.
Intelligent design is not science, U.S. judge rules
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: October 2006

A Pennsylvania school district may not mandate the teaching of ‘intelligent design’ because the concept is not science and cannot be uncoupled from its religious roots in creationism, a U.S. federal judge ruled on 20 December.

U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III ruled that the Dover, Pa., school board's policy on intelligent design violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which forbids the government from establishing a state religion, and also violates the Pennsylvania state constitution.
Estimates of the potential temperature profile from lidar measurements of boundary layer evolution
Authors: Holder H. E. , Eichinger W. E.
Published: October 2006

The Soil Moisture‐Atmosphere Coupling Experiment (SMACEX) was conducted in the Walnut Creek Watershed near Ames, Iowa, over the period from 15 June to 11 July 2002. A main focus of SMACEX is the investigation of the interactions between the atmospheric boundary layer, surface moisture, and canopy. A vertically staring elastic lidar was used to provide a high time resolution, continuous record of the mixed layer height at the edge between a soybean and a corn field. The height and thickness of the entrainment zone are used to estimate the vertical potential temperature profile in the boundary layer using surface energy measurements in the Batchvarova‐Gryning mixed layer model. Calculated values of potential temperature compared well to radiosonde measurements taken simultaneously with the lidar measurements. The root‐mean‐square difference between the lidar‐derived values and the balloon‐based values is 1.20°C.
‘Intelligent Design’ Poses continued threat to science
Authors: Geissman John W.
Published: October 2006

Science education in the United States has been the subject of more than usual attention, especially since 1 August 2005 when President George W. Bush stoked the fire by responding to a reporter's question about the teaching of ‘intelligent design’ (ID) in science classrooms by saying that “both sides ought to be properly taught…so people can understand what the debate is about.”

Prior to the 20 December 2005 ruling against the teaching of ID in public schools, by U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III in the Pennsylvania case Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District, anti‐evolutionists and ID proponents seemed to be enjoying a new momentum in the aftermath of President Bush's statements. William Dembski, senior fellow with the Discovery Institute's Center for the Renewal of Science and Culture in Seattle, Wash., a group that supports intelligent design, wrote on 4 August 2005 at http://www.designinference.com that President Bush “is to be commended for his courage, wisdom, and foresight” for supporting the teaching of ID alongside evolution.
EPA considers reducing toxics release reporting
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering three rule changes that would reduce the frequency and thresholds for reporting of toxic chemical releases by industrial facilities.

The EPAs Toxics Release Inventory, established in 1988, contains information on about 650 chemicals released by various industries. Available online, the database is searchable by zip code and is used by a wide range of individuals, including scientists, emergency responders, and conservationists.
Scientific coring in the Lake Tahoe basin
Authors: Verosub Kenneth L.
Published: October 2006

Lake Tahoe ranks among the largest, oldest, and deepest lakes in North America. In addition, the lake is located at a major tectonic boundary These factors make the Lake Tahoe basin an exciting natural laboratory for studying the interaction between tectonics and climate in a high‐altitude temperate setting.

A recent meeting to explore the potential benefits of a comprehensive program of scientific coring in the Lake Tahoe basin attracted 67 researchers from 28 institutions. The meeting was supported by a grant from the Drilling, Observations, and Sampling of the Earth's Continental Crust (DOSECC) consortium with additional funding provided by the John Muir Institute for the Environment and the Tahoe Environmental Research Center at the University of California, Davis, the Institute for Geophysics and Planetary Physics at the University of California, San Diego, the Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nev, the Academy for the Environment of the University of Nevada, Reno, and the U.S. Geological Survey.
Expedition reveals changes in Lau Basin Hydrothermal System
Authors: Ishibashi Jun‐ichiro , Lupton John E. , Yamaguchi Toshiyuki , Querellou Joel , Nunoura Takuro , Takai Ken
Published: October 2006

TheValu Fa Ridge (VFR) in the southern Lau Basin—located behind the westward‐dipping Tonga‐Kerrnadec subduction zone—was one of the earliest targets to b e explored for hydrothermal activity in the southwestern Pacific Ocean (Figure l).In 1989, the French‐German dive program NAUTILAU (Nautile‐lan) discovered active hydrothermal fields venting high‐temperature fluids with high acidity accompanied by massive ore deposits in this area [Fbuquet et al., 1993].

In September–October 2004, the SWEEP VENTS (Southwestern Edge of Pacific hydrothermal vents) expedition explored and sampled the hydrothermal systems of the VFR using the deep submergence research vehicle (DSRV) Shinkai 6500. The 2004 Shinkai dives focused on the geobiological and geochemical character of the deep‐sea hydrothermal vent ecosystems of the Valu Fa Ridge and shed new light on these hydrothermal fields 15 years after their discovery These 2004 dives were the first to revisit this area, and have been followed by further dive programs and continued research.
The first cluster and double star symposium
Authors: Escoubet Philippe , Masson Arnaud , Laakso Harri , Taylor Matthew , Goldstein Melvyn
Published: October 2006

Cluster, a joint project between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA, is the first mission that is composed of four spacecraft flying in formation, and thus the first able to separate spatial and temporal features inside smallscale plasma structures within, and the boundaries between, many regions of the Earth's upper atmosphere (from 19,000–119,000 kilometers altitude).

During the past two years, the Cluster mission has been enhanced by the Double Star (DSP) mission, a magnetospheric mission composed of two satellites that is a joint project between the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and ESA.The orbits have been chosen so that interesting conjunctions occur frequently between Cluster and the two DSP satellites. Conducting coordinated studies using simultaneous Cluster and Double Star observations increases the overall scientific return from both missions.
Initiative addresses subsurface energy and environment problems
Authors: Bodvarsson Gudmunder S. , Majer Ernest L. , Wang Joseph S. Y. , Colwell Frederick , Redden George
Published: October 2006

Members of the geoscience community are cooperating in conceptualizing fundamental, crosscutting research to address major obstacles to solving energy and environmental problems related to the subsurface, through the SECUREarth initiative, which began in 2004. Addressing problems, such as reliable nuclear waste storage and safe carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration, are critical to maintaining an economical and safe energy supply and clean environment.

A recent workshop in Golden, Colo., helped to further the development of the SECUREarth (Scientific Energy/Environmental Crosscutting Underground Research for Urgent Solutions to Secure the Earth's Future) initiative by identifying the key scientific challenges in the geosciences, as well as to target possible approaches for overcoming roadblocks.
Balut receives 2005 Edward A. Flinn III Award
Authors: De Deckker Patrick , Balut Yvon
Published: October 2006

Yvon Balut received the Edward A. Flinn III Award at the AGU Fall Meeting Ocean Sciences and Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology Reception, which was held on 5 December 2005 in San Francisco, Calif. The award honors individuals who personify the Union s motto of “unselfish cooperation in research” through their facilitating, coordinating, and implementing of activities.
Detecting volcanic events in the northeast Pacific
Authors: Dziak R. , Chadwick B. , Cowen J. , Baker E. , Embley R. , Bohnenstiehl D. , Resing J.
Published: October 2006

On 27 February 2005, one of the largest submarine earthquake sequences ever recorded in 12 years of real‐time seismoacoustic monitoring of the northeastern Pacific Ocean occurred at the Juan de Fuca Ridge (JFR) Endeavour segment (Figure 1).

On the basis of available information, an oceanographic expedition was quickly organized to investigate the site for magmatic activity and hydrothermal discharge. The research vessel T.G. Thompson arrived on site and began water column and seafloor surveys just seven days after the onset of earthquake activity, the most rapid response cruise to the JFR yet organized. However, no evidence of plume generation or a seafloor eruption was found.
Asimow, Jahren, and Randerson receive 2005 James B. Macelwane Medal
Authors: Eiler John , Asimow Paul D. , Dove Patricia M. , Jahnren A. Hope , Trumbore Susan , Randerson James T.
Published: October 2006

It is my great pleasure to present my friend and colleague, Paul Asimow, recipient of one of this year's three James B. Macelwane Medals. Paul is a petrologist interested in the origins and evolution of basaltic magmas, and he is being recognized for a series of profoundly insightful papers on the energetics of decompression melting and how it controls the compositions of the oceanic crust and upper mantle.

The significance of what Paul has done comes from the simplicity of the question that first inspired him: How should we describe the way the mantle melts as it upwells during convection? The importance of the problem is obvious; this is how the Earth makes most of its crust, and so it is the starting point for most of geology But does it sound like something we already understand? Wasn't I taught this as an undergraduate? Paul's first and perhaps most important contribution was to recognize, as a second‐year graduate student working with Ed Stolper [California Institute of Technology (Caltech),Pasadena],that the explanation of mantle melting we were telling each other was a Rube Goldberg device masquerading as physical theory.
Improving flood forecasting in international river basins
Authors: Hossain Faisal , Katiyar Nitin
Published: October 2006

In flood‐prone international river basins (IRBs), many riparian nations that are located close to a basin's outlet face a major problem in effectively forecasting flooding because they are unable to assimilate in situ rainfall data in real time across geopolitical boundaries. NASA's propose Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, which is expected to begin in 2010, will comprise high‐resolution passive microwave (PM) sensors (at resolution ∼3‐6 hours, 10 x 10 square kilometers) that may provide new opportunities to improve flood forecasting in these river basins.

Research is now needed to realize the potential of GPM. With adequate research in the coming years, it may be possible to identify the specific IRBs that would benefit cost‐effectively from a preprogrammed satellite‐based forecasting system in anticipation of GPM. Acceleration of such a research initiative is worthwhile because it could reduce the risk of the cancellation of GPM [see Zielinski, 2005].
Report evaluates importance of coral reefs and mangroves
Authors: Kumar Mohi
Published: October 2006

Thirty percent of the world's coral reefs are seriously damaged, and possibly no pristine reefs remain, according to a 24 January report by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) issued in the wake of the 26 December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

“The Indian Ocean tsunami brought a lot of attention to coral reefs and mangroves,” said Sue Wells, lead author of the report, In the Front Line: Shoreline Protection and other Ecosystem Services from Mangroves and Coral Reefs. “Were they badly damaged? Did they play a role in buffering damage on shore?”
Are claims of global warming being suppressed?
Authors: Crowley Thomas J.
Published: October 2006

Over the last few years, I have heard many rumors that climate science relevant to the global warming discussion is being suppressed by the Bush Administration. One cannot do much about third‐hand information. However, on 29 January, the New York Times published a front page article on NASA efforts to suppress statements about global warming by James Hansen, director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies.

A claim by one government scientist, though, no matter how distinguished, still requires examples from other scientists before a general conclusion can be drawn about the overall scope of the problem. But if the charges are more widespread, then some government scientists might be reluctant to make such claims, because they might feel that their positions were jeopardized. Therefore, an alternate way may be needed to determine the scope of the issue, while still safeguarding government workers from possible retaliation.
New AGU fellows
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

Fellows of AGU are members who have attained acknowledged eminence in the Earth and space sciences.

The Fellows Committee on 14 January 2006 elected 45 members to join the ranks of AGU Fellows. Candidates for Fellow are nominated by colleagues and then vetted by the relevant Sections, who forward the top nominees to the Fellows Committee. The Fellows Committee, which consists of 11 Fellows, receives about twice the number of nominations as can be elected: no more than 0.1% of the AGU membership can be elected each year. The committee meets to review the forwarded nominations and decides who will be elected for the year.
Outstanding student paper awards, 2005 Fall Meeting
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2006

The following members received Outstanding Student Paper Awards at the 2005 Fall Meeting in San Francisco, Calif. (Winners in other sections and focus groups will be announced in subsequent issues of Eos).

Igor Lacan, University of California, Berkeley Potential for loss of breeding habitat for imperiled mountain yellow‐legged frog (Rana muscosa) in High Sierra Nevada Mountain water bodies due to reduced snowpack: Interaction of climate change and an introduced predator.
The congressional fellowship as an ethnographic extravaganza
Authors: Trapani Josh
Published: October 2006

I knew my undergraduate degree in anthropology would come in handy one day. I never guessed, though, that with a Ph.D. in geology and two years of postdoctoral experience under my belt (and my anthropology days far behind), AGU would choose me for a year‐long, total‐immersion ethnographic extravaganza of my very own.

I have been dropped into the proverbial wilds, to live among the natives to attempt to understand their culture in all its byzantine ritual, hierarchy, and ceremony.
AGU gives ocean research briefings to Congress
Authors: O'Riordan Catherine
Published: October 2006

AGU held separate briefings on 8 February for members and staff of the U.S. House of Representatives and of the Senate about AGU's position statement that calls for renewing investment in ocean research.The statement, which was adopted by the AGU Council in December 2005, supports the integrated research, infrastructure, and education findings of the 2004 U.S. Ocean Commission Report.

AGU President John Orcutt, and Steve Bohlen, Joint Oceanographic Institutions president and chair of the panel that prepared the statement, noted ways in which ocean research and education contribute to U.S. innovation and competitiveness. They provided examples of recent discoveries, trends in ocean research, and their application to society
Proposed U.S. budget request reduces funding for some science agencies
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: October 2006

Federal non‐defense research and development (R&D) would receive a small boost under the Bush Administration's Fiscal Year 2007 budget request, which was released on 6 February. However, science conducted and funded by agencies not highlighted in the president's American Competitiveness Initiative would get only small increases or even large cuts if these budgets are approved by Congress (see Eos 87(7) 2006).

House of Representatives Science Committee Ranking Member Rep. Bart Gordon (D‐Tenn.) said, “There appear to be cuts in science and technology research that more than offset the targeted increases of the president's competitiveness initiative.”
Educators learn the latest about small bodies in the solar system
Authors: Buratti Bonnie J.
Published: October 2006

The past decade has heralded the advance of both scholarship and exploration of small bodies in the solar system. Once relegated to subsidiary status, asteroids, comets, and now Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) have come into their own as planetary scientists have become aware of their importance for understanding the origins of the solar system. Because these objects are believed to be debris remaining from the earliest periods of planet formation, they may offer clues to the physical conditions and architecture of the early solar system.

The key role impact processes have played in the evolution of the Earth and other planets has also been recognized. Earth‐crossing objects have caused mass extinctions in the past, and comets are now believed to have delivered significant amounts of volatiles and prebiotic material to the inner solar system. NASA has supported this blossoming field of study by sending several missions to comets and asteroids, and by establishing special programs to study them.
Comment on “Satellite altimetry and the intensification of Hurricane Katrina”
Authors: Sun Donglian , Gautam Ritesh , Cervone Guido , Boybeyi Zafer , Kafatos Menas
Published: October 2006

In a recent Eos article, Scharroo et al. [2005] reported that the dynamic sea topography anomalies along the track of Hurricane Katrina were the most prominent factors causing the intensification of Katrina as it passed over these anomalous regions in the Gulf of Mexico. They show that the sea surface temperature (SST) in the entire Gulf of Mexico was uniformly ∼30°C and was not associated with the rapid intensification of Katrina.

We partly agree with their findings based on the results of dynamic topography associated with Katrina's intensification; however, we do not concur with their idea that SST was not linked with the rapid intensification of Katrina. Here, we show the significant impact of high SST anomaly in the Gulf on Katrina's rapid intensification and the role of anomalous SST in governing the air‐sea interactions during its intensification.
Reply to Comment on “Satellite altimetry and the intensification of Hurricane Katrina”
Authors: Scharroo Remko , Smith Walter H. F. , Lillibridge John L.
Published: October 2006

In their comment on our Eos article [Scharroo et al., 2005], Sun et al. [this issue] conclude that sea surface temperature (SST) had a significant impact on the rapid intensification of Hurricane Katrina. Although SST may have played some role, we want to stress that dynamic topography is a more reliable proxy than SST for upper ocean heat content, which is ultimately responsible for the cyclone's intensification.

As evidence of the impact of SST on sea level pressure (SLP), Sun et al. [this issue, Figure 1c] present the outcome of model simulations in which the SST over the Gulf of Mexico was raised by as much as 2°C. After a two‐day lag, this comparatively large increase in SST caused SLP to decrease by a mere 10 millibar. However, since the SST along Katrina's track across the Gulf of Mexico varied by no more than 1°C, whereas the SLP dropped by about 90 millibar (Figure 1), their results actually indicate that the impact of SST on the hurricane intensification was neither rapid nor significant. Moreover, the perceived correlation between SST and SLP was very weak.
Avoiding the theory trap when discussing evolution
Authors: Morrison David
Published: October 2006

Public opinion polls tell us that we are losing the battle to explain the nature of evolution and its central role in science. One problem, I believe, is letting the opponents of evolution frame the discussion to our disadvantage. Framing involves the selective use of language or context to trigger responses, either support or opposition. As a prime example, we undercut our communications efforts with many nonscientists by defending the ‘theory of evolution.’

Theory is the wrong word to use in addressing the public. In the contemporary U.S., theory means a hunch or idea that has not been established by evidence. It is thus no surprise that polls show that nearly three‐quarters of U.S. people think that “evolution is commonly referred to as the theory of evolution because it has not yet been proven scientifically.” Those who advocate adding “only a theory” disclaimers in textbooks know that to call evolution a theory is sufficient to undermine its acceptance.
Ceres, Vesta, and Pallas: Protoplanets, not asteroids
Authors: McCord Thomas B. , McFadden Lucy A. , Russell Christopher T. , Sotin Christophe , Thomas Peter C.
Published: October 2006

Objects in our solar system are currently thought to have formed by condensation and accumulation from the gas and dust nebula, out of which the Sun first arose. Dust grains accreted to form objects of approximately one‐kilometer in size, which in turn accreted to form objects of about 1000 kilometers in size. Some of these objects grew to become the planets, and formed a core, mantle, and crust layers through radioactive heating, which melted some or all of the material, and subsequent differentiation.The development of large planets caused gravity perturbations, rearranging the remaining debris and halting the accretion.
European ice satellite replacement approved
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: October 2006

The European Space Agency (ESA) will build and launch a new CryoSat spacecraft to study polar and sea ice, the agency announced on 24 February. The first CryoSat was lost on 8 October 2005 when the rocket and spacecraft fell into the ocean north of Greenland due to problems with the rocket launcher.

At a 23–24 February meeting of the ESA's Earth Observation Programme Board, the agency received permission from its member states for CryoSat‐2, which will have the same mission objectives as the satellite it replaces.
Visiting Congress: Can AGU members make a difference?
Authors: Basu Sunanda
Published: October 2006

Having recently discovered tne value ot a Congressional Visit experience, I would like to invite other AGU members to participate in the 2006 Science Engineering and Technology Congressional Visits Day (CVD), 28–29 March 2006. My experience at an AGU CVD last fall taught me that participating in the policy process and visiting your Congressional delegation can make a difference.

On 14 September 2005, I was part of a group of more than 70 scientists that fanned out to meet members of Congress and their staffs as part of a CVD organized by the Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF).CNSF is an alliance of more than 100 organizations, including AGU, that supports the goal of increasing national investment in the U.S. National Science Foundation's (NSF) research and education programs.
Jordan receives 2005 Inge Lehmann Medal
Authors: Jordan Thomas H. , Silver Paul G.
Published: October 2006

Thomas H. Jordan was awarded the Inge Lehmann Medal at the 2005 AGU Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, which was held on 7 December in San Francisco, Calif. The medal honors outstanding contributions to the understanding of the structure, composition, and dynamics of the Earth's mantle and core
NASA science budget choices criticized
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: October 2006

NASA's decision to focus its science efforts on large missions at the expense of smaller missions and research is misguided and will have a long‐term negative impact on attracting and retaining scientists and engineers to NASA‐related science, several scientists testified at a 2 March hearing.

Witnesses at the hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives Science Committee included NASA Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate Mary Cleave and members or chairs of four U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) decadal surveys of various aspects of NASA science. The witnesses discussed cuts and delays to NASA projects proposed in the agency's Fiscal Year 2007 budget request. NASAs science budget would grow by 1.5 percent in FY2007,and then by just one percent per year in 2008–2011 (see Eos 87(9),2006).
Covering science as a Mass Media Fellow
Authors: McMeeking Gavin R.
Published: October 2006

I remember my first unpleasant biology lab dissection in high school. I am not sure if the experience was worse for me or for the unfortunate fetal pig we dissected that day. The sights and smells of that fateful morning forever put me on a path toward the physical sciences, and probably have a lot to do with my ending up as a graduate student in atmospheric chemistry instead of at some medical school cutting up dead bodies.

So imagine my horror after encountering the leg of a dead horse as I walked into a bioengineering laboratory to report on a story about artificial joint research. Subjecting myself to such biological horrors, though, was part of my duties as an AGU‐sponsored American Association for the Advancement of Science Mass Media Fellow. The program places graduate students and recent graduates from scientific fields in major media outlets throughout the country. The aim of the program is to give science‐trained individuals a taste of a career in science journalism as well as to help scientists develop better communication skills.
Research aircraft helps scientists study troposphere
Authors: Kumar Mohi
Published: October 2006

A newly developed advanced research aircraft will allow researchers to directly study the atmosphere for extended periods of time at altitudes that approach the troposphere‐stratosphere boundary.

The plane, called the High‐performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER),can carry nearly 3000 kilograms of scientific instrumentation, reach an altitude of more than 15,500 meters, and cruise without refueling for over 11,200 kilometers. Owned by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colo., HIAPER will be used to collect detailed information on the meteorology of the upper edges of hurricanes and thunderstorms, high‐altitude chemical reactions that are believed to affect climate, and other research concerns.
Mentoring Program for Women in Physical Oceanography
Authors: Lozier M. Susan
Published: October 2006

Efforts over the past several decades toward increasing the number of women entering science and engineering fields have largely been successful, with undergraduate and graduate school enrollments averaging between 30 and 50 percent women (see Nelson Diversity Survey, http://cheminfo.chem.ou.edu/faculty/djn/diversity/top50.html). Ph.D. attainments show similar progress. However, the percentage of women occupying tenure‐track positions has not risen commensurably. Across the board, women in science and engineering fill on average only 15 to 25 percent of academic positions.
EPA hearing sparks controversy
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: October 2006

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is not investing enough money in the science needed for the agency to make sound environmental policy decisions, according to several witnesses who testified before a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee on 16 March.

The House Science Subcommittee on Environment.Technology, and Standards brought together George Gray, EPA associate administrator for research and development, and three other witnesses to discuss the proposed cuts to EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD).the agency's primary research arm. The Bush Administration has proposed cutting the ORD budget by six percent in Fiscal Year 2007, to $557 million. This would continue a trend of decreases for ORD, whose budget would decline by 14 percent from FY2004 to FY2007 if the cuts are approved by the U.S. Congress.