bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Planetary science, astrobiology, and the role of science and exploration in society
Authors: Jakosky Bruce M. , Golombek Matthew P. 
Published: October 2006

The basic research done by members of AGU plays an important role in society However, there is remarkably little discussion among AGU members or the greater scientific community about exactly how we as individual scientists and as a community of academicians and researchers contribute to society as a whole.The role of science in today's society is both complex and poorly defined.This is seen in striking relief, for example, in the Kansas Board of Education's decision to remove evolution from its curriculum requirements, and in many other forums where the debate over creationism versus evolution continues. Certainly there is often a general lack of understanding by the public as to what exactly science is and what separates it from other activities.
Clinton Administration announces FY 2001 budget request
Authors: Showstack Randy 
Published: October 2006

Blessed with a strong US. economy the Clinton Administration on February 7 released a fiscal year 2001 federal budget request totaling a whopping $1,835 billion. Most of the funding request is slated for big ticket items including Social Security defense spending, Medicaid, Medicare, and paying down the federal debt. However, within the 19% of the budget that funds non‐defense discretionary programs,science agencies receive fairly healthy increases.The National Science Foundation (NSF) budget request would increase NSF funding by 17.3% $675 million and bring the total budget request to $4.6 billion. This includes significant increases for several initiatives: biocomplexity in the environment, information technology research, nanoscale science and engineering, and 21st century workforce. Among the major Earth science projects are launching the Earthscope initiative which includes the US Array and San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD) and the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON).
Clinton Administration federal budget proposal alternately described as dream and fantasy
Authors: Showstack Randy 
Published: October 2006

Some federal science agency heads and advisors are pinching themselves to make sure the Clinton Administrations fiscal year 2001 federal budget request, announced on February 7, is not just a dream.Neal Lane, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy calls the budget historic for its increases and commitment to science and technology. When asked what he thinks about the budget, NASA head Dan Goldin says, Look at the smile on my face. Rita Colwell, who leads the National Science Foundation (NSF), says, We couldn't ask for a better way to mark NSFs 50th anniversary Jim Baker, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), says the budget is a good one for his agency.
Effectively responding to the threat of global warming
Authors: Dickinson William R. 
Published: October 2006

Perspectives on future climate change highlight two truisms: 1) given the known greenhouse properties of CO2, its anthropogenic increase in the atmosphere is bound to influence global temperatures to some extent; and 2) the magnitude of the effect is uncertain because global climate models are imperfect.However, consideration of data internal to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) scientific assessment [Houghton et al., 1990] suggests that there is less uncertainty than current debates assume. I argue here that the high‐end estimate of future global temperature is unlikely, and that grassroots appeal to national economic interests might prove more effective in meeting the actual level of threat than coercive international regulations imposed in a topdown mode.
U.S. federal budget requests for science agencies on the rise
Authors: Showstack Randy 
Published: October 2006

The Clinton Administration has proposed some significant increases for U.S. federal science agencies for fiscal year 2000. Last weeks issue of Eos provided an overview of the federal budget request and reported on some specific agencies NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and part of the National Science Foundation (NSF).In this issue, Eos continues its review of agency budgets, including the Department of Energy (DOE), Department of the Interior (DOI),the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other accounts within NSEDOE has been besieged over the past year with reports concerning potential national security breaches. When Energy Secretary Bill Richardson announced the agency budget request in February, he tried to change that recent public image of the agency. Based on news stories last year, some people may think that the department is solely a national security agency, he said. But the fact is that the Department of Energy is at its heart a science agency.
Albright promises more science at the U.S. State Department
Authors: Showstack Randy 
Published: October 2006

Saying that the divide between the two cultures of science and diplomacy is real, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on February 21 began to try to bridge that divide by outlining several proposals from an upcoming March policy statement on ensuring that the State Department and U.S. foreign policy tap into scientific and technological expertise during and after the Clinton Administration.As part of her plan to build up the leadership and management structure for science and technology issues, Albright said she soon will appoint a science advisor within the department's Under Secretariat for Global Affairs, and establish a science directorate within the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.These moves, she said, would help to spread science competence throughout the department, and would not be limited to specific areas.
Operational oceanography: Shall we dance?
Authors: Mooers Christopher N. K. 
Published: October 2006

With the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) currently in development, the worldwide oceanographic community is on the brink of “operational oceanography,” which essentially means provision of “operational ocean services” where “operational” means “routine” and “ocean services” means “marine environmental information.” GOOS is a joint campaign of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, the World Meteorological Organization, the United Nations Environmental Program, and the International Council for Science. GOOS will integrate expanded real‐time in situ and satellite observations with numerical models to form model‐based information products for a multiplicity of societal needs, including scientific research [Stel, 1997].Operational oceanography has become a popular tune without a copyright but with many bandmasters. While Europeans and northeast Asians are moving ahead aggressively with GOOS activities, the United States has been hesitant, lacking in foresight, and awash in planning activities. It is time to ask, What has happened?, What is happening?, and What should happen?
EarthScope: A look into our continent
Authors:   EarthScope Working Group
Published: October 2006

The close of the last millennium brought about rapid advances in seismology, satellite technology, micro‐electronics, computing, oil‐field techniques, and communication and information technology that open new opportunities for Earth scientists to probe our planet with greater precision and efficiency than ever before. In an effort to exploit these technologies, Earth scientists are working with the NSr‐USGS, and NASA to encourage the President and Congress to provide funding for a bold new initiative called EarthScope.EarthScope is conceived as a distributed, multipurpose, state‐of‐the‐art set of linked instruments and observatories that will expand the bservational capabilities of the Earth sciences and bring real‐time data to our desktops. Data streams from these facilities integrated with new and existing geologic data will provide unprecedented opportunities to unravel the structure, evolution, and dynamics of the North American continent, and to better understand earthquakes and fault systems, volcanoes and magmatic processes, and links between tectonics and surficial processes. Following is a synopsis of the proposed EarthScope components.
Drought conditions in U.S. could last through June, say forecasters
Authors: Showstack Randy 
Published: October 2006

U.S. federal forecasters on March 13 indicated that drought conditions in large parts of the country could intensify and persist through June, and that the nation needs to improve its drought readiness and response capabilities.During an average year, droughts cost the U.S. economy more than $6 billion. But 2000 could be worse than average, due to the continued influence of La Niña in the Pacific Ocean that is displacing the position of the jet stream, and the lingering effects of the 1999 drought that include a soil moisture deficit, officials said.
Scientists and planners look for ways to stem future flood disasters in Mozambique
Authors: Showstack Randy 
Published: October 2006

These are the images. A countryside under water. People wading through flooded urban centers. Families gathered on rooftops or clinging to tall tree branches that poke above the rising water as relief workers in helicopters hover to the rescue.After slogging through an extended civil war that ended in 1992, the impoverished country of Mozambique last year actually outpaced much of the world in economic development, with a robust 9% increase in gross domestic product.
U.S EPA science and technology efforts come under scrutiny
Authors: Showstack Randy 
Published: October 2006

Two US. Congressional hearings in mid‐March put the heat on some science and technology efforts of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). First, a March 22 House of Representatives Science Committee hearing focused on EPAs management of a ruling about sludge treatment and disposal. The hearing examined whether the agency has failed to foster sound science, while also allegedly harassing agency whistleblowers and some private citizens.Then, a March 23 House Science Subcommittee hearing scrutinized the fiscal year 2001 budget authorization request for EPAs science and technology budget.
Sleuths break barrier in extrasolar planetology, finding two Saturn‐sized planets
Authors: Showstack Randy 
Published: October 2006

Thirteen years ago, when Geoffrey Marcy and Paul Butler were just starting out on their seemingly quixotic quest to find planets outside of our own solar system, some colleagues laughed off their attempt. They said it was like looking for little green men, recalled Marcy, professor of astronomy at the University of California at Berkeley.“We now know, in hindsight, that looking for planets is an astrophysical pursuit which can be attacked with very, very fine precision and lots of patience,” he said.
Water vapor's role in climate revisited at follow‐up Chapman Conference
Authors: Gaffen Dian J. , Ross Rebecca J. , Gille John 
Published: October 2006

Water vapor is the most significant atmospheric trace constituent vis‐a‐vis climate, atmospheric chemistry, and hydrology. Without water vapor, the most important atmospheric greenhouse gas, the planet's surface temperature would be well below freezing.Water vapor is the prime source of atmospheric hydroxyl radical (OH), which, as an oxidizing agent for many air pollutants, serves as the atmosphere's detergent. The large latent energy associated with water's phase changes significantly affects the vertical stability of the atmosphere, the structure and evolution of storm systems, and the energy balance of the atmosphere.Yet, despite recent advances, some essential aspects of the distribution and variability of atmospheric water vapor are poorly documented, and key areas of uncertainty in our understanding of the climate system and its potential changes hinge on a more complete understanding of the behavior of water vapor.
Science smarts
Authors: Showstack Randy 
Published: October 2006

Saying that America's economic future depends on science and that U.S. schools are not adequately educating students, U.S. Rep.Vernon Ehlers (R‐Mich.) on April 11 introduced three pieces of Congressional legislation to reform science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education for children in kindergarten through grade 12.The National Science Education Act would set up a working group of scientists and educators to investigate the scope, sequence, and content of curricula; the bill also would direct the National Science Foundation to establish a program for experienced teachers to train peers in inquiry‐oriented educational techniques. The National Science Education Enhancement Act would offer professional development opportunities for science and math teachers. The National Science Education Incentive Act would provide tax credits to new science and math teachers and to businesses that provide assistance to local schools.
U.S. unscrambles GPS signals, making them more accurate for scientific and public use
Authors: Showstack Randy 
Published: October 2006

James Baker, administrator for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, announced the read‐out from his hand‐held global positioning system (GPS) device. Ground zero, in this case, he said, was pinpointed at 39°, 24 minutes north, and 77°, 58 minutes west: the White House press briefing room.After years of intentional degradation of GPS location and timing information for national security reasons, Clinton Administration officials—including Baker—on May 1 announced the immediate curtailment of GPS' “selective availability” feature, and the worldwide unscrambling of GPS signals.
First Latin American school in ocean and climate modeling
Authors: Ribbe Joachim 
Published: October 2006

The First Latin American School in Ocean and Climate Modeling is a new initiative by the Program for Regional Studies in Physical Oceanography and Climate (PROFC) at the University of Concepción (UdeC) in Chile. Under the direction of Dr. Joachim Ribbe, the school will be held from Monday, October 16, to Friday, October 27, 2000. The school will bring together graduate students and recent postdoctoral researchers from Latin American countries with internationally leading experts from research institutions and universities in Europe, the United States, and Australia.The objectives of this first school are threefold: (1) to conduct training of Latin American graduate students, postdoctoral students, young academics, and other professionals; (2) to establish a Latin America‐wide network in ocean, atmospheric, and climate modeling; and (3) to develop local expertise in these areas in Chile and the Latin American region. The school aims to integrate the Latin America‐based research capacity into international research networks, and to contribute to the establishment of PROFC/UdeC as a center of expertise in the fields of ocean and climate modeling.
Agencies, organizations examine options for geoscience education during AGU Spring Meeting
Authors: Showstack Randy 
Published: October 2006

Our goal is no less than to induce Earth science education nationally, said Bill Houston, education project manager for the American Geological Institute (AGI), in outlining the organizations efforts to develop reform‐based Earth science curriculum programs.Houston s presentation was part of a special session at the AGU Spring Meeting to highlight efforts by U.S. federal agencies and organizations and one project in Australia to support an integrated approach to geoscience education through a variety of partnerships.
Ecosystem managers can learn from past successes
Authors: Nuttle William K. 
Published: October 2006

Can ecosystem managers rely on mechanistic simulation models to guide their decisions? Regional ecosystem restoration efforts in the United States now resemble the large public works projects of past decades, with similar costs and requirements to foster broad public and political support. Because managers use simulation models to set priorities and regulate human activities, problems with implementing and maintaining these models can derail their best efforts.If the models are perceived as unreliable, the public can reasonably question the validity of these decisions. When problems with the models persist, confidence erodes in the science‐based approach that is widely touted as the solution to increasingly complex and politically charged environmental issues.
Complex faulting confounds earthquake research in the Charlevoix Seismic Zone, Quebec
Authors: Lamontagne Maurice , Keating Pierre , Toutin Thierry 
Published: October 2006

Following every earthquake felt in eastern North America, journalists ask the eternal question, “Which fault is responsible for this earthquake?” In intraplate environments,such as the Charlevoix Seismic Zone (CSZ), Quebec, Canada, a definite answer seldom exists. Seismologists face major difficulties: most earthquakes occur at mid‐crustal depths, the Precambrian basement where most earthquakes occur is geologically complex, and fault locations are poorly known.Fortunately, seismologists receive help from other geoscientific fields and exploration techniques, most notably remote sensing, seismic methods, and potential fields. The integration of these geophysical tools is helping us to better understand the earthquake‐fault connection in the CSZ, which is eastern Canada's most seismically active zone. Most microearthquakes— the type that occur frequently in the CSZ—occur within highly fractured blocks bounded by regional geological faults. Our interpretation is different from the common assumption that earthquakes, independent of their size, occur along regional faults.
The Dirt on the Great Lakes
Authors: Showstack Randy 
Published: October 2006

Over the past 1.8 million years, glaciers have deposited a thick coating of mud, clay, silt, sand, and gravel over four states in the Great Lakes region of the United States.While farms and cities have sprouted there, the lack of knowledge about what underlies the surface has left geologists and planners with less than adequate information that could help with decisions about land use, water resources, and sustainable economic growth, and contribute to a better understanding of geological and environmental hazards.Now, these four states—Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio—have come together with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to propose to Congress a 17‐year, $187 million program to produce detailed, three‐dimensional surficial geologic maps (1:24,000 = scale) and derivative products of nearly 10,000 square kilometers in 17 areas identified as high priority.
Which one is correct, 2000 or 2001? How about 1995?
Authors: Veronis George 
Published: October 2006

Most of the controversy as to whether the third millennium begins on January 1, 2000, or January 1, 2001, is based on relatively straightforward arguments. One group believes that the change from the 1900s to the 2000s determines the appropriate date for the beginning of the third millennium.The other group argues that the numbering of years began with A.D. 1 and adding 2000 years to January 1, makes January 1, 2001, the appropriate beginning of the new millennium. The latter group points to the absence of a year zero (1 B.C. is followed by A.D. 1) as proof that 2001 is the correct year.The controversy is easily resolved by reviewing the way in which the present calendar was established (according to the 15th (1976) edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannicd).There are various religious factors that delayed the development of a reliable Christian calendar. The Eastern and Western Christian churches began to diverge (disagree) almost from the onset of the Christian era. One area of contention was that the Eastern church would calculate the date for Easter each year and pass it on to the Western church. But the method of calculation was jealously guarded.
Congress kicks off Natural Hazards Caucus
Authors: Showstack Randy 
Published: October 2006

A packed room of scientists, government experts, and lobbyists attended a June 21 hearing in Washington, D.C. that marked the first meeting of the recently formed U.S. Congressional Natural Hazards Caucus. The caucus, created to help push legislative efforts in Congress to reduce the risks and costs of natural disasters, already counts 18 U.S. senators as members.The caucus is supported by a working group of scientists and engineering societies, including AGU, and private sector companies.“For far too long, federal, state, and local officials and private agencies have survived with a piecemeal approach to disasters. We can do a better job of preparing for natural disasters and we can do a better job helping innocent victims of hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and other calamities,” said U.S. Senator John Edwards (D‐North Carolina), who co‐chairs the caucus with Senator Ted Stevens (R‐Alaska). Edwards, whose state was ravaged by Hurricane Floyd in 1999, said that from 1977 through 1993, the federal government spent about $120 million for disaster‐related projects, but of that total, less than one‐fourth was spent on mitigating the cost of future natural disasters.
Recognizing AGU contributors
Authors: Anonymous  
Published: October 2006

Voluntary contributions help AGU build for future generations and further the goals of the Union. Members who make these contributions help sustain the Unions outreach activities and build an appreciation of the value of their science.The following groups of supporting members provide both continuing and annual recognition of those who help AGU in this way: Benefactor, a gift of $10,000 or more; Sustaining Member, a gift of $5,000; Life Supporting Member, a gift of $1,200 plus life dues; President's Circle, annual donation of $1,000 or more; Council Circle, annual donation of $500–$999; Leadership Circle, annual gift of $200 — $499.
NSF's Leinen discusses geoscience opportunities, challenges
Authors: Showstack Randy 
Published: October 2006

When Margaret Leinen went house‐hunting in the Washington, D.C. area after being named last year as assistant director for geosciences at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF),her realtor had a global positioning system (GPS) device in the car.That technology is an example of the growing capacities in integrated observing systems, Leinen told an audience at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography on June 30. Leinen said the growth of such systems is at the heart of a revolution leading to new opportunities and capabilities in the geosciences.
Here comes the Sun
Authors: Showstack Randy 
Published: October 2006

One after another, the solar storms keep coming our way, courtesy of the current Solar Maximum, a period of heightened solar activity that could last for several years and is part of the Sun's approximate 11‐year cycle.For example, the U.S. Space Environment Center (SEC) in Boulder, Colorado—which is already ramped up for increased activity due to the “solar max”—issued a July 11 space weather advisory about the occurrence of strong solar flares producing moderate‐tostrong radio blackouts. SEC, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),also forecast a minor radiation storm for later that day in the wake of the flares, and a geomagnetic storm from the associated coronal mass ejection (CME) affecting Earth a few days later. While the CME from that alert was en route on the solar wind, a sunspot group on July 14 produced the largest observed solar radiation storm since 1989, ranking as a strong S3 on NOAA's space weather scales (See Eos, July 18, 2000), according to SEC.