HR: 08:00h
AN: U21A-01 INVITED     [PDF]
TI: Moving Beyond IGY: An Electronic Geophysical Year (eGY) Concept
AU: * Baker, D N
EM: daniel.baker@lasp.colorado.edu
AF: D.N. Baker, LASP/Univ. of Colorado 1234 Innovation Drive, Boulder, CO 80303-7814 United States
AU: Barton, C E
EM: charles.barton@ga.gov.au
AF: C.E. Barton, POB 5414, Kingston, ACT 2604 Australia
AU: Rodger, A S
EM: A.Rodger@bas.ac.uk
AF: A.S. Rodger, Brit. Antarctic Survey Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET United Kingdom
AU: Thompson, B J
EM: Barbara.J.Thompson@nasa.gov
AF: B.J. Thompson, NASA/GSFC Code 682, Greenbelt, MD 20771 United States
AU: Fraser, B
EM: brian.fraser@newcastle.edu.au
AF: B. Fraser, Space Physics Group Univ. of Newcastle University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308 Australia
AU: Papitashvili, V
EM: papita@umich.edu
AF: V. Papitashvili, SPRL/Univ of Michigan 2455 Hayward St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-8033 United States
AB: During the International Geophysical Year (1957-1958), member countries established many new geophysical observatories pursuing the major IGY objectives - to collect geophysical data as widely as possible and to provide free access to these data for all scientists around the globe. Today, geophysics has attained a rather good understanding within traditional regions, i.e., the atmosphere, ionosphere, magnetosphere, and other such geospheres. At the same time, it has become clear that much of the new and important science is coming from the studies of interfaces and coupling between geospheres. Thus, if geophysical data are made `'transparently'' available to a much wider range of scientists and students than to those who do the observations, then new and exciting discoveries can be expected. An International Association of Geomagnetic and Aeronomy (IAGA) task force, recognizing that a key achievement of the IGY was the establishment of a worldwide system of data centers and physical observatories, proposes that for the 50th anniversary of IGY, the worldwide scientific community should endorse and promote an {\it electronic Geophysical Year (eGY)} initiative. The proposed {\it eGY} concept would both commemorate the IGY in 2007-2008 and provide a forward impetus to geophysics in 21st century, similar to that provided by the IGY fifty years ago. The IAGA task force strongly advocates: (1) Securing permission and release of existing data; (2) Creating access to information; and (3) Conversion of relevant analog data to digital form. The {\it eGY} concept embraces all available and upcoming geophysical data (e.g., atmospheric, ionospheric, geomagnetic, gravity, etc.) through the establishment of a series of {\it virtual geophysical observatories} now being `'deployed'' in cyberspace. The {\it eGY} concept is modern, global, and timely; it is attractive, pragmatic, and affordable. The {\it eGY} is based on the existing and continually developing computing/networking technologies (e.g., XML, Semantic Web, etc.) and international cyber infrastructure. Moreover, the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) has supported the {\it eGY} concept, which can smoothly be incorporated into various existing `'International Year'' initiatives - such as the International Polar Year, International Heliophysical Year, or International Year of the Planet Earth.
DE: 0399 General or miscellaneous
DE: 1699 General or miscellaneous
DE: 1899 General or miscellaneous
DE: 2799 General or miscellaneous
SC: U
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting