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    "localId": "16645342",
    "label": "Article, \"The United States Program for the International Geophysical Year,\" by Joseph Kaplan, Chairman, United States National Committee, International Geophysical Year, March-April 1954",
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    "title": "Article, \"The United States Program for the International Geophysical Year,\" by Joseph Kaplan, Chairman, United States National Committee, International Geophysical Year, March-April 1954",
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        "News Report of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council, Volume IV, March-April 1954, Number 2"
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    "ocrText": "NEWS REPORT\nNational Academy of Sciences\nNational Research Council\nVOLUME IV\nMarch-April 1954\nNUMBER 2\nThe United States Program\nfor the\nInternational Geophysical Year\nJOSEPH KAPLAN\nChairman, United States National Committee, International Geophysical Year\nPROGRESS has x0F68-C been made in developing\nprogram document to be submitted by\nthe program of geophysical observations to\nMay 15 to the Secretary-General of the\nbe carried out during the years 1957-58 as\nSpecial Committee set up by the Inter-\npart of the many-nation cooperative under-\nnational Council of Scientific Unions. This\ntaking known as the International Geophys-\nSpecial Committee will meet in Rome,\nical Year (IGY). A Coordinating Group,\nOctober 1-4, to consider all the national\nappointed by the United States National\nproposals.\nCommittee last November (See NEWS RE-\nIt is apparent at this time that an ap-\nPORT, Vol. III, No. 6), convened on January\npreciable and significant United States\n14 and 15 and prepared drafts of the various\nprogram is fast taking shape. Ten fields of\nprograms that might be undertaken by the\nactivity have been chosen for the IGY:\nUnited States.\n1) meteorology, 2) latitude and longitude\nBased on these drafts, a tentative\ndeterminations, 3) geomagnetism, 4) the\nprogram-budget document was prepared\nionosphere, 5) aurora and airglow, 6) solar\nand submitted to the National Science\nactivity, 7) cosmic rays, 8) glaciology, 9)\nBoard on January 19 in the hope that the\noceanography, and 10) rocket exploration\nNational Science Foundation would under-\nof the upper atmosphere. The general na-\ntake the securing of funds. Since then the\nture of the proposed activities in each of\nCoordinating Group, members of the Com-\nthese fields is suggested by the following\nmittee, the Administrative Secretary, and\nsummaries.\nvarious scientific colleagues have been en-\n1) Meteorology. The meteorological pro-\ngaged in the revision of this provisional\ngram is designed to produce significant\ndocument, which is essentially fiscal. The\ndata in three areas-the lower atmosphere\nmeeting of the Committee on April 8 and\nin the Northern Hemisphere, where exist-\n9 was devoted to a review of these drafts\ning stations will provide data in their\nand the preparation of the United States\nnormal course of operation; the lower at-\n[17]\nmosphere of the Southern Hemisphere,\ntions. Special rapid-run magnetographs\nwhere some key stations will be established\nwill be employed at seven observatories,\nfor the IGY; and the upper atmosphere,\nand apparatus for the study of magnetic\nfrom which data will be obtained in the\noscillations in the 1-10,000 cycles-per-\nrocket program. Three pole-to-pole world\nsecond range will be installed at four ob-\nlines are proposed for the IGY. The\nservatories. Two observatories will be set\nUnited States line is the 80th meridian west\nup in the Antarctic, and a semiautomatic\nwhich now terminates in Panama and\nstation will be installed at Jarvis Island in\nwhich will be extended to the South Pole\nthe Pacific, which is near the junction of\nthrough eight additional stations. The sta-\nthe magnetic and geographic equators.\ntions in the Antarctic-at the South Pole,\n4) Ionosphere. Studies of the ionosphere\nLittle America, and 80° S., 120° W.-will\nwill be carried out in Arctic and Antarctic\nprovide data from this relatively unknown\nregions as well as the mid-latitudes of the\nmeteorological region which may exercise\nNorthern and Southern Hemispheres. Em-\na disproportionately great impact on world\nphasis will be placed on vertical incidence\nweather. The data from these stations will\nand scatter soundings, while some work\nbe useful in transport problems; in de-\nalso will be done on ionospheric motions\nterminations of the location, strength, and\nand particle dynamics. Vertical incidence\nmovement of various jet streams; and in\nsounding stations will be established where\nthe study of the possible interdependence\nmajor gaps exist in the chain of ionospheric\nof the atmospheric circulations of both\nstations extending from pole to pole. To\nhemispheres.\nsupplement the specific but geographically\n2) Longitude and latitude. Highly pre-\nrestricted data provided by vertical inci-\ncise longitude and latitude measurements\ndence measurements, fixed-frequency and\ncan now be made by the Markowitz tech-\nmultifrequency scatter sounding stations\nnique of direct photography of the moon\nwill be established at some twelve sites.\nand stars nearby. With international co-\nThese will yield less specific but spatially\noperation it thus becomes possible for the\nextensive data.\nfirst time during the IGY to triangulate\n5) Aurora and Airglow. Four principal\nthe whole earth. Observations are planned\nproblems in this field will be studied: a)\nfor more than fifteen stations over the\nairglow latitude intensity profile; b)\nearth. The resulting data will yield\naurora latitude spectrum and frequency\nlongitudes and latitudes at all stations and,\nprofile; c) auroral longitude spectrum, fre-\nwith the use of existing geodetic nets, the\nquency, and continuity profile; and d)\nexact distance in miles between all stations\nNorthern-Southern Hemisphere correla-\ncan be determined with a precision of 90\ntions. Visual synoptic data will be col-\nfeet. The new technique adds greatly to\nlected through a network of 30 stations in\nthe precision with which changes in the\nthe United States and Alaska. The motions\nspeed of the rotation of the earth can be\nof charged particles at auroral heights and\nmeasured, and the observational material\nthe absorption of interstellar radio waves\nobtained for the geodetic program may be\npassing through the aurora will be studied\nexpected to shed new light on the inner\nusing radio astronomic techniques. A net-\nconstitution of the earth.\nwork of 17 stations will be concerned with\n3) Geomagnetism. Magnetic storms and\nradio reflections from the aurora, and 26\nother little understood transient effects are\nstations will form a spectrographic patrol,\nthe chief objectives of the program in\nphotographing the distinctive radiation\ngeomagnetism. Two temporary observ-\nemitted by the aurora and airglow.\natories will be established at Big Delta\nRoach-type photometers will be used at a\nand McKinley Park in Alaska, which to-\nnumber of stations in both the Northern\ngether with the one at College, Alaska, will\nand Southern Hemispheres to scan the sky\nform a tripartite array for the recording of\nand measure the intensity of airglow.\nelectric currents characteristic of the\n6) Solar Activity. Flare patrols are in\nauroral zone. Magnetic field gradients will\noperation at some five American and fifteen\nbe studied at College and two outpost sta-\nforeign observatories. It is important that\n[18]\nevery solar flare be observed and recorded\ndata from the high polar plateau at the\nfor correlation with geomagnetic, iono-\nSouth Pole.\nspheric, auroral, and cosmic ray variations\n9) Oceanography. Tide gauges, surge\nand disturbances. This will require addi-\nrecorders, and similar automatic recording\ntional observers and coordination among\ndevices will be installed at some forty sites\nthe various observatories. Several special\nin the Southern Hemisphere, Antarctica, and\nstudies also will be made, such as the\nat islands in the Pacific. The data collected\ndetermination of the light intensity of solar\nwill represent valuable additions to those\nflares by measurements of the red line\navailable from existing stations. A second\nemitted by hydrogen atoms and observa-\nmajor area of activity during the IGY will\ntions of the inner part of the corona using\nbe the study of the sub-Antarctic waters.\na special white-light photometer. One of\nThe structure and dynamics of currents, as\nthe immediate uses to which solar flares\nwell as other aspects of this oceanic region,\nwill be put during the IGY has to do with\nwill be explored intensively between 30°\nthe Warning Service Program. While\nand 60° south latitude. Four oceanographic\nregularly planned measurements will go on\nresearch vessels are expected to participate\nduring the IGY period, it is especially im-\nin the study; and, while the Antarctic\nportant that experiments be conducted\nCircumpolar Current will be the major\nsimultaneously throughout the world during\ntopic, associated experiments in obtaining\nperiods of unusual solar activity. The\nsubmarine profiles, sediment cores, mag-\nWarning Service will collect data from all\nnetic fields, plankton samples, and seismic\nfields and will broadcast the onset or pres-\nstudies will be undertaken.\nence of unusual geophysical effects-solar\n10) Rocket Exploration. Rockoons (small\nflares, magnetic storms, ionospheric fade-\nballoon-launched rockets) and Airobee\nouts, and blackouts, etc.-signaling the ob-\nrockets will be launched from sites in New\nservers to proceed with their special pre-\nMexico, Greenland, Canada, and Alaska.\nestablished studies.\nEach rocket will carry a variety of instru-\n7) Cosmic Rays. The program calls for\nments to measure a large number of such\nthe investigation of three types of prob-\nphenomena and quantities as atmospheric\nlems: a) exploration of the variations in\npressure, temperature and density, mag-\nmass and energy of primary and cosmic\nnetic fields, night and day airglow, ultra-\nradiation; b) exploration of the variations\nviolet light and X-rays, auroral particles,\nin cosmic radiation with both altitude and\nozone distribution, ionospheric charge\nlatitude; and c) investigations of the long-\ndensities, and cosmic radiation. These\ntime fluctuations in the neutron component\ndirect results will be integrated and cor-\nof cosmic rays. Some 130 balloon flights\nrelated with the large bodies of indirect\nare planned for six sites in the Northern\ndata provided by other techniques in the\nand Southern Hemispheres, fixed high alti-\nrelevant geophysical fields. The launching\ntude stations will be used, and aircraft\nof rockets at special times (World Days)\nflights are planned at constant altitudes\nof unusual solar or magnetic activity (or\nalong a longitudinal meridian.\nquiet) should be particularly fruitful.\n8) Glaciology. Four studies are contem-\nIt can be seen from the brief review of\nplated, two in the Northern Hemisphere\nthis United States program that the IGY\nand two in the Antarctic. One study is\nwill attempt, at least in part, to supplement\nexpected to be concentrated in the vicinity\nwith short-time geophysical observations\nof the Juneau Ice Field Project of the\nmade over as much of the surface of the\nAmerican Geographical Society. Studies of\nearth as practicable the present long-time\nportions of the Ice Cap and fringe area in\nprograms on which most of modern geo-\nGreenland will be undertaken in coopera-\nphysics is based. It is hoped that prior to\ntion with Danish scientists associated with\nthe meetings of several scientific groups in\nthe IGY. In the Antarctic, a group will\nEurope during the summer of 1954 all\nstudy the Ross Shelf and survey the 400-\ninterested scientists will give the United\nmile front of this glacial feature, while\nStates National Committee the benefit of\nanother group will secure glaciological\ntheir comments, criticisms, and suggestions.\n[19]\nTHE INTERNATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL YEAR, 1957-1958\n(Organized by the International Council of Scientific Unions)\nThe National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council, which adheres to the\nInternational Council of Scientific Unions on behalf of the United States, is responsible for\ndeveloping the program of geophysical observations to be carried out by the United States during\nthe International Geophysical Year. To discharge this responsibility, the Chairman of the National\nResearch Council in February 1953 appointed a United States National Committee composed of\nscientists representing the various fields of geophysics. The program summarized in the preceding\npages was prepared by this Committee.\nUNITED STATES NATIONAL COMMITTEE\nINTERNATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL YEAR\nJOSEPH KAPLAN, University of California,\nE. B. ROBERTS, U. S. Coast and Geodetic\nChairman\nSurvey\nA. H. SHAPLEY, National Bureau of Standards,\nPAUL A. SIPLE, Department of the Army\nVice Chairman\nA. F. SPILHAUS, University of Minnesota\nN. C. GERSON, Air Force Cambridge Research\nMERLE A. TUVE, Carnegie Institution of Wash-\nCenter, Recording Secretary\nington\nL. H. ADAMS, Carnegie Institution of Wash-\nA. L. WASHBURN, Dartmouth College\nington\nEx-officio Members:\nH. G. BOOKER, Cornell University\nLYMAN J. BRIGGS, National Geographic Society\nWALLACE W. ATWOOD, JR., National Academy\nof Sciences\nG. M. CLEMENCE, U.S. Naval Observatory\nLLOYD V. BERKNER, Associated Universities,\nC. T. ELVEY, Geophysical Institute, Alaska\nInc.\nJOHN A. FLEMING, American Geophysical\nWILLIAM W. RUBEY, National Research Coun-\nUnion\ncil\nLAWRENCE M. GOULD, Carleton College\nH. K. STEPHENSON, National Science Founda-\nF. W. REICHELDERFER, U. S. Weather Bureau\ntion, Liaison Representative\nAdministrative Secretary: HUGH ODISHAW\nPROGRAM COORDINATION GROUP\nH. G. BOOKER, Cornell University, Ionospheric\nS. B. NICHOLSON, Mount Wilson Observatory,\nphysics\nSolar activity\nG. M. CLEMENCE, U. S. Naval Observatory,\nE. B. ROBERTS, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Sur-\nLongitude and latitude\nvey, Geomagnetism\nC. T. ELVEY, Geophysical Institute, Alaska,\nA. H. SHAPLEY, National Bureau of Standards,\nAurora and airglow\nWorld days\nW. O. FIELD, American Geographical Society,\nE. H. SMITH, Woods Hole Oceanographic In-\nGlaciology\nstitution, Oceanography\nS. A. KORFF, New York University, Cosmic\nJ. A. VAN ALLEN, Princeton University, Rocket\nrays\nexploration of the upper atmosphere\nHARRY WEXLER, U.S. Weather Bureau, Meteorology\nHEADQUARTERS OF USA NATIONAL COMMITTEE\nInquiries and communications relating to the United States program for the International\nGeophysical Year should be addressed to the Administrative Secretary, USA National Com-\nmittee, IGY, National Academy of Sciences, 2101 Constitution Avenue, Washington 25, D. C."
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