Ask the Scholar
Page 3 of 10
I can add historical knowledge about this page.
Page image
OCR
A Memorandum on the United States Program for the
International Geophysical Year
International Relationships
Scientific Aspects
The fields of science that make up the general discipline of
geophysics and are the subject of the international effort called the
"International Geophysical Year, " are characterized by their global
nature. The chemist and physicist can perform an experiment in a
laboratory, establishing and controlling the conditions of the experi-
ment. In contrast, the laboratory of the geophysicist is the earth
itself, and the experiments are performed largely by nature. The
task confronting the geophysicist is to observe these natural phenomena
with suitable techniques and instruments, on a global basis, if he is
to secure solutions to his problems and to develop adequate understand-
ing, thus providing for the best and most efficient exploration of his
environment. The compelling reasons, therefore, for the world-wide
program include the following: to observe phenomena simultaneously
and to secure geophysical data from all parts of the earth, and to
conduct this effort on a coordinated basis by fields and in space and
time so that the results secured not only by American observers but by
others can be correlated in a technically meaningful and productive
manner.
Historical Background
That problems of a geophysical type could benefit from inter-
national cooperation was recognized in 1882-83 when the First Polar
Year was launched and, again, in 1932-33 when the Second Polar Year
was undertaken. Both of these ventures were limited in space and in
scope: regions of the North Pole were the sole subject of study.
Though the results that accrued were therefore limited (in contrast
to expectations from the current global program), one can cite that a
single area yielded rewards far exceeding expectations: the studies
during the Second Polar Year of the ionosphere, by techniques then
recently developed by two American scientists, gave rise to communi-
cations data that have been estimated to have a value in the hundreds
of millions of dollars.
International Geophysical Year
Several factors led to the proposal of an International Geophysical
Year. The solution to various problems in geophysics requires data
synchronously taken over the earth. Such problems include the better
prediction and perhaps even the eventual control of weather and the
better prediction of radio "weather" needed in modern communications
and navigation. The nature of cosmic rays may be established through
Page data
- Page
- 3
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- 378c79ce62534eec
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 16645592
- Core
- doc
- Type
- document
DTO data
{
"id": "16645592",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/16645592",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "Letter, Detlev Bronk, President of the National Academy of Sciences, to Sherman Adams Proposing the International Geophysical Year, with Attached Memorandum",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/16645592",
"collections": [
"White House Central Files (Eisenhower Administration)",
"Official Files"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/186625/186625_0055_Page_1.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/186625/186625_0055_Page_1.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/186625/186625_0055_Page_1.jpg",
"imageCount": 10,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Context sent to Scholar
Document identity
{
"localId": "16645592",
"label": "Letter, Detlev Bronk, President of the National Academy of Sciences, to Sherman Adams Proposing the International Geophysical Year, with Attached Memorandum",
"core": "doc",
"dtoType": "document",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/16645592"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "16645592",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/16645592",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "Letter, Detlev Bronk, President of the National Academy of Sciences, to Sherman Adams Proposing the International Geophysical Year, with Attached Memorandum",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/16645592",
"collections": [
"White House Central Files (Eisenhower Administration)",
"Official Files"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/186625/186625_0055_Page_1.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/186625/186625_0055_Page_1.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/186625/186625_0055_Page_1.jpg",
"imageCount": 10,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Document source extras
{
"url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/16645592",
"naId": 16645592,
"levelOfDescription": "item",
"productionDates": [
{
"day": 21,
"logicalDate": "1954-04-21",
"month": 4,
"year": 1954
}
],
"recordType": "description",
"ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}
Page context
{
"seq": 3,
"pageIndex": 0,
"type": "photo",
"url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/186625/186625_0055_Page_3.jpg",
"mediaId": "378c79ce62534eec",
"ocrText": "A Memorandum on the United States Program for the\nInternational Geophysical Year\nInternational Relationships\nScientific Aspects\nThe fields of science that make up the general discipline of\ngeophysics and are the subject of the international effort called the\n\"International Geophysical Year, \" are characterized by their global\nnature. The chemist and physicist can perform an experiment in a\nlaboratory, establishing and controlling the conditions of the experi-\nment. In contrast, the laboratory of the geophysicist is the earth\nitself, and the experiments are performed largely by nature. The\ntask confronting the geophysicist is to observe these natural phenomena\nwith suitable techniques and instruments, on a global basis, if he is\nto secure solutions to his problems and to develop adequate understand-\ning, thus providing for the best and most efficient exploration of his\nenvironment. The compelling reasons, therefore, for the world-wide\nprogram include the following: to observe phenomena simultaneously\nand to secure geophysical data from all parts of the earth, and to\nconduct this effort on a coordinated basis by fields and in space and\ntime so that the results secured not only by American observers but by\nothers can be correlated in a technically meaningful and productive\nmanner.\nHistorical Background\nThat problems of a geophysical type could benefit from inter-\nnational cooperation was recognized in 1882-83 when the First Polar\nYear was launched and, again, in 1932-33 when the Second Polar Year\nwas undertaken. Both of these ventures were limited in space and in\nscope: regions of the North Pole were the sole subject of study.\nThough the results that accrued were therefore limited (in contrast\nto expectations from the current global program), one can cite that a\nsingle area yielded rewards far exceeding expectations: the studies\nduring the Second Polar Year of the ionosphere, by techniques then\nrecently developed by two American scientists, gave rise to communi-\ncations data that have been estimated to have a value in the hundreds\nof millions of dollars.\nInternational Geophysical Year\nSeveral factors led to the proposal of an International Geophysical\nYear. The solution to various problems in geophysics requires data\nsynchronously taken over the earth. Such problems include the better\nprediction and perhaps even the eventual control of weather and the\nbetter prediction of radio \"weather\" needed in modern communications\nand navigation. The nature of cosmic rays may be established through"
}