[ursi-commission-g] On ICSU dicussions and emerging issues

[Martin Jarvis]

On ICSU discussions and emerging issues - posted by Martin Jarvis =
(21.1.03)

On 19 December 2002 the Commission-G chair, Christian Hanuise, sent out a =
'Dear Colleagues' request for input regarding the question of the =
URSI-ICSU relationship. Due to the paucity of replies received Christian =
has suggested that I post my comments here on this Commission G forum. I =
hope that, if nothing else, it might provoke some further feedback and =
discussion:

ICSU discussions on emerging issues.

1.	What scientific developments will there be over the next 5-10 =
years with a major impact on the development of science and the needs of =
society?

To be frank here, I don't believe that Commission G, as it currently =
stands, will be seen as an area with major impact over the next 5-10 =
years. Its development in relation to the needs of society are likely to =
be in terms of:
(i)	automated global ionospheric prediction from a globally linked =
array of ionosondes for the military and for countries who still use HF. =
In this case I believe that the societal need is decreasing.
(ii)	space weather predictions for mitigation of damage to space =
technology and humans in space. This will only become a major issue when =
the space industry sees the commercial need for prediction - the evidence =
at the moment seems to be that space weather forecasts are not of great =
interest to commerce.=20
(iii)	Accuracy and reliability of GPS. This is a growing area with both =
the commercial and societal need and, in my view, will be the URSI-G area =
that has greatest societal impact over the next 10 years.

2.	What kinds of collaboration and coordination are required at =
international level in order to ensure these scientific advances are =
successfully utilised to the full extent?

All the above areas are ones where single countries tend to stand alone =
and be reluctant to be seen to come under the umbrella of another =
country's efforts. The coordination should come through truly neutral =
international organisations like URSI and ICSU.

3.	In the light of its mission, what is the unique role that ICSU =
could play in relation to these developments?

See 2 above. One of ICSU's roles is to be interdisciplinary and break the =
barriers of specialisation. Here they may have a role in putting ionospheri=
c research regarding GPS and space weather under a larger umbrella which =
matches societal requirements to knowledge-driven science in order to =
produce the most efficient use of research funds for the whole world =
community.

Looking at the Terms of Reference of the different URSI Commissions it =
seems to me that they are somewhat outdated. I personally believe it would =
be in URSI's interest to move more towards Commissions based on earth =
system science and societal need rather than on the current focussed and =
somewhat exclusive technique-based topic areas. For instance ionospheric =
and space weather phenomena and techniques could come under a remit of =
"The expanding Technosphere" to demonstrate and focus the commission's =
work towards the societal needs of the future - e.g. radio and space =
weather needs of spacecraft, aerospace planes, nanosatellites and global =
GPS networks etc.=20




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Dr. Martin J. Jarvis                    =20
Principal Investigator - Geospace Atmosphere Transfer Functions
British Antarctic Survey            =20
Madingley Road                       =20
Cambridge CB3 0ET                   TEL: +44 1223 221548
United Kingdom                          FAX: +44 1223 221226 =20
                =20
Email: m.jarvis@bas.ac.uk
BAS web site: www.antarctica.ac.uk                          =20
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