International Geophysical Year

The International Geophysical Year ( IGY ) (English: International Geophysical Year ( IGY ), French, offic: Année de Géophysique International (AGI ) ) was a - agreed on the basis of international agreement - the period from 1 July 1957 to 31 Dezember 1958., the time was used for global research in all fields of geophysics, including solar research, seismology, glaciology, geomagnetism, meteorology, oceanography, ionosphere, cosmic rays.

The IGY provided a continuation of the two International Polar Years 1882/1883 and 1932/1933 is, but was not limited to the polar regions and therefore required a significant organization, was determined to be the Secretary General of the Belgian Marcel Nicolet.

At the conclusion of the IGY, scientists from over 67 countries had involved, only the People's Republic of China refused to ( as a protest against the participation of Taiwan). Both the Soviet Union ( Sputnik ) and the USA ( Vanguard project) had launched programs to introduce artificial satellite in Earth orbit, one during the term of the project.

History

At the beginning of the 1950s, the idea came up 25 years after the last polar year and about 75 years after the first IPY launch a new Polar Year. The initiative of some American and British scientists reached that the company was extended to the entire globe: geophysical rather polar. For this objective was ICSU (International Scientific Council ) then the green light. Under the leadership of the International Council of Scientific Unions ( ICSU, today: International Council for Science, see: International Science ): Année de Géophysique International (AGI, the extensive preparations in the course of the project the name International Geophysical Year, officially commenced, ) received.

Improve international cooperation

Because previously, as a result of the Cold War, the international exchange of geophysical data is concentrated unusual and for some (eg meteorological ) data was even completely suppressed, the IGY marked a breakthrough in favor of the freedom of science. The decisive factor was that was allowed only after Joseph Stalin's death the Soviet Academy of Sciences to participate fully in this worldwide company - what they then did with all his strength. The IGY marked the beginning of a continuous phase closest geoscientific cooperation in many new international projects. The exchange rules of the IGY were accepted by all major States ( with the exception of the People's Republic of China, who believed because of the membership of Taiwan, not being able to participate ). In order to allow for easy data exchange, have been established for a number of disciplines World Data Centres (WDC 's ), most of which have become permanent.

Antarctic Treaty

Not least, the IGY was also an attempt on the part of science to stop the race to national appropriation in Antarctica. He eventually led to the Antarctic Treaty, in which the scientific interest as a priority.

Launch of the first satellite

In the program of the whole globe, but also the adjacent space should be explored, as the progress of rocketry this is now allowed. The U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was on July 29, 1955 to announce that he will give as a national contribution of the United States an earth satellite in order. During the Cold War, this was of course a challenge to the Soviet Union, which also announced four days later to try to launch a satellite, and then the United States forestalled with Sputnik 1. The desire for more information about the upper atmosphere played a major role. The period was chosen so that it would fall into a period of increased solar activity.

Supporters

In the preparation and implementation of the project existing international scientific unions were involved, particularly strong, the International Astronomical Union ( IAU) and the International Union of Radio Science ( URSI ). First promoters of the global opening of the project were the radio scientists Lloyd Berkner frequent and Dana Bailey, supported by geomagneticist Sydney Chapman. Due to an East-West agreement of the Belgian Marcel Nicolet was appointed Secretary General. According to the company financial statements King Baudouin I. raised him to the peerage.

Achievements

For some part sciences internationally binding rules for data extraction were in preparation for the IGY first established, for example, for the Ionospheric still valid instructions by William Roy Piggott and Karl Rawer. Only since this data has become internationally comparable.

With the support of IGY Charles David Keeling was able to perform measurements for the first time, provided evidence for man-made hitherto hypothetical Global Warming with the Keeling curve under the direction of Roger Revelle.

Anniversary

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the International Geophysical Year, during 2007 International Physical Helio year instead. 2008 was declared the International Year of Planet Earth.

Trivia

The U.S. musician Donald Fagen dedicated to the IGY the persiflierende, named similarly to the English abbreviation song IGY on his album The Nightfly in 1982.