Geophysical Year definition of Geophysical Year in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

International Geophysical Year (IGY), 18-month period from July, 1957, through Dec., 1958, during a period of maximum sunspot activity, designated for cooperative study of the solar-terrestrial environment by the scientists of 67 nations. The only prior combined international scientific efforts took place during the Polar Years of 1882 and 1932. Discoveries were made in the fields of cosmic ray cosmic rays, charged particles moving at nearly the speed of light reaching the earth from outer space. Primary cosmic rays consist mostly of protons (nuclei of hydrogen atoms), some alpha particles (helium nuclei), and lesser amounts of nuclei of carbon, nitrogen,
..... Click the link for more information. research, climatology, oceanography oceanography, study of the seas and oceans. The major divisions of oceanography include the geological study of the ocean floor (see plate tectonics ) and features; physical oceanography, which is concerned with the physical attributes of the ocean water, such as
..... Click the link for more information. , and the nature of the earth's atmosphere atmosphere [Gr.,=sphere of air], the mixture of gases surrounding a celestial body with sufficient gravity to maintain it. Although some details about the atmospheres of other planets and satellites are known, only the earth's atmosphere has been well studied, the
..... Click the link for more information. and magnetic field field, in physics, region throughout which a force may be exerted; examples are the gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields that surround, respectively, masses, electric charges, and magnets. The field concept was developed by M.
..... Click the link for more information. . Earth satellites (see satellite, artificial satellite, artificial, object constructed by humans and placed in orbit around the earth or other celestial body (see also space probe ). The satellite is lifted from the earth's surface by a rocket and, once placed in orbit, maintains its motion without further
..... Click the link for more information. ) launched by the United States discovered the Van Allen radiation belts Van Allen radiation belts, two belts (sometimes considered as a single belt of varying intensity) of radiation outside the earth's atmosphere, extending from c.400 to c.40,000 mi (c.650–c.65,000 km) above the earth.
..... Click the link for more information. , the influx of charged solar particles detected believed to be responsible for northern and southern polar auroras. Soundings of the world's oceans revealed new information about the physical features on the ocean floor. Seismically active rifts along the summits of mid-oceanic ridges were identified. IGY scientists conducted extensive studies of deep ocean currents and developed better gravity measurements for mineral exploration. The major programs of IGY were continued from Jan., 1958, to Jan., 1959, as the International Geophysical Cooperation. Also connected to IGY was the International Years of the Quiet Sun, an international cooperative program during 1964 to 1965, that focused on solar-terrestrial phenomena during a quiet sun, or near sunspot minimum. The IGY was the largest and most important international scientific effort to that date. One of its many later ramifications was the setting aside of Antarctica as a nonmilitary region to be used for international scientific purposes alone. Antarctica has become a base for collecting meteorological data, including information on the presence and effects of moisture, carbon dioxide, and electrified particles on the atmosphere, and the general circulation of the atmosphere.

Bibliography

See S. Chapman, IGY: Year of Discovery (1960); W. Sullivan, Assault on the Unknown (1961); J. T. Wilson, IGY: The Year of the New Moons (1961).

International Geophysical Year (redirected from Geophysical Year)

Bibliography

International Geophysical Year
(redirected from Geophysical Year)