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Celebrating 50th Anniversary of International Geophysical Year

Date: March 24, 2004
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Science


CELEBRATING 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF INTERNATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL YEAR (IGY) AND SUPPORTING AN INTERNATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL YEAR-2 (IGY-2) IN 2007-08 -- (House of Representatives - March 24, 2004)

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 189) celebrating the 50th anniversary of the International Geophysical Year (IGY) and supporting an International Geophysical Year-2 (IGY-2) in 2007-08, as amended.

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Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 189.

The first International Geophysical was held from July 1957 to December 1958. It was modeled after the successful International Polar Year of 1882 and its 50th anniversary in 1932. The International Geophysical Year allowed over 60,000 scientists from 67 countries around the world to take part in a series of coordinated observations of various geophysical phenomena.

I remember it well because I was reading about the IGY that sparked my interest in science and set me toward a career in physics that I pursued before coming to Congress.

The scientific activities spanned the globe from the North to the South Poles. In particular, the research in the Antarctic yielded new estimates of the Earth's total ice content-a number of extreme importance given today's melting of major glaciers due to global warming. In addition, instruments to record cosmic rays, spectroscopes to analyze the signals, and balloons were put to use to explore the upper reaches of the atmosphere. Finally, post-World War II developments in rocketry made possible the exploration of space employing what was then the exciting new technology of artificial scientific satellites with the launching of Sputnik and Vanguard.

Because 2007 will be the 50th anniversary of this most exciting worldwide scientific undertaking, I wholeheartedly support H. Con. Res 189 for celebrating 2007 as the International Geophysical Year--2 and recommend that Congress, as in 1957, promote world-wide cooperation in the commemoration of the International Geophysical Year--2 with scientific activities so that we humans can better understand our environment and our place in the universe.

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