xxth GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IUGG VIENNA (AUSTRIA)

IAGA NEWS N0.29
scientists throughout the world to adhere to, or
associate with, international scientific activity in
accordance with the Statutes of the ICSU. Vilas' account
was welcomed by the Executive Committee .
International Laboratory of Numerical Electromagnetic
Modelling [ILONEM]: Gough brought to the Executive
Committee's attention · that there were problems looming
in assuring continuing funding of ILONEM. The Executive
Committee welcomed the report on the activity of ILONEM
and agreed that it was a valuable international
resource, noting in particular the widespread
international use of the facilities. The Executive
Committee endorsed an approach to UNESCO to seek the
necessary funding.
International Equatorial Electrojet Year [IEEY]: The
President reported that SCOSTEP was setting up the
International Equatorial Thermosphere Study [lETS],
under the chairmanship of Professor K D Cole, and this
could well have a favourable impact on the execution of
the IEEY. Schmucker agreed to give advice to the
InterDivisional Commission on Developing Countries on
approaching international funding agencies. The
Executive Committee welcomed the acti vi tes in the IEEY
and urged the organizers to ensure that there was a full
and free circulation of information about the operations
within IEEY to avoid inappropriate duplication of
effort.
Accuracy of digital geomagnetic data: Sugiura drew to
the attention of the Executive Committee that there can
be serious problems in the application of 11 informatics 11
to the harvesting of geomagnetic data. These data are
not necessarily more reliable than analogue data because
it may take time to recognise, for example, that there
are persistent baseline errors in determination of D t.
With the rapid dissemination of data through publicatfon
in compact or optical disc form, the error may become
embedded in the global data base which a later
correction does not reach. Rapid entry of data into data
bases carries risks which may not be given as much
weight as they ought to have. Sugiura agreed to write on
this matter in IAGA News.
Vote of thanks to the Geophysical Institute, Prague:
Finally, The President thanked the Director and staff of
the Institute who had made the Executive Committe e
meeting possible, pleasant, and, through the Institute
staff's meticulous attention to detail, effective. In
particular, the special efforts made by Dr Tomas
Zelinka, Dr Eduard Petrovsky and Madame Hana Prochazkova
were emphasized by the Executive Committee in passing
the President's resolution with acclamation. [See the
inside front cover of this issue of IAGA News.]
12