Dear All,
I have drafted a two-part submission on behalf of the British Geophysical
Association in response to the House of Commons Committee for Innovation,
Universities, Science and Skills consultation on geo-engineering
(see www.parliament.uk/ius). I am specifically leaving the "sharp end" of
applied geophysics to the EIGG to cover in their response.
The second part of my draft is a precis of the Khan report (2006) on
geophysics education in the UK.
The first part is where I should like some further input. My initial idea
was to enlighten the MPs on the committee as to geophysics as a _predictive_
science required at the preliminary stage to any geoengineering project.
The political point that I found at the end of this hook was the NEED FOR
LONG-TERM DATASETS (and hence the problems with organising and funding their
collection).
My own current experience is in global seismology, where Alan Douglas
published an article in A&G in 2001 about the then-imminent demise of the UKNET
broadband seismometer network. There have been articles in Eos about
the loss of streamflow gauging stations in the USA. I am not sufficiently
familiar with the literature (if there is any) on specifically UK
problems with loss/lack of continuity of geophysical data, and I wonder if
anyone on this list with UK experience can give me examples (preferably with
references) of lost or threatened data streams, or of inability to
set up long-term monitoring because of short duration of grants
or similar constraints on which political will could be brought to bear.
Or - you can tell me that I am wasting my time with this and suggest
a different punch line that I should adopt for this political approach.
Please let me have suggestions as soon as possible because the deadline
is in early September, and August has limited opportunities.
Regards,
Sheila.
|