Tectonostratigraphic Terranes of the Circumpacific Region

Eos, Vol. 69, No. 3, January 19, 1988 In Memoriam sor and pioneer in the study of acid rain, Newton Stone of Cathedral City, Calif., a died on December 27, 1987, in Hanover, member of the AGU Atmospheric Sciences William H. Beatty HI, a member of the N.H. He had been a member of AGU since Section since 1950, died on November 21, AGU Ocean Sciences Section since 1973, died 1963. 1987. at 41 in June 1987. John Roehl, an AGU member from Myrde Steven Zarbin, 46, a member of the Tecton- Noye Johnson, a Dartmouth geology profes- Beach, S.C., died on August 29, 1987. ophysics Section since 1969, died recently. Books History of British Space States, the development of guided missile sys more permanent post-IGY organization and tems in Britain involved many military orga for defining what was to be done on a nation Science nizations, in the latter case including the Roy al basis and how to take advantage of interna al Aircraft Establishment (RAE) at Farnbor- tional opportunities that might arise. Espe PAGE 33 ough, the Admiralty, the Ministry of Supply, cially important was the prospect of pursuing Woolwich Arsenal, and the Armament Re bilateral cooperative agreements with the new Harrie Massey and M. O. Robins, Cambridge search and Development establishment. Brit U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Admin University Press, New York, xxi + 514 pp., ish industry was also deeply involved, as were istration (NASA) and eventually joining with 1986. other Commonwealth countries. Most nota other European countries in their efforts to bly, a test range was established near Woom- pool their resources to provide European sci Reviewed by Allan A. Needell era, Australia. entists with independent capabilities for re On May 13, 1953, as H. S. W. Massey (born Gradually the RAE assumed a leadership search using advanced technology. Harrie Stewart Wilson Massey) was leaving and coordinating role in the development of The earliest of the bilateral programs was his office to take part in the annual cricket rocketry in Britain. Its Controlled Weapons the agreement that NASA would launch the match between the staff and students of the Department (later the Guided Weapons De Ariel satellites, whose instrumentation was University College London physics depart partment), led by D. G. King-Hele, began de British. The European efforts gave rise first ment, he received a fateful telephone call velopment in 1953—1955 of what would be to the European Launch Vehicle Develop from an official at the Ministry of Supply. Ac come the British Skylark scientific sounding ment Organization (ELDO) and the Europe cording to Massey, the official asked whether rocket. At the same time, spurred on by con an Space Research Organization (ESRO), he would be interested in using ministry sup tact with the American Rocket Research pan which were organizational forerunners of the plied rockets for scientific research. "Without el and an international conference on rocket current European Space Agency (ESA). Mas hesitation he said 'yes' and this really marked research held at Oxford in 1954, British sci sey recounts these efforts in detail from his the beginning of the British scientific rocket entists — most notably Massey and his col unique perspective. programme," (p. 17). leagues at University College London and For the U.S. reader, viewing the evolution Sir Harrie Massey died on November 27, elsewhere — began to explore ways in which of space science from the vantage of the lead 1983. In addition to an extraordinary scien they might use rockets to further their re ing British participant aids in sorting out cer tific career, and a career as a senior states search on atmospheric chemistry, optical phe tain ways in which seemingly inevitable orga man of British science, Massey also left be nomena in the atmosphere, radio propaga nizational and institutional arrangements in hind an essentially completed manuscript de tion, and winds at high altitude. fact reflect specific national contexts. For the voted to chronicling the major events and Of course, it immediately became apparent historian, understanding how special contexts accomplishments of British space science. that the funds required for rocket research determined special arrangements is a central The book project, according to M. O. Robins were far greater than those available to exist issue. It is only to be lamented that this con (Massey's coauthor and a pioneer in British ing departments and research groups and tribution does not provide more critical and rocketry and space science in his own right) that a mechanism for coordinating the scien explicit evaluation of its sources or the results was conceived in 1978. In 1981 the authors tific use of rockets and for obtaining govern of careful, creative digging for additional evi received a commission from the British Sci ment support had to be created. The mecha dence and documentation. This book is, after ence and Engineering Research Council nism used was the committee structure of the all, a memoir dedicated to putting on the re (SERC). The present volume is the result. Royal Society, specifically the Gassiot Com cord the facts as they were experienced by its Leaving aside for the moment considerable mittee, the long-standing advisory committee authors. It does succeed. The historical re difficulties that arise for historians because of of the Royal Society devoted to meteorologi search that is yet to be done will certainly the authors' failure to adequately cite or de cal and geomagnetic researches. Early in build upon what is presented here. scribe their extensive unpublished source ma 1955 a new subcommittee of the Gassiot com Allan A. Needell is with the National Air and terial, the volume provides a review of the mittee was established to advise the full com Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washing scientific and technical issues and the organi mittee on upper atmosphere research using ton, D.C. zational and political debates surrounding the rockets. exploitation by Massey and his colleagues While the Skylark program developed, Tectonostratigraphic (primarily at British universities) of rocket, leading to successful flights from the Woom- satellite, and space probe technology. It pro era test range beginning in late 1957, U.K. Terranes of the Circum- vides a fascinating and important perspective, scientists actively participated in several as one different enough from the American pects of the International Geophysical Year. Pacific Region view to help provide insight into the rapidly A special National Committee for the IGY changing post-World War II relationships was set up by the Royal Society in 1953. In PAGES 33, 37 between science, economics, and politics — addition to participating in meteorological both national and international. and rocket programs, British scientists were David G. Howell (Ed.), Earth-Science Ser., vol. During the 1950s in Britain, as in the Unit interested in the research potential of Earth- 1, Circum-Pacific Council for Energy and ed States, there were already a number of sci orbiting satellites whose launch was predicted Mineral Resources, Houston, Tex., ix + 581 entists, primarily those interested in the iono by both the United States and the Soviet pp. (+ color map), 1985, $32.00. sphere, whose research work could be signifi- Union. However, because British scientists candy aided by rocket and space research had no access to the actual satellites, they Reviewed by Rob Van der Voo techniques. In Britain, which in the 19th cen concentrated on the potential of tracking the tury had been a leader in the development of satellites in orbit, using both active and pas Have you always wondered where the Tu- military rockets, the technology was made sive methods. Such tracking provided impor junga, Baldy, and Cortez terranes might be available only when scientists recognized the tant data on Earth's gravitational field and on located today, let alone during the Cretaceous potential of using the guided missile systems radio propagation through the ionosphere. or early Tertiary? This book may provide the developed after the end of World War II for Once satellites became a reality, British sci answer, because in a little less than 600 pages scientific purposes. Again as in the United entists faced the problem of arranging for a for $32, which includes a marvelously pro- This page may be freely copied. Eos, Vol. 69, No. 3, January 19, 1988 duced color map of the entire Circum-Pacific Rob Van der Voo is with the Department of Geo nosity Twin-Etalon Scanning Spectrometer as region, one can read almost everything one logical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Ar a member of a family of devices that allow an wants to know about Earth's "ring of fire" bor. increase of flux to reach the detector without and its displaced or suspect terranes. The a significant loss in resolving power is given. printing, proofreading, illustrations, and ref Other classic configurations of the Fabry- erences are all of the highest caliber, and the Perot interferometer, such as Connes' spheri book is handsomely produced indeed. In cal Fabry-Perot, are discussed in Chapter 5. page-by-page reading, I found maybe five ty Of particular interest in this chapter is the pographical errors, but I will spare you the Fabry-Perot treatment of etalons of finite size and their details. Interferometers effect on the retrieval of line shapes and posi The contents of the book are divided into tions. five parts, comprising principles or applica Chapter 6 covers the topics of emission and tions of terrane analysis and four unequally PAGE 37 absorption inside the etalon cavity. The topics long parts on the four quadrants of the Pacif naturally follow into a section on the most ic coasts. The northeast quadrant includes G.

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