| Discoveries
were made in the fields of cosmic ray research, climatology,
oceanography, and the nature of the earth's atmosphere and
magnetic field.
Earth satellites (see satellite, artificial)
launched by the United States discovered the Van Allen radiation
belts, 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.
Courtesy of: Fact
Monster
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