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Chapter 5. Solid-Earth SciencesCarl Kisslinger Origins
ESSA, which became NOAA in 1970, was founded in 1965 by the merging of two old-line federal agencies based in the Department of Commerce, the U.S. Weather Bureau and the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (CGS), along with some other related activities. The CGS was the oldest federal science agency, dating from the first decade of the 19th century. The CGS was primarily a survey-oriented organization, concentrating on geodetic and geomagnetic surveys of the nation, and, from 1925, the acquisition, analysis and distribution of earthquake data. All of these activities moved into ESSA, but it was the geomagnetic and seismological tasks that formed the basis of the Earth Sciences Laboratory, headed by Leroy Alldredge at the time CIRES was founded. The ESL was doing an excellent job of fulfilling its responsibilities for earthquake monitoring (it produced the Preliminary Determination of Epicenters reports, other data products, and had managed the installation and operation of the World Wide Standardized Seismograph Network (WWSSN). NOAA was committed to strengthening the research capabilities of the ESL and saw the cooperative arrangement with the University as a mechanism for accomplishing this. Geophysics, with emphasis on resource exploration, was introduced into the Department of Geology at the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1940 and a seismograph station was set up on campus soon after. A decision to create a broader program in geophysics in the Department of Geological Sciences was made in 1960. The creation of CIRES was a major step in its further development. The CIRES effort in seismology was launched in 1972. Driven by a few enterprising individuals, research programs and advanced study in seismology and the physics of the Earth's interior in the University of Colorado at Boulder are scattered among a number of academic departments and research institutes. Two factors, an interdepartmental graduate program in geophysics, spearheaded by CIRES, and the interdepartmental climate in CIRES, have served to encourage integration of these components. Following the decision by the Department of Geology to initiate a distinct program in geophysics, David Strangway was recruited and brought his expertise in paleomagnetism to that program in 1961. He left in 1964, but the work in paleomagnetism continued for the next 30 years, for a while within CIRES, by Edwin Larson, former CIRES fellow. Strangway's replacement on the faculty was Chris Harrison, whose broad interests in the geophysical sciences were centered on gravity and geodesy. He is recognized as the person most responsible for the birth and early nurturing of a prominent geophysics program at CU, including the development of CIRES (see chapter one) and of the interdepartmental doctorate program. The research on crustal deformation begun by Harrison has remained an important component of the global CU effort. A crucial step in the evolution of CU geophysics was the creation of CIRES in 1967. A solid-earth geophysicist specializing in seismology was to be the first director of CIRES appointed by the University Regents. Meanwhile, Harrison was managing the launch of the new Institute as its founding director. As described in chapter two, Carl Kisslinger was appointed director in 1972, a position he held until mid-1979 (he served a second term, 1993-1994). He began the process of building a seismology group by contacting E. R. "Bob" Engdahl, an internationally known NOAA seismologist, based in the Washington, D.C., area, about to be moved to Boulder as part of the consolidation of NOAA activities in that field. He had completed his Ph.D. under Kisslinger, so they knew they worked well together. A telephone call, authorized by Hess and Leroy Alldrege, resulted in his joining CIRES in the summer of 1972 as the first new NOAA fellow. Other additions came quickly, as Max Wyss, observational seismologist, and Hartmut Spetzler, a specialist in laboratory rock physics, joined as fellows and faculty members in geological sciences. Charles Archambeau joined the group soon after as a research associate, providing strength in theoretical seismology to go with the laboratory expertise of Spetzler and the field observational interests of the others. Subhendu Datta, professor of mechanical engineering and CIRES fellow for a number of years, brought his expertise in theoretical wave propagation research to the group. Links were formed with other CU geophysicists whose work in non-seismological studies pre-dated, but complemented, the CIRES efforts: Jim Wait, NOAA and a founding CIRES fellow, expert in electromagnetic wave propagation in the solid body of the Earth and the atmosphere; Edward A. "Ned" Benton, astro-geophysics and later a fellow of CIRES, geodynamo theory and geophysical fluid dynamics; Jim Faller, JILA, absolute gravity measurements; Peter Bender, JILA, geodesy, and Judah Levine, JILA, precision earth strain measurements. As related in chapter two, a significant change in circumstances occurred in January 1973, when the Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President, decided to remove all research in solid-earth science, except geodesy, from NOAA and consolidate it with the programs of the U.S. Geological Survey (U.S.G.S.). The ESL was terminated and many of its scientists transferred to the U.S.G.S. In addition to the research functions, all of the seismological work, including the preparation of the Preliminary Determination of Epicenters reports, except for the archiving and distribution of geophysical databases, was transferred. Some key personnel became part of the National Geophysical Data Center, thus providing a basis for future cooperation of CIRES with that arm of NOAA. The administration of NOAA and the Environmental Research Laboratories encouraged the CIRES leadership to continue the development of a broad research program in Earth-system science, but the funding for seismological and other solid-earth studies had to come from sources other than NOAA. During the following quarter century the principal thrusts of CIRES have shifted to the atmosphere, climate, hydrology, and the oceans, with the solid-earth program rounding out a comprehensive Earth-system sciences effort. From its beginning, CIRES has promoted and enjoyed excellent working relations with federal agencies beyond its formal association with NOAA. Collaboration with many agencies and funding for solid-earth research, as well as all of the other subjects within the Institute, have been fruitful. The National Science Foundation, U.S.G.S., NASA, and the Department of Energy have been especially supportive of the solid-earth efforts. The research efforts that evolved from this beginning can be categorized broadly as seismic source physics and seismotectonics, investigation of promising techniques for earthquake prediction, and studies of the internal structure, composition, and processes of the Earth. In recent years much of this work has moved out of CIRES, into the Department of Physics. Research on gravity, Earth rotation, and related geodetic problems continues to be a significant element in the program. A geochemistry program, with emphasis on radiogenic isotope studies, has also grown in CIRES, beginning with the addition of Lang Farmer to the group of fellows and the faculty of geological sciences.
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