A retrospective view of the IGY

The International Geophysical Year—1957-1958 turned out to be an unqualified success. Nature cooperated, and the Sun went through a particularly active period. Balloons, rockets, and combinations of the two were used to extend observations well into the atmosphere. Earth satellites and space probes permitted in situ measurements above the atmosphere for the first time. Sixty-seven countries participated through the initiative of active scientists in those countries. Those individuals, the world’s most respected researchers, employing the most modern technological equipment of the time, greatly expanded humankind’s understanding of the aurora and airglow, cosmic rays, geomagnetism, glaciology, gravity, ionospheric physics, surveying of longitudes and latitudes, meteorology, nuclear radiation, oceanography, seismology, solar activity, and the upper atmosphere.

The IGY had many lasting effects.43 Many scientific instruments installed on the ground for the endeavor became permanent and provided, over the intervening years, a long timeline of data critically important in understanding long-term global changes. Scientific institutions expanded and new ones were formed, many of which have endured to this day. A whole generation of scientists received their initial training

CHAPTER 3 • THE INTERNATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL YEAR 85

during that period and went on to populate the worldwide Earth and space research endeavors.

As the largest and most successful international scientific cooperative program ever undertaken, the IGY worked out a methodology for a new form of large-scale science to attack problems of global concern. That pattern was followed in conducting more recent cooperative endeavors through such bodies such as the Special Committee on Oceanic Research, the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, the International Geophysical Cooperation, the Inter-Union Committee on Contamination by Extrater­restrial Exploration, the Committee on Space Research, the Scientific Committee of Solar Terrestrial Physics, and the International World Days Service, to name only some of them.

The IGY advanced the sharing of data through the creation of a set of World Data Centers that are still playing an important role today. In addition, the vigorous inter­national scientist exchange programs of today are an outgrowth of the success of the IGY in getting researchers to work together across national boundaries. The endeavor fostered a general sense of goodwill and scientific achievement among nations.

In the public arena, the IGY had a positive impact on people’s understanding of scientific research and its importance to society. It expanded their concept of the nature of the universe.

In short, the IGY was a major factor in opening a new era of large-scale, global, collaborative scientific research.