Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Glossary of abbreviations in text and annexes
- Glossary of abbreviations in appendices
- Preface
- 1 The scientific background
- 2 The technical background
- 3 The initiation of the Skylark rocket programme – the IGY and artificial satellites
- 4 Post-IGY developments – NASA – COSPAR – British National Committee for Space Research – British satellite experiments
- 5 The Ariel programme
- 6 The European Space Research Organization
- 7 Commonwealth co-operation in space reseach
- 8 Smaller rockets for scientific purposes – Skua and Petrel
- 9 Attitude controlled Skylark rockets
- 10 The Trend Committee and the Science Research Council
- 11 The transformation of ESRO into ESA
- 12 The Space Science Committee for Europe
- 13 Scientific studies by British space scientists – figure of the earth and the neutral atmosphere
- 14 Scientific studies by British space scientists – the ionosphere, the magnetosphere and cosmic rays
- 15 The contribution from British space scientists to astronomy
- 16 Concluding remarks
- Appendices
- Annexes
- Notes
- Index
13 - Scientific studies by British space scientists – figure of the earth and the neutral atmosphere
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 February 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Glossary of abbreviations in text and annexes
- Glossary of abbreviations in appendices
- Preface
- 1 The scientific background
- 2 The technical background
- 3 The initiation of the Skylark rocket programme – the IGY and artificial satellites
- 4 Post-IGY developments – NASA – COSPAR – British National Committee for Space Research – British satellite experiments
- 5 The Ariel programme
- 6 The European Space Research Organization
- 7 Commonwealth co-operation in space reseach
- 8 Smaller rockets for scientific purposes – Skua and Petrel
- 9 Attitude controlled Skylark rockets
- 10 The Trend Committee and the Science Research Council
- 11 The transformation of ESRO into ESA
- 12 The Space Science Committee for Europe
- 13 Scientific studies by British space scientists – figure of the earth and the neutral atmosphere
- 14 Scientific studies by British space scientists – the ionosphere, the magnetosphere and cosmic rays
- 15 The contribution from British space scientists to astronomy
- 16 Concluding remarks
- Appendices
- Annexes
- Notes
- Index
Summary
In this chapter and the following two chapters we attempt to convey an impression of the scale and effectiveness of research in the different branches of space science carried out by British scientists from the beginning. The sheer volume and variety of this work is immense and it would be both impracticable and pointless to attempt anything like a comprehensive account. Instead we shall concentrate attention on a number of areas in which the UK contribution has been especially impressive while at the same time saying something in much less detail about the remaining work. It is in any case somewhat invidious in describing scientific research to select work done by scientists from one country as all the work is truly international and we shall try to avoid any trace of chauvinism in our account.
In this chapter we concentrate on research work directed towards the study of the earth, including the solid earth and the lower, middle and outer neutral atmosphere. Some reference will also be made to lunar and planetary studies. Although much of the earth's environment is under solar control, it is convenient to deal with the work done in solar physics, including X-ray and ultra-violet solar astronomy, in Chapter 15, which is devoted to astronomy.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- History of British Space Science , pp. 260 - 296Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1986