Eos, Vol. 67, No.

16, April 22, 1986

Masters, G., T . J o r d a n , P. Silver, a n d F. Gil­
bert, Aspherical earth structure f r o m fun­
damental spheroidal m o d e data, Nature,
298, 6 0 9 , 1 9 8 2 .
Masters, G., J. Park, and F. Gilbert, Observa­
tions o f c o u p l e d spheroidal a n d toroidal
m o d e l s , / . Geophys. Res., 88, 10285, 1 9 8 3 .
Nakanishi, I., a n d D . L. A n d e r s o n , World­
wide distribution o f g r o u p velocity o f man­
tle Rayleigh waves as d e t e r m i n e d by spheri­
cal harmonic inversion, Bull. Seismol. Soc.
Am., 72, 1185, 1982.
Nakanishi, I., a n d D . L. A n d e r s o n , Measure­
ments o f mantle wave velocities a n d inver­
sion for lateral heterogeneity and anisotro-
py, 1, Analysis o f great circle phase veloci­
t i e s , / . Geophys. Res., 88, 10267, 1 9 8 3 .
Nakanishi, I., a n d D . L. A n d e r s o n , Measure­
ments o f mantle wave velocities a n d inver­
sion for lateral heterogeneity and anisotro-
py, 2, Analysis by the single-station m e t h ­
o d , Geophys. J. R. Astron. Soc, 78, 5 7 3 ,
1984a.
Nakanishi, I., a n d D. L. A n d e r s o n , Aspheri­
cal heterogeneity o f the mantle from phase
velocities o f mantle waves, Nature, 307, 117,
19846.
Nakanishi, I., a n d H . Kanamori, Source
mechanisms o f twenty-six large, shallow
earthquakes (M 2* 6.5) d u r i n g 1980 from
s Qs o f QSO a n d \So, Geophys. J. R. Astron. Soc,
P-wave first m o t i o n and long-period Ray­
leigh wave data, Bull. Seismol. Soc Am., 74,
8 0 5 , 1984.
Nataf, H . - C , I. Nakanishi, a n d D . L. A n d e r ­
son, Anisotropy a n d shear velocity hetero­
geneities in t h e u p p e r mantle, Geophys. Res.,
Lett., 11, 109, 1 9 8 4 .
Niazi, N . , and H. Kanamori, Source parame­
ters o f 1978 Tabas and 1979 Qainat, Iran,
earthquakes from long-period surface
waves, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 71, 1 2 0 1 ,
1981.
Okal, E., a n d L. Stewart, A negative search
for an ultra-slow c o m p o n e n t to the source
o f the Y u n n a n earthquakes o f May 29,
1976, Phys. Earth Planet. Inter., 26, 2 0 8 ,
1981.
Parker, E. B., Micro earth stations as personal
c o m p u t e r accessories, Proc IEEE, 72, 1526,
1984.
Peterson, J., a n d E. E. Tilgner, Description
and preliminary testing o f t h e C D S N seis­
mic sensor system, U.S. Geol. Surv. Open File
Rep. 85-288, 1985.
Riedesel, M., D . A g n e w , J. Berger, a n d F.
Gilbert, Stacking for the frequencies a n d
62, 4 5 7 , 1980.
Romanowicz, B., M. Cara, I. F. Fels, a n d D .
Rouland, G E O S C O P E : A French initiative
in long-period t h r e e - c o m p o n e n t global seis­
mic networks, Eos Trans. AGU, 65, 7 5 3 ,
1984.
Savino, J. K., K. McCamy, and G. H a d e ,
Structures in earth noise b e y o n d twenty
seconds, a w i n d o w for earthquakes, Bull.
Seismol. Soc. Am., 62, 141, 1972.
T a n i m o t o , T . , a n d D . L. A n d e r s o n , M a p p i n g
convection in the mantle, Geophys. Res. Lett.,
11, 2 8 7 , 1984.
T a n i m o t o , T., a n d D . L. A n d e r s o n , Lateral
heterogeneity a n d azimuthal anisotropy o f
the u p p e r mantle: Love and Rayleigh
waves 2 0 0 - 2 5 0 s,J. Geophys. Res., 9 0 , 1 8 4 2 ,
1985.
W o o d h o u s e , J., a n d A. Dziewonski, M a p p i n g
the u p p e r mantle: T h r e e - d i m e n s i o n a l m o d ­
eling o f earth structure by inversion o f seis­
mic w a v e f o r m s , / . Geophys. Res., 89, 5 9 5 3 ,
1984.

T h e 1986 A G U Spring Meeting marks the

IRIS: A Program first anniversary in the operational life o f the

IRIS Consortium. It was a year a g o that plan­
n i n g funds b e c a m e available from the Nation­

for the Next Decade

PAGES 213-219
al Science Foundation (NSF) so that commit­
tee work could begin t o b e translated into ac­
tion. It was also the first time that hard
choices about allocation o f limited resources
a m o n g c o m p e t i n g programs were faced. T h i s
Stewart W. Smith report reviews the early experience in the o p ­
Incorporated Research Institutions eration o f the consortium and the specific
for Seismology, Arlington, Va. progress that has b e e n m a d e d u r i n g the past
year toward o u r long-range goals.
The Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Consortium has
produced an ambitious plan for new seismological research facilities to be devel­
The Current IRIS Program
oped during the coming decade. The plan reflects a broad consensus among seis­
mologists in this country with respect to both the need for improved data and the Until October 1985, the physical existence
o f IRIS was limited to a mail d r o p at the
potential for significant scientific advances that can occur as a result. The three A G U headquarters building in Washington,
elements of this program are a 100-station broadband global network utilizing D.C., a c o n v e n i e n c e for which we are grate­
satellite telemetry, a 1000-station portable network of advanced digital seismo­ ful, and an electronic mail system that linked
key members o f committees across t h e coun­
graphs, and a national center for management and distribution of the data gen­ try. Without the latter it is difficult to imagine
erated by these networks to the research community. The purpose of this paper h o w the enterprise could have functioned
is to provide a brief overview of the long-range plan and an update as to the pro­ d u r i n g those early days. Space was leased,
furnished, and o c c u p i e d d u r i n g October
gress made to date. 1985; a small staff was assembled to begin o p ­
erations at that time.
IRIS represents t h e first attempt by seis­
Introduction research tools. T h e tools, or national facilities,
will serve the earth sciences as primary data
mologists (of the dry land variety, anyway) to
organize and operate such a consortium.
In a major departure from the traditional sources well into the next century. Replace­ T h e r e are, o f course, a n u m b e r o f successful
single-investigator approach to research sup­ m e n t o f the present vintage e q u i p m e n t with precedents in other disciplines to use as m o d ­
port, the seismological c o m m u n i t y c a m e to­ m o d e r n instrumentation a n d data m a n a g e ­ els, such as the University Consortium for At­
gether in 1984 in a national grassroots move­ m e n t systems is a necessary step in achieving mospheric Research (UCAR) a n d t h e Joint
m e n t to create a consortium o f research uni­ a major i m p r o v e m e n t in o u r ability to under­ Oceanographic Institutions (JOI). A s new­
versities for the p u r p o s e o f i m p l e m e n t i n g , stand the earth's interior. comers to this style o f operation, w e are just
t h r o u g h a cooperative approach including in­ O u r k n o w l e d g e o f the earth's interior is b e g i n n i n g to learn the kinds o f things that
dustry a n d g o v e r n m e n t agencies, a set o f ini­ now limited by data quality a n d quantity. are necessary to make it successful. A s ex­
tiatives for critically n e e d e d national facilities T h e o r y a n d analysis techniques exist to im­ pected, o n e o f the keys has b e e n the sublima­
necessary to support seismological research in prove o u r view o f t h e subsurface substantial­ tion o f specific institutional a n d individual
the c o m i n g decades. IRIS, the Incorporated ly, b e y o n d the thin skin accessible to the drill. priorities in o r d e r to p r o m o t e the larger goals
Research Institutions for Seismology, a n o n ­ Important questions in geodynamics, re­ o f IRIS. T h a t this s e e m s to work is a result o f
profit corporation, was f o u n d e d May 8, 1984. sources, a n d geological hazards d e m a n d this the widespread effort that went into t h e early
T h e IRIS proposal [McEvilly and Alexander, i m p r o v e d u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f o u r earth. T h i s planning and d e v e l o p m e n t o f the science
1984] that e m e r g e d from this effort repre­ IRIS p r o g r a m will provide the n e x t genera­ plans [IRIS, 1984a,b]. With scientific goals
sented the collective request from the U.S. tion o f geophysicists with the m e a n s to ad­ a n d priorities so generally agreed u p o n in ad­
seismological c o m m u n i t y for a set o f m o d e r n dress these questions. vance, the d e v e l o p m e n t o f priorities for spe-

0096-3941/86/6716-0213$ 1.00
Copyright 1986 by the American Geophysical Union

cine plans and programs can be m a d e with
relative ease.
Scientific direction for the programs is pro­
vided by n i n e - m e m b e r standing committees
representing each o f the three elements o f
IRIS, and an executive c o m m i t t e e that acts
for the Board o f Directors. All m e m b e r s have
3-year appointments. Officers, Executive
Committee members, and standing commit­
tee chairmen d u r i n g that first critical year
were
• T h o m a s V. McEvilly, Acting President
and Chairman, Board o f Directors;
• Shelton S. A l e x a n d e r , Vice Chairman,
Board o f Directors a n d Chairman, Data Man­
a g e m e n t Center;
• Brian J. Mitchell, Treasurer;
• Gilbert A. Bollinger, Secretary;
• D o n L. A n d e r s o n , Executive Committee;
• A d a m Dziewonski, Chairman, Global
Seismic Network;
• J. F r e e m a n Gilbert, Executive Commit­
tee;
• Robert A. Phinney, Chairman, Program
for Array Seismic Studies o f the Continental
Lithosphere (PASSCAL);
• Robert Smith, Executive Committee;
• Stewart W. Smith, President and Chief
Executive Officer.
In addition, there are 10 subcommittees and
working groups that function in an advisory
role to the standing committees, as well as a
high-level Senior Advisory C o m m i t t e e that
advises the board and an Interagency Adviso­
ry G r o u p that advises the NSF. Well over 100
individuals from universities, g o v e r n m e n t
laboratories, and private industry t h r o u g h o u t
the country were directly involved in formu­
lating the science plans that are the under­
pinnings o f the IRIS organization.
In the year since the first planning funds
have b e c o m e available, considerable progress
has b e e n m a d e in d e v e l o p i n g detailed plans
and initiating projects. Highlights o f these ac­
tivities are discussed below.
Global Seismic Network
(GSN)
DWWSSN Upgrades
Five sites have b e e n selected for u p g r a d i n g
with Streckeisen STS seismometers in 1986
and early 1987. T h e y are all Digital World-
Wide Standard Seismograph Network
( D W W S S N ) sites, with digital data l o g g i n g fa­
cilities available, so that the u p g r a d e can be
m a d e with only minor modifications to the
existing facility. Since the original sensors at
these sites, along with their normal analog re­
cording, will n o longer be available, systems
for digital simulation to p r o d u c e visible re­
cordings with the characteristics o f these fa­
miliar instruments will have to be provided.
T h i s work is being f u n d e d by IRIS and im­
p l e m e n t e d by the Albuquerque, (N.M.) Seis­
mic Laboratory o f the U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS). T h e p r o p o s e d stations are Afiamalu
(South Pacific), Quetta ( Pakistan), Kevo (Fin­
land), T o l e d o (Spain), and College (Alaska).
IDA Upgrades
A review o f Project I D A (International D e ­
p l o y m e n t o f Accelerometers) in this issue (p.
203) describes that network and the pioneer­
ing work in low frequency seismology that it
m a d e possible. As I D A stations are u p g r a d e d
Eos, Vol. 67, No. 16, April 22, 1986
to t h r e e - c o m p o n e n t broadband systems,
which will p r o d u c e a very large increase in
data flow, they will b e c o m e integrated into
the new global network in o r d e r to provide
efficient maintenance and quality control o n
data.
A new vault for the I D A station o n Easter
Island is currently b e i n g installed. IRIS is co­
operating with the University o f California,
San D i e g o (UCSD), g r o u p and providing ad­
ditional f u n d i n g such that the piers and facil­
ities here can be m a d e suitable for the instal­
lation o f a t h r e e - c o m p o n e n t set o f s e i s m o m e ­
ters. Since this is a fairly r e m o t e station, full
d e v e l o p m e n t into an I D A / I R I S station will
provide e x p e r i e n c e o f particular importance,
because an early priority for IRIS is the d e ­
v e l o p m e n t o f other Pacific island stations,
such as Wake, J o h n s t o n , Kwajalein, and Mid­
way. Noise conditions for horizontal c o m p o ­
nent instruments are likely to be such that
borehole installations may be necessary at
s o m e o f these island sites.
Plans are n o w b e i n g d e v e l o p e d for joint
u p g r a d i n g o f a n u m b e r o f I D A stations, with
sensors provided t h r o u g h the generosity o f
philanthropists Cecil and Ida G r e e n and data
l o g g i n g and c o m m u n i c a t i o n s e q u i p m e n t pro­
vided by IRIS. Stations p r o p o s e d for early
u p g r a d i n g are Alert (Canadian Northwest
Territories), Southerland (South Africa), Rar-
o t o n g a (Cook Islands), Pinon Flat (Calif.),
Eskdalamuir (Scotland), Erimo (Japan), and
San J u a n (Puerto Rico).
Data Collection Center
IRIS and the U S G S have jointly agreed
that routine operation and maintenance o f
the n e w global network, including data collec­
tion, will be carried out at the A l b u q u e r q u e
Seismological Laboratory. Currently, all data
from the Global Digital Seismic Network
(GDSN) is collected and processed here. T h e
v o l u m e averages about 3 0 megabytes per day,
which is close to the saturation point o f the
current system. T h e addition o f data from
the China Digital Seismograph Network this
year, as well as f r o m the u p g r a d e d IRIS sta­
tions, clearly calls for r e v a m p i n g the existing
data collection and processing system. Buland
[1985] has d e v e l o p e d a plan for a m o d u l a r
system that should permit both a significant
increase in the v o l u m e o f data and a s m o o t h
transition to the n e w system with m i n i m u m
d o w n time. His plan is for a local area net ap­
proach, based o n a system o f 32-bit micro­
processors. In o r d e r to minimize labor-inten­
sive tape handling, e n o u g h mass storage to
k e e p all active data on-line will be required.
IRIS and U S G S are p r o c e e d i n g jointly to
c o m p l e t e this n e w m o d u l a r data collection
center d u r i n g 1986, with IRIS providing the
necessary hardware and U S G S providing the
p e r s o n n e l and software.
Telemetry
A program for evaluation o f global teleme­
try options for IRIS has b e e n underway at
the Stanford Satellite C o m m u n i c a t i o n s Plan­
n i n g Center a n d at U C S D for the past year.
Researchers there have e x p e r i m e n t e d with an
economical low-power system that uses the
"spread spectrum" technique, i m p l e m e n t e d
by Equatorial Communications, Inc. ( M o u n ­
tain View, Calif.). With data from a domestic
satellite, they have successfully d e m o n s t r a t e d
that this system can h a n d l e two-way, 1 2 0 0 - b i t
per second (bps) data streams. T h e y have also
d e v e l o p e d station-to-computer protocols, sim­
ulated seismic data transmissions, a n d tested
error rates u n d e r differing conditions. Since
the data streams envisioned in d e s i g n goals
for the IRIS network can be a c c o m m o d a t e d
with reasonable data c o m p r e s s i o n into this
bandwidth, it appears that this particular
technology is appropriate for o u r use. Since
the e x p e r i m e n t s w e r e d o n e with a domestic
satellite, a n d since the a n t e n n a configuration,
as well as s o m e o t h e r technical considerations,
will be slighdy different w h e n using interna­
tional satellites (Intelsat), an international
demonstration e x p e r i m e n t may be necessary
as a next step. Further testing is n o w g o i n g
o n , using a transmitting site at a r e m o t e seis­
mic station and r e c o r d i n g the data at U C S D .
A further e x p e r i m e n t b e t w e e n Hawaii and
IRIS in Arlington, Va., is p l a n n e d for 1986.
A n important d e v e l o p m e n t has b e e n the
recognition that the i n h e r e n t two-way c o m ­
munications that are p r o v i d e d by this system,
originally p l a n n e d only for issuing c o m m a n d s
to stations, may m a k e it possible for r e m o t e
station operators to access data f r o m the e n ­
tire network. A system with this feature
w o u l d greatly e n h a n c e the attractiveness o f
global telemetry for foreign participants.
Since the spread s p e c t r u m m e t h o d utilizes
small antennas, a broad spectrum, a n d low
power density, the e q u i p m e n t costs are sub­
stantially lower than for o t h e r satellite c o m ­
munications technology. D e s i g n studies for a
16-station national network utilizing domestic
satellites are $ 8 0 0 0 p e r g r o u n d station, with
monthly data charges o f about $ 1 5 0 0 per sta­
tion. Total c o m m u n i c a t i o n s costs for such a
network w o u l d be about $ 1 6 0 t h o u s a n d for
equipment and $24 thousand per month.
T h e s e estimated costs m a k e clear the eco­
nomic advantages o f this type o f operation
for a national network. Costs for an interna­
tional system are uncertain at this time. T h e y
are likely to be g o v e r n e d m o r e by the tariffs
o f individual countries rather than by the
technology.
Portable Array Studies
(PASSCAL)
Instrument Development
T h e P A S S C A L Science Plan spelled out in
detail the n e e d for an advanced portable seis­
m o g r a p h system. T h i s system w o u l d be digi­
tal, with h i g h d y n a m i c range; it w o u l d be
portable and m i c r o - p o w e r e d , a n d most im­
portantly, it w o u l d be flexible a n d m o d u l a r so
as to be able to adapt to c h a n g e s in technolo­
gy that are likely to occur over the lifetime o f
the instrument. Since the plan is to make a
major national c o m m i t m e n t t h r o u g h the pur­
chase o f 1000 instruments, it is clear that we
should not freeze in place the technology
available at this particular point in history.
T h e rapidly c h a n g i n g field o f mass storage il­
lustrates the most obvious e x a m p l e o f this
problem, but comparable c h a n g e s in e n c o d e r
technology, timing systems, a n d virtually ev­
ery other part o f the system are very likely
over the n e x t decade. T o avoid this, a plan
was m a d e for a m o d u l a r c o m m u n i c a t i o n s
"bus" approach to design. With this concept
the seismic instrument functions as a local
area network, with each m o d u l e i n d e p e n d e n t
and able to c o m m u n i c a t e with the other m o d ­
ules in the system. A successful system o f this

sort could stave off obsolescence for a l o n g
period o f time simply by a c c o m m o d a t i n g new
m o d u l e s as both the requirements for experi­
m e n t s and the technology change. T h e con­
cept is similar to the o p e n architecture o f the
I B M PC, which has permitted adaptation o f
n e w capabilities and n e w boards without
c h a n g i n g the u n d e r l y i n g framework o f hard­
ware and software
Since o n e o f the controlling specifications
for the P A S S C A L instrument is very low
p o w e r c o n s u m p t i o n , it s o o n b e c a m e clear that
n o commercially available bus was suitable. A
d e v e l o p m e n t p r o g r a m was therefore u n d e r ­
taken, with N S F support t h r o u g h the Carne­
gie Institution o f Washington, in the year be­
fore IRIS obtained its first funding. T h e ap­
proach taken, u n d e r contract with the
University o f California, Los A n g e l e s , was a
micro-powered adaptation o f a standard in­
dustry bus. T h e hardware for this system was
successfully c o m p l e t e d in the fall o f 1985,
and IRIS has since f u n d e d further d e v e l o p ­
m e n t work o n software and protocols for this
device. T h e present system is i m p l e m e n t e d
with printed circuit boards and c o m p o n e n t s .
W h e n evaluation is complete, the plan is to
p r o d u c e this device as a c u s t o m - m a d e single
chip. A l t h o u g h there d o not appear to be any
technical reasons why this approach cannot
be successful, significant questions c o n c e r n i n g
overall cost a n d d e v e l o p m e n t time remain to
be answered before a firm c o m m i t m e n t to
this d e s i g n can be m a d e .
Ouachita Experiment
Since the d e v e l o p m e n t time for P A S S C A L
instruments was forseen as at least 3 years, a
plan was d e v e l o p e d for interim field experi­
m e n t s that utilized leased e q u i p m e n t in o r d e r
to avoid a significant loss o f m o m e n t u m
a m o n g the researchers in this area. T h e first
o f these is to be carried out in the Ouachita
Mountains o f s o u t h e r n Arkansas to study the
d e e p structure o f the buried Ouachita oro-
genic belt. T h i s will be a full wave field ex­
periment, with two d e p l o y m e n t s o f 4 0 0 digi­
tal g r o u p recorders over a 2 0 0 - k m profile.
T h e data collection will feature broad band­
width, 2 5 0 - m station spacing, l o n g offsets,
a n d multiple explosive sources. T h i s should
provide a unique, full wave field data set for
two-dimensional coverage o f d e e p crustal
structure in this geologically interesting re­
gion. T h e p l a n n e d array overlaps an existing
Consortium for Continental Reflection Profil­
ing (COCORP) reflection profile, thus pro­
viding an important comparative data set.
With this data, and with m o d e r n processing
and interpretation m e t h o d s , we can address
s o m e fundamental questions in this region
c o n c e r n i n g the Paleozoic continental margin,
the presence o f oceanic or continental crust,
and the possibility o f an ancient remnant o f
subducted lithosphere. T h e principal investi­
gators in this field program, which will take
place in late spring 1986, are L. W. Braile
(Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.), G.
R. Keller (University o f T e x a s at El Paso),
and G. A. McMechan (University o f T e x a s at
Dallas).
Basin and Range Experiment
T h e Basin and R a n g e Province o f the west­
ern U n i t e d States is a major continental rift
zone, characterized by widespread Cenozoic
volcanism and extension. It is a composite o f
Eos, Vol. 67, No. 16, April 22, 1986
individual grabens a n d half-grabens rivaled
in extent only by the East African Rift. A
n u m b e r o f plate tectonic models have b e e n
p r o p o s e d to explain these features, but the
data with which o n e can test and evaluate
c o m p e t i n g hypotheses is not yet available. Al­
t h o u g h there have b e e n a n u m b e r o f refrac­
tion profiles t h r o u g h the region, the spatial
sampling is generally inadequate, calibration
is not available, and many profiles are unre­
versed. Only new generation reflection/re-
fraction data will provide the velocity and
structural information n e e d e d for an inte­
grated interpretation o f the seismic structure
here. As a first step in obtaining such data, a
reconnaissance survey will be carried out this
s u m m e r near the C O C O R P 4 0 ° N N e v a d a
profile. T h i s will be a pilot study to form the
basis for design o f a m o r e detailed experi­
m e n t at a later time. T h e field p r o g r a m will
utilize five shotpoints along a 2 4 0 - k m profile
and 120 portable FM cassette tape recording
seismographs provided by the U S G S . T h e
primary objective will be to d e t e r m i n e the
range o f energy propagation and to define
major lithospheric features in the region.
Principal investigators for this project are G.
T h o m p s o n (Stanford University, Stanford,
Calif.), R. Smith (University o f Utah, Salt
Lake City), and K. Priestly (University o f N e ­
vada, Reno), in cooperation with W. M o o n e y
of the U S G S (Menlo Park, Calif.).
Data Management Center
(DMC)
Relation to Center for Seismic Studies
1986 and 1987 are the years d u r i n g which
detailed plans for the IRIS national data
m a n a g e m e n t system will be d e v e l o p e d . Dur­
ing that time, access to the D e f e n s e A d v a n c e d
Research Projects A g e n c y (DARPA) Center
for Seismic Studies data archives would pro­
vide convenient access for IRIS m e m b e r s to
the most advanced seismic data base m a n a g e ­
m e n t system in existence. Since the objectives
o f the IRIS system are not the same, the im­
plementation will probably be quite different
than that o f the D A R P A Center. Neverthe­
less, the e x p e r i e n c e o f handling data requests
from IRIS users t h r o u g h this system will pro­
vide valuable experience. For these reasons,
the IRIS offices have b e e n located in a build­
ing adjacent to that which houses the D A R P A
Center, and with the cooperation o f center
personnel, a fiber optics connection between
the buildings has b e e n established. IRIS has
installed a Sun-3 workstation (Sun Microsys­
tems, Inc.) with the network that links the
center's computers. T h i s facility n o w permits
convenient access for IRIS participants to the
entire G D S N data base, as well as other data
bases maintained here.
A problem that has not yet b e e n addressed
is the handling o f P A S S C A L data. For e x a m ­
ple, the natural ways to i n d e x data sets o f this
type, by c o m m o n midpoint gathers, is quite
different than that for network recordings o f
earthquakes. T o a c c o m m o d a t e both, the IRIS
system will have to be m o r e flexible than sys­
tems f o u n d either in the exploration industry
or in e q u i p m e n t d e s i g n e d for collecting
earthquake data.
Planning Workshops
T h e first step in planning the IRIS data
m a n a g e m e n t system is a series o f workshops
to define what the research c o m m u n i t y per­
ceives as its needs. T h e first o f these work­
shops, o n telecommunications and data base
m a n a g e m e n t , was held jointly with National
Center for A t m o s p h e r e (NCAR). Minster and
Goff [1986] provide a summary and the con­
clusions o f this effort. T o serve the diverse
n e e d o f the user community, it seems clear
that neither a fully centralized system nor a
fully decentralized o n e is appropriate. With
advances in low-cost mass storage, c o m m u n i ­
cations, and c o m p u t i n g capabilities, interest is
focusing o n the possibility o f distributing
both the indices and the c o m p u t i n g power
for high-level queries to the users. T h i s
w o u l d permit the maintenance o f only wave­
form and parameter data bases in a central
archive. In this type o f system, the central ar­
chive could be m a d e very efficient by restrict­
i n g access to only very low-level queries, e.g.,
station, c o m p o n e n t , and time window, with
all the high-level sorting o f indices having al­
ready b e e n d o n e by the user's local system.
International Data Exchange
A n important e l e m e n t of the IRIS Data
M a n a g e m e n t Center will be to provide a con­
venient means o f interchange o f data with
operators o f other national and international
networks [Romanowicz et al, 1984] and data
centers [Nolet et al, 1985]. Coordination be­
t w e e n these and other international efforts
may be facilitated by a federation o f net­
works, an idea that is currently u n d e r discus­
sion with interested foreign participants.
Such a federation may also provide a f o r u m
for coordination o f global station siting, stan­
dards for data formats, and other important
matters affecting the quality o f the interna­
tional data set.
Conclusions
T h e first experience in operation o f IRIS
has b e e n successful, with activities already u n ­
derway that will improve the quality o f data
available and increase the visibility o f seismo­
logical research o n the national level. T h e ad­
vantages o f this type o f collective effort in
raising both the quality o f research facilities
and in the overall level o f research support in
seismology are finally b e c o m i n g clear to the
seismological community. T h e b u d g e t climate
in which this e n d e a v o r has b e g u n has out­
ward appearances o f a cold and bleak o n e .
Despite this, the c o m m i t m e n t o f the National
Science Foundation to new, large-scale pro­
grams, including IRIS, has o p e n e d u p s o m e
opportunities in the earth sciences that w o u l d
have otherwise b e e n unobtainable. T h e posi­
tive impact o f such programs in earth sci­
ences, as well as in a variety of other disci­
plines, can clearly be seen in past N S F bud­
gets. T h e improved visibility that IRIS
provides for the seismological c o m m u n i t y is
e x p e c t e d to produce the same kind o f posi­
tive results.
References
B u l a n d , R., A data collection strategy for the
Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, re­
port, U.S. Geol. Surv., Golden, Colo., 1985.
IRIS, Science plan for a new global seismo­
graph network, report, IRIS, Inc., Wash­
ington, D.C., 1984a.
IRIS, Program for Array Seismic Studies o f
the Continental Lithosphere (PASSCAL),

report, IRIS, Inc., Washington, D.C.,
19846.
McEvilly, T . V., and S. A. A l e x a n d e r , Imag­
ing the earth's interior: Detailed studies o f
the earth and the seismic source with new
global and transportable arrays, Proposal
EAR84-19419 to the Natl. Sci. Found.,
IRIS, Inc., Washington, D.C., 1984.
Minster, J. B., and R. C. Goff, Strategies for
IRIS data m a n a g e m e n t and distribution,
tech. rep., Sci. Horizons, Inc., Encinitas,
Calif., 1986.
Nolet, G., B. Romanowicz, R. Kind, and E.
Wielandt, O R F E U S science plan, report,
Observ. and Res. Facil. for Eur. Seismol.
(ORFEUS), L u x e m b o u r g , 1985.
Romanowicz, B., M. Cara, J. Fels, and D.
Rouland, G E O S C O P E : A French initiative
in long-period t h r e e - c o m p o n e n t global seis­
mic networks, Eos Trans. AGU, 65, 7 5 3 ,
1984.
Stewart W. Smith re­
ceived his Ph.D. in geo­
physics from the California
Institute of Technology
(Caltech) in 1961 and has
since worked with Shell Oil
Company, Caltech, and the
University of Washington
in Seattle, Wash. He has
served on numerous scien­
tific panels and advisory
boards and is President of the AGU Seismology
Section. Smith, whose primary research interests are rado, Boulder. In recent years, additional
seismicity, tectonics, and crustal deformation, has analysis o f data from Viking and Mariner
published 41 scientific works. He is currently on
leave from the University of Washington to serve
as the first president of IRIS.
Eos, Vol. 67, No. 16, April 22, 1986
News
At the Spring Meeting
Mars Observer
to be Discussed
PAGE 221
In 1990, the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration ( N A S A ) plans to
launch a mission to conduct remote sensing
studies o f Mars d u r i n g the course o f an en­
tire Martian year. T h e prospect o f this Mars
Observer mission, together with recent ad­
vances in k n o w l e d g e about the planet, led the
Planetology Section to organize a session
called "New Perspectives o n R e m o t e Sensing
o f the Surface o f Mars," which will be held
W e d n e s d a y , May 2 1 , at the 1986 A G U Spring
Meeting in Baltimore, Md.
Early in the session, speakers will discuss
what is already k n o w n about the planet's sur­
face, according to session chairman Bruce M.
Jakosky o f the Laboratory for Atmospheric
and Space Physics at the University o f Colo­
missions, as well as study o f earth-based ob­
servations, has resulted in new findings, Ja­
kosky said. In the latter part o f the session,
A r d e n L. Albee o f NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory and the California Institute o f
T e c h n o l o g y , project scientist for the Mars
Observer mission, will give an e x t e n d e d talk
about plans for the mission itself.
T h e mission is p l a n n e d to e x t e n d over the
course o f an entire Martian year, about the
same period as 2 yr o n earth. T h e space­
craft's orbit is p l a n n e d to be near-polar and
sun-synchronous, so that it can observe the
planet at the equivalent o f 2:00 P.M. o n the
day side and 2:00 A.M. o n the night side.
T h e Mars Observer would be launched from
the space shuttle's payload bay in late A u g u s t
or early September 1990 and would reach
Mars about 1 yr later. Because the mission's
"launch window" is o p e n only o n c e every 26
m o n t h s , N A S A planners would like the mis­
sion to receive high priority o n the schedule
o f shuttle missions. Planners h o p e that the
current delay in the schedule, caused by the
explosion o f the Challenger, will not affect the
timing o f the Mars Observer mission, accord­
ing to J a m e s F. Kukowski, a s p o k e s m a n for
NASA's Office o f Space Science and Applica­
tions.
T h e Mars Observer mission will aim to de­
termine the chemical and minerological char­
acter o f the Martian surface, according to Al­
bee. T h e a b u n d a n c e and the distribution in
time and space o f volatiles (mostly carbon di­
o x i d e and water) and dust will be studied
d u r i n g the different Martian seasons. T h e
Mars Observer will also study the planet's
magnetic field, gravitational field, and topog­
raphy and will e x p l o r e the structure o f the
Martian a t m o s p h e r e and s o m e aspects o f its
circulation. Mission planners are interested in
following climatic processes such as the accu­
T h i s p a g e m a y b e freely c o p i e d .
mulation and melting o f the Martian ice caps
over the course o f the year, Albee said.
Instruments that may fly o n the mission in­
clude a g a m m a ray spectrometer, a multispec-
tral m a p p e r for additional spectroscopy at
visible and infrared wavelengths, an altime­
ter, a tracking instrument, a m a g n e t o m e t e r ,
and cameras, Albee said. As Eos went to
press, N A S A had not yet a n n o u n c e d which
instruments would be included in the space­
craft's payload.—-fAK
Sulfate, Nitrate
Declines Noted
PAGE 221
A n analysis o f m o r e than 4 0 0 0 samples o f
precipitation that were collected weekly from
1978 t h r o u g h 1983 at 19 sites in 13 states
s h o w e d n o clear pattern o f c h a n g e s in overall
acidity, according to a recent report by the
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) o f the Depart­
m e n t o f the Interior. T h e analysis did, how­
ever, reveal significant declines in sulfate and
nitrate concentrations d u r i n g that 5-year pe­
riod.
U S G S hydrologists said that sulfate a n d ni­
trate, sometimes used as indirect indicators o f
the acidity o f precipitation, s h o w e d wide­
spread and substantial d o w n w a r d trends in
the eastern U n i t e d States. (All but three o f
the 19 stations are located east o f the Missis­
sippi River.) At the five stations in O h i o ,
Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, for e x a m ­
ple, sulfate concentrations declined 25% to
4 0 % d u r i n g the 5-year period. Only two o f
those five stations s h o w e d statistically signifi­
cant trends in pH; these were decreases in
acidity comparable to the decreases in sulfate.
Several previous U S G S studies had also
n o t e d a d o w n w a r d trend in sulfate in precipi­
tation in the northeastern U n i t e d States.
U S G S hydrologists e m p h a s i z e d , however, that
the d o w n w a r d trends in sulfate a n d nitrate by
themselves may not p r o d u c e any immediately
detectable c h a n g e s in the acidity o f streams
and lakes. "There may not be a direct one-to-
o n e ratio between r e d u c e d sulfate a n d nitrate
concentrations and the quality o f the receiv­
ing streams, because such factors as local ge­
ology and soil chemistry play a major role in
d e t e r m i n i n g the neutralizing ability o f the re­
ceiving waters," said U S G S hydrologists T e r ­
ry L. Schertz (Austin, T e x . ) a n d Robert M.
Hirsch (Reston, Va.), authors o f the report.
T h e study marks the first time that long-
term weekly data o n precipitation chemistry
have b e e n available for use in statistical and
trend analysis. T h e 19 stations that were used
in the study, which were established in 1978,
are now part o f the 150-station National
T r e n d s Network, which will provide an o n g o ­
ing m e a n s o f m o n i t o r i n g precipitation c h e m ­
istry across the country. U S G S leads the coor­
dination o f the network u n d e r the National
Acid Precipitation Assessment Program.