1997 IAPSO Activities

During the period from 1 January - 31 December 1997, the International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans (IAPSO) jointly convened an Assembly with the International Association for Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (IAMAS) in Melbourne, Australia. Other IUGG Associations also participated in the Assembly. Details of the IAPSO symposia, and IAPSO led joint symposia, have been posted on the IAPSO Web page at http://www.olympus.net/IAPSO

There were two meetings of the IAPSO Executive Committee at the Joint Assembly in Melbourne. Principal items discussed were the program for the upcoming IUGG General Assembly in 1999, a proposed Joint Assembly with the International Association for Biological Oceanography (IABO) in 2001, possibilities for new IAPSO Commissions, a proposed change to the number of members on the IAPSO Executive Committee, and the formation of a nominating committee prior to the next election of IAPSO Executive Bureau and Executive Committee members.

The IAPSO Secretary General and a member of the IAPSO Executive Committee from the United Kingdom met with the Scientific Program Committee for IUGG99 in Birmingham, England. The Secretary General and the IAPSO President met with the IUGG Executive Committee, also in Birmingham. A member of the IAPSO Executive Committee from Argentina served as IAPSO's official representative at the meeting of ICSU's Scientific Committee for Oceanic Research in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Planning continued for the IAPSO portion of the IUGG General Assembly to be held in Birmingham, England, in 1999. Symposia convenors were identified and short write-ups on the scopes of the symposia were prepared. This work continued into early 1998.

IAPSO's Permanent Service on Mean Sea Level and the Standard Sea Water Service continued their service to the international oceanographic community.

There were two IAPSO publications in 1997, a proceedings for the 1995 IAPSO General Assembly, and a collection of papers on oceanography in developing countries taken from papers presented at the 1991 and 1995 General Assemblies.