CONTENTS 



Page 



I. Introduction 297 



II. Background of the IGY (1957-58) 300 



Antecedents of the IGY 300 



The First International Polar Year (1882-83) 301 



The Second International Polar Year (1932-33) 301 



Origin and Evolution of the IGY 301 



Impetus for a Third International Polar Year 302 



The Scientific Response 304 



The Political Response 305 



Organization and Funding of the IGY 305 



International Organization and Funding 306 



U.S. Organization and Funding 309 



III. The Scientific Program 313 



The Scientific Rationale 313 



Organization of the Program 314 



Implementation of the Program 316 



IGY Reporters 317 



Data Centers 317 



World Days and Alerts 318 



Publication of Results 318 



"Gemutlichkeit" 319 



Political Constraints on the Program 320 



The Two Chinas 320 



Soviet Missiles 321 



Arctic Flights 321 



Radioactive Fallout 322 



Antarctic Bases 322 



Mapping 322 



The "Stolen" Satellite Rocket 322 



Censorship 323 



IV. The Scientific Results 324 



Summary of Scientific Findings of the IGY 324 



Aurora and Airglow 324 



Cosmic Rays 324 



Geomagnetism 325 



Glaciology 325 



Gravity 325 



Ionospheric Physics 325 



Longitudes and Latitudes 325 



Meteorology 326 



Nuclear Radiation 326 



Oceanography , 326 



Seismology 326 



Solar Activity 327 



Upper Atmosphere 327 



Appraisal of Findings 327 



Continuation of IGY Programs 329 



(295) 



