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- In geology, international cooperation doesn't necessarily 

 require major international facilities. Freedom to work in 

 foreign lands permits the individual geologist to extend his 

 research with relatively modest portable equipment. 



- Major national facilities in geology, such as seismic 

 arrays and radio interferometers for earthquake research, 

 frequently run to $10M and higher. There are few alternatives 

 to exclusively national support for such facilities. 



- Space geophysics is already highly organized on an 

 international basis. Scientific progress will be achieved 

 primarily through missions such as the ISTP program already 

 mentioned in connection with question 2. The largest segment of 

 the national scientific community of space plasma physicists is 

 committed to support joint multi-spacecraft missions. 



6. What does "world leadership" in either astronomy or 

 geophysics mean? What particular benefits accrue to the "world 

 leader" versus "number two"? Why should national policy makers 

 care whether or not the nation is first, second or third in 

 either astronomy or geophysics? 



- "World leadership" means that American scientists are 

 working at the frontiers of important science and contributing a 

 major share of the new discoveries. 



- Science is intrinsically highly competitive. Every 

 scientist must strive to be a leader in his field. To be 

 "number two" is hardly worth the effort and doesn't rate a high 



