Before our era world scientists had already realized that it’s reasonable to collect scientific data. Archaeological researches show that ancient Egyptians, Chinese and other nationalities, brought in their chronicles information about sun activity. Through many centuries collection of information and regular geophysical measurings began in the Western world. There, at the beginning of the XIX century, the first steps were done to coordinate collection of the data about planet Earth.
First International Polar Year (1882)
A starting point of epoch of joint international works on the scientific data collection was the activity of austrian Earth researcher Charles Weyprecht. At the end of 70th of the XIX century, when central part of Arctic and Antarctic Continent were only blank spaces on the world’s map, he addressed to scientific association with an appeal to combine efforts of leading world countries for the conduction of complex researches of arctic territories. In his report "Basic principles of arctic researches",1875 Weyprecht marks: "It’s necessary to surround a north arctic area with the ring of the stations which would simultaneously conduct various observations, during one year, with the help of identical devices and identical methods,. Organization even of a few stations also in Antarctic Region would considerably promote the value of results from this job".
This appeal was heard and after three conferences of International Polar Commission, the research program which got the name International Polar Year was organized (IPY). Works in the scopes of First IPY begun on August 1, 1882 and continued till September, 1883. The Weyprecht’s program was based on the study of weather in the high latitudes of the North hemisphere, that strongly influenced the climate of all Earth, also on researches of the geomagnetical phenomena, in areas which surround planet’s magnetic-pole and on observation of motion of drifting ices far from coast. Hourly meteorological and magnetic monitoring was a part of obligatory work complex. At 1st and 15th of each month data from devices was taken off every 5 minutes. An hour in which reading was conducted every 20 seconds was also set. Except of obligatory program the arctic stations also made astronomic, hydrographical, hydrological, botanical, zoological and geological supervisions. Also special place was given observations of northern lights. In general 12 stations were established in Arctic, there scientists from 11 countries of the world united their efforts. Such act of scientific collaboration became a precedent in world history. Henry Vilda - the head of the International arctic commission, prominent scientist and organizer of science, academician of the Petersburg academy of sciences and director of the Main physical observatory, was voted for in Petersburg.
Altogether 14 polar stations, 32 observatories and some meteorological stations, from countries of all inhabited continents participated in works of First IPY. All results of observations were systematized and published in 36 volumes. In 1884 the conference of the International polar commission for summing up results on IPY program took place in Vienna. During this conference commission gave positive estimation to IPY program.
IPY became the first global scientific project of such scale, and it’s hard to over-estimate the organizational experience received during this program execution. In future, during realization of larger scientific programs, it was repeatedly inquired.
Second international polar year (1932)
50 years after first IPY new observations were needed and there were few reasons for it. Existence of ionosphere - a charged layer in the upper atmosphere, was discovered in last years, and also the notion of atmospheric processes has essentially changed. In addition scientists received the first information about Earth interaction with near space and knowledge in meteorology broadened actively. Stormy development of science and technology on the joint of ages enabled to use new, more perfect measuring devices and techniques for research. In particular, ice-breakers and ships of ice class were built, and for ice exploration service and planes were used for delivery of loads to the remote districts of difficult access. Accessible possibilities of radio contact allowed uniting all meteorological stations in one operatively working network.
In September 1929 in Copenhagen the International commission for conduction of Second IPY was organized and Danish geophysicist professor de LaKur became its head, and representatives of 10 countries took part in its work. This commission developed the program of researches, according to which the basic task of second IPY was the study of atmosphere circulation in polar regions, first of all in Arctic. Organization of simultaneous monitoring on the network of arctic stations and marine ships was planned for this purpose. IPY program included meteorological and astronomic observations, researches of sun radiation, atmospheric electricity, terrestrial magnetism, observation of northern lights and spreading of radio waves, works in glaciology and oceanography.
On some of stations an additional meteorological observations were planned, for example, special monitoring of clouds in international cloudy days. Actinometric observations on polar stations had a great meaning. The program of free atmosphere research was developed; it included the launch of kites and balls with meteorographs, piloted baloons, and also radio sounding. Soviet scientist P. Molchanov became a drafter of radio sounder; the first launches were in 1930 in Pavlovsk. This new device was not the only one used for monitoring. In 1932–1933 magnetic devices of de LaKur, device of V. Shuleykin for estimation of general blast, device of M. Kalitin for research of radiation properties of snow and ice and others were firstly applied. It is important to mark the fact that date of second IPY (August, 1 1932 till September, 1 1933) was select on purpose, as it was the period of low sun activity. It was interesting for scientist to compare results with the data of first IPY, when sun activity was high.
Already 44 countries took part in the work of second IPY and more than 100 stations were involved in researches, a half of which were in North and South areas of the high-latitudes. Exactly at this period the world highest hydrometeorological station on the Fedchenko glacier (4300 meters above the sea level) and northernmost the arctic station on that time that is on Rudolf Island in Earth Franz-Iosif archipelago joined.
It is hard to over-estimate the scientific and practical results of second IPY. The first map of weather of north hemisphere was built in that way; it represented the state of weather each 6 hours during year. Also the depths of Arctic Ocean were the measured and a big step in researches of nature of northern lights origin was made.
To the greatest regret of all scientific community, Second World War which interrupted the collaboration of scientists hindered the complete usage of the results of second IPY. As not all the results of researches were published before it began, much of them were not saved. And some data could not be used without comparison with analogues. However second IPY became a major event in Earth research and its results became one more confirmation of necessity of whole world scientific potential consolidation.
An international geophysical year (1957)
After end of second IPY stormy research of polar regions has begun. In spite of the fact that Second World War interrupted international researches till the end of 1940th, exploration of Antarctic Region by efforts of the USA, Great Britain, Argentina and Chile begun. At the same time Soviet Union continued researches in Arctic.
To the middle of XX century technical progress gave new possibilities for international cooperation in the area of geophysical researches. Powerful marine ships and planes were built; new means of communication were created. Development of radio electronics resulted in appearance of principally new devices and equipment — remote control meteorological and hydrological stations were developed. Rocketry improved, meteorological rockets were used for sounding of upper-airs. The world stood on the threshold of space era. Appearance of the first computers allowed solving the problem of scientific data processing and storage.
In 1950 famous English geophysicist S. Chapman suggested organization of new international research program, not restricting only with the arctic areas, but spreading it on whole planet. Suggestion was supported by World meteorological organization. In October 1951 International council of scientific unions at UNO made a decision about organization of such program. It got the name - International geophysical year (IGY). Realization of programs of IGY was decided to carry out during 18 months — from July, 1 1957 till December, 31 1958.
1957 should have become a year of recordingly high sun activity, that is why researches in this period had a great value for geophysicists. For management of co-ordinational works the Special committee of IGY (IGY SC), which was headed by S. Chapman.
A main task which IGY should solve was a reception of geophysic data about planet on the whole and filling the gaps in knowledge about separate regions, including arctic and equatorial. Every country which participated in IGY took upon herself an obligation of earth specific region research. More than 10 000 scientists from 67 countries of the world, which worked in expeditions, and also on the scientific stations total number of which was about 6000 participated in IGY program.
The IGY program included hydrometeorological observations on the stations and ships, researches of ionosphere with the help of its vertical sounding. Monitoring of northern lights and luminescence of nightly sky in polar regions and in glacial is a wide range of glaciology researches were planned, as well as 26 expeditions on 70 research ships aiming to study the World ocean. Specially equipped observatories had to conduct astronomic monitoring. The gravimetric survey of different regions including Antarctic continent was also in plans. Substantial attention in the program was given to research of sun activity and geomagnetism. First in world practice of atmosphere research by rockets was also planned. The central event of IGY was a launch of the first in the world space satellite in USSR. October, 4 1957 became a date, which opened a new era in the area of Earth sciences and in history of humanity. An International Geophysical Year became the biggest international project of the middle of XXth century by the amount of participants and researches that were executed. Well thought-out and organized system of observations allowed getting unique geophysical information about a planet on the whole. Application of rocketry and satellites led to the basic change of geophysical researches method and opened new possibilities to study Earth and circumterrestrial space.
Development
At IGY planning a mechanism that provides the data maintenance and free access for scientists and researchers from all the countries that are interested in it was foreseen. Governments of both countries agreed to organize and financially support the establishments that did not have analogues before — World Data Centers. One of them WDC, A is in USA and another WDC, B — is in USSR.
The main principle of the World Data Center’s system is collection, maintenance, organization and providing of access, to the data set. WDC A and WDC B were created in 1957 and became the first establishments that used an idea about the division of scientific areas and data aggregating in separate directions. Such system allows a full using of available present technical and scientific potential and it is a result of deepening into the chosen area. Besides, starting from their foundation and following the recommendations of 1955, world centers operated the data that had a format available while using of computing machinery. Universalism and a common type of data became the guarantee of valuable opportunities and their exploitation.
Both WDC received results of observations in all sections of geophysics that were included in IGY program. Development of WDC was an important result of systematic approach of the organizers to realization of IGY as an international project. Later the system of WDS was significantly extended.
Today, all the countries that conduct serious scientific researches in the area of nuclear energetic monitor the sun activity, the motion of tectonic plates, the condition of the soil, sea and ocean and all the other changes of the condition of Earth have their Data Centers. There are 50 of such center’s registered in 12 countries, and they exchange the information all the time. This gives us an opportunity to analyze the phenomena and processes that happened at the time intervals from seconds to millennium. Such analysis provides basic information for researches in many spheres. Now it’s possible to monitor the changes in geosphere and biosphere. And it doesn’t matter if the changes are daily or abrupt, forecasted or unexpected, natural or artificial.
The mission of the system of World Data Centers is to speed up the search and to provide the wide access to reliable information. Thanks to that scientists from all over the planet will have an opportunity to use the knowledge developed for centuries and that will indisputably help to increase the amount of discoveries important for humanity.
Every Center-participant of the system is specialized in some sphere of researches. So, for example, resources of Russian WDC mainly concern sun activity, research of geophysical processes and oceanography; French WDC has results of observations of sun activity since 1990, also you can observe the sun through web-camera on their web-site in real-time processing. Ukrainian WDC covers a wide branch in research of geoinformatics and sustainable development. Center in Kyiv has annual reports, where you can get statistical and analytical information about the aspect of sustainable development of all countries in the world.
Scientist that needs some information should turn to the World Data Center that possesses information in proper field. Every center provides free access to its storage of information and helps you to find knowledge required. Modern level of communicational technologies development lets us to access the data with the help of Internet from any spot of Earth. Scientists that are interested in information should contact with the suitable Centers to receive more detailed information.
WDC system works in the terms of International Council of Scientific Unions, the mission of which is aggregation of world scientific potential and global public researches.
Transition from World Data Centers to World Data System
On the 29 General Assembly of International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) in Maputo (Mozambique) that took place in the end of October, 2008, the resolution of forming a new World Data System (WDS) attached to International Council of Scientific Unions was accepted. Existing World Data Centers (WDC) attached to ICSU and Federation of Astronomical and Geophysical Analytical Services (FAGAS) will be united in the new World Data System (WDS). These actions are a result of ICSU priority estimation of scientific data and information and further recommendations of Strategic Committee of ICSU for data and information.
World Data System Scheme
