Workshop on IHY and Basic Space Science from Nov 27

Bangalore, Nov 26 (UNI) The Second UN/NASA Workshop on International Heliophysical Year (IHY 2007) and Basic Space Science, organised by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), will be held here from November 27 to December 1.

The main aim of the Workshop was to discover the physical mechanisms that drive the coupling of the Earth's atmosphere with solar and heliospheric phenomena.

The interaction during the Workshop would provide benchmark measurements of the response of the magnetosphere, the ionosphere, the lower atmosphere and Earth surface to identify global processes and drivers which affect the terrestrial environment and climate.

It would also provide a global study of the Sun-heliosphere system outward to the heliopause to understand the external and historic drivers of geophysical change, an opportunity to foster international scientific cooperation in the study of heliophysical phenomena now and in the future and a platform to communicate the unique scientific results of IHY to the interested scientific community and to the general public.

The Workshop has been endorsed by the UN General Assembly as part of the 2006 activities of the UN Programe on Space Applications and it was sponsored by NASA, ISRO and IIA.

The IHY coincides with the 50th year of International Geophysical Year.

The IIA, during the Workshop, would bring out a special brochure highlighting scientific achievements in India related to IGY. India is now ready to play a significant role in participating in IHY programmes which would provide fresh opportunities to solve many of the outstanding problems in solar and terrestrial physics.

UNI MSP VD KP0829