NEWSLETTER

CLIMATE SPECIALITY GROUP ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEOGRAPHERS

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It had been hoped that this issue of the newsletter could have reached you before June. However,prior commitments by the Chairman and Secretary found us having problems contacting each other.

Bob Muller has already begun work on the program for San Antonio. As you all know, with the long lead time, one has already to be think­ing toward next year. As soon as the program format is prepared you will receive information regarding same.

The bulk of what follows is taken directly from the minutes of the Los Angeles meeting. A special thanks goes to Sandra Brazel for doing such a fine job of taking and organizing the minutes.

CLIMATE SPECIALTY GROUP MINUTES National Meeting AAG, Los Angeles, California April 22, 1981

Opening Remarks (Bob Muller)

Tony Brazel, John Rayner, Carol Jenner, Russ Mather, and myself (Bob Muller) have been the ad hoc committee. The committee has been in a holding pattern. There are 209 members in the group and there is $154 in the treas­ury. Mailings have been provided by the Laboratory of Climatology at ASU. I have been pleased to see an increase in attention at the AAG to climate.

Survey Questionnaire (Steve Justham)

Steve Justham reported on the questionnaire-survey made last summer. There were two mailings to ascertain the make-up of this group. The member­ship last year was 239. The second mailing went out to those who had not responded to the first one. The information from this survey will be put on the computer at Ball State and will be accessible to anyone who wants it. There was some interest in a newsletter or monograph and the possibility that Steve 1 S office may support such an endeavor.

One-hundred forty returned the survey out of a total of 242. Only 6 people indicated that they never knew they were in the group. At least one individual from every other specialty group of the AAG is in th·is group. r~embership in other academic organizations totalled 100 different groups. Sixty-seven members of this specialty group belong to the AMS which had the biggest representation. More than 100 members selected research and teaching in their professional interests. Only 34 selected consulting. Topical interests were very far-ranging-­over 150 were identified. Regional specialities covered the world. Over 100 professional publications were identified. The AMS showed up very strongly.

What should the group do in the future? 121 would like a directory. 110 would like a newsletter containing news about funding. 120 would like a newsletter.

National Climate Program Act (Bob Muller)

Peter Robinson could not come. Ed Epstein has resigned from the Office. No director at present and a chance it may not be filled for some time. NOAA is not anxious to do much with it in my opinion.

Intergovernmental Program (Bob Muller)

There are 45 or 46 State Climatologists. This program has been encouraged by the National Climatic Center. Interest in having these positions ·is very great.

Specialty Group Business (Bob Muller)

Bob Muller attended a meeting of the chairmen of the Ph.D. department chairmen on Monday. The Michigan situation was reviewed and an emphasis put on thinking about Geography as a discipline. I (Bob) tend to put most of my effort in publishing outside of geography, but I believe we need to think about strengthening geography as a research discipline~

CLIMATE SPECIALTY GROUP MINUTES (Continued) 2

Next AAG meetings in San Antonio, Denver, and Washington, D.C. We need to have some special invited sessions. At San Antonio perhaps have a joint meeting with some of the quaternary geomorphologists, or other sessions on drought and weather modification on the Great Plains. In Denver, have sessions which would include more on the climate of the Great Plains and more on the climate variability and circulation with reference to the Great Plains, and be able to draw on people from NCAR and Arizona and perhaps weather modification in the mountains. Perhaps organize some more advanced level workshops. The water budget workshops have gone well and are fairly basic. Could develop other topics.

Perhaps we need to elect a new slate of officers. We are never quite sure what this group is supposed to do. Some of the people have lots of obli~ations and to make this group effective requires a lot of energy and ideas.

Discussion and Questions

cHow have the longer sessions gone? There haven't been many. Most of the program people of the next two meetings are physical geographers. Bob Muller suggested that a specialist be invited to give an hour lecture with discussants and have a two-hour session on one topic. Perhaps Steve Schneider and Changnon. Bring in the AMS members. Maybe even Namias. Use the treasury to pay for their membership for one year.

Dave Phillips: All 50 climate papers have been by University people. No government or industry people involved. Go out and get some of these people to give papers.

AASC has tried to work in these areas. Changnon currently in charge. (Muller)

John James: Attended with Arnold Court the weather modification association joint session. They meet twice a year. Perhaps meet in conjunction with them at the Denver meetings.

Sam Outcalt: Michigan's problems have nothing to do with climatology. Question as to holding some sessions to specific topics because of the small nature of the group and stick to topical sessions instead. One thing might be to really tighten up on the papers. Encourage some people to come out of the woodwork. People who have been active. What payoff is there for people in climatology to publish in the Annals with its editorial policy and footnotes problems. Should give stronger support to the Journal of Physical Geography.

John Oliver: Last year AAG (?) affiliated itself with the Journal of Physical Geography. Need to get some libraries to subscribe. Feels it is for climatologists.

John James: Fifteen years ago we were encouraged to put papers into the Annals but papers submitted were not accepted. We need support from the front office.

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CLIMATE SPECIALTY GROUP MINUTES (Continued) 3

Is the AMS membership about 5000? Maybe need several journals. every specialty group might make the same request. This would be a losing proposition, and we could never duplicate the AMS or change the council.

Arnold Court: How can you get a good session with so many competing sessions. Perhaps we should more carefully screen the papers. Suggest this group should take a stand on this. Ask that no papers in climatology be presented unless they have gone through this group.

Bob Muller: Many people could not get support to come to these meetings if they are not presenting a paper. Should have a group to look at the special sessions and select the papers in it. May not restrict it to geographers.

Steve Justham: If we can control the papers for 2 or 3 sessions--this would be dependent on the AAG guidelines--also how do they view the importation of outside speakers. Would like to hear two half-hour speakers and three or four discussants.

Arnold Court: Feels that the invited speaker does not produce the way he should.

Sam Outcalt: Funding--geography makes unique contribution to some research topics--focus on a few things that people have done in the group--we have a focus that meteorologists do not have. Would seem that based on Steve Justham's work we could use those areas to start with and the individual identified in those areas could work on organizing the sessions.

Arnold Court: Announce that there will be l or 2 or 3 sessions and abstracts would be accepted subject to review.

Sam Outcalt: Might also include a completed paper. Use the AAG session to first bring a paper which is going to be published.

Arnold Court: Could also go the preprint route.

Steve Justham: Selected papers first year and invited papers the second year.

Suggestion made that effort be made to get together at the winter meetings of the AMS.

Like the preprint form. Could find money from some of the members of this group to support it.

Steven Justham: Could there be a physical geography issue devoted to the papers?

~ohn Oliver: That is a possibility, especially if the geomorphologists would agree.

Sam Outcalt cited several journals that have done this.

CLIMATE SPECIALITY GROUP MINUTES (continued)

John Oliver: I suggest that Robert Muller be re-elected as chairman to call on any interested person for support ani Steve Justham to get information into the newsletter.

Steering Committee for next year: Robert A. Muller, Chairman; Stephen A. Justham, Secretary-Treasurer; Anthony J. Brazel, John R. Mather, Glen A. Marotz.

There were 37 people in attendance. Meeting adjourned at 10 P.M.

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Please feel free to contact any member of the Steering Committee regarding your concerns for our group. If you have any news items for the newsletter send them to: Stephen A. Justham, Department of Geo­graphy, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306

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