Useful Acronyms
ACE - Advanced Composition Explorer, a research satellite in orbit between Sun & Earth that monitors solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field, among many parameters
CAWSES - Climate and Weather of the Sun-Earth-System
CD-ROM - Compact Disc-Read Only Memory
CME - Coronal Mass Ejection, an explosive process on the solar surface
COSMIC - Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate
CRU - Climate Research Unit, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK, a research group that studies long-term changes in global climate, including temperature
CSG - CAWSES Steering Groups, working groups of CSSG
CSSG - CAWSES Scientific Steering Group, body to plan and implement CAWSES
EIT - Extreme Infrared Telescope on satellite SOHO
ENA - Energetic Neutral Imaging
ENSO - El Nino and Southern Oscillation
EPIC - Equatorial Processes Including Coupling
EUV - Extreme Ultraviolet, electromagnetic radiation between 2000Å and 40Å
EVA - Extravehicular Activity
GEO - Geostationary (geosynchronous) orbit above Earth's equator where satellites at about 6.6 Re complete one orbit each 24 hours, hence appear to remain above the same point on Earth's surface -- ideal for weather monitoring and telecommunications services
GHCN - Global Historical Climatology Network
GISS - Goddard Institute for Space Studies, a NASA institute in New York that performs research into air temperatures measured from satellite and by other means
GOES - Geosynchronous Operational Environmental Satellites (USA)
GPS - Global Positioning System satellites (USA)
IAGA - International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy
ICSU - International Council for Science (was International Council of Scientific Unions)
IGY - International Geophysical Year, international coordinated study from 1957-1958
IMAGE - Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration, satellite
IMF - Interplanetary Magnetic Field
IMS - International Magnetospheric Study, SCOSTEP program from 1976-1979
IOC - Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission
IQSY - International Quiet Sun Year, international coordinated study from 1964-1965
ISCS - International Solar Cycle Study
ISTP - International Solar-Terrestrial Program
LASCO - Large Aperture Solar Coronal Observatory on satellite SOHO
LEO - Low Earth Orbiter, satellites in orbit at a few hundred to 1000 Km altitude
LWS - Living With A Star, proposed new NASA multi-satellite program
MAP - Middle Atmosphere Program, international coordinated study from 1982-1985
NASA - National Aeronautics & Space Administration (USA)
NCDC - National Climate Data Center (USA)
NGDC - National Geophysical Data Center (USA)
NO - Nitric Oxide
NOAA - National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (USA)
POES - Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites (USA)
PSMOS - Planetary Scale Mesopause Observing System
QBO - Quasi-Biennial Oscillation
SAO - Southern Atlantic Oscillation
SCOSTEP - Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics
SES - Sun-Earth-System
SMY - Solar Maximum Year, international coordinated program from 1979-1981
SOHO - Solar and Heliospheric Observatory research satellite
SNOE - Student Nitric Oxide Explorer research satellite
SPARC - Stratospheric Processes and their Role in Climate, a program of WCRP
S-RAMP - STEP-Results, Applications, and Modeling Phase
SSG - Science Steering Group
STEP - Solar-Terrestrial Energy Program
STP - Solar-Terrestrial Physics
TIMED - Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere Energetics & Dynamics satellite
TRACE - Transition Region and Coronal Explorer, research satellite providing imagery of the solar surface and its eruptive features
UARS - Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
UN - United Nations, intergovernmental international body
UNEP - United Nations Environment Programme
UNESCO - United National Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
UV - Ultraviolet, electromagnetic radiation between 40,000Å and 40Å
WCRP - World Climate Research Program, a joint program of WMO, ICSU, and IOC
WDC - World Data Centers, a system created by ICSU for IGY and extended to provide international collection, processing, archiving, and distributing of data and data products for all disciplines covered by ICSU scientific programs
WMO - World Meteorological Organization, intergovernmental body and specialized agency of the United Nations
Yohkoh - "Sunbeam" in Japanese, a research satellite
