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			 **   THE GEM MESSENGER   **
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						     Volume 8, Number 3
						     January 13, 1998

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Principle results of the December 14, 1997, Meeting of the GGCM 
Steering Committee
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From: G. Siscoe (SISCOE at buasta.bu.edu)

Present: K. Baker, J. Birn, R. Carovillano, R. Clauer, T. Gombosi, M. 
Heinemann, M. Hesse, J. Luhmann, R. Roble, T. Rosenberg, H. 
Singer, G. Siscoe (chair), R. Vondrak, and R. Wolf.

The main outcome of the meeting was a decision on the input 
parameters for models participating in Phase 1 of the GGCM project: 5 
IMF clock angles (north, south, and three equally spaced angles in-
between; 2 IMF field strengths (5 nT and 10 nT); solar wind speed = 
400 km/sec; solar wind density = 5 protons/cc; and 2 ionospheric 
specifications (1. Hall conductance = 0; Pedersen conductance = 5 S; 
parallel conductivity = infinity; and 2. the best the model can do).  In 
addition, modelers who are able should also provide outputs for the 
January 10 event.  The outputs of the fixed input cases should be 
available over the web or by FTP.  The outputs for the Jan. 10 event 
should fit on 1 CD ROM per model.

Most committee members thought that Phases 2 and 3 of the project 
require that the GGCM have a central location (a GGCM center), but a 
minority maintained that a non-centralized, distributed architecture 
should be implemented if possible.  The difference of opinion here 
reflects a corresponding difference of opinion on how much it would 
cost to implement and run a full-up GGCM.  The high-cost scenario 
favors a government lab as a center.  Possible government labs that 
could, in principle, serve as a  GGCM center include Goddard, SEC, 
LANL, and NCAR.  There is another scenario in which the GGCM 
becomes part of an NSF Science and Technology Center.  Then the 
center could be at a university.

Finally, there was an expressed sentiment that the project should 
continue to be as inclusive as possible.  For instance, it would be 
desirable to keep two or more GGCM modeling efforts going.  
Especially, we should try to foster the development of both modular 
and MHD version and to exploit their commonalities.




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