Untitled Document
AOGS Election of Office Bearers - 2012 to 2014
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Takehiko Satoh (CV)
Professor of Space Plasma Physics,
Institute of Space and Astronomical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
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Asia Oceania countries have great potentials to play key roles in the field of solar terrestrial sciences. Such potentials are obvious through the fact that AOGS's Solar & Terrestrial Sciences section (ST) is making steady steps towards a level which compares to AGU's corresponding sections: topics of the ST section recent years almost cover those of AGU, evidencing the section's good activity. It is important that AOGS should, of course, not be a mere copy of well-established AGU, but should be a strong binder of Asia Oceania countries with “unique” activities and/or potentials. As a Presidential candidate for the ST section, I propose to work primarily on two areas: One is to enhance what AOGS/ST is strong and another is to reinforce what AOGS/ST is not very strong now.
The former includes successful Asian lunar missions (Japan's, China's, India's, and those coming in near future), from which the Earth's magnetosphere and the interplanetary plasma can be studied. Together with the near-Earth missions plus the heliospheric physics (greatly enhanced by Hinode), the AOGS ST scientists have advantages in this research field. Having our own data, it should be possible to attract young and talented students which would definitely increase our activity in the coming decades. I feel that more researchers should engage in the ST section so that the data are fully utilized and our understandings increase.
The latter includes studies on the outer planets' magnetospheres which, as far extrema, would tell us “invisible” sides of our (terrestrial) environment. Although such objects are beyond our reach at this moment, I believe we have high potentials in this field. The ST section should invite specialists from the USA and from Europe so that our readiness for future outer planet missions will increase.
As an educator, I’m confident that we need to have productive educational sessions (in the past, at 2008 meeting, we had one jointly with PS section). Education is, needless to say, essential to sustainable growth of the scientific community and should be done through continuous effort by all. Generally speaking, in addition to the educational session, there can be more ST-PS joint sessions as we have many targets (the Sun, the planets and satellites) in common. I will make every effort to promote better interaction between these 2 sections so we all benefit from productive joint sessions. Education and interdisciplinary activity would ultimately strengthen the entire community, I strongly believe so.
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