VIENNA, 18 June (UN Information Service) — As part of the outreach activities for the International Heliophysical Year 2007, the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA) is organizing a five-day Workshop on Basic Space Science and the International Heliophysical Year (IHY) 2007. The Workshop is being co-sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States. Hosted by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), on behalf of the Government of Japan, the Workshop will be held in Tokyo, Japan, from 18 to 22 June 2007.

The Workshop will highlight front-line research results with a deep impact on the development of astronomy, physics, and geosciences and review the achievements of the past 14 workshops in the establishment of astronomical telescope facilities and planetariums, donated by Japan to developing countries, and the establishment of low-cost, ground-based, world-wide instrument arrays, as implemented through IHY 2007. The Workshop will also continue with discussions on the spread of the use of Astrophysics Data Systems (ADS) and Virtual Observatories (VO) among the world-wide scientific community, which allow for free-of-charge availability of literature in astronomy, physics and geosciences and of imagery taken by the fleet of astronomical satellite missions that operated in outer space in the past 50 years.

Since 1990, OOSA, in cooperation with national and international space-related agencies and organizations, has organized annual workshops on basic space science, including preparations for IHY 2007, particularly for the benefit of scientists from developing countries. The International Heliophysical Year 2007 is an international endeavour aiming to focus worldwide attention on the importance of international cooperation in research activities in the field of solar-terrestrial physics. In preparation of IHY 2007, past workshops have significantly contributed to the establishment of an observatory development programme known as IHY TRIPOD that encompasses the operation of world-wide instrument arrays such as magnetometers, radio antennas, GPS receivers, cosmic ray detectors, the development of software to analyse the data taken, and to transfer the obtained results in the process of teaching space science at the university level. Scientists from developing nations, which have implemented the Basic Space Science TRIPOD and the IHY TRIPOD will report on their results at the Workshop in Tokyo.

Approximately 100 participants from the following 28 countries are expected to attend the Workshop: Algeria, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Morocco, Nigeria, Republic of Korea, Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Russian Federation, Spain, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States and Uzbekistan.

The United Nations Programme on Space Applications is implemented by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and works to improve the use of space science and technology for the economic and social development of all nations, in particular developing countries. Under the Programme, the Office conducts training courses, workshops, seminars and other activities on applications and capacity building in subjects such as remote sensing, communications, satellite meteorology, search and rescue, basic space science, satellite navigation and space law.

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA) implements the decisions of the General Assembly and of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and its two Subcommittees, the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and the Legal Subcommittee. The Office is responsible for promoting international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, and assisting developing countries in using space science and technology. Located in Vienna, Austria, OOSA maintains a website at http://www.unoosa.org/.

For information, please contact:

Romana Kofler
Associate Programme Officer
Tel.: (+43-1) 26060-4962
E-mail: romana.kofler@unvienna.org

United Nations Information Service Vienna (UNIS Vienna)
P.O.Box 500
1400 Vienna
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Email: unis@unvienna.org
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