After long discussions, all participating countries and institutes have found an agreement on the data exchange policy: the data useful for the preparation of MAP will be supplied to the scientists free of any charge, with the only obligation that they should be used exclusively for bona fide research. The MAP Data Centre is now open, and already supplying an efficient service to the MAP users.
A new scientific community, the one of hydrology, has been invited to join MAP. A productive common workshop has been held in April, and it is now clear that atmosphericians and hydrologists can work hand in hand in MAP for their mutual benefit. This is being acknowledged by such high scientific authority as the GEWEX Hydrometeorology Panel, that is expressing an interest in our activities. The MAP Design Proposal is currently being revised to include this new range of activities.
National coordination is making good progress: In most alpine countries, national committees have been set up. The science funding agencies have been contacted, and some of them have already evaluated MAP proposals, and attributed resources. MAP is now being recognized as an important project for the end of the century.
The first proposal made at the European Union under the MAP umbrella, HERA, has been accepted, and related funds will arrive soon in our laboratories. The next call for offers of the EU, which is currently running, will generate several new proposals. Meanwhile, our American friends have also been very active. A MAP workshop was held in Boulder in February, with two European scientists invited. This resulted in the shaping of a well structured US proposal for the field phase, representing a decisive contribution to the main objectives of MAP (intense rainfall and dynamic issues). This proposal is currently evaluated by the NSF. In Canada, plans are also very advanced for an active participation.
After discussion in the frame of the IGP, the field phase has been postponed to 1999. This makes possible a significant participation of France, and leaves us more time to conduct preparatory studies, and design optimal measurement strategies. But most important, we were all impressed by the participation and the quality of the papers presented at the Hall scientific meeting. MAP is attracting the interest of a growing number of scientists, and give them an opportunity to orient their work towards a real and productive cooperation. This is the best guarantee of success.
The next few months will be decisive. We have to design now a precise experimental plan, consistent with our well focused scientific objectives. No doubt, the numerical work conducted during the present preparatory phase will be of great help to reach an agreement on this plan. Logistical constraints are also very important, especially for the ground equipment, and the choice of the MAP operations Centre. During the coming winter, a detailed survey of possible sites for the operations of the field phase will be conducted. By the next MAP meeting, we should be able to decide about many important issues. Also, the funding of the field phase will require a major effort to write convincing proposals to many agencies.
It is time for all of us to prepare for hard but exciting work!
Philippe Bougeault
Chairman, Scientific Steering Committee
Note from the Editors
An new feature that is introduced with this issue of the Newsletter is the new page layout. It uses a two-columns design, is more easily readable and allows for a denser page layout. The new layout has been designed by Stephan Bader.
