IUCAF

Scientific Committee on Frequency Allocations for Radio Astronomy and Space Science

formerly known as the

Inter-Union Commission on the Allocation of Frequencies for Space Research and Radio Astronomy

The brief of IUCAF

To study and coordinate

the requirements of radio frequency allocations for passive radio sciences, such as radio astronomy, space research and remote sensing,

in order to

make these requirements known to the national and international bodies that allocate frequencies.

The “Inter-Union” aspect of IUCAF

Created in 1960 by ICSU (International Council for Science), a non-governmental organisation, representing 101 national scientific bodies and 27 international scientific unions that- coordinates interdisciplinary research - helps create international networksin close relationship with, e.g., UNESCO

IUCAF is an interdisciplinary body of ICSU

Sponsoring ICSU Scientific Unions:

COSPAR space science IAU astronomy URSI radio science

IUCAF’s place in the spectrum management problem space

IUCAF

IUCAF’s place in the worldwide spectrum management circus

COSPAR Committee on Space Research

IAU International Astronomical Union

URSI International Union of Radio Science

CORF Committee on Radio Frequencies (USA)

CRAF Committee on Radio Astronomical Frequencies (EUR)

RAFCAP Radio Astronomy Frequency Committee in the Asia-Pacific Region

ICSU International Council of Scientific Unions

ITU International Telecommunication Union

RA Radiocommunication Assembly

SG 7 Radiocommunication Study Group7

WRC World Radiocommunication Conference

IUCAF activities

• Participate in meetings:

- ITU-R (as Sector Member): 7D (RAS), TG1/8 (UWB), 1/9 (unwanted em.) & WRC’s- SFCG (as observer)

• Organise three-yearly:

Workshop on RFI Mitigation (Penticton, 2004)Summer school on Spectrum Management (Bologna, 2005)

Yearly budget: ~8 000 EUR (travel grants); can apply for ICSU grants for organising international, interdisciplinary activities.

IUCAF membership

COSPAR S. Gulkis RA,RS  USA J. Romney RA USA

IAU H. Chung RA Korea J. Cohen RA United Kingdom D. Emerson RA USA M. Ohishi RA Japan K. Tapping RA Canada

URSI Y. Gupta RA IndiaA. Tzioumis RA  AustraliaW. van Driel (Chair) RA France G. Wannberg IO Sweden

W. Baan RA The NetherlandsK. Ruf  RS  Germany

4 ex officio advisors (ITU)

+ Correspondents (geographical, optical)

IO: ionospheric studies, RA: radio astronomy, RS: remote sensing

ICSU review of IUCAF in 2004

On its role as an interdisciplinary committee:

IUCAF noted the difficulty to find active COSPAR members,and that its members are mainly radio astronomers.

ICSU Report:

“ICSU should encourage IAU, URSI and COSPAR to organize a joint meeting to define specific procedures and actions that will ensure that IUCAF becomes a truly interdisciplinary committee that has the necessary expertise to coordinate the efforts of all the passive radio sciences in frequency management matters”