Estimation of precipitable water from surface observations

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Borderland Patterns of Scientific Identity: Canada, the United States, and Acid Rain

This study uses the Canada-United States borderlands (as defined by its sensitivity to cross-border acid rain pollution) to establish patterns of identity that transcend political borders. Along these lines, acid rain scientists from Canada and the United States were surveyed to determine the degree of their agreement with government claims of substantial reductions in the pollutants that cause acid rain. The survey results indicate that despite the successful reduction of certain pollutants, the vast majority of Canadian and United States scientists believe that acid rain pollution continues to adversely affect lakes and streams and that present emissions targets are not protecting sensitive ecosystems. Furthermore, the survey results show that scientists from both countries view the acid rain issue from similar perspectives, and that national sympathies do not play a decisive role in scientists’ perceptions of the acid rain issue. In essence, it appears that more and more scientists from Canada and the United States are viewing the acid rain issue from a shared (or bilateral) perspective

Natural Scientists, Social Scientists, and the Environment: A Cross Border Analysis

This study uses interviews with 64 Canadian and 65 United States scientists to compare and contrast their perspectives with respect to environmental policy making across borders, both geographic (Canada versus United States) and disciplinary (natural versus social science). The findings indicate that important imbalances remain between Canadian and United States scientists\u27 perceptions about cross-border pollution. There appears to be a great divergence between the responses of natural and social scientists in the United States and a robust similarity between the responses of natural and social scientists in Canada. In the end, the results support the view that issues centered on the Canada-United States environmental borderlands remain firmly linked to national differences and issues centered on the science-policy linkage remain substantially linked to disciplinary differences