ABSTRACT
The Joint Task Force on Networked Media (JT-NM) had planned to continue its popular JT-NM tested program during the period since the last SMPTE Progress Report in 2021. However, COVID-19 restrictions and other complications made face-to-face testing impossible. The sponsoring organizations of the JT-NM - Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA), European Broadcasting Union (EBU), SMPTE, and the Video Services Forum (VSF) - did conduct a self-testing version of the program in the spring of 2021. Results of this were mixed, making it clear to the group that we should return to face-to-face testing when that became practical. © 2002 Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Inc.
ABSTRACT
Space solar power (SSP) - first practically proposed in 1968 by Dr. Peter Glaser - is the concept of harvesting sunlight in space and delivering it wirelessly to receivers on Earth. During 2008-2011, the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) conducted the First International Assessment of Space Solar Power, a study that was published following successful peer review and has since become a standard reference. Now, the Academy is conducting a decadal update of this first-of-a-kind international study during 2018- 2022. (Note: the study was originally planned to conclude in 2021, but has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.) Key topics being examined by this study include: (1) changes in critical infrastructure since 2011;(2) advances in key technologies;(3) comparative assessment of various systems concepts that have been put forward;and, (4) emerging changes in the global market for new energy sources (including both energy for Earth and energy for space applications). The current paper reviews the progress to date on the decadal assessment, including process, team and the preliminary results. © 2021 International Astronautical Federation, IAF. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
The present editorial 2020 continues the series of status reports in Environmental Earth Sciences (EES) in previous years 2017 and 2019 (Kolditz et al. in Environ Earth Sci 77: 8, 2018, Kolditz et al. in Environ Earth Sci 79: 11, 2020). The year 2020 coming to an end was heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic affecting all areas of life including research work and, therefore, scientific publishing as well ("Introduction"). One bright spot which shows longevity of journals that produce a quality product is that Environmental Earth Sciences (EES) is celebrating its 45th anniversary of publication. To this extent EES continues the tradition to honor the most cited papers contributing to the 2020 Impact Factor (IF) ("Highly and most cited topics") and provide information on the current status of EES as well as an outlook to 2021 ("Progress report").