Chair: Prof. Staffan Ström ( Sweden)

Vice-Chair: Prof. Makoto Ando (Japan)

The Commission held three Open Commission meetings, respectively on 19, 21 and 23 August 2002. The Commission B Chair Prof. Staffan Strom opened the meeting and welcome all members who are interested in and supporting Commission B activities. They were attended by more than 50 delegates and members.

Schedule:

Business meeting I: 18:00-19:00, 19 August

Business meeting II: 18:00-19:00, 21 August

Business meeting III: 18:15-20:00, 23 August

1. Completion of the vote concerning Commission B incoming vice-chair

An important point on the agenda was the completion of the vote concerning incoming vice-chair. At the first business meeting, any Official Member who was present and had previously voted was given the opportunity to change his vote, and any Member who had not voted was allowed to do so. The result was that Prof. Lotfollah Shafai was elected, with Prof. Roberto Tiberio as alternate. ( the URSI Council subsequently appointed Prof. Makoto Ando and Prof. Shafai as Commission B chair and vice-chair respectively, for the triennium 2002-2005 ).

2. Discussion of a proceedings in GA, a proposal to merge RRS and RSB and RSB on the web.

Dr. W. Ross Stone, URSI publication committee chair, explained the publication-related questions.

·How have CD-ROM proceedings and program with 100 words abstracts been received ?

The changes were substantially supported with the exception of incomplete linkage to authors and the too small font-size for abstracts.

·Should the Review of Radio Science be incorporated into the Radio Science Bulletin?

Generally supported especially in view of wider distributions and indexed in INSPEC, more timely reviews and enhances RSB. The contents must be review articles so that they may compete with Radio Science.

·Should the Radio science Bulletin be made on the Web ?

Various advantages are discussed such as availability of back-numbers, wider distribution, reduction of printing and mailing cost and also enhancing the number of URSI correspondents.

 

3. Discussion of a proposed new format for Abstracts of papers submitted to the next GA: 4 pages

In 2002 GA, text only abstracts were submitted for review and the final version of the manuscript with the maximum of 4 pages +100 word abstract was requested for each accepted paper. The proposal of the new format for submission in the next 2005 GA, where a 4-page manuscripts are submitted once for both review and the proceedings, received substantial support.

 

4. Commission B Editor for RRS/RRB 2002-2005

Prof. R. Ziolkowski of the University of Arizona was appointed as Commission B Editor for RRS/RRB 2002-2005. ( Dr. Ross Stone emphasized that the Commission Editors should select review topics and authors ASAP ).

Each Commission had been asked to appoint Commission Editor for Review of Radio Science and Radio Science Bulletin. Prof. R. Ziolkowski of the University of Arizona was charged with the Commission Editor for RRS/RRB 2002-2005. He accepted. Commission should select review topics and authors with him in due course.

 

5. Special Section in Radio Science, based on papers presented at the 2001 Victoria EMT.

Prof. A. Ishimaru reported on the current status of the editing of this Special Section in Radio Science. Prof. A. Ishimaru of Washington University is Co-Editor, together with the and Prof. S. Strom of Royal Institute of Technology, for this Special Section. Twenty one papers had been accepted and six more are under revision. The Special Section will appear in the 2002 Nov.-Dec. issue of Radio Science.

Radio Science has a special issue devoted to selected papers presented at the 2001 Electromagnetic Theory Symposium in Victoria. It is edited by Prof. Akira Ishimaru of Washington university and Prof. Staffan Strom of Royal Institute of Technology. The current status of the editing of the issue was explained. Twenty one Papers were accepted and six more are under revision. This will appear in Nov.-Dec. issue of Radio Science.

6. Announcement of URSI Commission B Electromagnetic Prize

The present status of the Electromagnetic Prize with the first problem appearing on the web on September 15, 2001 and with the deadline of 15 January, 2003 was announced.

The second problem will be announced soon. During the next triennium after this GA, the panel that will evaluate the entries consists of Prof. Tom Senior, Dr Carl Baum, Prof Chalmers Butler, Prof. Karl Langenberg, and the Commission B ( Past ) Chair Staffan Strom.

The present status of the Electromagnetic Prize with the first problem appearing on the web on September 15, 2001 and with the deadline of 15 January, 2003 was announced.  The second problem will appear soon. (cf. http://www.ursi.org/EMPrize.htm )

7. Inter-Commission Working Group (IWG) on Solar Power Satellites (SPS)

Formation of IWG was proposed by Commission H. Microwave power transmission from space to earth is a challenging technology for Commission B and active participation as the commission is adopted. Dr. W. Ross Stone, Prof. Y. Rahmat Samii of UCLA, USA and Dr. Andrew J. Parfitt of CSIRO, Australia Several experts had applied upon the solicitation and their names were transmitted to the Commission H.

8. Presentation of the Italian proposal to host the future EMTS

Prof. G. Manara of University Pisa made a presentation of a proposal to hold the 2007 URSI ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY SYMPOSIUM (EMTS) in Pisa, Italy. The symposium could take place at the Congress Centre of the University of Pisa. Additional information on the proposal can be found at the following web address: http://www.ing.unipi.it/MRL/URSI .

The Chair, Prof. S. Strom, added that Commission B had received only one proposal for 2007 EMT-S and that the proposal had been reviewed and recommended by the Commission B ad hoc committee for EMTS proposals. After some questions and discussions, the Italian proposal was accepted by Commission B.

9. Discussion of related questions concerning 2004 and 2007 EMTS

The Chair, Prof. S. Strom, first explained that the upcoming 2004 EMTS was projected to bring about a break in a trend of somewhat decreased participation in EMTS series. He mentioned that the Commission B Chair and Vice-chair had discussed and assessed with Prof. S.E. El-Khamy, Chair of the local organizing committee of 2004 EMTS in Alexandria, the apprehension expressed by many members of the Commission B community concerning the latest political situation in neighbouring Middle East areas.They also were in contact with Prof. G. Manara and his colleagues, who were behind the italian proposal concerning the 2007 EMTS.

With this background, the following was proposed by the Commission B Chair

The venues/organizers of the 2004 and the 2007 EMTS are switched, so that instead of Alexandria in 2004 and Pisa in 2007, the 2004 EMTS will take place in Pisa in the last week of May (tentative) and the 2007 EMTS will take place in Alexandria.

The proposal was approved unanimously by the meeting.

Furthermore, Commission B resolved unanimously to thank the Egyptian and Italian delegates for their gracious and constructive collaboration in reaching the above-mentioned consensus decision. Finally, the Chair brought the very tight schedule of less than two years for the preparation of 2004 EMTS in Pisa to the attention. The EMTS in Alexandria, Egypt, originally scheduled in 2004 was changed and postponed to 2007.

10. Best young scientist paper (BYSP) award

The chair announced that Dr.Maurizio Bozzi of Univ. of Pavia who was a YSA recipient and a member of the Commission B community, had won the Philips’ best young scientist paper (BYSP) award. The meeting congratulated Dr. Bozzi to his award.The chair announced that Dr. Bozzi Maurizio of Univ. of Pavia who was a YSA recipient and a member of the Commission B community, won the Philips’ best young scientist paper (BYSP) award.

11. Vote of Thanks

Prof. Staffan Strom introduces the incoming chair, Prof. Makoto Ando, Japan. On behalf of the Commission B members, he warmly proposed a vote of thanks to the outgoing Chair, Prof. Strom, for the excellent way in which he had led the Commission during the last triennium. This was carried by acclamation.

 

12. The Commission B Technical Advisory Board (B-TAB):

The incoming Chair, Prof. Ando explained the mission and role of Commission B Technical Advisory Board (B-TAB), which is a follow-up of the discussion that started at the 2001 EMTS in Victoria, Canada. The role of TAB is to discuss the future directions of study topics of Commission B and take the necessary action for realizing it. TAB investigate,

• Long-term directions of technical program. Advice and support to Technical Program Committees (TPC) of EMT-Symposia. and GA.
• Possible cooperation with other Commissions and Societies. (SIAM was suggested in Victoria)
• How to attract and motivate young engineers or students in electromagnetics and/or related fields.

• Long-term directions of technical program. Advice and support to Technical Program Committees (TPC) of EMT-Symp. and GA.
• Possible cooperation with other Commissions and Societies. (SIAM was suggested in Victoria)
• How to attract and motivate young engineers or students in electromagnetics and/or related fields.

The current member list as well as the action time-table was announced. All the Commission members are solicited to support B-TAB discussion.

13. Any other business and announces during GA

The following topics weres are discussed or announced in other meetings such as Openinng Ceremony, Coordinating Committee and Council during GA.

Issac Koga Gold Medal

At the opening ceremony of this GA, the Issac Koga Gold Medal was awarded to Prof. Frank Olyslager of Ghent University, who is the active young scientist in the field of Commission B.

Update of the terms of reference

It was not felt necessary to modify them.

Scientific Committee for Telecommunications (SCT)

The Council agreed the resolution on SCT. The resolution as well as the terms of reference are available on the URSI Website. SCT is reactivated to encourage the exchange of information between URSI and ITU. It is chaired by Mr. M. Hall and the membership tentatively comprises representatives of 10 Scientific Commissions and Participants. Anybody who wish to contribute to the "SCT discussion" is solicited to contact with Mr. M. Hall at <Martin.Hall@rl.ac.uk> . Commission B is also requested to coopt the individuals with any involvement in ITU-R, ITU-T, ITU-D and WHO.

Communications

During the triennium the Chair has communicated with the Commission B representatives through a series of e-mail " Letter no X ". All these letters and annexes can be viewed on the URSI Homepage at

http://www.ursi.org/Maastricht/Comreportstri.htm (tick Commission B)

Commission B is creating a web page (still under development) which will contain information devoted primarily to the 2004 Electromagnetic Theory Symposium.

 

1. 2002 Maastricht GA Commission B Sessions (Number of submitted papers)

BT. Tutorial: 1 hour

Inverse Scattering and Its Applications to Sub-Surface Sensing and Medical Imaging

M. Van den Berg, Convener: Staffan Strom (Chair B)

1 ) Sessions organised by Commission B alone:

B1. Electromagnetic Theory ( I&C&P ) : 2 hours (46)

Convenors: I.V. Lindell and P.D. Smith

B2: Scattering and Diffraction ( I&C&P ) : 3 h. 20 min. (38)

Convenors: Karl J. Langenberg and Marc Saillard

B3 Time Domain Electromagnetics ( I&C&P ) : 3 h. 20 min. (27)

Convenors: E.Miller and R. Gomez-Martin

B4 Inverse scattering and imaging ( I&C&P ) : 3 h. 20 min. (25)

Convenors: G. Kristensson and T. Habashy.

B5 Fast Methods for CEM ( I&C&P ) : 2 h. 20 min. (10)

Convenors E. Michielssen and J. Volakis

B6 Numerical methods for PDEs - Adaptive feedback processes and multigrid techniques

2 h. 20 min. (9) Convenors: J-F Lee and M. Salazar-Palma

B7 Asymptotic and hybrid methods ( I&C&P ) : 2 h. 20 min. (16)

Conveners: P. Pathak and G. Manara

B8 Design, Analysis and Synthesis of Antenna Arrays ( I&C&P ) : 3 h. 20 min. (32)

Conveners: S. Maci and T.S. Bird

BP Electromagnetic waves in complex environments (39)

Convenors: N. Engheta and E. Heyman

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2 ) Joint sessions led by Commission B

BCF Antennas in mobile communication systems ( I&C&P ) : 2 h. 20 min. (25)

Convenors: M. Ando and G. Frolund Pedersen

BD Time and frequency 3D circuit modelling ( I&C&P ) : 2 hours (10)

Convenors: F. Olyslager and A. Cangellaris

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3 ) Joint sessions led by other Commissions

AB1: ANTENNA AND ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD MEASUREMENTS (I&C) (25)

Convenors: T. Schrader and A. Yaghjian

AB2: TIME-DOMAIN MEASUREMENTS AND ANALYSIS (I&C) (4)

Convenors: H Garbe and Anton G. Tijhuis

CBF: WAVE PROPAGATION MODELING FOR MOBILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

(I) (15) Convenors: W.Wiesbeck and H. Bertoni

CFAB Subsurface Remote Sensing with its Applications (11)

Convenors: D. Noon, G. Smith, and P. v.d. Berg

DB Electromagnetic Band Gap Structures and Their Applications (11)

Convenors. R. Ziolkowski and Y Rahmat Samii

JBC: WIDEBAND ARRAY TECHNOLOGY AND SYSTEMS (I) (16)

Convenors:A. van Ardenne G. L. James and H. Boelcskei

KB: COMPUTATION OF ELECTROMAGENTIC FIELDS IN THE HUMAN BODY

(I, C, P) (14) Convenors: O. Gandhi and M. Okoniewski

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2. Commission B Sessions Statistics