<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><br>Conference announcement: "ISS-2009" Vienna June 8-10, 2009<br>**********************************************************<br><br>The intention of this conference, organized by the CTBTO, is<br>to provide a forum for dialogue between scientists, diplomats<br>and the media, on issues related to the capability and readiness<br>of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty's (CTBT) verification<br>regime.<br><br><div>In particular, the conference will address how the verification<br>regime can benefit from scientific and technical developments<br>since the Treaty opened for signature in 1996.<br><br>Leading up to this conference, the Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS)<br>of the CTBT Organization in Vienna has launched an International<br>Scientific evaluation Study (ISS) of the implementation of the CTBT<br>verification system. The main purpose of this project is to carry<br>out scientific studies and evaluations to address the readiness and<br>the capabilities system of the CTBT in a coordinated international effort.<br><br>From the point of view of the international scientific community, this<br>review process also represents a first and exciting step towards<br>re-opening the discussion on the possibilities for a broader opening<br>of the IMS data, and a unique opportunity to evaluate to which extent:<br>(1) advances in basic science (such as those achieved in the last ten years)<br>could improve the sensitivity of the IMS;<br>(2) IMS data are useful to basic science<br><br>Requests for data, specifying a time period and set of stations and the<br>purpose of the request, can be made by sending e-mail to:<br><a href="mailto:iss@ctbto.org">iss@ctbto.org</a>.<br><br>Possibilities for travel support of grad. students/post-docs from the<br>US to the ISS conference, as well as seed support for US scientists<br>participation in the ISS study are being pursued at this time. For<br>inquiries, please contact Barbara Romanowicz (<a href="mailto:barbara@seismo.berkeley.edu">barbara@seismo.berkeley.edu</a>).<br><br>More information about the ISS study and the conference can be found at:<br><br><a href="http://www.ctbto.org/specials/the-international-scientific-studies-project-iss/">http://www.ctbto.org/specials/the-international-scientific-studies-project-iss/</a><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></body></html>