ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ON ASTRONOMY

The range of adverse environmental impacts on astronomy is reviewed: e lectromagnetic pollution, increasing ground vibration, increasing dump ing of heat and particulates in the atmosphere, accumulation of heavy molecules in the stratosphere, increasing high-altitude cloudiness, gr owing amounts of space debris, uses of space including increased provi sion for mass communication, solar-power transmission and advertising from space, and concerns about pollution of the nearby solar system wi th terrestrial matter. The activities of mankind are contributing to a relentless growth of all such adverse impacts. Our technological civi lization is producing extremely sensitive detectors while at the same time causing growing degradation of observing conditions which will pr event full exploitation of the benefits to astronomy of such technolog ical wizardry. Astronomy is exposed to such adverse impacts, being a s cience devoted to the detection of the weakest of signals in an enviro nment naturally hostile to such endeavours. The effects of a technolog ical civilization add to that natural hostility. It is unfortunate tha t astronomy enjoys no protection in law or by convention against the c onsequences of such degradation of observing conditions. Urgent remedi al action is needed.