Another AGU index

I note that Juan G. Roederer has proposed an index of AGU affiliation named JGR (Eos, October 19, 1982, p. 817). According to this index, Alaska is the most AGU‐involved state in the Union. I praise his customary modesty in disclaiming any connection between his initials and the name of the index. I think it only fitting that the index be applied on a worldwide basis since AGU in many ways transcends national boundaries, as indeed its subject matter does. I propose that the worldwide index, applied to each country as the JGR index is applied to the states, should be named after either a well‐known magnetic index or the Atmospheric Explorer spacecraft, i.e., it should be known as the AE index. I, of course, emulate Dr. Roederer in disclaiming any connection with my initials.