Preliminary Plans for a National Institute for Atmospheric Research
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Preliminary Plans for a NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH Prepared for the NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Under Grant G 5807 Second Progress Report of the University Committee on Atmospheric Research February 1959 THE UNIVERSITY COMMITTEE ON ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH Members GEORGE S. BENTON PHIL E. CHURCH A. RICHARD KASSANDER BENJAMIN NICHOLS JOHNS HOPKINS U. U. OF WASHINGTON U. OF ARIZONA CORNELL U. REID A. BRYSON BERNARD HAURWITZ DALE F. LEIPPER J. ROBERT STINSON U. OF WISCONSIN N.Y.U. TEXAS A AND M ST. LOUIS U. HORACE R. BYERS SEYMOUR L. HESS MORRIS NEIBURGER HENRY G. HOUGHTON U. OF CHICAGO FLORIDA STATE U. U.C.L.A. CHAIRMAN, M.I.T. E. WENDELL HEWSON HANS NEUBERGER U. OF MICHIGAN PENN STATE U. 17 February 1959 Dr. Alan T. Waterman, Director National Science Foundation Washington 25, D. C. Dear Dr. Waterman: I have the honor to transmit herewith, on behalf of the University Committee on Atmospheric Research, our Second Progress Report which has been prepared with the support of grant G 5807 from the National Science Foundation. This report is based on an analysis of the scientific problems posed by the atmosphere and of the facilities needed to mount an effective attack on them. It represents a distillation of the opinions of some one hundred and fifty research scientists, perhaps half of all those engaged in basic atmospheric research in this country. It is striking that, almost without exception, the working scientists agreed that an effective attack on the ma- jor problems of the atmosphere requires a National Institute for Atmospheric Research of the sort described in the report. Although the report is concerned primarily with the scientific concept of a National Institute it seemed necessary to translate this into a physi- cal plan and from this to make reasonable estimates of costs. This has been done with as much care and accuracy as possible. On the other hand we consider it essential that the actual research program, facilities and buildings be planned by the scientists who will staff the Institute. Such actual plans will differ in detail from those presented in the report but we are confident that the broad concept will remain valid. We are convinced of the scientific need for a National Institute and firmly believe that the benefits that will eventually arise from a more adequate basic understanding of our atmospheric environment more than justify the expenditure of Federal funds for this purpose. We will await with great interest your reactions to this report. Sincerely yours, enry G. Houghton Cha irman Second Progress Report of the University Committee on Atmospheric Research Membership George S. Benton Johns Hopkins University Reid A. Bryson University of Wisconsin Horace R. Byers University of Chicago Phil E. Church University of Washington Jerome Spar New York University Seymour L. Hess Florida State University E. Wendell Hewson University of Michigan A. Richard Kassander University of Arizona Dale F. Leipper A and M College of Texas Morris Neiburger University of California (L.A.) Hans Neuberger Pennsylvania State University Benjamin Nichols Cornell University J. Robert Stinson St. Louis University Henry Go Houghton, Chairman, M.I.To Committee Staff Roscoe R. Braham, Jr. University of Chicago William S. von Arx Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Thomas F. Malone, Staff Planning Coordinator, The Travelers Insurance Companies February 1959 PREFACE This report summarizes the activity and the studies that have taken place over the last year and a half relative to the establishment of a National Institute for Atmospheric Research to be operated by a group of universities and supported by the National Science Foundation. It was first proposed by the Committee on Meteorology of the National Academy of Sciences. Subsequent studies by the University Committee on Atmospheric Research (UCAR), representing fourteen academic insti- tutions with interest in the atmospheric sciences, confirmed the need for the Institute. A series of seventeen research planning conferences was held under the auspices of UCAR with support provided by the National Science Foundation. These conferences covered nearly all aspects of atmospheric research and were attended by some one hundred and fifty scientists familiar with one or more of these aspects, From the meetings of UCAR and the research planning conferences there has emerged a consensus of the nature of the Institute, the broad fundamental scientific problems of the atmosphere to which it should address itself, and the nature and kind of research facilities which it should provide. From these ideas, tentative plans for the orderly establishment of the Institute over a six-year period have been formu- lated and estimates made of the budgetary support that will be required. Although many of the specific details concerning the scientific program, the organization, the operation and the actual budget of the Institute must properly await the appointment of a scientific staff, an attempt has been made to provide information sufficient to reach a iii decision on the question of support by the National Science Foundation and to initiate steps leading toward the establishment of the Institute. An extensive Appendix, which includes the Interim Report of the Academy Committee on Meteorology and the First Progress Report of UCAR, has been added to this report so that the reader may have reference to pertinent material without difficulty. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface....................................................... iii Summary . .................................... ............. vii Background of the National Institute for Atmospheric Research... 1 Introduction. ................................................. 1 The University Committee on Atmospheric Research.............. 4 Other Interest in the National Institute for Atmospheric Research, .*..*.*...*..*.................. 13 Related Activities of the American Meteorological Society with Respect to Manpower ................. 14 UCAR Staff Studies .... ....................... 16 The Concept of the Institute .. .......... 21 Research Objectives of the Institute ...... ..................... 29 The Scientific Problem of Meteorology . ......... .............. 29 Research Program of the Institute. ............. ........... 33 Atmosphere Motion ...... .......... .34 Energy Exchange Processes in the Atmosphere............... 38 Water Substance in the Atmosphere ......................... 41 Physical Phenomena in the Atmosphere....**..*.. .........* 44 Organization of the Institute ................................. 49 Institute Laboratories...... .................................. 49 Institute Facilities............................;51 Flight Facility.51 Computer Facility. ...................... 61 Library Facility ......................... 62 Radiation Probing Facility . ............................... 64 Shop Facilities................... 66 Scientific Manpower .... ... .................... 67 The Institute Building. .............. ...... ... 75 TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Site Considerations .. ................................. ..... 81 Budget for the Institute.« .... ................................ * 84 Schedule for Establishment of the Institute ............... 84 Budget Summary - Fiscal Year 1960*...........................* 86 Budget Summary - Fiscal Year 1961....... ...................** 87 Budget Summary - Fiscal Year 1962..... ......... ............... 88 Budget Summary - Fiscal Year 1963 ........................... 89 Budget Summary - Fiscal Year 1964............................. 90 Budget Summary - Fiscal Year 1965........................** ... 91 Budget Summary - Fiscal Years 1960-65......................... 92 Supplement I Flight Facility for the National Institute of Atmospheric Research. ... ...................... I-1 Supplement II Library Supplement............................. II-1 Supplement III - Electromagnetic Radiation Probing Facility..... III-1 Supplement IV Architectural Studies............... ..........o IV-1 Appendix A - Research and Education in Meteorology and Interim Report of the NAS Committee on Meteorology......... A-1 Appendix B - Resolution Passed by Representatives of Universities and Kindred Institutions at a Meeting in New York City, January 31, 1958 ............ ... ..... o B-2 Appendix C - Statement by Dr. Detlev W. Bronk, President, National Academy of Sciences...................... C-1 Appendix D - Statement of Dr. F, W. Reichelderfer............... D-1 Appendix E - First Progress Report of the University Committee on Atmospheric Research .......................... E-1 Appendix F - Exchange of Correspondence between UCAR and Defense and Commerce Departments.,.. ........* ***.......... F-l Appendix G Resolution Passed by Universities in July, 1958.... G-1 Appendix H Agreement for Cooperation in Atmospheric Research.. H-l Appendix I Statements by University Heads................... I-1 Appendix J Excerpts from the Announcement of a Workshop in Meteorology, The University of Chicago............ J-1 Appendix K - Resolution Adopted by the Governors' Conference, Fiftieth Annual Meeting.........................e. K-1 Appendix L - Excerpts from "Introductory Remarks" by Vice President Nixon Taken from Soviet Progress Vs. American Enterprise ................ L-1 Appendix M Excerpt from Address by Dr. James R. Killian, Jr... M-1 Appendix N Excerpt from Strengthening American Science....... N- 1 Appendix 0 Letter from the Council of the American Meteor- ological Society......... ............... 0-1 Appendix