220 BULLETIN AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY

NEWS FROM OUR BRANCHES

Baltimore Branch change is correct it should apply to all, but inter- estingly enough, various investigators have applied the Capt. R. W. Lenhard of Air Weather Service spoke same data to prove diametrically opposite contentions. at the December meeting on the topic Meteorological In examining various theories, the speaker found impor- Accuracies in Missile Testing. tant evidence that climatic changes are largest at higher latitudes and smallest at the equator. If one considers Chicago Seminar the changes in solar radiation as a cause for climate The January meeting featured a talk by Prof. Roscoe change, then this seems anomalous. Finding other the- R. Braham of the University of Chicago on the subject ories, such as vulcanology, C02 increase, etc. inconsistent, Current Status of Cloud Physics Research in Australia. the speaker offered a different explanation to show that solar variation is the cause. He pointed out that devi- ations in the amount of heat received at the equator, flow- College Station Branch ing northward through the circulation systems, can ap- The following officers were elected for the year: presi- pear as larger variations in average temperature in re- dent, Kenneth C. Brundidge, Department of Oceanogra- gions of smaller area. Current studies, such as those phy and Meteorology; vice president, Winton G. Covey, at Lowell Observatory on the variability of solar radi- Department of Agronomy; secretary, James E. Mc- ation, will help to validate the need for such an Donell, Department of Oceanography and Meteorology, explanation. all of the A. & M. College of Texas; and treasurer, To start the discussion, President Pierce called on Major Charles F. Whistler, USAF. Prof. H. C. Willett for his observations on recent climatic trends. Prof. Willett warned that although a trend may District of Columbia Branch be established in one section of the country, the results— and even the sign—in different sections of the world are John Schule, head of the Applied Oceanography varied. Further, the trends that we have observed are Branch, Navy Hydrographic Office, at the December just ripples in the long-term period. Following previous meeting led a panel discussion on oceanographic fore- patterns, we can expect ups and downs for the next 30 casting. The program included forecasting sea ice con- years, for we are in a period of climatic stress with more ditions for surface and under-ice operations, ocean waves troughs and ridges than the average. Prof. Willett re- as applied to optimum ship routing, and thermal structure lates this to solar activity. If we assume that a lower conditions. Several examples of such forecasting for sunspot count is to follow, then a more zonal weather military operations were also presented. pattern with a cool damp climate is to be expected here. A. P. Crary of the National Science Foundation was This means moderate wet winters and cool damp summers. the scheduled speaker for January. His topic was Gla- ciology of the Antarctic. Oregon Branch

The following officers were elected at the annual meet- El Paso Branch ing in January: president, Clifford H. Watkins, State After the regular business meeting in January, the Board of Forestry; vice president, Herbert Kershaw, thirty-five branch members and guests present viewed Oregon State College; secretary, Russell Lincoln, State an excellent film, IGY Arctic Experiments at Fort Bureau of Mines; treasurer, Robert Kirkpatrick, U. S. Churchill, Canada. Of particular interest were the scenes Weather Bureau; councilors, Fred Decker, Oregon State of rocket soundings taken during the aurora borealis. College, and Francis Beers, Weather Bureau. Lloyd White of the White Sands Missile Range, who has Guest speaker on the program of the meeting was spent considerable time in Fort Churchill, concluded the Thomas Stacer, assistant attorney general for the State program with some comments on his personal experi- of Oregon. Mr. Stacer spoke on the topic How Weather ences there. Affects the Law, an interesting aspect of meteorology often overlooked. Greater Boston Branch San Diego Branch In January, Irving Schell, research associate at Tufts University, spoke on The Origin of Climate Change. In The branch sent a letter to the SAN DIEGO UNION last his study, Mr. Schell noted that the subject could have December with recommendations for improving the a time scale based on the period of our temperature ob- weather maps published in the paper. Among the changes servations, or be post-glacial and cover recorded history, suggested was the return to the use of Weather Bureau or include the glacial ages. If the basic explanation of maps and San Diego time.

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/28/21 08:40 AM UTC VOL. 41, No. 4, APRIL, 1960 221

Sioux Falls/Brookings Chapter POTENTIAL GRADIENT An organizational meeting for a new branch in South INDICATOR Model 604 Dakota was held at the Sioux Falls Airport on 1 October A small, reliable tool for po- tential gradient measurement 1959. Those in attendance at the meeting, and charter and lightning forecasting. This members of the Sioux Falls/Brookings Chapter, were: portable unit has sealed elec- tronics protected by silica K. R. Clark, C. D. Cramer, N. K. Lampi, and J. D. gel; extendable polonium- Quinn of the Weather Bureau Office, Sioux Falls Air- tipped antenna removable for transport; and a teflon an- port; J. R. Smith, Raven Industries, Sioux Falls; G. P. tenna insulator shielded from direct precipitation. Response Austin and E. M. Frisby, South Dakota State College, time is extremely short. Fea- Brookings. tured are balanced input elec- trometer tubes and output The primary purpose of the Chapter, as agreed at this transistors; these and special circuitry reduce zero drift to meeting, shall be to combat isolation by: a very low value. The output a) keeping members in touch with each other and with has enough power to run a standard one milliampere re- meteorological research activities on as wide a scale as corder. The selector switch covers a 104 range, and has possible; battery check positions. The b) encouraging guest speakers from outside the area to unit has connections for a re- mote meter or recorder. Other visit the various mid-west meteorological establishments; models have remote zeroing or activate a switch at a certain c) encouraging interchange of ideas on topics of mutual gradient level. Useful as a interest among local members; lightning warning unit as well as a scientific meteorological d) providing the type of meeting and enthusiasm that tool. The lightning forecast is often improved if a recorded will stimulate others to want to join. trace is viewed. Potential Officers for the first year are: president, Kenneth R. gradient measurements can also provide information on Clark, U. S. Weather Bureau; secretary-treasurer, Pro- air pollution and help show what type of precipitation fessor E. M. Frisby, South Dakota State College; pro- mechanism is operating in a gram chairmen, Nielo K. Lampi, Weather Bureau, and storm. James R. Smith, Raven Industries. Write for complete catalog. Regular meetings of the Chapter are to be held every METEOROLOGY RESEARCH other month between September and May. INC. 2420 North Lake Ave. Altadena, California Southeastern Michigan Branch The branch was honored to have as guest speaker for the December meeting Dr. George P. Cressman, director Branch of the National Meteorological Center at Suitland, Mary- land. Dr. Cressman spoke on The Present and Future In January the guest speaker was Edward LaChapelle, Aspects of Operational Numerical Weather Predictions. hazard forecaster for the U. S. Forest Service, Dr. Cressman's talk, high-lighted by slides, related the who spoke on Empirical Methods in Avalanche Hazard history of numerical weather prediction from the early Forecasting. work, through later contributions by Rossby, Von Neu- According to Mr. LaChapelle, the type of aval- mann, and others, to the establishment in 1954 of the anche causing the most frequent hazard is the direct- present Joint Numerical Weather Prediction Unit. After action soft-slab avalanche. The general mechanical con- dwelling briefly on the major problems involved in proc- ditions governing instability development in soft slabs essing of data for use by the electronic computer, Dr. can be formulated, but actual field measurements of such Cressman outlined the progress made in eliminating quantities as creep velocity, tensile strength, shear many of the errors inherent in the mathematical solution stresses, and viscosity coefficient are extremely difficult. of dynamic atmospheric equations. In order to forecast these , empirical relations He discussed the present forecasts made by the com- between snow instability and various measurable snow puter, remarked on the new methods and models that are and weather parameters have been established by obser- in the trial stages, and told of the new advanced equip- vation and experience. These empirical relations are ment soon to be installed at the JNWP Unit. Dr. Cress- generally in accord with basic snow mechanics. Their man then spoke briefly on the future plans and growth application in practice constitutes avalanche hazard eval- potential of such additional services as the minimum flight uation and forecasting by the method of contributory plans now produced for the Air Force in conjunction factor analysis currently in use by the U. S. Forest with the forecast charts. Service.

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/28/21 08:40 AM UTC 222 BULLETIN AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY

(Continued from ABOUT OUR MEMBERS, page 215) R. H. Douglas. Growth by accretion in ice phase. of the Quarter last November. The award was presented Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. by Colonel Nicholas Chavasse, 1st Weather Wing. O. Essenwanger. Frequency distribution of precipita- Lcdr. Donald R. Patch, who recently returned from a tion. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. two-year tour in Puerto Rico as the Weather Services T. Fujita. Structure of convective storms. Geophys. officer at Roosevelt Roads, is now working as forecaster Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. in the Optimum Track Ship Routing program at the B. Gutenberg. Physics of the earth's interior. Aca- U. S. Fleet Weather Facility, Naval Air Station, Ala- demic, 1959, 240 pp. meda, California. R. E. Hallgren and C. L. Hosier. Results on aggre- gation of ice crystals. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. Formerly of the Office of Area Development, U. S. 1960. Department of Commerce, Dr. Louis C. Peltier now heads the Regional Economics Laboratory, Midwest Re- W. Hitschfeld. Plume formation in thunderstorms. search Institute, Kansas City. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. J. Z. Holland. Stratospheric radioactivity data ob- Twelve noted scientists and engineers have been in- tained by balloon sampling. Atomic Energy Commission vited to use a Congressional committee as a regular (Office of Technical Services), 131 pp. forum for their theories and ideas. Among those to go to once or twice a year to appear before W. E. Howell. Cloud seeding in American tropics. the House Committee on Science and Astronautics are Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. Dr. Thomas F. Malone, director of research, The Travel- D. B. Kline. Freezing nuclei variations at ground ers Insurance Companies, Hartford, and AMS president, level. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. Dr. Sverre Petterssen, professor of meteorology, Univer- R. List. Growth and structure of graupels and hail- sity of Chicago, and AMS past president, Dr. Roger stones. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. Revelle, director, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, R. List. Design and operation of Swiss hail tunnel. La Jolla, and Dr. Fred L. Whipple, director of the Astro- Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. physical Observatory of the Smithsonian Institution, J. P. Lodge. Chlorine-sulfate relationships in atmos- Cambridge, Massachusetts. phere and precipitation. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Larry R. Seaquist, formerly a student at Oregon State Feb. 1960. College, is now employed with the U. S. Weather Bureau C. Magono. Snowfall structure from geographic dis- on Barter Island, Kaktovik, . tribution of snow crystals. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Leonard W. Snellman, technical consultant in Air Feb. 1960. Weather Service, Scientific Services, was the nominee J. Malkus (with C. Ronne). Cloud distributions over chosen for Civil Servant of the Year in the greater tropical oceans. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. St. Louis area by the Civilian Personnel Office of /. E. McDonald. An analysis of effects of nuclear Scott AFB. attacks on Tucson and Phoenix. J. ARIZONA ACAD. SCI., 1, 2, 41-52, Oct. 1959.

RECENT ARTICLES, BOOKS, AND PAPERS BY AMS MEMBERS W. A. Mordy. Coalescence tendencies in cloud-droplet spectra. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. B. Ackerman. Orographic-convective precipitation re- U. Nakaya (with K. Higuchi). Horizontal distribution vealed by radar. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. of snow crystals. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. C. E. Anderson. Self-sustaining local storms. Geophys. J. Namias. Synoptic and planetary-scale phenomena Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. in precipitation. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. P. M. Austin. Microstructure of storms from radar M. Neiburger (with C. W. Chien). Growth of cloud data. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. drops by condensation using electric digital computer. L. J. Battan and A. R. Kassander. Artificial nuclea- Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. tion of orographic cumuli. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, C. W. Newton. Thunderstorm and hailstorm mor- Feb. 1960. phology from vertical wind shear. Geophys. Monogr. 5, W. B. Beckwith. Hailstorm analysis, Denver network, AGU, Feb. 1960. 1949-1958. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. H. T. Orville. Future research in weather modifica- T. Bergeron. Operation and results of project Plu- tion. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. vius. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. T. Bergeron. Problems and methods of rainfall inves- W. J. Saucier. Principles of meteorological analysis. tigations. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. Univ. Chicago Press, 1959, 438 pp. S. J. Birstein. Effect of chemisorbed impurities on R. G. Semonin. Artificial precipitation potential dur- heterogeneous nucleation. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, ing dry periods in Illinois. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. Feb. 1960. R. M. Cunningham. Hailstorm structure from 32,000 /. Smagorinsky. Dynamical prediction of large-scale ft. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. condensation. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. R. J. Donaldson, Jr., A. C. Chmela (with C. R. Shack- R. D. Smith, Jr. The whiteout. ARIZONA ENGINEER ford). Behavior patterns of New England hailstorms. AND SCIENTIST, 3, 9, 10-11, Dec. 1959. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. G. S. Stout, R. H. Blackmer, and K. E. Wilk. Hail

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/28/21 08:40 AM UTC VOL. 41, No. 4, APRIL, 1960 223 studies in Illinois relating to cloud physics. Geophys. B. Vonnegut and C. B. Moore. Possible effect of Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. lightning discharge on precipitation formation process. C. J. Todd. Physical study of precipitation processes, Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. Santa Barbara cooperative seeding project. Geophys. R. Wexler. Efficiency of natural rain. Geophys. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960. Monogr. 5, AGU, Feb. 1960.

publication of the IGY Annals, which will include proc- NEWS AND NOTES essed data and summary reports of IGY and IGC results, and is urging the 66 national IGY committees to com- plete the IGY-IGC data interchange. The two-year period, 1 January 1960 to 31 December 1961, has been World Cooperation in formally designated by CIG as the IGY-IGC analysis to be Permanent and theoretical research period in an attempt to encourage Further plans for permanent international cooperation and intensify the work of interpretation of the unprece- in geophysics and related sciences were formulated late dented amount of data collected since 1 July 1957. last year by a new international committee. According The authority to administer the International Geo- to a report prepared by Dr. Hugh Odishaw, executive physics Committee is delegated by the provision of its director of the U. S. National Committee for the IGY charter to the International Union of Geodesy and Geo- and director of World Data Center A, National Academy physics in consultation with, and with the participation of Sciences, scientists of the and other of, the following Unions: IUGG, International Astro- countries have now outlined the basic activities for the nomical Union, Union Radio Scientifique Internationale, next few years. (See BULLETIN, 40, 10, 537.) and the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics. The new committee, established by the International It is expected that the Unions will provide support to Council of Scientific Unions on 4 November 1959, suc- the discipline members of CIG through their specialized ceeds the former IGY committee and is called the Inter- groups by broadening the base of suggestions and recom- national Geophysics Committee—abbreviated CIG, after mendations. Provisions are also included for close liaison the initials of its French name. It will pursue in large with the following three special ICSU committees: measure the IGY pattern of world cooperation. CO SPAR, for rocket and space science; SCAR, for In addition to responsibility for completion of the IGY Antarctic activities; and SCOR, for all aspects of oceanic and IGC-59 data interchange and publication of the and marine science. Similar ties exist with the Inter- results, CIG has also a continuing mandate to develop national World Days Service, which is continuing the and coordinate plans for cooperation in geophysics on World Days program that proved so valuable during a permanent basis. Therefore, CIG has recommended the IGY. that the three World Data Centers already set up be The members of the International Geophysics Com- permanent depositories for geophysical data, the needs mittee are as follows: for data interchange and the exact nature and form of Bureau members: president, V. V. Beloussov (USSR) ; such data to be reviewed periodically. three vice presidents, Edward Appleton (UK), John R. The unusual growth of geophysics during the last five Winkler (USA), and M. Minnaert (Netherlands) ; and years, stimulated by the IGY, means that activities in secretary, G. Laclavere (France). these fields will equal or even surpass those of the IGY Other members: meteorology, J. van Mieghem (Bel- period. Emphasis is placed on the interchange of na- gium) ; nuclear radiation, B. Bolin (Sweden) ; aeronomy, tional program plans and of results of geophysical studies M. Nicolet (Belgium) ; geomagnetism, V. Laursen (Den- that are parts of the world effort. The fields include mark) ; aurora and airglow, C. T. Elvey (USA) ; solar the earth sciences (seismology and gravity measure- activity, M. A. Ellison (Ireland) ; ionosphere, W. J. G. ments), the heat and water regime (meteorology, glaciol- Beynon (UK) ; cosmic rays, S. N. Vernov (USSR) ; ogy, and oceanography), and the upper atmosphere (au- oceanography, V. G. Kort (USSR) ; , G. deQ. rora and airglow, cosmic rays, geomagnetism, ionospheric Robin (Australia) ; seismology, F. Press (USA) ; and physics, and solar activity). paleogeophysics, T. Nagata (Japan). In accordance with As the needs of science develop, special major efforts the CIG charter, representatives of World Data Centers in addition to the regular activities in geophysics will be A and B, Hugh Odishaw (USA) and P. K. Evseev considered. In this area, the first action of CIG was (USSR), became members upon designation by their to endorse the conduct of a World Magnetic Survey, academies. to be made during a quiet part of the eleven-year sunspot cycle—the mid 1960's. Secular changes in the magnetic African Institute of Tropical Meteorology field since the last survey in the 1920's, new tools and methods, and recent interests, especially those of space A new Institute of Tropical Meteorology serving all science, call for this survey. countries in tropical Africa is being established near In pursuance of its responsibility for completion of Nairobi out of funds provided by The Munitalp Founda- the IGY and IGC-59 programs, CIG is attending to the tion. Announcement of the institute was made on 1

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/28/21 08:40 AM UTC