Significant Papers from the First 50 Years of the Boulder Labs
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B 0 U l 0 I R LABORATORIES u.s. Depan:ment • "'.."'c:omn-..""""....... 1954 - 2004 NISTIR 6618 and NTIA SP-04-416 Significant Papers from the First 50 Years of the Boulder Labs Edited by M.E. DeWeese M.A. Luebs H.L. McCullough u.s. Department of Commerce Boulder Laboratories NotionallnstitlJte of Standards and Technology Notional Oc::eonic and Atmospheric Mministration Notional Telecommunications and Informofion Administration NISTIR 6618 and NTIA SP-04-416 Significant Papers from the First 50 Years of the Boulder Labs Edited by M.E. DeWeese, NIST M.A. Luebs, NTIA H.L. McCullough, NOAA Sponsored by National Institute of Standards and Technology National Telecommunications and Information Administration National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Boulder, Colorado August 2004 U.S. Department of Commerce Donald L. Evans, Secretary National Institute of Standards and Technology Arden L. Bement, Jr., Director National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator National Telecommunications and Information Administration Michael D. Gallagher, Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information ii Acronym Definitions CEL Cryogenic Engineering Laboratory CIRES Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences CRPL Central Radio Propagation Laboratory CU University of Colorado DOC Department of Commerce EDS Environmental Data Service ERL ESSA Research Laboratory ESSA Environmental Science Services Administration ITS Institute for Telecommunication Sciences ITSA Institute for Telecommunication Sciences and Aeronomy JILA Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics NBS National Bureau of Standards NCDC National Climatic Data Center NGDC National Geophysical Data Center NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NTIA National Telecommunications and Information Administration OAR Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research OT Office of Telecommunications OTP Office of Telecommunications Policy RSMS Radio Spectrum Measurement System SEC Space Environment Center ii Contents Page Acronym Definitions ....................................................................................................... ii Historical Publications Committee .................................................................................. iv Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 Historical Overview of the Federal Laboratories in Boulder .......................................... 2 Historical Timeline ......................................................................................................... 5 Papers from the 1950s...................................................................................................... 9 Papers from the 1960s...................................................................................................... 17 Papers from the 1970s...................................................................................................... 39 Papers from the 1980s...................................................................................................... 77 Papers from the 1990s...................................................................................................... 119 Papers from the 2000s...................................................................................................... 159 Author Index .................................................................................................................... 173 Subject Index ................................................................................................................... 177 iii Boulder Labs 50th Anniversary Historical Publications Committee Chair: Edie DeWeese, NIST Debe Daily-Fisher, NOAA Evie Gray, NTIA/ITS Carol Knight, NOAA Margaret Luebs, NTIA/ITS Heather McCullough, NOAA Kate Remley, NIST iv Introduction The Department of Commerce Boulder Labs were dedicated on September 14, 1954, in the shadow of World War II, and at the dawn of a bright future. This volume presents a snapshot of our research accomplishments in the half century since then. During this time, the Boulder Labs have evolved from the National Bureau of Standards’ Central Radio Propagation Laboratory to today’s National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Institute for Telecommunication Sciences. The papers we have collected represent the most significant work of all the agencies of the Boulder Labs, whatever their name at the time of publication. The past 50 years have been productive ones at the Boulder Labs. As you look through this collection of significant papers, think about the countless hours of work that brought them to being. Think, too, about the papers behind the papers: the works that provided the building blocks of the research represented here. Finally, think about the individual efforts of the staff members whose dedication has contributed so much to our community, the nation, and the world. Edie DeWeese, Chair Historical Publications Committee Boulder, Colorado September 2004 1 Historical Overview of the Federal Laboratories in Boulder In 1902, when Guglielmo Marconi observed from the SS Philadelphia that radio waves could be received at much greater distances at night than during the day, the foundation of a long history of joint radio and atmospheric research was laid. This interaction of research had ramifications for Boulder in the years to come. Just months before Marconi realized this diurnal effect out in the Atlantic, the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) was established in Washington, DC, on March 3, 1901. Its mission was to establish the standards of measurement for the purposes of commerce. The Radio Laboratory Section was formed in 1913 and designated as Section 6 of the Electricity Division of NBS. This section moved to its new facility in October of 1918 far out on Connecticut Avenue in Northwest Washington, where it would remain until 1954. On May 1, 1946, the Radio Laboratory Section was established as its own division within NBS and named the Central Radio Propagation Laboratory (CRPL). On that same day the Radio Propagation Executive Council held its first meeting and discussed the inadequate space available at the dated Connecticut Avenue campus. A new larger facility to house the new division was proposed at this location; however, CRPL staff realized that a new facility also required a quiet environment relatively free of radio interference. The existing campus could not provide such an environment. In January of 1947, funding was approved for a new CRPL building at the NW Washington site with construction to begin in 1948. However, construction was postponed to consider a consolidated facility outside the Washington area. This site should accommodate the division as well as the test and field site, and ideally located near a suitable university with a relatively quiet radio environment. When President Truman issued a confidential policy in early 1949 directing that no more major government buildings be constructed in the District of Columbia, the search for a new location was on. This effort to decentralize the Federal government was a result of early cold war concerns of nuclear attacks on Washington. In June of 1949, the director of NBS, Dr. Edward U. Condon, attended the Echo Lake Cosmic Ray Symposium at Mount Evans near Idaho Springs. Present at the Symposium was Dr. Walter Orr Roberts, Superintendent of the High Altitude Observatory, University of Colorado at Climax Springs. Dr. Roberts invited Dr. Condon to visit Boulder that weekend and take a tour of the CU campus. Dr. Roberts was convinced that Boulder was the ideal location for the new CRPL laboratory. Dr. Condon agreed and returned with several members of the CRPL staff to enjoy the 4th of July holiday in Boulder. The 81st Congress had authorized only $4,475,000 in funding for the construction of the new radio laboratory. No appropriations were slated for the purchase of property. At the time, Charlottesvi1le, Virginia, and Palo Alto, California, were under serious consideration for the location of the new laboratory because they had viable locations and land available. The Boulder Chamber of Commerce made a move to enter the competition. Led by its President, Vergyl H. 2 Reynolds, and Junior Past President, John F. Allardice, the Chamber created the Standards Committee on February 27, 1950, in order to raise funds to purchase land. Two tracts of land totaling 217 acres were available south of town that could be obtained for approximately $70,000. The land was situated west of Marshall Road (now South Broadway) and south of Green Mountain Cemetery. On March 2, James J. Yeager, a Boulder businessman, accepted chairmanship of the campaign. By early April, Yeager had a large group of Boulder citizens organized for the Boulder Chamber of Commerce–U.S. Bureau of Standards Radio Laboratory Fund Campaign. The campaign officially kicked off at 7:30 a.m. on April 1 at a breakfast addressed by Elmore Peterson, Dean of the Business School. A short two weeks later, over $90,000 was collected and the campaign was over. The largest contribution, totaling $10,000, came from the Boulder Elks Lodge No. 566. All contributions of $100 or more were recognized by public announcement