Evening star., 1932-07-31
j. 5. TO COMMENCE
STUDY TOMORROW
Of STRATOSPHERE
Weather Bureau to Under
take Observations of Up
per Atmosphere.
BALLOONS, AIRPLANES
AND KITES WILL BE USED
Investigations to Be Part Of World
Wide Record Compiled in Polar
Year Program.
BY THOMAS r.. HENRY.

Extensive observations of the upper
atmosphere are to be undertaken by
the Weather Bureau, starting tomorrow,
as part of the program of the inter-
national Polar year.
BY means of kites captive, pilot and
sounding balloons, and airplane aScen-
sions it is planned to obtain as COM
plete a record as possible of tempera-
ture and wind conditions in the tropo-
sphere and lower regions OF the strato-
sphere. This will form part OF world
wide record to be compiled during the
year by the cooperating nations. The
whole picture is expected to prove of
vital significance in future weather pre-
dieting.
Special significance is attached to
study of the stratosphere. Tempera-
ture decreases with altitude up to a
certain point. When this point is
reached it remains stable, or even In
creaSes slightly, with height. The re-
gion where this occurs is the strato-
sphere. 1t various in height from about
20 miles over the equator to S or 6
miles over the Polar regions. The at
moSpheric layer just below 1t is the
troposphere.
Simultaneous ODScrVaUOnS.
For the upper air part of the program
observations are to be made on three
sets of days in each month, stimuli
taneously, all over the world. Nine OBJ
servations are to be made at each sta
ton each month. The Weather Bureau
now has nearly 10 stations at Whlch
pilot balloon observations are made,
when weather permits from two to four
ILL, ~ fIna COTan
the pilot balloons reach well into the
Etratosphere. Unfortunately, they pro-
vide no data above the base OF the cloud
layers.
It is planned to make sounding bal
lo-n observations on the information
al days at three stations
N OAK; Omaha and Dallas. 1t Is ex-
pected that a large proportion OF these
ascents will reach well above the base
of the stratosphere. The stations were
selected to bring out the varying helgnts
Of the stratcsphere with latitude. IN
addition, daily observations Will be mace
with kites. captive balloons ana ar
planes at a small number of stations IN
fha limited States to secure information
concerning the temperature and hui
niditv in the lower half OF the tro-
posphere.
Observations will be made twice daily
at pilot balloon stations maintained by
the Weather Bureau at San Juan
Porto Rico. The conditions for high
ascents are especially favorable there
and valuable data are expected for cor
relation with records from stations
maintained by other nations in the
tropics Observations of the same sort
will be made by the meteorological sec
tions of the Army and Navy in HAWAII
A special station is to be established
at Point Barrow, on the Arctic coast
of Alaska. This is the farthest north
noint under the American flag and one
of the northernmost permanent stations
IN be set I'D by any of the nations en-
gagged In the polar year project. c. J.
McGregor, Weather Bureau meteoroi-
oeist, now is on his way to Alaska TO
set up this station. In ADDITION, plloC
balloon observations are to be mace
twice daily during the year at stations
at Juneau, Fairbanks and Nome.
The Sounding Balloon.
One of the best means for the study
of the stratoSphere Is the sounding pal
loon which aScends to enormous heights
and then drops freely, to be returned 10
the Weather Bureau by whoever nap
pens to find it. 1t probably will be I'M
possible to make much use OF TINS m
str7lnent at the Point Barrow stations
because most of the balloons would fall
in uninhabited territory where 1t Is un-
likely they would be recovered.
Regular airplane ascents are to be
made from the Fairbanks station. These
will provide data up to four or five
miles II is possible that some OF them
will reach the stratosphere, especially
during the Winter, when this constant
temperature layer drops close to the
earth in the polar regions.
At all the selected polar year sta
tions observations will be made at least
twice day of the principal meteorolog-
1cal elements. including pressure, tenn
perature, moisture, wind, sunshine,
cloudiness and precipitation. The OBJ
servationS will be entered on special
forms provided for the purpose and
forwarded to the International Polar
Year Commission. The worldwide CO.
operation will make possible the study
in greater detail than ever before OF
the atmospheric circulation between
the polar regions and lower ATTITUDES
This is perhaps the most vital OF all
factors in the weather of the Northern
Temperate Zone.
The Weather Bureau also will furnish
the international commission data con-
cerning solar radiation OF the aurora
borealis. Automatic records of the totaI
solar radiation received will be taken
at Washington, Madison, Wis; Lincoln
Nebr.; Chicago, New York City. Pitts
burgh. Miami New Orleans, Twin Falls
Idaho: Fresno and La Jolla Calf.
Gainesville. Fla, and Fairbanks, Alaska
Regular observations Of the aurora vii
be made from stations at Point Barrow
Nome, Fairbanks and Juneau and from
stations along the Northern border ol
TWaN NAA AzN@