194 Alaskan Science Conference 



A uroral Research 



The few references to auroral research already made in this 

 report indicate a group of specific problems. It should also be 

 mentioned that Daniel Barbier and Don Williams of Naval 

 Test Station had made a short spectrographic study of the au- 

 roral radiations in the winter of 1949. The field of auroral 

 physics both from the point of view of exploratory science and 

 of practical applications might in itself constitute a program 

 for the Geophysical Institute. It may be that the Geophysical 

 Institute and the University of Alaska would do well to con- 

 centrate in this area for some time to come as the chief topic 

 of their scientific endeavor. This winter Dr. Louis Herman of 

 the Paris Observatory will initiate a program in this field. He 

 will bring spectroscopes from Paris and will seek to identify 

 many lines in the spectra of the aurora that he and his co- 

 workers have studied in the laboratory. The Institute is natu- 

 rally procuring some auxiliary equipment for this program. It 

 is planned to seek funds for equipment for more extended 

 spectroscopic studies. Recently Dr. Franklin E. Roach of the 

 Naval Ordnance Test Station visited College bringing plans 

 of his equipment for a photometric survey of the aurora and 

 night sky. It is planned to incorporate work in this field with 

 his close cooperation into an enlarged auroral program. 



Night Sky and Twilight 



Investigations of the radiation of the night sky, distinct from 

 the aurora are planned, using the selective photometric tech- 

 nique of Roach and co-workers. The long periods of twilight 

 at College give excellent opportunity for studying this some- 

 what unknown field. Both topics will form a part of the world 

 wide survey of these radiations now being planned by workers 

 in these fields. 



Permafrost 



This is the last of the topics that will be specifically men- 

 tioned. It is of unusual interest and has been the subject of 



