Report on the Astrophysical Observatory 



Sir : I have the honor to submit the following report on the opera- 

 tions of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory for the fiscal year 

 ended .Time 30, 1960 : 



The Astrophysical Observatory includes two divisions : the Division 

 of Astrophysical Research in Cambridge, for the study of solar and 

 other types of energy impinging on the earth, and the Division of 

 Radiation and Organisms in Washington, for the investigation of 

 radiation as it relates directly or indirectly to biological problems. 

 Shops maintained in Washington, for work in metals, woods, and 

 optical electronics, prepare special equipment for both divisions, and 

 a shop in Cambridge provides high-precision mechanical work. The 

 field station at Table Mountain, Calif., carries out solar observations. 

 Twelve satellite- tracking stations are in operation, in Florida, Hawaii, 

 and New Mexico in the United States, and abroad in Argentina, 

 Australia, Curasao, India, Iran, Japan, Peru, South Africa, and 

 Spain. 



DIVISION OF ASTROPHYSICAL RESEARCH 



The Observatory research staff made significant contributions to our 

 knowledge of solar astrophysics, the upper atmosphere, meteors, mete- 

 orites, artificial satellites, and space science. The continued refinement 

 of observational techniques and the development of new methods 

 provided valuable data and opened up new areas of astrophysical 

 investigation. 



The Observatory continued its close liaison with Harvard College 

 Observatory, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and other 

 research centers, with mutual benefit. 



Solar astrophysics. — At the Table Mountain station Alfred G. 

 Froiland, using the atmospheric transmission coefficients obtained 

 by Smithsonian work, made gratifying progress in his measurement 

 of the quantity of ozone in the atmosphere and its effects in energiz- 

 ing the upper atmosphere. He is also studying the possibility of 

 measuring the quantity and quality of haze. The availability of a 

 datatron at the California Institute of Technology has broadened and 

 simplified the scope of the investigation. A more precise and con- 

 sistent method of measurement is resulting. 



Dr. Max Krook, continuing his theoretical work, devised a new and 

 more powerful method for detemiining tlie structure of nongray 



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