OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES 11 



data before we can arrive at a scientific analysis and determine prac- 

 tical possibilities, so I shall leave this subject with just this brief 

 reference. 



Mr. Chairman, that concludes my written statement. If you have 

 questions now, I shall be glad to answer them. 



Mr. Oliver (presiding). Do you have any questions that you 

 would like to ask, Mr Dorn, at this time, or shall we wait until we 

 have seen the charts? 



Mr. Dorn. I prefer to wait. 



Mr. Oliver. Why do you not go ahead with your graphs and charts 

 and then we shall try to ask you some pertinent questions. 



Mr. Reichelderfer. Thank you. 



I believe that you gentlemen can see the main features of this chart, 

 although you cannot see all of the worduig. This is the chart I 

 referred to which illustrates quite vividly the wide open spaces. This 

 shows the gaps in the upper soundings over ocean areas. Over the 

 United States the dots show an upper air sounding station. These 

 stations take samples of the air from the surface to 50,000 or 60,000 

 feet by use of free balloons with a small telemetering instrument, 

 measuring temperature, humidity, and pressure, and wind in some 

 cases. 



The measurements are sent down by radio to a ground receiver and 

 at these stations we have that facility. 



To analyze the patterns of the upper air currents for forecasting 

 purposes for air navigation over the United States we need some 70 

 or 80 stations, but here this weather mechanism of tlie whole globe 

 is tied together. Yet, over the oceans where we need just as many 

 stations, compared to this little map of the United States, we can 

 lose the United States without a single report. 



Here there are two or three. Out here there are none. Here there 

 is one. This is simply designed to emphasize how sparse our data 

 over the oceans really is at the present time and how we have to try 

 to fit this jigsaw puzzle together with many of the most important 

 parts completely unknown. 



By way of showing a comparison of what we have to do in detecting 

 hurricanes, this is to scale a fairly good sized hurricane. Some of 

 these storms have been traced to an origin in northern Africa, but 

 they do not really become severe storms or hurricanes until they 

 approach the West Indies. If it were not for aircraft reconnaissance 

 which we have through the cooperation of the Air Force and the Navy, 

 we would not detect these until the storm really hit one of these sta- 

 tions and it would be so close to Cuba or to the United States that 

 it would be difficult to give accurate predictions. 



We do have some of these gaps filled at the present time with air- 

 craft reconnaissance. 



To highlight the things we are trying to do in getting better 

 sampling; if we are to attain the greatest possible accuracy and 

 longest range in predicting tornadoes, hurricanes, and other destructive 

 storms for aviation, agriculture, and so on, and in predicting drouglits, 

 paralyzing cold waves, and secular climatic changes, crucial weiu ler 

 factors for filter operations, fallout protection, Strategic Air Force 

 plans, D-day and so on, and weather for many commercial, economic 

 and social needs both national and international ; or if we are to attain 

 whatever possibilities there may be for modifying or controling 



