10 



OBJECTIVES AND RESEARCH AGENCIES 



weather analysis. Three frequencies were 

 considered the minimum number capable of 

 yielding a useful result. Those selected were 

 24,000, 3,000, and 200 mc, with 10,000 mc 

 considered as an alternate for 24,000, if 

 equipment for the higher frequency was un- 

 available. The characteristics of both one- 

 way and two-way continuous wave and pulse 

 transmissions were to be considered. 



d. Development of a technique for forecasting 

 propagation conditions in the field, suitable 

 for tactical and strategic use. 



e. Application of points mentioned above to 

 specific operational problems in selected 

 regions. 



2. Measurements of absorption of K-band radia- 

 tion by atmospheric moisture in various forms and 

 by dust or other scatterers. 



3. Study of the effects of the earth's land and 

 water surface on propagation. 



a. Determination of reflection coefficients of 

 various surfaces for specular reflection and 

 its effect on coverage of various radar and 

 radio equipments. 



b. Study of back-scattering echoes from land 

 and sea surfaces (ground clutter and sea 

 return), with particular emphasis on effects 

 at the highest frequencies to be employed. 



4. Investigation of storm echoes. 



5. Study of the shielding, diffraction, absorption, 

 and depolarization effects of trees, hills, man-made 

 structures, and other topographical features. 



6. Compilation, analysis, integration, and publi- 

 cation of propagation information obtained, in forms 

 suitable for use by the armed forces. 



This extensive program of investigation neces- 

 sarily required agreement on an appropriate division 

 of effort among United States, British, and other 

 agencies available for the work. This division is 

 discussed in the chronological record of the Com- 

 mittee's, activities in Chapter 3. 



2.2 



INVESTIGATING BODIES 



Very early in its existence the Committee con- 

 sidered at length how best to implement the required 

 research program. The conclusion was reached that 

 making use of existing research agencies qualified to 

 work in the propagation field, rather than setting 

 up an independent research agency, would be most 



productive. This decision was influenced consider- 

 ably by the serious shortages of personnel and equip- 

 ment, and it was estimated that setting up a separate 

 agency would have retarded progress of the investi- 

 gation six months to one year. 



During the course of its investigations the Com- 

 mittee maintained connections with a total of about 

 66 separate agencies in the United States, Britain, 

 Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, including the 

 principal organizations within the armed forces of 

 the Allied countries interested in propagation 

 phenomena. 



Reports, recommendations, and requests from all 

 these various agencies were received, analyzed, acted 

 upon, and filed. This accumulated body of in- 

 formation on propagational phenomena is listed in 

 the Bibliography. These papers are referred to again 

 in Chapter 4 under a summarization of the results 

 of the Committee's work. 



Of the agencies conducting actual theoretical or 

 experimental research on radio wave propagation, the 

 principal ones in the United States were as follows: 



1. Bell Telephone Laboratories [BTL]. 



2. Camp Evans Signal Laboratory. 



3. Columbia University Division of War Research 

 [CUDWR]. 



a. Radiation Laboratory. 



b. Wive Propagation Group. 



4. National Bureau of Standards, Interservice 

 Radio Propagation Laboratory, [IRPL]. 



5. Radiation Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute 

 of Technology [MIT-RL]. 



6. U. S. Naval Research Laboratory. 



7. U. S. Navy Radio and Sound Laboratory. 



8. U. S. Army Signal Corps Operational Research 

 Branch. 



9. Radio Corporation of America. 



10. Radio Research Laboratory, Harvard Uni- 

 versity. 



11. U. S. Army Air Forces, Weather Division. 

 There were also 2 agencies in Australia, about 21 



in Britain, 2 in Canada, and 2 in New Zealand. The 

 number of agencies investigating propagation pheno- 

 mena in the Allied countries totaled about 39. This 

 relatively large number was necessitated by the 

 importance, urgency, diversity, and complexity of 

 the problem, and the physical difficulties of conduct- 

 ing direct experimental investigation with usable 

 accuracy under war, and at times under combat 

 conditions. 



During the course of the Committee's work, 



