18 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD 



that of 14 earth radius, as was already being done. 

 It was expected that work then in progress would 

 modify the limitation as it progressed. In the matter 

 of choice of VHF, UHF, and super high frequencies 

 [SHF], information was not yet available, but surveys 

 under way were expected to provide some back- 

 ground, although the intricacy of the problem did 

 not encourage hope of an early complete solu- 

 tion. 



The difficulties involved in the preparation of field 

 strength contours appeared so formidable that 

 requests from the Services for preparation of such 

 contours was withdrawn, and a new request was 

 substituted. This asked that workers on theoretical 

 or observational and experimental programs forward 

 as informal memoranda such examples of correlations 

 between meteorological conditions and propagation 

 characteristics as could be applied directly in the 

 field, with suggestions for possible tactical applica- 

 tions. This substitute request was received by the 

 Committee in November. 



In addition, an important report by Dr. Anderson 

 from the Southwest Pacific theater was considered 

 which described the progress of project PDRC-647 

 which members of the State College of Washington 

 staff had undertaken under Contract OEMsr-728. 

 Its objectives were to explore meteorological condi- 

 tions in the Southwest Pacific theater to determine 

 their effects on propagation, and to assist the Army 

 in establishing a forecasting service for the tactical 

 exploitation of nonstandard propagation in that 

 region. 



After several conferences between Dr. Anderson's 

 group, various Australian agencies, and representa- 

 tives of the Air Signal Office, Far East Air Force 

 [FEAF], headquarters for the mission was established 

 at the Radio Physics Laboratory at Sydney. Meet- 

 ings were held here with Professor F. W. G. White 

 and representatives of the Royal Australian Air 

 Force and Royal Australian Navy. The following 

 facts were brought out. The Australian and NDRC 

 programs supplemented each other without duplica- 

 tion of effort, making revision of plans unnecessary. 

 An acute need existed for definite information con- 

 cerning low-level meteorological conditions in the 

 oceanic areas of the Southwest and Central Pacific. 

 This information could best be obtained by NDRC 

 and United States Army groups. 



Rough forecasting of nonstandard propagation 

 along the southeast, south and southwest coasts of 

 Australia was possible, correlating superrefraction 



data collected from radar stations with synoptic 

 meteorological data. 



Observations from North Australia showed no 

 similar clearcut correlations. Reports from New 

 Guinea and the Solomon Islands were too meager 

 to be useful. 



A Radio Physics Laboratory [RPL] experimental 

 program was projected at a location near Darwin, 

 Australia, which would be correlated with land, ship- 

 based, and aircraft soundings and synoptic weather. 

 A low-level sounding equipment was delivered to 

 RPL for use in these experiments. 



A conference was held at the Radio Development 

 Laboratory in New Zealand at which a low-level 

 sounding equipment was delivered and trial sound- 

 ings taken by Dr. Anderson. As a result of this meet- 

 ing, a long-range program was agreed on in addition 

 to the work already being conducted by New Zea- 

 land agencies. This program would take advantage of 

 the unusual conditions offered by the persistent 

 Fohn winds which override the cold water at the 

 eastern coast. 



Dr. Stephenson of Dr. Anderson's group began the 

 collection of meteorological and oceanographic data 

 available in Australia preliminary to the selection 

 of optimum sites for radar- weather observations. 

 New information was available on continental and 

 general equatorial meteorology but very little for 

 the ocean area to the west and north of New Guinea. 



Recommendations for establishment of a limited 

 number of radar-weather stations in the Biak-Owi- 

 Noemfoor region were submitted to the FEAF late 

 in August. These recommendations were approved 

 after some discussion, but the plans were changed 

 when FEAF headquarters suggested the usefulness 

 of an Army radar-weather team with sounding 

 equipment in the projected operations at Leyte. 

 Preparations were made to take advantage of this 

 suggestion. 



Consideration was given to determination of the 

 low-level conditions characteristic of the Southwest 

 and Central Pacific oceanic areas, with tentative 

 conclusions from data secured during the summer 

 of 1944 that strong ducts to 40 or 50 ft and weaker 

 stratifications to 800 or 1,000 ft were common in 

 the region, especially in late afternoon. In the dol- 

 drum region standard conditions were the rule. The 

 need for more complete measurements was pointed 

 out, and the use of PT boats and seaplanes to 

 obtain them was secured. 



Approval for measurements in the region near 



