566 
GEOPHYSICS: C. F. MARVIN 
Proc. N. a. S. 
3. Aerological Investigations; Forecasts and Warnings 
IN Aid of Aviation 
This work involves the obtaining of free air data in different parts of the United States 
for the purpose of making these data immediately available for the information and 
assistance of the forecasters of the bureau, army, navy, and post office fliers. The 
observations also are summarized, studied, and the data published for the purpose of 
furnishing reliable information as to free air conditions for the benefit of aviation in 
general and especially for the aviation and artillery services of the army and navy. 
Advices to the Navy crews, for the trip from Newfoundland to the Azores, were 
based to a considerable extent upon free air observations over the ocean. The N. C. 4 
reached her destination and the other two landed close enough to the Azores so that 
their crews were rescued. Without the wind assistance as predicted none of these 
seaplanes could have flown as far, and the crews would probably have perished. 
The British dirigible R. 34 left this country for England just in time to prevent being 
swept away by a high wind. The forecaster based his warning partly upon upper 
air observations. Its officers have stated that had not the warning been received the 
air ship, valued at more than $1,000,000, would have been lost. 
The N. C. 4's recruiting trip during the autumn was successful from beginning to 
end largely because her pilot followed the weather forecasts, which were based partly 
on upper air observations. 
There is no authenticated instance in which an aviator has had an accident due to 
bad weather, when favorable weather had been predicted. 
4. Marine Meteoroi^ogy in Aid of Navigation; Vessei/ Reporting 
Meteorological observations taken on ships plying all the seas of the world are col- 
lected, charged, and discussed, and the information furnished to the Hydrographic 
Office of the Navy and published in the pilot chart issued by that office. The informa- 
tion is also made available for vessel owners,, ship builders, and others engaged in work 
relating to ocean navigation. Moreover, the information is of value and assistance 
to the forecasters in preparing weather forecasts, storm, hurricane and other warnings. 
A full understanding of the meteorology of the ocean is of tremendous economic value 
in determining the safest and best voyage routes, the location of dangerous storm areas 
and meteorological facts of value to mariners. 
Vessel reporting stations are maintained at Cape Henry, Va., Sand Key, Fla., Point 
Reys, Calif., and North Head, Neah Bay, Tatoosh and Port Angeles, Washington, for 
the purpose of reporting to ship owners the passage of vessels in and out of straits or 
capes at a distance from the port of destination. This gives owners several hours ad- 
vance notice of the docking of ships and enables them to assemble stevedores and make 
other arrangements regarding loading and unloading, etc. 
5. Evaporation and Run-off Investigations 
Evaporation investigations are conducted in certain arid and semi-arid regions of 
the west for the purpose of determining the loss of storage water by evaporation. These 
results are of direct value to engineers in planning city water supply systems and water 
and irrigation reservoirs. 
A special project is being conducted at Wagon Wheel Gap, Colorado, in cooperation 
with the Forest Service, which involves the study of the effect of forest covers on stream 
flow, erosion, and run-off. The scheme involves the making of continuous observa- 
tions in two nearly similar water sheds in their natural forested condition for a term of 
years ; then to denude one of the water sheds and continue the observations for a similar 
period of years for comparative purposes. 
