RADAR RESEARCH IN NEW ZEALAND

Chronicle (Levin), 15 June 1946, Page 2

RADAR RESEARCH IN NEW ZEALAND

(Special Correspondent.) LONDON, June 13. During the next 12 months the Ncav Zealand Department of Scientilic and j Industrial Research, in collaboration with leading British experts and with linancial and material assistance from the British and American Go vernmeuts, will conduct very iniportant investigations in New Zealand into meteorological conditions as they affect radio aird radar communications at high frequencies. These investigations are cxpected to have important results on the use of radar and radio direction self-propelied inissiles. A special iuvestigation station is to be set up near Ashburton, and staffed by New Zealand 'and British experts, Eour Anson aircraft of the R.N.Z.A.F. and a Castle cl'ass mine-

sweeper, lent by tlve JNew zeaiana Navv, are to be attached to the station, and special scientilic equipment is being despatched to New Zealand from Britain and' America. In ,order to assist the woik in addition the British Govermnent has a,g.re.ej to contribute £1U,UU0, the cost of- tlie' station, and to send six British experts to the Doininion to assist. the iuvestigation. Some of this equipment is due to leave Britain for New Zealand this weelc. The project was iirst conimenced in New Zealand during the war when urgent research of all radar problems was being promoted ip all Allied countries. A series qf preliminary . experi-. uieute-was conducted o.n tlipr.&oastiiiQjir,. Kaikoura and provided such interesting results that lirst the Australian and thcn tlie British and American authorities suggested that New Zealand carry the investigations further, and bllTred innnediate lielp. In July, 1915, the New Zealand War Cabinet approved of the estabiishnient of the experimental station at Canterbury lTams as an operatioual war measure, Out tlns was discoutinued wheu the war euded. So valuable were the pre- j iimiinirv results, howover, that in Eebruary, 1916, the New Zealand Gov- 1 crninent agreed to continue the experi- j meiit.s on a civilian basis, and again Ihe Britisli and American authorities prumised substautial assistance. The investigatioa, which is oiiicially I knowu as "Canterbury Project," is being organised and directed by the pliysjjt-.al laboratory section of the Department of Scientilic and Industrial Research, this section supplying tlie buik of the persouuel und all general equipment and facilities. it is necessary, howover, to bring a considerable quaiititv of special equipment from llritain aiul America. The aircraft and Ihe lniiicsweeper used in conuocliou with tlie experimeuts will be specially lilted for the purpose of the tesls, and a series of li.xed meteorolqgical stations will be set up on both the West Uoast .and in Canterbury- to co-operate in the ! work of the mai'n station at Ashburton. [ The Canterbury. site is considered | peculiarly suitable* for the iuvestigation i of nieteoVologieal condi-tions causcd by wliat is known as the ' ' fohn wind. ' ' This is the warm wind eaused when sea breezes" are forced upvvards by a high mountain cliaiu, eausing rapid condensation. Under these conditions the

radio ducts are formed which all'ect the perfonnance of radio and radar uuvigational aids at high frequencies. The object of the Canterbury project is to investigate these condilious at all the times the "fohn wind" -is blowing across the Canterbury Plains. The results of the iuvestigation will be regularly reported .to Jiritain and America.