IN UPPER AIR

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 602, 2 March 1929, Page 1

IN UPPER AIR

Air-Testing Balloons Go Aloft BENEFITS FROM SCIENCE Experiments which are expected materially to assist the operations of the New Zealand Air Force, the Defence Department and the Meteorological Office, as well as .aviation generally, are being performed from the roof of the War Memorial Museum in the Auckland Domain. Small balloons aro sent into the clouds daily to show, the direction and velocity of prevailing winds aloft.

Those who have no reason to study the atmosphere for private reason* cannot appreciate fully the significance of scientific explorations of tho upper regions. Some believe that men have to go aloft in passenger-balloon* and hold instruments to test the velocity of the wind. This is not so. Thin rubber balloons about two feet in diameter are filled with gas according to minute formula, so that their speed of ascent can be accurately calculated. They aro then released and carefully observed until long after they have disappeared from tlie visibility of the naked eye.

The release and observation of fluballoons is the work of Mr. F. Sagar, of Auckland, who is working on research under the direction of hi. Kidson. Government Meteorologris'. and Dr. A. Thompson, director of tl # observatory at Apia, who has been len* to the New Zealand Government foi- a year.

Mr. Sagar, whose studies arc per formed in pursuance of his finishing degrees in science, are watched I*’ Professor P. W. Burbidge. of Auckland University College. He goes t*» tlie museum roof every morning anti, assisted by Mr. J. F. Gallagher and Mr. R. Baker, both of the Defence De- , partment, takes careful note of the wind currents and disturbances. TEN MILES AWAY

A balloon which was released at 9 o'clock this morning, calculated to rise, at the rate of 150 metres a minute, was visible 3 5 minutes later as a tin;, bubble on the glass of a theodolite. Mr. Sugar’s luck was out to-day, how - ever, as fleecy clouds obscured th»* view of the ascending bulb at shoi f intervals, releasing it to view again at irregular intervals. In good conditions they can be seen for 10 miles. This work will go on for a year at Auckland, while similar experiment.* are being undertaken at Wellington. Ar the end of that time arrangements for the continuance of the experiments probably will be made. The tests at Wellington already have been found to be beneficial, showing precisely the prevailing tendency of the treacherous Cook Strait winds at a high altitude. New Zealand is expected to reap immediate benefit from these tests, and it is anticipated also that when further stations are established at Christchurch and Palmerston North, artilI lery and aviation operations, as w®l! !as weather forecasting, will be ini- ' menselv facilitated.