RADAR RESEARCH AT ASHBURTON

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26855, 7 October 1952, Page 5

RADAR RESEARCH AT ASHBURTON

Project Begun During War RESULTS PUBLISHED RECENTLY (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, October 6. Highly scientific and very important work carried out near Christchurch and known as “the Canterbury project” has been lully analysed and the results have been published in three volumes which have just reached Neu' Zealand. Publication marks the completion of the experimental side of a long-term investigation in radiometeorological field which originated in the latter part of World War 11. It was finally conjointly undertaken by the Departments of Scientific and Industrial Research in the United Kingdom and New Zealand between September, 1946, and December, 1947. It was the first time New Zealand had co-operated with the United Kingdom on a large-scale scientific experiment in the physical field. Because of observations made during the early use of radar in the Pacific, when freak long-range results puzzled radar operators, it was decided to investigate conditions which produced lowlevel “atmospheric ducts.” The Canterbury Plains produced ideal conditions because of the presence of the north-wester, which flowed uninterruptedly across them and out to sea. The importance of the investigation arose from the operational significance of the phenomena involved. Dr. Florence E. S. Alexander, formerly on the staff of the New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and now of Raffles College, Singapore, first drew attention to the suitability of the Canterbury Plains for carrying out the experiment. and her suggestions were strongly supported and represented to the appropriate authorities by Dr. H. G. Booker, previously of the Telecommunications Research Establishment of the British Ministry of Supply. In this they were aided by a distinguished scientist, Sir Edward Appleton, Dr. C. H. Burrows, of Cornell University, New York and Dr. Paul Anderson, of Washington State College.

Eventually Ashburton, where aerodrome facilities were available, was selected as the central point from which work should be carried out, and shortly before the end of the war in 1945 the New Zealand Government decided to initiate the project. When the war ended the project was considered on a civilian basis, and after negotiations between the two Governments it was decided to proceed in co-opera-tion. The United Kingdom supplied six of the scientific staff, specialised equipment, and a financial grant amounting to nearly half the total cost. New Zealand provided the balance of the cost, about 40 of the technical and administrative staff, naval and air facilities, and accommodation. The United States assisted with specialised low-level meteorological sounding equipment. Chief Scientific Officer The chief scientific officer of the project from its inception was a Canterbury man, Mr R. S. Unwin, of Temuka, who subsequently went to head a team which carried out analyses and prepared the vast amount of data now published. Mr Unwin is remaining in England in the meantime, and his special knowledge is being devoted to secret research. The three volumes containing the report are now being circulated widely throughout the world to organisations interested in the effects of the troposphere bn radio-wave propagation in metre and centimetre! Though this is not discussed in the report, it is understood that the information gained may have an important influence on the development of radar, with a prospect that a much longer range may be achieved, thus allowing earlier detection of hostile aircraft, ships, or even . guided missiles.