TWENTY KINDS OF FOGS

Hawera Star, Volume L, 17 May 1930, Page 7

TWENTY KINDS OF FOGS

AMERICAN INVESTIGATION. All fogs may look alike to the aeroplane pilot-, but they have been divided into more than a score of different kinds by the Massachusetts Institute, of Technology in the course of its research into the- possibilities of dissolving or preventing this hindrance to aerial and ocean navigation. Completion of the: Institute’s meteorological observatory at Round Hill lias enabled the commencement of a study of the atmosphere conditions which produce fog in its various forms. Arctic sea smoke, tropical air fogs, Indian summer haze, early morning mists, and common ground fogs are among those- which are being studied. In addition to its fog studies-, the institute’s short -wave experimental station at Round Hill is constantly communicating with a large group of foreign amateur operators' as a pari of its extensive study of the-conditions affecting long-distance high-frequency radio transmission.

On 7. of the- studies under wav at this, new meteorological observatory, the first- of its kind established by an educational institution, seeks to develop an accurate method of measuring absolute • lmmiditv. By this method it is hoped to be ahlle to measure separately the total amount of water and liquid vapour in the- atmosphere. The size of the droplets of which it is composed is also to be studied with the* object of determining to what degree the size of the drops affects visibility Another division of the research will make a .study -of the distribution of temperature in. fog and el-owls at various heights. These experiments will be carried out with the aid of -instruments attached to captive and sounding balloons ‘and aircraft. Determination of the thickness of fog hanks is .one- -of the most important obiectives of the investigation. Professor (>. G. R-ossby is in charge of Technology’s new observatorv. Among the studies now going on is one which concerns the navigation and landing of aircraft in fog. methods of ooiniinniipation between ground stations and airships, ami between aircraft in flight.