Location of Thunderstorms by Radio

Abstract

THE study of atmosphere disturbances in radio reception began at or before the time when electromagnetic waves were being applied to practical communication ; find from the beginning of the present country, various investigators were exploring the possibility of using radio methods for forecasting the arrival of thunderstorm conditions. For more than twenty years, the radio direction-finder with cathode-ray tube indication, first described by R. A. Watson-Watt and J. F. Herd1, has been used in the study of the direction of arrival of atmospherics. By the use of a number of such direction-finding stations suitably situated, simultaneous observations can be made on individual atmospherics, and from the bearings obtained the source of the disturbance can be determined. Such a storm-location network has been built up by the Meteorological Office in the British Isles during the past few years, and the regular daily information obtained therefrom has for a long time formed a substantial contribution to the knowledge used in weather forecasting. The general organisation and arrangement of this ‘Sferics' service, as it is called, have been described by C. V. Ockenden2 ; and in a paper read before Section A of the British Association at Dundee, a general review hf the present and possible future techniques for location of thunderstorms by radio was given R. L. Smith-Rose8.