SOVIET BLOC INTERNATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL YEAR INFORMATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00141R000200050001-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 19
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 15, 1999
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: March 7, 1958
• Content Type: REPORT

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i. V 7 PB 13163214
SOVIET BLOC INTERNATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL `!r"R INFORIIAT:toN
rarch 7, 1958
U. S. DEPARTIMT OF COERCE
Office of Technical Services
Washington 25, D. C.
Published !Weekly from February 14, 1958 to January 2, 1959.
Subscription Price X10.00 for tho Series.
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PLEASE NOTE
This report presents unevaluated information on Soviet
Bloc International Geophysical Year activities selected
from foreign-lunguage publications as indicated in pa-
rentheses. It is published as an aid to United States
Government research.
SOVIET BLOC INTERNATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL YEAR INFORMATION
Table of Contents
Page
I,
General
1
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
Rockets and Artificial Earth Satellites
Upper Atmosphere
Meteorology
Oceanography
Seismology
Gravimetry
13
VIII.
Arctic and Antarctic
1b
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'.r: i_iolovtal
c
Efforts in IGY
Czechoslovakia pc,rticipates in almost all areas of the IGY effort.
in the field of meteorology, synoptic observations are being conducted
by Stations in Prague, Brno, and Kosice, with four regular deadlines in
a 21'?-hour period; with aerological .radiouonc:e measurement of pressure,
tempe-rature, and humidity in Prague and Popr:zd twice daily; and measure-
ment of high-altitude wind four times daily.
E:Lght stations measure the total solar radiation, including that on
a? horizontal plane of the sky, Eleven stntians measure direct and total
solar radiation, as well as in three spectral areas, and will also meas-
ure at the same time the duration of solar light. Two stations measure
effective radiation, and two stations will also mecLsure the total area
of radiation,
One station will measure ozone at the surface level by a chemical
method, while chemical :analysis of impacts gathered in 20 various stations,
supplemented by other physicoch:>?,nicnl methods, will also be performed.
Cloud cover and noctilucent clouds will be observed for special pur-
poses?
Efforts in the field of geomagnetism include the Pruhonice Observ-
atory's research on magnetic storms and magnetic pulsations, and work is
also performed on world geomagnetic mapping. The branch station at Budkov
and the Slovak geophysical observatory in Hurbanovo will also cooperate
on the scrnrc problems. These two centers will also conduct research in the
field of telluric currents,.
The field of aurora and nightglow will be studied by 30 stations of
the Hydrorneteorological Institute, 22 people's observatories, and astro-
nomical circles in schools and factories observing the aurora borealis.
The Ondrejov and Prcice stations will also photograph the aurora borealis
to determine its altitude. The Institute of History of the Czechoslovak
Academy of Sciences will cooperate in the framework of the worldwide study
of aurora with the processing of reports on aurora in Czechoslovakia for
the last 100 years, Nightglow will be measured photoelectrically in five
spectral areas in Ondre,jov and Lomnicky Stit, and A. Mrkos, participant
in the Soviet Anarctic expedition, will also conduct simultaneous measure-
merits,
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will consist of mcuisuring ionospheric characteris tics with an ionosonde
(ppooLt'ceci apurutura) Lwice hourly, measurement of uttenuution of radio
waves in the ionosphere, measurement of reflection and polarization of
lung and medium waves, the determination of ionospheric winds, the deter-
mine tiun of the origin of sporadic is layer, and some other ionospheric
effects.
While weather permits, all appearances of solar activity will. be
studied in detail and simultaneously. Both optical and radio observation
will be conducted, with optical observation dealing chiefly with chro-
mospheric eruptions, the chromosphere, and prominences. The observations
will be performed by special equipment in Ondrejov, where radio measure-
ment of solar emission in the 56 and 130 centimeter wave bands will also
take place. Ondrejov and five other stations will also conduct photo-
graphic observation of sun spots.
In the field of cosmic radiation, a Prague station and the Lomnicky
Stit station will measure the variations of hard components of cosmic
radiation and variations in neutron radiation.
The alert and communications center for the Czechoslovak IGY effort
is in Pruhonice, which is connected with world alert centers and relays
their reports to Czechoslovak workers and the Czechoslovak radio system.
In the second group of disciplines of the IGY, five stations measure
geographical coordinates. Especially interesting will be the Ondrejov
measurements after comparison, since this station conducted measurements
in the last polar year. The Institute of Astronomy in Prague will handle
time service. In the field of seismic observation, seven stations will
study seismic activity in Czechoslovak territory and microseismic dis-
turbances also. Gravimetric study will observe swells of the earth's
crust in various deep mines in Pribram, The radioactivity of rain will
Le measured in the field of nuclear rr:diution. Czechoslovakia also is
thinking of participating in the observation of artificial satellites
while they are visible. At present, after the launching of the Soviet
satellites, visual, photographic, and radio observations are made of the
satellites and rocket carriers. Due to understandable conditions, Czecho-
slovakia will not work at al.l. in the field of oceanography and glaciology.
(Ves triik Ceskoslovenske Akademie aed, Ho 9110, Nov/Dec 57, pp 417-420)
Some Reports of Observations in Czechoslovakia
CPYRGHT
Observation efforts according to the program of the IGY are progress-
ing very satisfactorily in the most varied sectors in Czechoslovakia. For
example, during the first 4 months of the IGY, 32 large solar eruptions
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wf~?ra;' i 't urcd by Czech'Ds lov::ik c~h erv;. t.r.i `1'he ree a l.ts .:,1' the Ondre jov
(pus ecrvutc,ry are 1iiGhly rated in foreign c,. untr i es , .nd Dr Ellis,,)n r).f Edi n-
ar-Cti, one, -,f the Lest spec to 1.ists in thc~ study of the chrrm sphere, rates
l.ht:; wail; cis the l:e:,t 'rgunized visual -;hser?vation of eruptions in Europe.
Great uttention is devoted to the observation of Soviet artificial
rutel.litcs. Up to 30 NovemLer, 2l1 passages of the rocket carrier of the
: ,,.utell.ite, 3 passages of the first satellite itself, and 8 passages
f' the second .satellite were observed, while 35 photographs of the rocket
c,:r?r.ier of the first satellite, one phot,-)Lraph of the first satellite it-
seLf, nrid one photograph of the second satellite were taken. Especially
Lord conditions existed at the Skalnute Pleso observatory, at a height of
1,783 meters.
The Institute of Hydrometeorology ann. the People's Observatory in
Prague received 23 reports on seven different aurora, and the report was
;ent to Edinburgh. The Institute of History of the Czechoslovak Academy
of Sciences is processing reports on the observation of aurora during the
past 100 years.
The Ondrejov Observatory of the Institute of Astronomy of the Czecho-
slovak Academy of Sciences observes solar radio noise on the 56 centimeter
wave length, and announces the findings in monthly bulletins. Some 112
.Larger noise flareups have been recorded. Night glow is measured photo-
electrically in Ondrejov and Lomnicky Stit. During the first 3 months of
the IGY, these points observed 1i1 series of night and twilight glow and
sent the findings to centers in Moscow and Paris.
Czechoslovakia's meteorological observation for the IGY is also exten-
sive, with 160 scientific and technical workers participating. The find-
to the world center in
G7
5e ev to e world data rentinr in r (Prague, Svobodne Slovo,
CPYRGHT arum'"er of Chinese Workers in the Field of Geophysics
Before the liberation, China had but some 40 persons participating
in jtophysical research, mostly in the field of meteorology. Since the
liberation, the number of participants has been increased. At present,
there are more than 10,000 research workers engaged in this type of work.
An initial geomagnetic and seismic observation network has now been
tablished in China, the first set of eor: :-
g ~ctic and seismic maps has
l,:een completed, and a report on "the study of atmospheric current of the
Tibetan plateau and its effect ? e In China", by
eng-c pro as also been (Lhasa, Tibet Jih-pao,
ui;57
CPYRGHT
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II. ROCKETS ACID ARTIFICIAL EARTH G3X21!',LLITE,.3
;j'ovie L?s Use New Method for Photographing Artificial Satellite
A neu method of photographing artificial satellites has enabled So-
viet scientists to obtain three photograph;; of Sputnik II from which
the visible ephemeris of the satellite can be determined with an accu-
racy better than 0.001 degree and the time of paosaSe to within thou-
sandths of a second.
The new method was developed and tried by astrophysicists at the
Astrophysics Institute of the Academy of Sciences Kazakh SSR at the
end of January, according to a TASS press dispatch of 1 February from
illma-Ata. At the high mountain observatory of the institute, which is
situated near Alma-Ata in Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau, astrophysicists attached
an oscillating plate to the large meniscus telescope, which interrupts
over a specified time interval the trace left by the satellite on a
photographic plate. These time intervals are synchronously recorded on
a highly accurate oscillograph. (Baku, Bakinskiy Rabochiy, Ii. Feb 58)
Physiological Ecperiment on Sputnik II
CPYRGHT
In "Flight Into the Cosmos," Prof Vasiliy Vasil'yevich Parin, Ac-
tive Member of the Academy of Medical Sciences USSR, reports the follow-
ing on physiological experiments with Sputnik II: Soviet technology
contributed greatly to science when it made it possible to have exact
physiol.oL,,ical data received on earth from an air-tight container with
the dog Layka. Radiotelemetered data on the reactions of the dog during
her fli;ht through space in the second artificial earth satellite is
now being processed and analyzed. Initial indications are that the ex-
perimental animal's reactions were quite satisfactory during the entire
period of the physiological experiment and information obtained answered
a nLunber of complicated questions in space medicine.
The Sputnik II launchin3 proved -t-hat a livin- organism was capable
of surviving the effects of a violent thrust greatly exceeding the grav-
itational pull of the earth.
Telernetered data received showed that the dog tolerated the effects
of the prolonged period of acceleration well during the entire period
the rocket motors were worl;in and after the satellite had entered its
orbit.
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After the rocket entered the orbit and the rocket motors ceased to
function Layka found herself in a state of weightlessness. Experience
has shown that both animals and humans lose their coordination during
brief periods, of weightlessness lasting only 10 seconds. Respiration,
circulation, and the body temperature are also affected when a state of
weightlessness exists. The nervous system becomes adapted to such an
unusual condition after repeated practice, however, and coordination
gradually improves. Layka underwent a period of conditioning before
she was sent up.
The cabin holding Layka was placed inside the rocket not length-
wise, but crosswise. The action of g-forces on the body of the dog was
thereby not longitudinal, but perpendicular. This served to
prevent any serious disturbances in the circulation of the blood.
It can be assumed that humans would be capable of tolerating a
brief acceleration of 10 g or more in a cosmic ship after undergoing a
period of conditioning. A special anti-g suit consisting of rubber
components containing air and pressing against the blood vessels of the
lower half of the body can be used as protection against the effects of
acceleration.
Since natural air circulation is impossible under conditions of
weightlessness, a system of forced ventilation was created in the her-
metic cabin of Sputnik II. Highly active chemical compounds emitted
oxygen and removed carbon dioxide and excessive moisture.
Layka was fed from a special container, arranged in a special man-
ner so as to prevent dispersion of liquid food all over the cabin due to
weightlessness.
Cosmic rays are particles consisting of various elements which move
with almost the speed of light. They possess great penetrating power
and can ionize the molecules of a living organism, thereby severely damag-
ing living tissues. The danger lies in the fact that cells of the ner-
vous system, cardiac muscles, and other vital organs may be destroyed.
Sputnik II contained instruments for measuring cosmic rays and so-
lar radiation. Information recorded and transmitted to earth contributed
greatly to knowledge about radiation in outer space.
Layka was well protected in her hermetic cabin from ultraviolet
rays. Many different methods of protection from solar radiation on earth
have been developed. Their effectiveness was tested high above the earth
with the flight of the second earth satellite.
Protection against ultraviolet rays need not be cumbersome. Ordit-
nary glass may serve well to -protect a living organism from these rays.
(Zdorov'ye, No 1, Jan 58, pp 2-3)
-5-
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i! on :i,ztellitco I Qvici;ed CPYRGHT
:;-outnik Zerli (Soviet Artificial Earth
itc , 1,1o;cow, Pravda Piibiishinr, Ilouce, 3.957
i:ry.iov, Yu. and Iiazi.Li' cv, V., Vtoraya Luna (Second I.1oo11), Molodaya
c,vcrcl.i;;u r~.tL' 1.i, h ink House of the Central Committee of the Young Communist
Youth Lech ue, 1957, ("Cn3incer:in( in the Sixth Five-Year Plan" Series )
Is'1:usstvennyy sputnik Zomli (Artificial Earth Satellite), (material
from a seminar on the US Vanguard project), translation from English,
edited by Yu. S. 1Qzlebtsevich, Sovetskoye Radio Publishing House, 1957
Kaznev:31.iy, V. P. , Razvedchiki mezh lanetno o prostranstva (Ex-
plorer:, of Interplanetary Space T, DCSAAF Publishing House, Moscow, 1957
Pobcclonost?:;cv, Yu. A., Doctor of Technical Sciences, Iskusstvennyy
spi.iL-nik Zem.ii (Artificial Earth Satellite), Moscow, Znaniye Publishing
House, 1957
B. V. Lyapunov reviews the aforementioned publications in a recent
issue of i;auka i Zhizn' as follows :
The creation of artificial satellites by Soviet scientists was
valued by all progressive people as the greatest scientific achievement,
opening unprecedented prospects to science and practice. It was na-
tural, therefore, that among a very wide circle of readers, both Soviet
and foreign, an unusual growth in interest in popular scientific litera-
tcre on nroblerrr of astronautics should occur. Striving to satisfy this
itest,the Pravda publishing house, immediately after the satellite
events, published a collection, Sovetskiy isskustvennyy sputnik Zemli.
The collection contains articles by leading Soviet scientists discuss-
ing in detail the problems connect1~6 with creating an artificial satel-
lite, its orbit and observations of its movement, and the scientific
si,-nificance of the "second moon."
Boots and "o.rochurec on this thume were published by a number of
other publishinG houses.
Vtoraya Luna, a popular science pamphlet by Yu. Krylov and V. Razu-
meycv, presents the scientific and technical fundamentals involved in
creating the artificial satellite. The reader is acquainted with the
achievements of contemporary rocket engineering, which makes it possible
to attain tremendous speeds necessary for escape into outer space: with
the problems connected with creating the satellite -- equipping it with
scientific apparatus, observations of orbital movement, etc. However,
having given relatively much attention to rocket engineering, the authors
have discussed in insufficient detail the instruments on satellites and
the significance of the investigations being conducted by them.
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At the jubilee session of the Supreme Soviet USSR, N. S. Khrushchev
said: "Our satellites are revolving around the Earth and are waiting for
US and other satellites to appear, together with them, and to establish
a 'commonwealth of satellites . ' " It is known that the launching of the
US satellite was a failure. The collection Iskusstvennyy sputnik Zemli
acquaints the reader with the US Vanguard project.
The successful launchings of the satellites has brought the problems
of interplanetary flight closer to solution. One can speak of a flight
to the Moon of an automatic rocket and of human travel into the cosmos
as a prospect of the not-too-distant future. Among the latest publica-
tions on ?t-his theme is the book by V. P. Kaznevskiy entitled Razvedchiki
mezhplanetnogo prostranstva. A description of explorers of interplane-
tary space and a presentation of the physicotechnical fundamentals of
reactive motion comprise the main content of this book. The equipment
of the contemporary aerological rocket, its guidance, ground equipment,
transmission of in-flight information and the results of high-altitude
investigations are some of the problems mentioned in the book.
The Znaniye Publishing House has issued a pamphlet by Yu. A. Pobedo-
nostsev entitled Iskusstvennyy sputnik Zemli which contains a detailed
review of contemporary foreign ballistic rockets, presents data on the
first Soviet artificial satellite, and reviews certain satellite projects,
including manned satellite projects. The projects of W. Braun and D.
Romik are of special interest. In the supplement to the pamphlet, the
ions d n
u
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satellite and examples of these (Nauka i Zhizn', No 1,
CPYRGHT Jan 5b, p 76)
Soviet Documentary Film on Satellites
CPYRGHT
In a new Soviet-produced documentary film, both Soviet artificial
earth satellites are shown before launching. The film also shows the
instruments installed in the second satellite, the hermetically sealed
cabin for Layka; and the dog before flight into space. The film shows
the launchinrr of a Soviet meteornl ngi rn1 rnnha; carrying a dog, and
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.1301011 Uri 1.111.t J:,, CPYRGHT
U,r 1.3 DeceuUcI. :1.) j~(', .i.: tl,c nrrditor:i.r.u.1 of the `.L'radc Union Center
:i.rr Lc1-rade, the fir trona a:Lc^,l. ;;coc:Lety of the Aviation
,,;,;uc!_ab:io:r of Yugusl.Rvia (Pcstranat.tt:ic',:o dz-ustvo VaZduho.plovno(,f saveza
;, ;c?;,1.av . jc) or;;anized a )ubl.ii iota on bile sr.rU,ject of artificial
rtli :,utel.li.te ; . fart: c:i.l?atJ.rr; J.n the discirsc:iJ.on before an overflow
ac.ti.i rtcc W.:ru the fo1.].owirr- ;,ro..iirreat scientific aac'. public workers :
iru ;dc:nician Dr Cavle Vujcvic, pri;sidcrrt of the ;'Iat-ional. Couunission for
the Internai:.ional Geophy:;Ica]. Year (pre?tseclnik Naeiorralne koraa.s:1. je za
ured.junaroclnu _eofizicku god'inu); En,-,-r 1:osta Sivcev, president of the
Astronautical Society of the Aviation Association of Yu6oslavia; Ante
Obu1 jen, consultant of the Ilydr olneteoroloa1cal Bureau (Savetnik hidro -
reteorol.oskog za-voda); Dr Tatomir Aridjelic, a university professor;
Dr 1"arlco Janjic, director of the Aviation Medicine Institute (upravnik
Vaz(luhoplovno-rnedicinslcog instituta); Engr Vladimir Avjaz, editor (ured-
nik) of the periodical Vasion (Universe); Miiorad Protic, director of
the i bronomical. Observatory (uoravn:Lk A.stronomzke opservatori je); and
secretary of the Astronautical Society of the
c editor for Radio
'Reliiradc, was moderator of the discussion. (Belgrade, Aero svet, Vol 7,
No 150, 29 Dec 57, p 2) CPYRGHT
Satellite Tracking at Potsdam
CPYRGHT
The rocket carrier of Sputnik I was photographed with a small but
powerful astrocamera for the first time by the Potsdam Astrophysical
Observatory on 26 October 1.957 at 1.uOv, writes Dr Guentzel-Lingner. The
catnzas rsed at Potsdam have snec:La:l devices for synchronizing the time
i.iclication with the position indication of the satellite on the photo-
graph. A fast shutter device is synchronized with a chronograph which
records the time of the shutter clos:i.na on a paper strip. A comparison
Of the paper strip and film gives information on the passage of the
- past certain fixed stars or other celestial reference points.
., ? c1.ay cd to Moscow by phone within the
(Berlin, Die Idirtschaft, No 51/52, 19 Dec 57) p
CPYRGHT
Poles Su ; est Capture oi' P1.aneto:Ld for Use as Satellite
A brief, urrsi;ned news item entitled "The Planetoid -?? an Earth
Satellite" reports that a rccer.lt Warsaw meeting of the Polish Society
of Pocket Engineering and Astronautics gave special attention to a
re;7ort by Engr V. Geisler and M. Pankov, who suggested the idea of using
s::ia:1.1 celestial bodies, p:Lanctoids, ac artificial earth satellites [space
tatJ.onr rather than to Launch special artificial structures from the
earth.
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The authors cu"'Go3t the ucic of the planetoid 11ermcc, discovered in
1)"Y, for this purpose;. Accord:. to their calc.lations, tl;c periodic
ct )roach of llermes to the Earth than 500,000 ;cilonrcters away) gives
:aa!I L I-10 poss ibil.ity of "iriovin- oii to Lt" rather easiiy. ecause of the
:,,mall mass of this miniature celestial body, which' is only one kilometer
:?.u dia,notor, it would be possible to change its orbit and convert it into
a dace station. (Nauka i Zhizn', No 1, Jan 53, p 70)
CPYRGHT Italian, French communist News pa Newspapers Reprint von Braun Rocket Sketch;
Give Soviets Credit
The lengths to which the Communist and fellow-traveling newspapers
will .,o to manufacture propaganda on Soviet space achievements is vividly
hi"hli,,,,hted by recent violations of a US copyright by the Rome daily
L'ilnita, organ of the Italian Communist Party; the Paris daily, L' Iitunanite,
organ of the French Communist Party; and the Rome daily, Avanti: organ
of the fellow-traveling Italian Socialist (Nenni) Party. The rights vi-
olated in all three cases belong to The Viking Press of New York City
under a 1952 copyright by the Crowell-Collier Publishing Company.
L'Unita, on page 9 of its 7 November 1957 issue, published an arti-
cle on present and future Soviet space achievements and adjoining the
article printed a picture of a rocket with the caption: "Moscow -- A
vertical section of a 3-stage rocket with which it is believed the So-
viets will attempt the first unmanned flight -toward the Moon. The pic-
ture is an identical reproduction of an illustration on page 24 of
Across the Space Frontier, a compilation of articles and illustrations
on the coming space age by a number of authors including Wernher von
Braun., published by The Viking Press in 1952. The illustration was drawn
by Rolf IClep from a sketch by von Braun and portrays the latter's coricep-
tion of a future US three-stage rocket ready for launching from Johnston
Island in the Pacific.
On 3 January 195'-", L'IItmrauite printed on its front page an obviously
touched-up version of the same von Braun illustration with notations in
the Cyrillic alphabet on it and with the following caption: "A sketch
illustrating a Soviet work published in 1955, Trip Through the Universe
[title translated from the French]. It Lives an idea of what a rocket
carrying a burnan crew in the nose could be.
Avanti.', on page 3 of its 1 January 1953, issue carried the same
touched-up version of the von Braun sketch, but with an even more blatant
caption: ''The three-stage rocket which transported the great Sputnil: to
its orbit. This design appeared in a Soviet periodical. 16
None of these three newspapers Gave any attribution of the picture
to von Braun or The Viking Press, and, as can be observed from the cap-
Lion, L'Unitta and L'IIumanite inferred and Avanti.' stated outright that
the pictu-L re orijina e 111 tiie USSR.
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Iii.. UPPi n ATh44U;iI'll lX,8i';
N w Pnok on Effects, of .;olnr Activity
CPYRGHT
Ocherl:i P'iziko-G(o rnfichc:skilch Proy,,.ivl.eniy 13olnechnoy De ate1'nosti
ssays on Physicogeogrnphic Niani.festations of :solar Activity), by M. S.
e:ygenson, published by the Publishing House of Lvov University, 1957, 230
i)i), is a book devoted to heliogeophysics, i. e., the study of the terres-
trial manifestations of solar activity. The first part of the book pres-
ents basic data on the ;gun and its activity, on the physical essentiality
of' action of the Sun on the atmosphere of our planet. The second part is
devoted to the cyclic and rhythmic nature of solar activity and the geo-
physical consequences of this cyclic nature. The third and major part
examines various physicogeographic manifestations of solar activity,
1particu1r rly they fluctuations in climate, the changes in the level of
the Cn spian .,ea, fluctuations of the iciness of polar seas, and the nature
of the major anomaly of ,general circulation of the Earth's atmosphere in
1c I _ c as a possible geological factor and
in its manifestation in tha biosphere. (Priroda, No 12, Dec 57, p 123)
CPYRGHT
Famed Chinese Astronomer Returns to China
CPYRGHT
After spending 32 years in France doing research work, Dr Ch'eng Mao-
ian, the 1intr rnational].y famed astronomer, returned to China recently. To
honor his raturn, a wolcouie dinner party was given to him by Wu Yu-hsun
(';oo Yui--hsun), vice-presid2nt of the Chinese Academy of 'Sciences on 2 Au-
gust 1.957. .h'eng holds a master's degree in mathematics and a doctorate
in astvonoiny. In 191-5, h:., received an award from the French Academy of
c;iences, and in 1956, he was made a Chevalier in the Legion of Honor for
I)is scientific work in France. He specializes in the study of spectro-
photometry of fixed stars and the study of night glow and auroral spectra.
ers. Ire will continue to do re-
search work in the field of astronomy. (i:uei-yang, Kweichow Jih-pao,
4 Aug 57) CPYRGHT
Az(_-rtnydzhan Radio Weather )tcttions Automatically Transmit Data
CPYRGHT
Three radiometeorologic_it stations, automatically transmitting weather
Administration of the
-In 1,n- are operating in the Azerb~ydzhan % under the
lly-irom:~teorological ':;e.rvice (U1'1V,.;) . These stations are located on the north-
,last _rn sh+w of the Caspian They con-list of a si-or.% '1 r?ciio transmitter
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Approvea or a ease : IA- -UU141KUI '' -
ve-locity and direction indicators) fastened to a 20-25 meter mast. Batter-
power control systems, automatic time switches, and other egixipment,
are insst;ulled in a small underground room? Data is transmitted punctually
every 6 hours? Range is estimated at 400 kilometers.
The signals transmitted are received at Fort Shevchenko and rebroad-
cctot to the UGMS Weather Bureau, where weather forecasts for the Caspian
;yea and neighboring areas are compiled.
The stations are designed to operate for one year without servicing.
Expeditions from UJ'GMS are dispatched once a year by plane, automobile,
and sometimes by camel, for servicing, repairs, etc.
This year, automatic radiometeor'ological stations will be established
at higher altitudes in the mountains of Azerbayzhdan and Dagestan. In
addition to readings of atmospheric pressure, air temperature, wind veloc-
fty and they will also record precipitation and other meteoro-
logical data, Baku? Bakinskiy Rabochiy, 6 Feb 58)
CPYRGHT
IGY Work at Kustana Aerolo ical Station
CPYRGHT
L. Legushina and V. Musatova; Komsomol aerologists, work at the
Kustanay ;aerological Station preparing sounding balloons for upper atmos-
phere research,
Under the IGY program, Kustanay Station engages in standard meteoro-
atmosphere, and balloon observations] (Alma-Ata, KazakhstanskayaPravda,
ec CPYRGHT
New Pamphlet on Destructive Sea Waves
CPYRGHT
Tsunami (Tsunami), by A. Ye. Svyyatlovskiy, published by the Publish-
ing House of the Academy of Sciences USSR, 1957, 68 pages with illustrations,
is a pamphlet concerning waves originating in the seas and oceans, usually
as a result of underwater eartl'quakes and more rarely as a result of eruptions
of underwater or island volcanos." In this pamphlet, Svyatlovskiy acquaints
the reader with the peculiarities of these destructive sea waves. Having
given reasons for their origination, geological nature, physical properties,
methods of studying, and the possibility of forecasting them, the author makes
certain recommendations for protecting the population of Pacific Ocean coastal
areas of the Soviet Union and also ships in coastal ports. A force scale re-
commended for characterizing the forcd of sea quakes which may be accompanied
by the formation of tsunami is given,
(Priroda, No 1, Jan 58, p 126)
CPYRGHT
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Lha:ia Observatory Obtainci Valunble Data
A nows item reveals that the Lhasa Obnervatory, sponsored by the
Geohhynics Institute of the Chinese Acndemy of Sciences, has obtained
some valuable and precise geomagnetic and seismic dnta during the first
month of its operation. The observatory wns formally inaugurated on
1 July 1957. It was originally established for participation in the IGY
program. All data gathered through the Lhasa observatory will be compiled
and sent to the central station in Peiping for further study. (Lhasa Tibet
J i!1-pao, 14 Aug 57 )
China Has 20 Seismological Stations
Since the liberation, China has so far established a total of some
20 seismological stations to do seismological work. Many scientific reports
have been made by these stations. (Lhasa, Tibet Jih-pao) 14 Aug 57)
Ch'eng-tu Establishes a Seismic Station
A new seismological station was recently established in a suburb south-
west of Ch'eng-tu. The station was equipped with the first set of the latest
model of seismic equipment imported from the Soviet Union. The equipment
used in this station is capable of registering shocks and motions of earth-
quake in the vicinity of Ch'eng-tu, as well as in any area throughout the
world. (Ch'eng-tu Jih-pao, 26 Aug 57)
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Study of Figure of the Earth Without U c of Normal Com ar ic:on PLanct
In Investigating the figure of the Earth by gravimctric methods
t.tcc is made generally of a normal comparison planet, and as such, 'a
cvei. spheroid is mostly used. Adopting the method of Sludakiy and
making no use of a normal Earth, S. V. Gromov, in his report "Determi-
nation of the Figure of the Earth Without Using the Concept of a Normal.
Comparison Planet," develops foannul.ac which make it possible to compute
the components of the inclination of the vertical. in points of the phyci.-
ca.0. surface of the Earth, ac wen as the ;.,o.titudcc of a certain quasi-
geoid relative to a non.lcvel. ellipsoid. (Vestnik Leningradskogo
Un.iverciteta, No 19, Scriya Matematiki, Melchaniki I Astronom:Li, No
195", Pp 1115-i52)
Preparations for Absolute Gravity Measurement at Potsdam
For the new determination of absolute gravity, the Geodetic Insti-
tute at Potsdam has designed an apparatus with two pendulums which swing
on a common carrier and do not have to be removed from the evacuated
case for the taking of measurements, according to R. Schroeter in "Prepa-
rations for the Measurement of Absolute Gravity at Potsdam" All dynamic
influences of the stand and foundation are supposed to be e::cluded by the
counteroscillations of the reversion pendulums. The e::pected influences
of the elastic interaction between knife edges and bearings during the
pendulous oscillation arc to be eliminated by the use of three pendulums
of different lengths (25, 50, and 'f5 cm).
The article contains two cross sectional drawings of the new pendu-
lum instrument. (Feingeraetetechnik, No 1, Jan 58) pp 21-22)
Potsdam Geodetic Institute and the IGY
A report by Prof K. Reicheneder on the Potsdam Geodetic Institute
includes the following information:
Today there are more scientists and associates employed at the
institute than there were before 1.911.5.
The work of the institute is divided among four departments: (i)
the Department of Mathematical Geodesy, which considers problems of the
geoid, deviations of the plumb line, and other mathematical problems of
geodesy, including the establishment of datum levels and bench marks and
the improvement of computing machines and methods; (2) the Department
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 of prgyp4(fpr eIgp.-1J~i9~l Pl-f R>PL4 mQQj1, 1 R9 fl 90 P001-7
unicnt.l.i'i.c p-.trponrma) ct pecl.u.i l.,y the new determination of the absolute
t'orr.c of gr.cvi.t,y In Potsrlam, and with improvement and development of
mctl-oclu and .Lr-s.tru cnts for the study of the gravitutionu'l field of the
earth; (3) the Department of Practical Geodesy, which carries out de-
vel.opmcni; work on new physical methods for distance and range measure-
ments, the cali.brat.ion, testing, and further development of geodetic
.instnuncnt s, and with ut;udi.en on the measurement of base lines, angles,
and a].tit;uder,; and (4) the Department of Aotronomical. Geodesy, which
carries out fundamental longitude determinations and works on the im-
provement of astronomical-geodetic observations. It is also responsible
for time service and the improvement of quartz clocks.
The institute is developing sea gravimeters, which are of especial
importance at present.
In the development of other geodetic instruments, the departments
of physical and practical geodesy work closely together. The emphasis
at present is on :Longitude measurements, an area where foreign countries
have obtained a considerable lead in recent years.
The Potsdam Geodetic Institute is participating in the IGY, prima-
rily in the program on longitudes and latitudes and secondarily on earth
tides. The government has already appropriated the funds for an astro-
laboratory. Joint work is already going on between the Tokyo Observatory
and Potsdam in regard to the transit time of electromagnetic waves.
(Wissenschaftliche Annalen, Vol 6, No 12, Dec 57, pp 853-864)
Fossil Remains and Other Antarctic Discoveries Reported CPYRGHT
At the end of the fifth month of its voyage, the expeditionary ship
Ob' was at the southern edge of the Pacific Ocean en route to the little-
studied part of Antarctica -- the Oates Coast. The immense section of
Antarctica from Knox Coast in the west to the shores of King George V
Land was carefully explored by members of the Soviet Union's third Marine
Antarctic Expedition.
Nosing its way through the off-shore pack ice, the Ob' made con-
tinuous fathometer measurements over hundreds of miles. Many of the
measurements were made in places where nautical charts showed no sound-
ings.
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 CPYRGHT
Approved1F'alrtRgi&mgi"9B/Q9108L;-l; ?RDR827A(.-144PCQQ 15Q0A1-T1::pc-
rli.tion'a cartogrceplie.rrs to i:iap over :I ,000 rt:i.le:i of the Antarctic Coar;t.
Work conducted In Wilkeo Lund showe(l. l.?h st the ohorc line depicted on the
ukr.ps srua actually iocr.Ltec1 many mi.l,or; I;o the r;outli. In the region called
"D lacovcry Luncl," there :Lo a bank or shallow located about :1.00 meters
off shore to which glacial tongues, interconnected by land flocs, extend.
Curcful surveys in the reputed location of "Discovery Land" showed no
such land existed. It was also found that the Ninnis and Mertz glacial
tongues actually extended into the sea 1.0 miles leas than shown on the
c;:peclition's charts.
On 1 February, an AN-2, piloted by M. N. Kami nokiy, with Hero of the
Soviet Union M. M. Kiria.lov as navigator, made a flight over the region
of the South Magnetic Pole. Participants of the flight described the
region of the pole as a bright green ice sheet swept completely clear
of snow and reflecting the rays of the sun.
Another of the expedition's airplanes piloted by Hero of the Soviet
Union K. F. Mikhalenko, chief of the air detachment) with V. N. Ivanov
as navigator, landed a group of the expedition's scientists on Cape Horn
Bluff. Because of the surrounding glacier, Cape Horn Bluff appears to
be an island rising to a height of 425 meters above sea level. The min-
eralogical composition of the sandstone found here proved to be very
interesting. Together with the usual grains of feldspar, they contained
up to 30 percent granite, as well. as a considerable amount of casserite.
Of greatest interest was the discovery in the sandstone of the carbonized
remains of wood and the impressions of the leaves of plants which grew
in the Antarctic 200-250 million years ago. Also found were fossils,
reminiscent of the bones of animals which apparently lived here hundreds
of millions of years ago.
At a meeting of the scientific council of the Marine Antarctic
Expedition, a report by Prof P. A. Shumski.y, Doctor of Geographical.
Sciences, concerning the basic results of the glaciol.ogical investi-
gations carried out by Soviet scientists in the Antarctic was heard.
If these findings are confirmed by those of the other expeditions, then
it is possible to consider that the average thickness of the ice cover
in the Antarctic does not exceed 1,500 meters, as was previously thought,
and the total amount of ice consists of about 30 million cubic kilometers
instead of 19 million.
A few days ago, the expedition received an invitation to participate
in an Antarctic symposium -- an international scientific conference
organized by the New Zealand IGY Committee. After completing investi-
gations in the vicinity of King George V Land, the Ob' will proceed to
Wellington, New Zealand, where the symposium will be held toward the
middle of February.
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A ir143vpAf,grt ~~-e~ et~~~ ~1`~/:pt~ esCb~A-f Pt$A. Pty i c @ QQAIq2O01-7
I'::pcditlon was radioed to Soviet newspapers by A. Dunayev, Leningradskaya
Pravd!.Oc snreciul. correspondent, ,.and V. Tkachev, first mate of the Ob' .
Len1.ngrLd, LeningrudslaAya Pravda, 6 Feb 58; Moscow, Izvestiya, 8 Feb 5
Tmpreun ons of Arctic Form Basis for New hook
CPYRGHT
Dva Leta v Arktike (Two Years in the Arctic), by N. N. Sushkina,
published by the Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences USSR, 195'(,
'714 pages with :L1.lustrations, is based on the personal impressions of
the author, who spent 2 years in Novaya Zemlya and Franz-Josef Land.
Information is given on the geological. past of these places, on the
character of icing and the work of ice-breakers, on the climate, animal
world, and vegetation. The author interestingly discusses the explo-
ration of these places, the contemporary life of the population, its
Zeml a.
The text is accompanied by interesting illustrations and maps. (Priroda,
No 1, Jan 58, p 126) CPYRGHT
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