History of Research in the Bureau of Meteorology
Foreword
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: Germination and Growth
Chapter 2: Struggle, Competition and Emergence
The Struggle for Recognition
International Involvement
Local Cooperation
The Bureau Goes Solo
Conclusion
Retrospect
Appendix 1: Meteorology Act 1906
Appendix 2: Meteorology Act 1955
Appendix 3: Simpson Report
Appendix 4: Survey Questionnaire
Appendix 5: Bibliography
References
Index
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However, the Chairperson of the Joint Working Party, P. F. Noar, believed that it did indeed play a vital role in facilitating interaction between Centre and Bureau staff through circulation of discussion papers and the invitation for input from the Bureau's Regional Offices. It also undertook an evaluation of the predictions of one of the regional models developed by Centre staff. This led to an ongoing debate between staff of both organisations about the relative importance of either observations or computing power in improving model performance. As a result, the JWP recommended that changes be made to the data input requirements for the models and supported the Bureau's requests for an upgrade of its computer facilities, as they believed that the lack of performance in this area was seriously disadvantaging the work of ANMRC and the Bureau in developing the new regional and hemispherical models for use by the Bureau's National Meteorological Analysis Centre.
This particular problem was finally resolved in 1982, when the Bureau was able to purchase new Facom machines, thus considerably upgrading capacity and processing time. But even here there was disagreement between ANMRC and Bureau staff as to how they might best implement the conversion of the existing analysis and prognosis programs to run on the new machines, with each side having strongly held views on the subject (Noar [62]). The disagreements were eventually resolved, but they reveal how differing approaches to the same topic can interfere with what would otherwise appear to be a relatively straightforward task.
Organisations in Australian Science at Work - Australian Numerical Meteorology Research Centre; National Meteorological Analysis Centre
People in Bright Sparcs - Noar, Peter
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