The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

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Valentia Meteorological and Geophysical
Observatory

• The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

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Valentia Meteorological and Geophysical
Observatory
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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Meteorology Accepted by Scientific Community
• Barometer
• Thermometer

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Meteorology Accepted by Scientific Community
• Governments
• Scientific Institutions

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Royal Irish Academy
• Irish Coast Guard
• Cahirciveen Harbour 1852

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Lieutenant Maury of USA
• Brussels Aug Sept 1853
• International Meteorological Committee

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Trans-Atlantic cable 1858.
• Sir Peter Fitzgerald

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory
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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Weather Reporting Stations 1860
• Valentia Harbour October 8th
• Atlantic Telegraph Company

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory
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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Storm Warnings February 1862
• Forecasts August 1862
• Fishery Barometer

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Robert Fitzroy
• Meteorological Department of the Board of Trade
• By 1865 1000 Ships Supplies with Meteorological
  Instruments
• Map 10o Squares

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Fitzroy Died April 1865
• Parlimentary Committee
• Meteorological Office 1867
• Observatories with Self Recording Instruments
• Robert H. Scott as Director

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Kew Observatory
• Falmouth Polytechnic Institute
• Stonyhurst College
• Armagh Observatory
• Glasgow University
• Aberdeen University
• Plus SW and NW Ireland

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Revenue House 1868.
• Rev Thomas Kerr

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Aidie Photographic Thermograph
• Photographic Barograph
• Robinson Beckley Anemometer

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• John Edward Cullum
• George Francis Fitzgerald
• Magnetic Observations 1888-1896

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• 1890 Westwood House
• 1892 Observatory Moved 6 to 23 March

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Upper Air Wind Measurements using a Nephoscope
  1904
• Pilot balloons theodolite 1917
• Rain Sampling 1912 to 1917

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• W.W.I.
• Reports treated as confidential.
• Early Morning Forecasts for Naval Airship
  Stations.

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• L.H.G. Dines
• Instrument development and testing.
• Library

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• War Of Independence
• Civil War
• August 1922

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Aviation
• General Balbo
• Flight of the Italian Sea Planes 2nd August 1933

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Irish Meteorological Service 8th December 1936
• Valentia Run on Agency Basis Until 1st April 1937
• Valentia as a Training Center

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Trans-Atlantic Flights
• Foynes 28th June 1939
• Rineanna October 1945

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• Full Programme of Synoptic Weather Reports
• Expansion of the Observatory Programme
• National Geomagnetic Survey

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• 1943 Upper air program begins
• 1954 Variometers installed
• 1955 Solar Radiation program begins
• 1956 Rain Pollution Monitoring

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• 1961 Hydrogen Plant
• 1962 Seismological program begins
• 1964 Phenological Garden
• 1981 Air pollution monitoring begins
• 1989 NO2 Monitoring begins

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• 1993 Total Column Ozone and UVB program begins
• 1994 Ozonesonde program begins
• 1997 Ground level ozone monitoring
• 1998 Semi Automatic Balloon Launcher

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• 1999 Upgraded Solar Radiation Network
• 2000 Upgraded NO2 Sampling and Analysis System
• 2001 LAN, New Laboratories and Renovations Begin
• 2001 Upgraded UVB Calibration Facilities

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• 2002 Variometer Upgrade
• 2004 Solar Radiation Calibration System
  Upgraded.

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The History and Work of Valentia Observatory

• What in the future.