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Benton, George Stock, 1917-1999
Oral history interview with George S. Benton, 27 May 1991.
George S. Benton recalls his work for the Soil Conversation Service studying climatology in Ohio; his subsequent position as Observer for the Weather Bureau in 1939, and experiences in the aviation cadet program in meteorology, both as student and teacher, at the University of Chicago, 1942. He comments on the life and work of Carl-Gustaf Rossby, both in designing university meteorology programs, and his immense influence on the science. He mentions his wartime role in the Operations Analysis Group for the Army Air Forces Weather Wing; describes the discovery of the jet stream by B-29 bombers; and recalls Ben Holzman's story about forecasting for the Trinity nuclear test. He remembers early attempts to forecast diffusion of radioactive fallout in the Northern Hemisphere; working for the Hydrometeorology Service; postwar teaching at Chicago and then Johns Hopkins. Next he describes the formation of the Environmental Research Laboratory (ERL), Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); his contribution to the establishment of laboratories, cooperative institutes, and research experiments like Barbados Oceanographic and Meteorological EXperiment (BOMEX). He reflects on the accomplishments of the American Meteorological Society; his association with the National Academy of Sciences; and the growing importance of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) and National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). Benton discusses science and national public policy with Earl Droessler; details his trip to the Soviet Union to investigate hail prevention efforts; and describes his appointment to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and a scientific trip to the People's Republic of China. He concludes by describing his youth and family, and recapping his career as a scientist.
Meteorologist.
Benton, George Stock, 1917-1999
Holzman, Benjamin Grad
Rossby, Carl-Gustaf
American Meteorological Society
Environmental Research Laboratories (U.S.)
Environmental Science Service Administration.
Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University. Dept. of Meteorology -- Faculty.
National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)
National Center for Atmospheric Research (U.S.)
United States. Army Air Forces. Weather Division
United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
United States. Soil Conservation Service
United States. Weather Bureau
University of Chicago
University of Chicago. Department of Meteorology
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
World Meteorological Organization
Climatology
Jet stream.
Meteorology
Radioactive fallout.
Trinity Test.
World War, 1939-1945
China.
Soviet Union
Interviews. aat
Oral histories. aat
Meteorologists -- Interviews. lcsh
Droessler, Earl G. interviewer
American Meteorological Society
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
AIP-ICOS
National Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. Archives. PO Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000, USA
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