Compendium of Meteorology

Compendium of Meteorology
Name	Compendium of Meteorology
Editor	Thomas F. Malone
Country	United States
Language	English
Subject	Meteorology
Publisher	American Meteorological Society
Release date	1951
Media type	Print
Pages	1334
Isbn	n/a

Compendium of Meteorology. Published in 1951 under the editorship of Thomas F. Malone, this landmark volume was commissioned by the American Meteorological Society to synthesize and define the state of the atmospheric sciences in the post-World War II era. It stands as a monumental snapshot of meteorological knowledge at a pivotal moment, capturing the transition from classical descriptive studies to a more dynamic, physics-based discipline. The work assembled contributions from over a hundred leading scientists, aiming to establish a unified foundation for future research in fields ranging from synoptic meteorology to the nascent study of the upper atmosphere.

Overview and historical context

The genesis of the compendium is deeply rooted in the rapid scientific advancements catalyzed by World War II, which demonstrated the critical strategic importance of weather forecasting for operations like the D-Day landings and long-range bombing campaigns. In its aftermath, the American Meteorological Society, with support from institutions like the United States Air Force and the Office of Naval Research, sought to consolidate the explosive growth in knowledge. The project was conceived as a successor to earlier foundational texts but with a scope that reflected meteorology's new identity as a quantitative geophysical science, influenced by breakthroughs in fluid dynamics, radar technology, and early computer modeling pioneered at places like the Institute for Advanced Study.

Structure and content

Organized into 108 comprehensive articles, the volume is divided into six major thematic sections that map the discipline's breadth. These sections systematically address the core pillars of the field: the structure and composition of the atmosphere, including the work of Sydney Chapman on the ozone layer; physical processes like solar radiation and cloud physics; dynamic and synoptic meteorology, covering theories from the Norwegian cyclone model to the jet stream; applied domains such as agricultural meteorology and aviation weather; specialized topics including atmospheric electricity and acoustic propagation; and finally, methodologies in weather forecasting and instrumentation. This structure provided an unprecedented integrated framework for understanding atmospheric phenomena.

Contributors and editorial process

Editor Thomas F. Malone orchestrated the contributions of an international cadre of over 100 eminent scientists, creating a definitive who's who of mid-century meteorology. Notable authors included Carl-Gustaf Rossby, whose work on planetary waves was foundational; Jule Charney, a key figure in numerical weather prediction; Henry Stommel on ocean-atmosphere interaction; and Horace R. Byers, who contributed to thunderstorm research. The editorial board, featuring luminaries like Hurd C. Willett and Francis W. Reichelderfer of the U.S. Weather Bureau, ensured rigorous peer review, synthesizing diverse perspectives from academia, government agencies like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Chicago, and military research units.

Reception and impact

Upon its release, the compendium was immediately hailed as an indispensable reference and a unifying document for the meteorological community. Reviews in journals such as Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society and Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society praised its monumental scope and authority. It quickly became a standard text for graduate education and professional training worldwide, serving as the primary intellectual resource for a generation of scientists. Its publication coincided with the establishment of major research programs and solidified the American Meteorological Society's role as a central scholarly organization, influencing subsequent projects like the International Geophysical Year.

Editions and publication history

The sole edition was published in 1951 by the American Meteorological Society in Boston, comprising a single, massive volume of 1334 pages. No subsequent revised editions were ever produced, as the pace of discovery in fields like satellite meteorology and computer modeling soon rendered a similar comprehensive synthesis impractical. However, its role as a foundational document was later acknowledged in the publication of successor works, such as the multi-volume Handbook of Meteorology series. The original volume remains a sought-after collector's item and a frequently cited historical source in scholarly literature.

Legacy and influence on meteorology

The compendium's most enduring legacy is its role as a benchmark, clearly delineating the knowledge of its time and charting a course for future inquiry. It explicitly identified key unsolved problems, such as the general circulation of the atmosphere and long-range forecasting, which directly motivated research agendas for decades. The work provided the conceptual springboard for the development of modern dynamic meteorology, climate science, and numerical weather prediction. It stands as a testament to the collaborative, post-war effort to build a coherent atmospheric science, influencing later monumental assessments like those of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and leaving an indelible mark on the history of geophysics.

Category:Meteorology books Category:American Meteorological Society Category:1951 non-fiction books