SPACE AND TIME VARIATIONS IN ATMOSPHERIC TRANS MISSION AT A RUNWAY.

The spactime variations in atmospheric transmission during fog, rain, snow, and blowing snow are examined in detail as a preliminary step in the development of suitable short-range pre diction techniques of operational parameters for use at aviation terminals. The study is based primarily on selected samples of continuous data from four transmissometers alongside one runway at the Federal Aviation Agency, National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center at Atlantic City, N. J. Because of the limitations of station spacing and the 1-dimensional nature of the net work, the results of the study are far from com prehensive. However, the data serve as a test for analysis techniques and as a starting point for the more complete investigations that will be made possible by the mesonetwork installation in the Atlantic City region. Within the limits noted, information is presented on characteristic space scales, local effects on the transmission field, and the movement and linear predictability of the transmission field. Some of the charac teristic variability properties are interpreted in terms of concurrent hourly observations of wind, cloud cover, time of day, and precipitation. (Author)