Robinson, George D., 1994-06-27

Oral history interview with George D. Robinson, 1994. Interviewed by Earl Droessler. 3 sound cassettes (ca. 4 hrs.) : analog, mono + transcript (50 pgs.). AMS 102-104; two physical versions (one master, one copy). Forms part of American Meteorological Society Oral History Project. George D. Robinson describes his education in physics at Leeds University, first position as research assistant at Kew Observatory under Sir George Simpson. He discusses his appointment as a meteorological officer in 1940 at Balloon Command, noting the use of "Free Balloon Barrage" against German aircraft. He reviews his posting to RAF Bomber Group #3 under R.C. Sutcliffe, and subsequent position at the Central Forecasting Office. He describes his duties at SHAEF in 1944 coordinating secret telephone conferences between American and Britain forecasting units, and comments on the difficulties of establishing minimum weather conditions for a successful Allied D-Day invasion of Normandy. He goes on to describe further military meteorological activities in Europe; postwar employment at Kew, working on terrestrial radiation; involvement with the IUGG and the IGY. He discusses his appointment to the WMO's expert panel on artificial earth satellites; the genesis of World Weather Watch and the GARP program; and subsequent position at Traveler's Research Corporation in Connecticut in 1968, working on acid rain and researching trace gases in the stratosphere. He describes his role as organizer and collaborative activities in the 1971 international conference and publication about "Man's Impact on the Climate"; research on the problem of stratospheric pollution by supersonic transport, particularly the effects on ozone; subsequent research on the stratosphere for NASA. Dr. Robinson concludes with comments about the principal forecasters for the D-Day invasion, as well as more personal history.