Fig. 1: September 8 of 1944, National Observatory. From left to right Mr. Ralph Higgs, the commodore Aguila Ruíz, engineer José C. Millás and Mr. James H. Chaffin.
Conclusions.
The first launching of a radiosonde in the National Observatory of Cuba, at Casablanca, Havana, took place at 10:00 hr (local) on September 8 1944.
The historical context created by the Second World War influenced decisively in the process of introduction of the technique of radiosondes in our country.
Cuba was the second Latin American country in having a regular system of radiosonde.
The first Cuban expert in atmospheric radiosondes was engineer Luis Larragoiti Alonso who occupied different responsibilities in the Meteorological Service during his life, among them that of Director of the National Observatory.
The remarkable hurricane of October of 1944 was the first tropical hurricane for whose forecast aerologic data coming from radiosondes launched at the National Observatory were used.
The author wants to leave perseverance from his gratefulness to graduated Israel Borrajero, for his work in the translation of this work to the English language.
Images.
Fig. 1: September 8 of
1944, National Observatory. From left to right Mr. Ralph Higgs, the commodore
Aguila Ruíz, engineer José C. Millás and Mr. James H. Chaffin.
Fig. 2: Launching of the first radiosonde from the National Observatory
of Cuba. Next to the equipment, engineer Larragoiti (with white suit) and to his
side Mr. J. H. Chaffin.
Fig. 3: Ventilated camera of the radiosonde where the meteorological
instruments were placed.
Fig. 4: To the left, the support of the hygrometer and the thermometer.
To the right the “baro-switch” with the capsules of Vidi.
Fig. 5: Receiving equipment at the station. Above, the National brand
ultrashort wave radioreceiver; to the center, the electronic frecuencimeter; and
below, the printer.
Fig. 6: Engineers Luis Larragoiti and José C. Millás at the National
Observatory analyzing a weather map next to other technicians (1947).
Fig. 7: The old “Building of Aerología” of the National Observatory.
The dome is dedicated to the antenna of the “rawinsonda” or “rawin.” The
picture corresponds to the 50’s of last XX century.
