Abstracts: Atlas of Israel

Summary

This issue of "Referate" presents a diverse collection of reviews and reports covering meteorological observation methods, instruments, atmospheric physics, and observational results. It begins with an overview of the International Geophysical Year 1957/58 programme, listing synoptic, aerological, radiation, ozone, and radio‑sounding stations to illustrate the global scope of cooperative research. Several individual reviews follow: Frings demonstrates the climatic, dust, and safety benefits of downward ventilation in mines, supported by extensive measurements and the use of standardized climatic diagrams; Maksić contributes a method for reducing barometric pressure to sea level; and Richter provides a comprehensive introduction to ionizing radiation and measurement techniques, including Geiger‑Müller counters, ionization chambers, and scintillation detectors. Observational results are highlighted by the initial sheets of the Atlas of Israel, with detailed temperature maps for the Middle East and Palestine, and meteorological yearbooks from Colombia. Instrumentation reviews describe a linear temperature‑compensated hot‑wire anemometer for turbulence studies, a direct recording apparatus for radiosonde data, and a mixing hygrostat for sensor calibration. The final section offers a systematic synthesis of the Earth’s atmosphere from the surface to high altitudes, integrating temperature, pressure, density, composition, humidity, winds, and ionospheric properties based on a large compilation of experimental data and contemporary atmospheric models. Together, these contributions provide a valuable cross‑section of mid‑20th‑century meteorological science, emphasizing empirical findings, instrumental progress, and integrative overviews.