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Bibliographic Data
Control Number256177
Date and Time of Latest Transaction20140930033731.AM
General Information140930s |||||||||b ||00|||
Cataloging SourcePAGASA-DOST
Language Codeeng
Main Entry - Personal NameLondon, Gertrude
Main Entry - Corporate NameWorld Meteorological Organization
Title StatementMicrocards of IGY meteorological data classification for information storage and retrieval by Gertrude London
Physical Descriptionx, 78p
Summary, Etc.In October 1956, the IGY Meteorological Data Centre was set up at the Secretariat of the WMO to collect, catalogue, store and publish the meteorological observations made during the International Geophysical Year. The bulk of this collection was formed by one million standard forms on which some seven million synoptic surface and upper-air observations had been recorded. In this report an account is given of the methods used in preparing this collection for publication and in particular of the retrieval system which was devised for the purpose of issuing the data on over 16,000 Microcards grouped and coded in such a way that any of the observations could be traced quickly and easily. As the procedures chosen depended to some extent on characteristics of the material collected, the four types of meteorological observations and the corresponding standard forms are briefly surveyed in an introductory chapter. Chapter ll and lll contain a description of the cataloguing and storage methods which were developed to suit the special nature of this project. The incoming data of forms needed clear, detailed, compact and at the same time flexible registration. These requirements were found in visible index equipment, for which special check cards were designed so that certain salient features of the forms or observations could be noted for future reference. The four different types of forms were distinguished by a colour scheme which extended from the files in which they were stored to the signals used in the visible index. The main problem concerning the actual publication of the data are discussed in Chapter 4. In order to facilitate the retrieval of the information, the data were edited according to inherent and recurrent characteristics of the documents themselves. This meant that type of observation, geographical region and chronological period (date and time) were used as the elements of a simple classification and coding system from which the basic regional layouts and the reference numbers of the Microcards were derived. The publication was thus divided into four parts, corresponding to the four types of observations. For each type of observation, the stations were grouped on basic regional layouts which once determined were maintained in the same order for the whole of the IGY. Each of these layouts was denoted by a three-figure serial number which also remained unchanged. In Part ll, lll and lV, the code figures chosen represent not only type of observation and a particular layout, but also indicate the standard time of the observations. The date of the observations was expressed in a three-figure code formed by numbering the 110 pentades of the IGY from 001 to 110. By adding the appropriate pentade number to the corresponding serial number, an individual six-figure reference number was obtained that denoted the contents of each particular Microcard (region, time and period), while at the same time showing its relation to the classification system as a whole. This special classification schedule and its notation proved to be very useful for rapidly tracing information about the data or for filing the cards systematically by region, time or date. The restricted number of basic regional layouts and of their serial numbers also helped in organizing the preparation of the many thousands of Microcard files for the photographer as a routine procedure. In March 1990, it was decided that aerological observations made during the International Geophysical Co-operation, 1959 (IGC) should also be published on Microcards. The procedures employed for dealing with the IGC data are outlined in a short addendum to this report. No difficulties were experienced in applying to the collection and publication of the IGC aerological data methods that had been planned for the IGY data. It was possible to continue the cataloguing, storage and publication of the data on Microcards according to the same retrieval system and without a break for both the IGY and IGC periods
Subject Added Entry - Topical TermMeteorological data classification -- 1962 -- Geneva
 Library and information science
LocationDOST PAGASA BOOKS wmocab-mezza PAG-07-1715 1 375b Donation 2008-04-11
 DOST PAGASA BOOKS wmocab-mezza PAG-07-1716 2 376a Donation 2008-04-11
  
     
 
Physical Location
Department of Science and Technology
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
  
     
 
Digital Copy
Not Available
  
     
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