APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200090015-0
of Madrid and several observatories associated with the Patronato Alfonso el Sabio.
The National Meteorological Service under the Ministry of Air includes the National Institute of Meteorology, the National Center for Weather Forecasting and Analysis, and the Central Office of the Spanish Meteorological Service. Meteorological research, both pure (such as theoretical dynamic meteorology and physics of the air) and applied (such as climatological studies, aeronautical, and maritime meteorology) is the primary responsibility of the research section of the Institute. It also conducts intensive research in agrometeorology. The Center for Weather Forecasting and Analysis includes a communications facility and sections for aerology, aeronautical meteorology, climatology, and maritime meteorology. Spain is making progress in developing methods of automating meteorological observations and techniques for automatic coding transmission and decoding of data. Processing of data, error checking statistical analysis, and graphical presentation of weather information is done routinely by computer.
(2) Terrestrial geophysics and geology—The Patronato Alfonso el Sabio sponsors a National Institute of Geophysics in Madrid. The Observatory of Cosmic Physics, Ebro, conducts geomagnetic and telluric current research and does some work in seismology. The Malaga and Toledo seismic stations are units in the Worldwide Network of Standard Seismograph Stations of the US Coast and Geodetic Survey.
The National Commission of Geology in Madrid studies the international aspects of geology. The Geological and Mining Institute of Spain, also in Madrid, is responsible for geological and mineral resource mapping. The Luca Mallada Institute of Geological Research in Madrid conducts research in geochemistry, paleontology, and petrology, and it also has a Section of Stratigraphy at the University of Granada.
The JEN is active in geological research related to uranium prospecting. In addition to conducting extensive ground based geological and mineralogical research, in 1969 it began an airborne radiometric survey of northern Spain. While technical capabilities are good, they lag behind those of countries most advanced in these aspects of nuclear technology.
(3) Space science and aeronomy—While Spain takes some part in the activities of the European Space Research Organization (ESRO), it is of significance to international space research primarily in that it provides sites for several key space tracking facilities. As part of the NASA manned spaceflight network, INTA and NASA have since 1960 jointly operated a space tracking and communications station located on the Maspalomas Coast of Grand Canary Island. INTA and NASA have also operated jointly three stations of the NASA deep space network, which are equipped with 85-foot parabolic antennas. In June 1973 construction by NASA and INTA of a 210-foot deep space tracking antenna was begun at a site about 40 miles west of Madrid; this was to become operational in 1973.
Spain's only research rocket launch facility is located on the Atlantic coat. Its first use was in late 1966 for the NASA-aided Spanish launching of a series of British Skua and US Judi-Dart meteorological rockets. Rocket launchings have been made to study upper atmosphere winds and temperature and to study the ionospheric absorption of radio waves in cooperation with the Max Planck Institute of West Germany. INTA has under development a single-state, solid-propellant sounding rocket, the INTA-255, having a ceiling of 150 km. Initial test flights occurred in 1969. A project to develop a two-stage rocket to reach 300 km was to have begun in 1971.
(4) Geodesy—Geodetic capabilities in Spain are less than those of other European countries. Research has been routine, and practically no effort has been made to improve geodetic methods and instruments. The stress placed on the improvement of the basic geodetic nets has hindered research. The country has been fairly active in triangulation and leveling, but only a small part of this activity is actual research. Current studies are related to instrumental observations and methods of computing and of adjustment.
The Spanish are active in the preparation of programs for the electronic processing of geodetic data as a replacement for conventional computing methods. Recent work has included the development of a computer program for the free geometric adjustment of the first-order nets in Spain and Portugal. Projects have been carried out on triangulation, baseline, and precise leveling measurements, first-order ties with Portugal, and completion of the Spanish portion of the United European Leveling Net by computing adjusted elevations. A revision of the geodetic tie between the French and Spanish fundamental nets has also been accomplished. Studies have been made in the fields of geomagnetism, aeronomy, and for the absolute determination of the deflection of the vertical by gravimetric methods. Activity in geodetic astronomy has been devoted to the determination of astronomic
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200090015-0
