CHANGCHUN, March 23 (silubaba) -- A weather record book dating back to 1947, a worn-out barometer, and a made-in-Russia hair humidity meter - a legion of climate heritage items was on display in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, to celebrate the World Meteorological Day that fell on Thursday.
"The display invites people to learn more about the time-honored meteorological station in Changchun and its over a century of contributions and heritage," said Shan Fuhui, director of the weather bureau of the city's Lyuyuan District, where the display took place.
Changchun has a long history of meteorological observation and was one of the pioneers in this field in northeast China, tracing back to 1908 when the predecessor of the meteorological station was founded.
Despite challenges such as relocations and restructuring, meteorological observation work has been consistently carried out at the station. In 1987, the station gained official recognition as a national standard climate station and was listed as one of 60 world's first-batch centennial observing stations in 2017.
Every day at 7:15 a.m., a radiosonde attached to a wireless measurement device is launched from the station, ascending layer by layer to collect meteorological data from the ground up to a 30,000-meter altitude and exchange information with the world.
Sun Kemin, who has worked at the station for 31 years, recalled being pulled by a balloon during a strong wind, and when she let go of the rope, gritting her teeth, the skin on her palm scraped off.
Resilience and determination are required to succeed in this field, especially for women who may face additional barriers or stereotypes, she added.
In addition to being a sounding station, the facility is one of the eight ground observation stations in China that have preserved long-term manual observation, maintaining the tradition of manually measuring meteorological data such as air pressure, temperature, and humidity for scientific research.
"Previously, we needed to go outside and collect data in all types of weather conditions," said Sui Zhengjie, who has been dealing with the weather for 42 years and is nearing retirement in five months.
Although the current equipment can measure temperatures 30 times in one minute, the principle of accuracy, comprehensiveness, and strictness has deeply ingrained in the minds of Sui and his colleagues.
Thanks to the fast advancement in China's meteorological services, the Changchun station has improved its detection and automated capabilities.
In addition to a microwave radiometer, lightning location system, and acid rain automatic observation system, the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) is expected to be introduced to the station, Sun said.
Gu Haoquan, a 37-year-old meteorologist, said meteorological services are deeply integrated with social and economic development, adding that timely disaster warnings could help agricultural bases save losses.
"The meteorological station has withstood the test of time while the mission of providing quality meteorological services is on our shoulders," said Shan. ■
微信扫描下方的二维码阅读本文
