Chile

Because of Jim Scanlon’s efforts and the

cooperation of the Maggiorino Borgatello

Museum, over 500,000 weather observations

from the Southern Hemisphere will be added to

the world data base for everyone’s use.

The upper slopes of the Orsono Volcano in Chile are almost entirely covered in glaciers despite its very modest altitude and latitude. Photo courtesy Virgínia Carrazzone via SXC

Chile: Rescue at the Bottom of the World

IEDRO is partnering with several other agencies to rescue over 100,000 weather observations stored in a museum near the southern tip of South America. The Maggiorino Borgatello Museum, a Salesian Society museum of natural history and prehispanic ethnic groups, has been archiving these data for the past 125 years. The museum is in Punta Arenas, Chile, the world’s southernmost city, about 100 miles from Antarctica.

In February, 2005, Jim Scanlon (left) contacted IEDRO’s Executive Director Dr. Rick Crouthamel. Jim was a retired juvenile probation officer, citizen scientist and, to those who knew him, “a compassionate gentleman.” He had been working for many years with the museum and had found a treasure trove of old weather and climate observations dating back to the 1870’s. These data were taken at a local Catholic school by the teaching priests. The data extend back about 100 years earlier than data possessed by the Chilean National Meteorological Service.

Jim provided computers, expendables and moral support to the administrator and his staff of the Maggiorino Borgatello Museum. Unfortunately, Jim said he was getting too old to continue being involved and asked if the U.S. National Weather Service would take over the effort. The situation was unique, because the museum refused to enter into any agreement with any U.S. Government or Chilean Government entity for the actual disposition of the rescued data.

A Partnership of Several Groups

IEDRO, as a private 501©(3) non-profit organization, was asked by the museum to intercede. Through a program called the Climate Data Modernization Program, funded by NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), IEDRO’s Executive Director, with the help of the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS), took over supporting the work Jim had started. An agreement was made between the Museum and IEDRO which provides for the digital imaging of about 100,000 surface weather observations, their digitization and adding these observations to the world database. NOAA funds the effort.

Over the next two years, the IEDRO/NOAA team rescued about 35,000 of those old observations. The data are being digitized by NOAA contractors and added to the world data base for the use of educators, researchers and scientists all over the globe.

The data are unique because the instruments which recorded the parameter values, (barometers, thermometers, wind speed indicators) all reside as exhibits within the museum. This gives users of these old data a good idea of the accuracy of the measurements.

Because of Mr. Scanlon’s efforts and the cooperation of the museum, over 500,000 weather observations from the Southern Hemisphere will be added to the world data base for everyone’s use.

An Unexpected Find

While IEDRO was training the museum staff to image the paper-based weather observations, Dr. Crouthamel was shown into an adjacent room containing hundreds of metal file drawers. These drawers contain nearly 25,000 glass photographic slides from the 1870’s through the 1930’s of the indigenous population in the Patagonia Region of Southern Chile and Argentina. In addition to containing images of gauchos, churches, native Americans, this collection contained over 1,000 photographs of glaciers, a treasure trove for climatologists!

By comparing the size of the glaciers 125 years ago with the glaciers’ size today, climatologists can calculate the change in volume of ice and then, using sophisticated formulas, get a good idea of the change of the average temperature in the region during those years. IEDRO is now negotiating with the museum for the right to copy and digitize those glacier photographs and add them to the growing database at the NOAA Snow and Ice Center for the benefit of everyone studying climate change and global warming.

It was with great sadness that IEDRO learned that Jim Scanlon was killed in an auto accident three months after turning his effort over to IEDRO and the U.S. National Weather Service. IEDRO is determined to complete the job in Jim’s name.

See our memorial to Jim here.

Population: 16,454,143

Capital: Santiago

Ethnic groups: White and White-Amerindian, Mapuche, other indigenous groups

Language: Spanish (official), Mapudungun, German, English

Religion: Roman Catholic, Evangelical, Jehovah’s Witness, other Christian, other

Median age: 31.1

Life expectancy: 77.15 years

GDP per capita: $15,400/yar

Industries: Copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, and textiles

Economy: Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade and a reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. Exports account for 40% of GDP, with commodities making up some three-quarters of total exports. Copper alone provides one-third of government revenue.

References

CIA World Factbook: Chile