earth sciences 6
E A R T H S C I E N C E S
ry van Loon did groundbreaking work by estimations in cooperation with the SAWB
describing the formation and propagation cloud physics group at Bethlehem. During
of South Africa’s most influential weather those years Wits had also become involved
systems. The only university degree in me- in cloud modification (also known as cloud-
teorology was then presented by staff of the seeding) experiments at Bethlehem.
SAWB, through the department of applied
mathematics at UP. Meteorology graduates,
Significant changes took place in the at-
who averaged about five per year, mostly
mospheric sciences in South Africa in the
became SAWB employees. At the same
1990s and early 2000s as global attention
time climatological research (study of long-
began to focus on the recognition of an-
er term averages and variability of weather thropogenic influences on atmospheric
events) had advanced significantly at Wits, processes through air pollution; these dis-
with several papers and books on climate, coveries included the Antarctic ozone hole,
climate variability and even palaeoclimates and later the realisation of possible climate
published by Peter Tyson of the Climatolo- change as a result of increasing levels of
gy Research Group (CRG). Many Wits gradu- greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. A
ates from that era are still leading scientists landmark event in South Africa was the
in the international community (e.g. Mike Southern African Fire-Atmosphere Research
Harrison (UK), Janette Lindesay (Australia) Initiative (SAFARI-92) in 1992. This initia-
and Simon Mason (USA)). Climate research tive was a large international experiment
also formed an important part of the UCT focused on biomass burning and its influ-
oceanography group’s sea-air investiga- ence on atmospheric composition. It led to
tions (Johan Lutjeharms, Mark Jury and an improved understanding of the effects
later, Chris Reason). of anticyclonic recirculation on the build-up
of pollutants, particularly ozone, over the
During the early 1990s, UP decided not subcontinent and the role of westerly off-
only to facilitate, but to host training in me- shore flow in increasing tropospheric ozone
teorology, and one professor (Johan van concentrations in downwind locations in
Heerden from the SAWB) and two lectur- the Indian Ocean. This experiment created
ers (Hannes Rautenbach and Thinus Truter) awareness amongst atmospheric scientists
were appointed in the cordata Chair of of the risks that air pollution posed, and
Meteorology in the department of civil en- encouraged strong collaboration amongst
gineering – because of that department’s local and international scientists, leading to
strong hydrology section managed by Will the development and growth of previously
Alexander. Student intake was still in the smaller research groups in South Africa. At
order of five students per year, but the COR- UKZN there was a focus on tropospheric
DATA chair managed to draw significant ozone (Roseanne Diab) and at Wits there
research funding to UP, mainly from the was also a shift of focus from climate vari-
WRC. Research ranged from climate vari- ability towards air quality (Harold Annegarn
ability (seasonal forecasting) to numerical and Stuart Piketh). Many South African sci-
atmospheric modelling and radar-rainfall entists participated in the follow-up SA-
181
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