Notes

Abstract

THE Hon. Ralph Abercromby has given to the Royal Society of New South Wales the sum of £ 100, which is to be offered as prizes with the object of bringing about exhaustive studies of certain features of Australian weather. So far only one feature has been selected, and a prize of £25 is now offered for an exhaustive study of the well-known “Southerly Burster.” It is understood that no essay which does not deal fully with the following points will be considered:— (1)the motions of the various strata of clouds for some hours preceding, at the time of, and following the “burster;” (2) the weather conditions which lead up to and follow the “burster,” with weather charts of Australia for the day of occurrence and the following day; (3) the general conditions which modify the character of the “burster;” (4) The area of the “burster” and its track; (5) barograph traces showing the changes of pressure during the “burster;” (6) the direction and character of wind preceding it; (7) the relation of “bursters” to rainfall. The essay must not exceed 50 pages of foolscap, and must be sent in not later than March 31, 1894. It must embody studies of several “bursters,” and must be chiefly the result of original research of the author, but authors are not debarred from making use of any available information, published or otherwise, on the subject. A photograph of each “burster” described, giving a characteristic view of the cloud roll should, if possible, be sent with the essay.