Colsons paper on the calculation method of the clear sky turbulence index published in 1965

In 1965, J. A. Colson published a paper titled "Calculation of the Clear Sky Turbulence Index" in the Journal of Applied Meteorology. The paper presented a new method for calculating the clear sky turbulence index (CSTI) using meteorological data collected at a weather station.

The CSTI is a measure of the atmospheric turbulence that affects the propagation of electromagnetic waves, such as those used in radio and satellite communications. The index is defined as the standard deviation of the horizontal wind speed fluctuations over a fixed time interval, and is usually calculated using data from an anemometer located at a height of 10 meters above the ground.

Colson's new method for calculating the CSTI was based on an analysis of the vertical structure of atmospheric turbulence. He showed that the CSTI could be related to the vertical gradient of the potential temperature, a measure of the temperature stratification in the atmosphere. By using data from a standard meteorological sounding, Colson derived an equation for calculating the CSTI that was simpler and more accurate than previous methods.

The paper presented several examples of the application of the new method, showing that it was able to accurately predict the CSTI under a wide range of atmospheric conditions. The method was subsequently adopted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for use in their radio propagation prediction models.

Colson's paper was an important contribution to the field of atmospheric science, providing a more accurate and practical method for calculating the CSTI that has been widely used in both academic and practical applications