Eighteenth-Century Meteorological Theory and Experiment | Research & Encyclopedia Articles

Eighteenth-Century Meteorological Theory and Experiment

Overview

Eighteenth-century meteorological study in Europe marked interest in methodical observations on a larger scale, providing a more systematic and cumulative database to formulate early theories of atmospheric movement and phenomena. With innovative instrumental designs, laboratory experiment and resulting new fundamental laws of physics helped the progress of meteorology into field application. Expanding theory included further delving into the general circulation of the atmosphere, the nature of lightning, and some delineation of the basic physical extension of atmospheric parameters or indicators (pressure, temperature, and humidity). Perhaps the most significant and fundamental advance marking eighteenth-century meteorology was early attempts at mathematical correlation through the study of fluid flow.

Background

While seventeenth-century interest in the atmosphere had mainly dealt with basic conception of atmospheric parameters and devising experimental instrumentation to record these parameters, methodical data gathering had not spread widely enough. An almost faddish interest in meteorological measurement pervaded the eighteenth century, and now well-established scientific academies from the previous century turned to more concerted daily observations and made attempts at cooperative networks of atmospheric data recording from city to city. Meteorological data collecting at sea proceeded in much expanded fashion from the seventeenth century, with wind data of particular interest for nautical charts.

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