VALENTIA OBSERVATORY: From the heights of weather balloons to the depths of earthquakes – and everything in between
by Keith Lambkin, Chief Scientist, Valentia Observatory
Thursday 26th March 2009
‘A description of the primary scientific programmes at Met Éireann’s Valentia Observatory will be presented outlining measurement methods and Ireland’s international significance.’
Summary
Established in 1868 Valentia Observatory is part of Met Éireann, itself within the Department of Heritage, Environment and Local Government. It is the only Geophysical Observatory in the country. As well as being a member of Met Éireann’s network of synoptic stations, Valentia Observatory is also the country’s only Upper Air Station – using weather balloons to measure atmospheric parameters in the air mass above Ireland. This lecture will briefly describe methods used by Valentia Observatory to measure Earth Science parameters including those associated with Geomagnetism, Seismology, Solar radiation, Air / Water Pollution, Phenology, Ozone, as well as Synoptic parameters such as temperatures, wind speeds and pressures. It will also outline the reasons why these measurements are of such importance. With new environmental questions to be asked and new technologies becoming available, Valentia Observatory’s observational programmes are continuously advancing to observe a rapidly changing world.
Details of Lecturer
Keith Lambkin is the Chief Scientist at Met Éireann’s Valentia Observatory in Kerry. He graduated from University College Dublin Honours Experimental Physics in 2001. The following year saw him graduate with an MSc in High Performance Computing from Trinity College Dublin.Leaving science for a time Keith worked at ESB Independent Energy where he was a project manager during the deregulation of the Northern Ireland Electricity Market.Keith joined Met Éireann in 2006 and in 2007 was awarded an MSc in Meteorology from University College Dublin. In the same year he moved to Valentia Observatory to take up the post of Chief Scientist.
