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<br />do affect the development of large storms, often causing them to pene- <br />trate deep into the United States. The fascinating story is too long to <br />relate in full here. <br /> <br />Briefly, however, our studies of weather during the last three <br />winter seasons suggest that more than half of all major storms that <br />penetrated far southwards over North America and the Atlantic Ocean <br />were associated with pulses of electrified solar particles that also pro- <br />duced brilliant displays of the Northern Lights. We examined the life <br />history of all high-altitude incipient winter storm centers for 1946 <br />through 1949 as they passed into the Gulf of Alaska area. The ones <br />that passed this critical zone on certain key days just after the impact <br />of a pulse of charged solar particles had a substantially increased <br />chance of growing to major proportions, as compared to all other in~ <br />cipient storms. The sizes of the storms preceded by solar pulses <br />averaged nearly twice as large as those not so affected. This is a <br />major difference, so far as moisture over Central United States is <br />concerned. <br /> <br />This research leads us to suspect that solar particle pulses may <br />playa part in preventing long sustained droughts, at least in the Great <br />Plains area. But far more research is needed before we can put such <br />speculations on a sound scientific base. And my own personal optimism <br />about the prospects for progress may prove unfounded. That is the <br />gamble of all basic research. But if progress does materialize, its <br />implications may grossly affect our ability to plan more soundly for <br />water utilization, seasons ahead. <br /> <br />Whether or not the sun plays a role, severe droughts, like those <br />of the 1930's and 1950's can be expected to develop again before the <br />close of the century. If solar activity is the cause, the droughts <br />may occur in the 1970's, as solar activity again decline s. More- <br />over, it is not improbable that the next drought will be a very severe <br />one. The trend of Colorado River water flow has been a generally <br />declining one for many years. And this trend downwards may per- <br />haps continue, or it may reverse. <br /> <br />I mention the research at the High Altitude Observatory only as <br />an example of the kind of fundamental research so urgently needed for <br />progress in understanding the processes of the atmosphere that make <br />it our real water resource. This research is but one of many links in <br />the chain of atmospheric sciences that must be forged. The key is new <br />and imaginative basic research on a scale far greater than has been <br />traditional in America to date. <br /> <br />7- <br />