From Meteorological Registers to Climate Data: Information Gathering in the Early Years of the Meteorological Service of Canada
Abstract
This article explores the evolution of scientific recordkeeping and data management in the early years of the Meteorological Service of Canada, which was established in 1871. It begins with a review of the contemporary meteorological data “reduction” and “abstraction” practices that had an influence on the service’s first superintendent, George Templeman Kingston, who held the position until his retirement in 1880. Also examined are the different treatments of instrumental data and general remarks about weather and atmospheric or seasonal phenomena, which we now refer to as “quantitative” and “qualitative” data in the climatological context. The article surveys Kingston’s attempts to create a Canadian climate data repository built upon a system of differentiated observation stations and associated document forms. In addition, it reviews in detail the documentary and recordkeeping aspects of his 1878 textbook, Instructions to Observers Connected with the Meteorological Service of Canada. The article demonstrates that, despite a persistent paucity of resources available to him, Kingston succeeded in laying the foundation of a robust observation recordkeeping system, albeit one that would not fully exploit the service’s data until the late 20th century.
RÉSUMÉ
Cet article explore l’évolution de la tenue de documents scientifique et de la gestion de données dans les premières années du Service météorologique du Canada, qui a été établi en 1871. Il débute en donnant un compte rendu des pratiques météorologiques contemporaines de « réduction » et d’« abstraction » de données, qui ont eu un impact sur le premier surintendant du service, George Templeman Kingston, qui occupa ce poste jusqu’à sa retraite en 1880. Il examine aussi les différentes façons de traiter les données déterminantes et les remarques générales au sujet du temps et des phénomènes atmosphériques ou saisonniers, qu’on qualifie maintenant dans le contexte climatologique de données « quantitatives » ou « qualitatives ». Cet article examine les tentatives de Kingston de créer un dépôt canadien de données climatiques conçu à partir d’un système de stations d’observation distinctes et de formulaires de documents reliés. De plus, il présente en détail les aspects documentaires et relatifs à la tenue de documents de son manuel classique de 1878, Instructions to Observers Connected with the Meteorological Service of Canada. Enfin, cet article montre que, malgré le manque continuel de ressources qui lui étaient disponibles, Kingston réussit à jeter les fondations d’un système robuste de gestion de documents lié à l’observation, quoi que ce système ne sut exploiter pleinement les données du service avant la fin du XXe siècle.
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