History and directions of activity of the Geophysical Observatory of ChNU
The meteorological station in Chernivtsi was created when the Institute of Meteorology was founded in Vienna in 1865. The station was located at Ringplatz 9 (now Tsentralna Square), the station was managed by Professor A. Wachlouki.
In 1892, the location of the station changed, the director of the lyceum, Dr. Baier, managed the station.
In 1908, the weather station was subordinated to the Institute of Space Physics established at Chernivtsi University. In 1911, a geophysical observatory consisting of meteorological and seismic stations was created in this division.
Meteorological observations were carried out regularly until May 1916 and were discontinued because of the First World War.
In 1920, the observation was resumed. The station is equipped with the necessary devices and equipment as a first-class meteorological station. A heliograph was installed on the terrace of the Faculty of Science (now the building 2), which, starting from January 1, 1923, began to be regularly observed. Meteorological observations were made by the staff of the Institute of Space Physics under the leadership of Professor Steleanu.
Regular meteorological observations were carried out until 1939, and were stopped due to the beginning of the Second World War.
Meteorological observations were resumed in January 1945. The premises of the university's weather station were located in the building 2 of the university (then the Faculty of Physics, now the Faculty of Law). The meteorological field was located in the yard of the building 3 (chemistry faculty). The station worked according to the programme of the weather station of the II category.
In September 1960, the meteorological site was moved 500 m to the northwest to the corner of Universytetska and Kotsiubynskoho Streets. The premises for the weather station are equipped at the Faculty of Geography (floor 2, Department of Hydrology and Climatology).
In September 1961, the site was moved to the university arboretum in connection with the design and construction of a square on its place. Results of the observations were provided by the Chernivtsi Airport weather station.
From 1969 to 1982, the weather station observed the meteorological post programme.
From 1982 to 1988, the weather station worked as an educational one. The observation data were used by university students to prepare term papers and diploma theses.
From 1988 to 1999, the weather station was inactive.
In June 1999, a geophysical observatory was created on the basis of seismic and meteorological stations of the faculty. Meteorological observations were resumed.
Since April 2000, the weather station has been observing around the clock (00:00, 06:00, 12:00 and 18:00 GMT). The station is registered as a 3rd class departmental station.
From the beginning of regular observations in 1865 up to 1916, the results of observations were regularly published in the yearbooks of the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics, Vienna.
From 1920 to 1939, the results of observations were published in the meteorological bulletins of the Central Meteorological Institute of Romania, Bucharest.
Since 1945, the results of observations have not been published in the official publications of the Hydrometeorological Service.
Part of the results of observations at the Chernivtsi University weather station for the period from 1945 to 1988, transferred to the Geophisical Observatory of the ChNU, is stored in the observatory's funds. The results of regular observations, resumed in 2000, are kept in their entirety in the archive of the Observatory.
The station is included in the National Meteorological Network of Ukraine, assigned to the special category as educational and scientific, M-III category.
The meteorological station is equipped with devices that are standard for the meteorological network of Ukraine.
The seismic station of the Observatory was included in the Carpathian seismological network of Ukraine under the official name of the Chernivtsi seismic station. The seismic station of the Geophisical Observatory is equipped with teleseismic receivers and modern digital communication equipment (digital station DAS-04). The station performs routine seismic observations. The purpose of seismological research of the Observatory is to monitor the seismic activity of local tectonic faults, to assess the seismic hazard of the territory of the Chernivtsi region.
The Observatory of ChNU has concluded agreements on information cooperation with the Chernivtsi Regional Centre of Hydrometeorology, the State Administration for Ecology and Natural Resources in Chernivtsi Region, the Office of the State Service of Ukraine for Emergency Situations in Chernivtsi Region, according to which the Observatory regularly provides information to the established institutions.
The Geophysical Observatory is a structural subdivision of the Faculty of Geography of Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University.
Personnel
Svitlana Verenych, leading expert, meteorologist. Graduated from the Faculty of Physics of the Chernivtsi State av university, department of physical metrology in 1987.
Volodymyr Popovych, senior laboratory assistant, seismologist. Graduated from the Faculty of Geography of Chernivtsi State University, Department of Economic Geography in 1999.
Tetyana Serheeva, leading expert, meteorologist. She graduated from the Faculty of Biology of Chernivtsi State University, Department of Biochemistry in 1973.
Andrii Nykolaev, scientific consultant of the Observatory, candidate of geographical sciences, associate professor. Graduated from the Faculty of Geography of Chernivtsi State University, Department of Hydrology and Climatology in 1977.