Evidence of turbulence in the stratosphere

Arnold (1954) has observed considerable turbulence in the stratosphere on four different occasions at Belmar, New Jersey, while tracking balloons with a telescope and a radio direction finder. The turbulence was so severe that the radiosonde separated from the balloon, though it was suspended with a cord with a nominal breaking strength of about 70 lbs. During three observations in June 1950, the instrument separated from the balloon at heights ranging from 28 to 32 km, while in the observation in October it separated at 24 km. He has estimated that a descending current of about 11 m. sec-1 could provide the necessary conditions for a free fall of the sonde of about 10 ft which could break the line.