Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium
The Royal Meteorological Institute (abbreviation: KMI ) in Uccle is a Belgian federal institution that carries out scientific research in the field of meteorology. The KMI is subordinate to the Ministry of Science Policy, BELSPO for short. The institute is a member of the World Meteorological Organization, the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, the European Organization for the Use of Meteorological Satellites as well as the interest and umbrella association of the weather warning services EUMETNET.
history
In 1823, Adolphe Quetelet obtained the establishment of an institute for astronomical observation in Brussels from the Minister of Education. The first meteorological observations began at this point.
Jean-Charles Houzeau de Lehaie, who was appointed the new director of the observatory in 1876, came up with the plan to move the observatory from its current location in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode to Uccle and to separate the departments of astronomy and meteorology. The first Belgian weather forecast based on the analysis of a synoptic weather map appeared on September 1, 1876. The first weather balloon was used in April 1906 .
On July 31, 1913, the meteorological service of the observatory was transferred to an independent institute called "Institut Royal Météorologique" (KMI for short, in German "Royal Meteorological Institute"). Jean Vincent was the first leader.
During the German occupation 1914–1918, the KMI ceased operations after being bombed on August 20, 1914. Reconstruction followed in early 1919.
The astronomer, pilot in World War I and pioneer of stereoscopic aerial photography, Jules Jaumotte, took over the management of the KMI in 1919. He worked on the rapid succession of atmospheric measurements in real time. These new approaches to the exploration of the atmosphere gave birth to a new science: synoptic aerology . When Belgium took part in the International Polar Year 1932–1933, Jules Jaumotte took automatic aerial photos of clouds with the help of weather balloons, using the functionality of altimeters in this process.
During the Second World War, the German occupiers requisitioned the institute and turned it into a military control room, which was destroyed by the Americans in 1944. Reconstruction began in late 1946.
In 1956 the KMI inaugurated the Center for Geophysics in Dourbes ("Center de Géophysique"), which focuses on magnetism and atmospheric electricity.
Technical development
In the 1990s, the KMI brought new technology to use under the direction of Henri Malcorp. In 1992 the lightning warning system using radio-electric interferometry (SAFIR) was installed for real-time location of every lightning strike in Belgium (accuracy approx. 1 km). In 1993 the KMI started the meteorological database MeteoBBS with user-friendly computer access. This system shows satellite photos, meteorological radar images, SAFIR maps, observations, forecasts and weather warnings.
Scientific technology was now in full swing. In 1995 the METEOSAT satellite delivered high-quality observation images every half hour from a height of 36,000 km above the earth.
In 2001 the KMI bought a completely new radar system for measuring all kinds of precipitation within a radius of 240 km. This system is located in Libramont in the province of Luxembourg.
Henri Malcorps retired in 2010. The current head of the KMI is Daniel Gellens, who is an interim director.
present
The KMI is located in Uccle on a "plateau", together with the Royal Observatory of Belgium (ORB) and the Belgian Institute for Spatial Aeronomy (IASB). The Uccle plateau is home to a climatological plant park, which is a reference point for climate research in Belgium. Under the responsibility of the Ministry for Federal Science Policy, the KMI is the main responsible issuing agency for weather warnings in Belgium, in cooperation with the European organization Meteoalarm.
The institute publishes daily weather forecasts for the public and also specifically for certain economic sectors (agriculture, road traffic, media, energy sector ...). In addition to the weather forecasts, the institute publishes a monthly climate report in which information such as wind speed, average, minimum and maximum temperatures, amounts of precipitation and the duration of solar radiation are listed for each day of the previous month. All of this information is available free of charge on the KMI website.
The current appearance of the KMI reflects the importance of meteorological and scientific research in various areas, such as weather forecast, basic scientific problems of the atmosphere and the climate, the water cycle, observation systems, geomagnetism or the ionosphere.
Instruments and cooperation of the KMI
The institute has developed a close-knit network of observation stations across Belgium, plus precipitation radar systems, a lightning detection system, measuring devices on satellites and more. The KMI is also involved in numerous projects, such as the Solar Impulse, a large-span light aircraft that is operated exclusively with solar energy. The Royal Meteorological Institute also works closely with the Belgian Interregional Environment Agency IRCELINE and the FPS Public Health to warn the population about ozone peaks and heat waves.