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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Unpublished paper, 'Wind waves. Visible, directional and approximately horizontal contact waves at the interface of atmospheric strata' by Catherine [Catharine] O [Octavia] Stevens

Reference number: AP/81/14

Date: 1927-1940

Description

Stevens writes: 'In this paper I wish to put forward the hypothesis that the "boiling movements" of telescopic definition, the scintillation of the stars and the shadow-bands of total solar eclipse are attributable mainly to the action upon light of atmospheric waves, of purely frictional origin, set up at the interfaces of air strata of different densities and/or moving over one another with different velocities. And in as much as these waves are inseperable from "wind" I have given them the name of "wind waves".'

Annotations in pencil and ink throughout. Includes postscript dated 5 December 1939 and extensive correspondence from 5 July 1936 to 22 April 1940.

Subject: Astronomy

Written by Stevens at Boar's Hill, Oxford, England.

Reference number
AP/81/14
Earliest possible date
1927-1940
Physical description
Ink and graphite pencil on paper
Page extent
54 pages
Format
Typescript
Manuscript

Creator name

Catherine Octavia Stevens

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Citation

Catherine Octavia Stevens, Unpublished paper, 'Wind waves. Visible, directional and approximately horizontal contact waves at the interface of atmospheric strata' by Catherine [Catharine] O [Octavia] Stevens, 1927-1940, AP/81/14, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_81_14/unpublished-paper-wind-waves-visible-directional-and-approximately-horizontal-contact-waves-at-the-interface-of-atmospheric-strata-by-catherine-catharine-o-octavia-stevens, accessed on 08 November 2025

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https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_81_14/unpublished-paper-wind-waves-visible-directional-and-approximately-horizontal-contact-waves-at-the-interface-of-atmospheric-strata-by-catherine-catharine-o-octavia-stevens

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    The 'Archived Papers' collection is comprised of original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' published from 1830 onwards.

    Dates: 1768 - 1989

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