2002 November 19
Dear Dr. Maenen;
It brings great joy to learn that your doctorate was awarded.
I got mine 40 years ago. To do that I had to change to MKS.
(In 1959 SI had not been invented) I was faced with making
radiometers for use in the stratosphere. Because there were
problems with radiometers in use, there was need for a radiometer
that was not "calibrated", that is, not calibrated by comparison
with another radiometer. To do this, thermal coefficients had
to be found for all of the materials in a radiometer. But, lo,
information on the various materials (wood, plastic, air,
aluminum, copper, paint, etc.) had different combinations of
units (Btu, d, min, s, degC, degF, in, ft, cm, cal, W and maybe
more). From this I decided to change all numbers to MKS,
regardless of the source units. Even radiation in the atmosphere
was in langleys. Quel dommage.
So, SI it has been ever since, for everything.
Moral: To understand the world, everything needs to be done in SI.
Your work is going to help us all. Thanks.
Robert Bushnell
