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Published on January 21, 2008

The research includes a study of the relationship between the thickness of the ozone layer and ultraviolet radiation intensity, rainfall in the Northeast and typhoon Lekima, variable stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy and the frequency and magnitude of earthquakes. One paper tracks the discovery of a new comet.

One student proved the thickness of ozone layer has an inverse relationship to the intensity of ultraviolet radiation. Another proved an El Nino weather event would occur in late 2007. Yet another looks at earthquakes in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and North and South America in August to October last year.

One student discovered the comet named P/2005 XA54 (LONEOS-Hill).

Learning Centre for Earth Science and Astronomy director Colonel Thagoon Kirdkao said it trained students by providing them with chances to study real data about objects in the universe and satellite images of natural phenomena.

They studied data from the University of Michigan's robotic optical transient search experiment telescopes located in the United States, Australia, Turkey and Namibia, as well as the University of Arizona's Catalina sky survey project.

The Internet was important, too, and the students used information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Nasa and other sites.

"Apart from providing real data, we trained them to conduct research systematically. They had to collect data themselves, analyse it and write reports of their research for the public," Thagoon said.

The students learning Earth Sciences and astronomy at the centre have understood the relationships between things on Earth. They have learned, too, that they need to be preserved.

The centre was established in 2004 with support from the Thailand Research Fund. More than 300 schools are within its network, and 18 of them have conducted advanced research on astronomy and Earth Sciences and produced more than 100 research papers.

Penpithcha Sukpundee and Pimravee Diewranich, Matha-yom 2 students from Bangkok's Suksanari School, said they learned how to conduct research. They will further their studies in mathematics and science because they want to be professional researchers.

"We have learned more about the Earth and astronomy after we participated in the centre's camps. Before we went to the camps, we thought these subjects were very hard to understand," they said.

As well as making presentations, students from Chiang Rai, Phrae and Yala discussed global warming based on their research. They collected temperature data from meteorological centres in their pro-vinces. Phaiboon Akhasira, a Mathayom 2 Chiang Rai student, said he discovered the average temperature each year between 1976 and 2006 had risen.

The coolest was 24.2 degrees Celsius in 1991 and the hottest 25.9 degrees Celsius in 2006. He concludes the province is suffering from global warming.

Students in Phrae and Yala concluded average temperatures in their provinces were not drastically rising.

Jerachai Thongpan, a Mathayom 2 student from Phrae, used the same time period as Phaiboon. Temperatures were just a little higher.

In Yala, Mathayom 2 student Figree Grirai used the period between 1998 and 2006. The province's average temperature has not increased much.

Wannapa Phetdee

The Nation