Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-04-11
Winds and their Cause


The following sketch of one of Professor Guy
ot's lectures il taken from the "lndcpentlent!"
Nothing IN nature seems more variable than the
sucuesson oi winds: yet careful investigation
discusses regular systcm of circulation IN the at
mosphrrr. whirl, would manifest itself IN rigid
regularity ot phenomena. if all the disturbing
causes removed. This variahcnoss exists
chiefly in the temperate zones while in the tropics
the regularity ii winds Is remarkable, Ono of the
phcnnmenn which most strikingly Impressed the
cumpnnons III Columbus, was the consancy of the
east wind which lew their ships stendily towards
the West and seemed 10 prevent nll possibility OF
return to Spain Even on the COASTS OF England
aud France, tho wind blows about two thirds Of
the wear from tho southwcst-vrrging moro dl-
rcc,ly toward the West in the higher lattude.-
There is thus m approach to regularity. even IN
the temperate reg IONS.
Winds result f.om the disturbances oi the oqui
lihiinm Of the ntno, phr.c The atmosphere Is
composed of re4siye LAYERS ot air, II different
,cnsltv. When these successive layers nrc IN
equilibrium, they produce ealm, when IL motion,
wind. They are set in motion chiefly lly heat
Thu. an M thcfm mr'cr--t'rmcl "l t~" hulbs
filled with mir. Ia which the two columns TT mir
arc scnnrnt ,d from communication with each other
by drop of alcohol Lctwcen-ls 81 sensitive that
on the approach ( a ucr~on within twe Anlds ~
il, the heat ,aliatpd from tho lum'n b dv Will
Immediately cans" the dr p t, IN Nr. H. III ma.
ture mn uppcr mver ot mir is Of c,uA, - .tcaer
density than lower there will Lea da"nward
c,lrfen, toward the EARTH Il in one part oi luyer
the density l. greater than in another part OF tho
sane LAYER. ti'rc will h' y horiz II al nrplon par
ultl h. the cart surface. Thu. ht" III stove
heats the ar inside ,il II become. exceedingly
rnrc, when The outside mr. rush"s in with strong
,rnft-rurres1nu ling in nature To the rniii alton
ur air in one u,,lits. anl the rushing ia 81 colder
mir. cnusinr rnie Of w,ul,
A grind general clusc cf the unequal tcmpcrn.
turc ,yer the carh's surface, ~ the spherical form
uI the planet winch cause. mn uaequrl dstribu-
ti,a IT the suns my, nnd gives u the great
zuno@ If temperatures or the astronomical climate
the ,rrid, the temperate. aud the tr,gd. To
this inequality othrr causes nre I" be added
Thus the wiii- woull le less variable il the sun
we're t, remain stationary Mt tho equnt"r, instead
ui moving, ~ It doe4. over tho wide spacc between
tho tropics. The hottest part of tho cnrths sur
face is that which is most directly under the suns
rave. and a> this region is continually changing
with the motion OF the sun. Another cause oi
disturbance i found in the different effects # the
anne degree Of bent npon lantl mud winter. The
land nb-orl,s tho suns rays mrrc rapidly than
wnter. and MS, mare rapidly gives up the heat
which il Inns received. Ga n Summer day, VI II
nj, re Of cold iron lac put hy the side Of bucket
If cold water. the iron will become warm To tho
touch. while the WINTER viii he still cool Land Is
thus sooner heated aud sooner conlel than water.
\ further cause Of inequality ot temperature and
>nrinhcness If winds is IN the succession OF day
and night. For example, in snoll island lying
under the tropical sun. snnn after the sun rises,
tho island aud the ntmn phorc above it become
warm: lut by noon the surface isintons"ly heated,
and The atmosphere exceedingly rariiicd. The
surrounding nc"un not readily absorbing hent,
remains roorr. hnl keeps its atmosphere dcnser.
Asa consequence the densrr nir bosins to flow
in currents To- hil tAc PARTIAL vacuum caused by
the I,htcr; and iie result il tho ''sca breeze"
al. Il y