Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-09-03
AURORA BoRgALls.

AURORA BoREALls.
The occurrence ol aurora boreais Ou-
men boreale) in the zenith, on Sunday
night has suggested reflections i'll the mind
of spectator, which it is supposed at
least, have the merit of novelty to recommend
them to the attention of scientific inquirers.
Without considering the hypothesis hitherto
advanced for the occurrence of these pheno-
mena, which my hypothesis, to say the least
are defective and unsatisfactory, may it not
be a philosophical conclusion, that both au-
i rora borealis and rains, are caused by want
of electricity in the atmosphere. That such
as electricity exists is evident from certain
known effects. Assuming the theories of
Franklin and SPINNER, that it is an ETHEREAL
fluid having certain fixed properties--that ii
pervades the universe and that the heavenly
bodies are great reservoirs of it, is not import
ant to the purpose to inquire whether it may
or may not be the agent of transmitting power
from planet to planet, or of regulating the
motions of the heavenly bodies. 1t is suffi-
cient to know that il materially affects the
condition of bodies on the surface of the earth.
/ 70 what extent these are affected by il is an
open field for investigation; and, subject to
the correction Of discovery and demonstration,
the ensuing theory is propounded 1t is .af-
irmed-
4 First, that electricity is compound prin-
ciple.
Second, that it has the properties of heat,
permeability elasticity, or expansion and con-
traction.
Third, that it is uncomfortable and invisi-
BILE.
Fourth, that ii is fixed or free.
Fifth that it has attractive, repellent and
medium relations or properties.
Sixth, that it is doubly positive and doubly
negative.
That it is compound principle is evident
from the opposite properties which il possess
/ SEES.
That it has properties of heat and permea-
bility; that it is fixed or free, imponderable
and invisible, and that it has affinity these
are sufficiently evident.
That il is doubly positive and doubly mega
| tive, is assumed from the consideration that
if it had not these properties the north and
south poles of the earth would exhibit entire
ly opposite conditions /; while il the north
| positive attraction was identical with the
south positive attraction, the compess would
he detected towards either pole, and be turn
ed round in passing the equator.
| That it is elastic is predicted from the fact
of its accumulation in the Leyden lar, and
from other manifestations of its action.
From the properties Of the elasticity and
affinity of electricity, the following PROPOSE
tions are deduced -
| First, That gaseous and mineral exhalations
from the surface of the earth are accompanied
by a certain amount Of electricity, which neu-
tralzes their property of density, and keeps
/ them suspended in the air.
1 Second, That when there is an accumulation
of fixed electricity i'll the air, it is subject to
condensation, in which free state il takes a
direction, either back to the earth or TO the
superior regions, according to the presence of
means of conduction, while the bodies which
it held in suspension, regaining theirde
fall to the earth in the case of rain, or are at
tracted and separated from earth in the case
of borealis.
Third, That one condition of electricity is
attracted to the equator, and another condition
to the poles. From these premises the con
clusion is drawn, that rain and borealis are
produced from the same cause, which consists
OF the separation and condensation of cleo
triety.
Fourth. That rain is the effect of electricity
leaving the atmosphere and descending into
the ground, and that borealis is the effect o +
electricity ascending into the superior regions
of the atmospherer perhaps, attracted by
other planetary influences.
In support of these positions, it is to be re4
marked:
FlFst. IHat tne amount OF rain is greatest
at and towards the Equator, and the occur
rance of boreais, is nearly limited to fifty de-
grees from the poles.
Second. That the occurrence of both is I'M
der nearly similar conditions of atmospheric
density.
Third. That rains and borealis are nearly
opposite elemental condit ions the one con-
sisting of showers of water descendant; the
other of showers of fire or of incandescept
heat ascending.
Fourth. That the effects of loss of heat by
the atmosphere and its ratification are results
common to both.
There is one important difference, however,
which would seem TO give to the borealis more
the character of the agency of rositire cleo
tricity, and to rain that of negatire electricity.
viz. that rain is of an aberrant character,
moving about, creating, and influenced by the
wind whereas, borealis is fixed, having n
pole of attraction at its apex and, what is
more extraordinary, occurring in calm weather
and creating no wind. Another popularity,
or ditlererence is, that rain is generally fol-
lowed by residue of clouds whilst the
borealis, at its termination, leaves the sky
clear, cloudless and rarihed.
During the operation of perfect borealis,
however, there is dense cloud in the nadir,
which seems like sediment that it deposits,
and is probably the grosser particles that are
not attracted to the zenith.