The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-11
Remarkable Condolences Between So
lar and Terrestrial Phenomena.


Among the many matters of scientific and
popular interest discussed at the recent open
ing of the British Association meeting is the
wonderful coincidence between the observed
phenomena of solar and terrestrial disturb
ances In a paper furnished by distin-
guished East Indian scientist most remark
able evidence is given of the close connection
between the amount of heat received by our
planet from the sun and the prevalence Of sun
spots and solar tornadoes, which latter through
the labors Of Secchi, the italian philosopher,
have been distinctly charted. It clearly
appears from the results of careful and con-
tinued investigation in the Indian Ocean that
the cyclones which revolve over its fiery bill
lows have periodicity corresponding with the
sun-spot periodicity, so that, as has been well
said, if an observer in another planet could
see and measure or count the solar spots
and the cyclones or earth spots, he
would discover marvellous harmony be-
tween them. The President of the mathe-
NAUTICAL section of the association, Mr.. Warren
De La Rue, has suggested that this periodic
harmony will be ultimately discovered over the
entire globe. But it may be stated as mat
lying between the Equator and twenty-five de-
grees south latitude and forty degrees and one
hundred and ten degrees east longitude, the
rotating storms and typhoons have varied in
frequency during twenty-five years observa-
tions directly as the amounts of sun spots. 1t
a. hoo 1o1
use the observations of solar disturbances for
the direct prediction of terrestrial storms, but
there can be no doubt if we had good solar
observatory, and could obtain prompt photo
graphic records Of the mutations and erup-
tons going on in the suns philosophers, the
knowledge would enable the physicist to fore
cast the general weather for longer period
than has ever been attempted. The apparent
intimate and causal connection between solar
cyclonic action and the abnormal extremes of
severe heat and cold, such as have been expert
enced within the past twelvemonth, leaves no
doubt in the minds Of ths @Qst practical lying
astronomers that our climate and seasonal
conditions depend very much on cosmical
and interstellar agencies Armed with the
spectroscope and other modern philosophical
inventions of the kind, the astronomer is better
able to examine and study these remote phe-
nomena to-day than he was century ago
to determine the right ascension Of star.
The meteorological facts which are being so
industriously stored up by the Weather Bureau
in this country, and by similar institutions in
Europe, will be of inestimable value standing
alone, but of infinitely greater value if con-
nected and compared with parallel cosmical
phenomena. In the enormous work Of col
lecting the requisite information on these
really practical matters it is idle to depend
upon private observers, liable to the bias of
their own theories, poor and ill equipped for
such labors. Only by governmental or inter-
national system Of research can 1t ever be
hoped to gain trustworthy account Of the
countless and instructive changes that daily
affect our own planet, and thus lift the veil of
mystery which overhangs its meteorology.
These solar spots have been observed since
the time Of Calico, and it is time that their
precise significance in our planetary system
should, if possible, be determined, and they
should be subjected to rigid scrutiny.