The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-05

been shattered to atoms in ten minutes We get
some faint conception OF the velocity and force OF
SOLAR WINDS AND STORMS.
l: is strongly urged by many distinguished SCI
entists that these outbursts OF solar energy have
their correspondent agltatlous in the bosom OF
OF the earths atmospheric ocean. The sun spot
period Of maximum number ard activity, 1t IL
claimed. has been shown to correspond with the
years of maximum frequency and Jury OF terrestrial
cyclones, showing an intimate connection be-
tween our own and the suns meteorology. MT.
Charles Meldrum, of the storm beaten island of
Mauritus in the tropical belt OF the Indian Ocean,
has collated an immense number OF meteor illogical
and hurricane statistics and compared them with
sun spots He Is quite confident that there exists
physical and casual connection between the two
phenomena, and he has gone far as to assert
that the whole question Of cyclones Is o question
of solar activity-"many sun spots, many hurri-
canes; few sun spots, few hurricanes"
Whether this generalization be well founded
or premature, It is plausible enough to SCI
entidc men generally to invest tho study OF
solar phenomena with q novel and unitarian
interest which purely philosophical inquiry
might lack. AS . meteorological dogma It will
no doubt, be rejected by the majority OF meteor.
olo9lsts. seeing that terrestrial tornadoes are
easily accounted for by those periodic FORMATIONS
OF heat and cold, dryness and humidity, high and
low barometrtc pressures, caused by the SUMS ap-
parent motion with respect to the earth's equa-
tor. But there can scarcely be question that the
SUMS varying activity, Its vicssitudcs OF
heat and electricity its eruptive phenomena
within and beyond the chromospherlc envelope,
do modify the climate OF all parts OF the solar
system. When 1t becomes possible to ascertain
the number and magnitude OF the forces at work
In the sun and upon Its exterior (but not till
then), Is 1t likely that the metcorology OF our
planet will be intelligently connected with that Of
the sun. This romark. however, can hardly apply
to the lntercommunication OF magnetic indica-
tons The best authorities seem to agree that tho
greatest
MAGNETIC DISTURBANCES
in the earth's atmosphere are due to terres.
trial, and no: 10 solar or cosmicol. agency. But
various observations at.ess, that great solar parox-
ysms correspond with the magnetic storms regis
tered, photographically, BY the magne tic nstru-
mcnts at Greenwich, and this correspondence II
almost perfect IS to time. II is therefore, proba-
bic that every outburst Of the sun receives re-
Spouse from the earth, and that tho magnetic
impulse IL propagatcd from the one to the other,
with the velocity Of light This fact evlnccs the
value Of continuous and combined magnetic and
sun.spot studios.
THE MoMENr or rorALrrY.
In the diagram OF q total solar eclipse Figure 81
We have the chief solar phenomena graphically
delineated. The dark central body represents the
eclpsed sun, at the moment OF totally, when the
moon comes directly between the earth and the
sun The chromosphere Is marked as q very
shallow, III defined envelope around the solar
disk, as seen December "a, 1870, at Syracuse, by
Captain g. L. Tupman, r. NJ A. This quasi.
envelope mas an irregular demarcation on It's
exterior edge, presenting o serrated, biIlowy,
uneven surface, hcaved up some what on its south.
ern sidc Tor upper side o. 1t appears In tho dis.
graml. The letters N, g., E.. W.. show the north,
south, east and west limbs OF the sun At the mo-
ment OF total cclipse. The photosphere lies undor
the cbromospheric envelope ana Ia not represented
at this stage OF tho eclipse The corona Is the
seN.umnous ana extensive band or halo or thin
solar atmosphere outside OF the chromosphere.
The red Games or protubarances Of the chrome
sphere, OF course, cannot DO shown on the dis.
gram. but their relative place as 10 the corona
and the phososphere can easily he understood.
We have now aiven an outline OF the many re-
cent and latest discoveries In the domain OF solar
ply enriched, as it has bean, bat only by SLOW
aud fra9men tary additions, At LAVISH expendi-
tuee OF TOLL study and material soaourosA II oRh