Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-05-26

stratum of absolutely glacial water at
q temperature beneath 32' had the
enormous thickness of 1000 iathoms
this was ovorlaid by another stratum
of 900 fathoms, in which the tempera
ture rose slowly from 800 at it's lower
to 36l0 at its uper surface and this
again by another OF about 800 iathoms
which showed further rise at its
upper surface to 400, the remaining
400 iathoms being the limit at which
the solar rays exert any direct heating
influence"
The thermal condition of the North
Atlantic, however, is very different.
The "Porcupine" temperature sound
ings showed the general thickness of
the warm upper stratum to be from
800 to 900 iathoms. This is due to
the ridge in the ocean bed between
Greenland and Iceland, which i'm.
pedes the outflow of the deepeststratum
or coolest water OF the Arctic basin.
A singular fact predicted by DR.. Car
penter was found TO be true, the
"Challenger" party finding tho warm
upper stratum thinnest under the
Equator This is due to the meeting
Of the Arctic and Antarctic underfows
causing an uprising Of cold water to-
ward the surface, and creating tho
equatorial currents OF warm surface
water setting toward the Poles. But
the upper stratum in the North At
lanticis tonly.oxceptionally deep but
exceptionally warm. In consequence
Of the evaporation produced by its
long exposure 10 the sun its excess of
salt make it
"Heavier than the colder water which
should otherwise occupy its place in
the basin and consequently substi-
tutes itself for the latter by gravitation
to the depth of several hundred
fathoms. Thus it conveys the solar
heat downward, in such a manner as
to make the North Atlantic between
the parallels Of 200 and 400 a great
reservoir of warmth, the importance
of which will presently become ap.
parent "The Challenger" lnvestiga.
tions have now, think, afforded the
requisite data for the final solution OF
the question whicn has been long under
discussion-what, namely, the Gulf
Stream (or Florida Curren) does, and
what it docs not, for the amelioration
Of the climate OF Northwestern Europe.
All the best photographers, both of
this country and of the United States,
agree in the conclusion that the Florida
Current dies out in the mid.Atlantic,
losing all the attributes by which it
had been previously distinguished-its
movement, its excess of warmth, and
its peculiarly deep color and that it
then degenerates into q mere surface.
drift, the rate and direction of which
depend entirely upon the prevalent
winds. But, on the other hand, the
most conclusive proof has been obtain
ed by the systematic comparison Of
sea and air-temperatures along the
western coasts of Northwestern Eu.
rope, that the amelioration of its Win.
ter climate is due to the afllux of water
of temperature considerably higher
than that Of the air.
How, then, arc these phenomena to
be explained? If the pis tergo Of
the Gulf Stream had spent itself in the
mid-Atlantic; what force brings this
aiilux Of warm water to our shores
and carries il on to the n f., along
the coast Of Norway, and even past
the North Cape toward Spitzbergen
and Nova Zembia2 And how does it
happen that the water which leaves
our Northwestern shores in Winter is
not only so much warmer than the air
which rests upon it, but continues to
preserve notable portion OF that
warmth at least as far ss the North
Cape, Notwithstanding that as it flows
northward its temperature is more and
more in excess OF that of the atmos.
phere above it2
1t is obvious that the continual out
flow of the deeper stratum of Polar
water, Of which we have evidence in
the constant maintenance of the glac-
ial temperature, not only OF the sea-
bottom, but Of the water contained in
the vast oceanic basin, cannot be main.
tanned without q continual indraught
of the upper stratum toward the Poles
this, as its temperature is progressively
, lowered, decreases in volume and in
creases in specific gravity and as the
lower stratum flows away under the
excess of pressure, the upper stratum
now cooled down nearly to the freez
ing point of salt water, will sink into
its place, making way for new in
draught above. The two Polar under
flows, on the other hand, meeting al
, or near the Equator, will there tend
; to rise toward the surface, replacing
! the water which has been draughted
: away toward either pole and thus 4
constant vertical circulation" must bt
| kept up by opposition of temperatur,
alone, analogous TO that which takei
: place in the pipes Of hot-water appara
tus by which largo buildings are com
, monty warmed. The only ossontia
difference. between the two cases is
that whilst the primum mobile in tn,
, latter is the heat applied to the bottom
J of the boiler making the warmed wa
ter ascend by the reduction of tn,
specific gravity due to its expansion
: the moving power in the former il
4. the cold applied to the surface OF tn,
r Polar water, making it descend by th,
, increase OF specific gravity due to thu
diminution Of its bulk as its tempera
] ture is lowered. As the su
\ porhcating Of the upper stratum Of th'
: mid.Atlantic isdependent on the inful
} of the Gulf Stream and other water ex
: ceptionally warmed in the Equatoria
4 Current the thermal effect of It's N. Il
| flow is mainly dependent upon tn,
{ Gull Stream and its adjaconts, Will
0 its movement is kept up by the Pola
; indraughts, Thus pcitber the genera
/. oceanic circulation nor the Gulf Strean
? could alone produce the result whicl
I is due to their conioint action. TIL
0 Gulf Stream waters, without the Pola
t indraught, would remain in the mid
q Atlantic; and the Polar indraughi
4 without Gulf Stream water TO feed il
0 would be almost as destitnte OF ther
Q nal power as it is in the Soutl
3 Atlantic.
}. The Antarctic icebergs afford inter
!. esting indications of the nature of tn
}. region in which they originate. The,
: differ totally in character from thos
r of the Arctic region, which are tn
d broken-off ends OF the glaciers tha
o have descended the seaward valley
9 of Greenland and Labrador. Th
y Antarctic bcrgs, on the other hant