The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-07-14
The Science Of Cyclones.

1
have made the statement that II n,
my belief that the immediate cause of
the terrific force Of the cyclone is cleo
tricity. In u lecture delivered last
February aud printed in this paper,
| tried TO show that electric force was
manifested when two unequally heated
bodies were placed in u certain relation
TO each other; that it was struggle Of
the higher potential to seek common
level with the lower. Ii metallic
ring is heated ut one point above its
normal Temperatures, n current OF cleo
tricity will How through il until the
current Of equalization is complete.
The galvanic battery is no exception to
this rule, for the zinc from which the
current flows to the copper element is
naturally warmer metal, under the
same conditions, than the copper, or.
to speak scientifically, it has q higher
| potential. Metals of the same potential
will not make battery. While the
higher is seeking the lower the force
assumes the form of electricity. II be-
gins in heat and ends in heat. When
two columns of air, or clouds, differing
in temperature meet we have conditions
favorable not only for condensation OF
moisture, but also for the generation Of
electricity. II is common notion that
electricity Is the result of condensa-
tion IL is rather eoincident with it, and
not dependent upon II.
| Ordinarily when atmospheric cleo
| tricity Is generated II obtains nm equi-
| librium by passing of in bolts or sud
den charges from cloud to cloud, or
cloud to earth as the case may be- But
under certain conditions IL takes on the
form seen in cyclones, and the force il
gradually equalized. When u cloud or
some part OF II takes on the funnel shape
IL is highly charged with electricity. II
assumes whirling motion and reaches
| down toward the earth, which has an
| opposite charge or a lower electric po-
tential, and therefore a strong attraction
for the cloud. This whirling becomes
terrific in most cases and carries every.
! thing with it that happens in its track
clouds, air, trees, houses, sand. dirt.
etc. The combination of forces is such
that a partial vacuum is created in the
inside of the funnel II house happens
to get inside of cyclonic funnel, and
the doors and windows are closed, the
internal air pressure will burst the build
ing
II we get near enough to study the
phenomena we can see electric sparks
darling from all parts of the funnel, and
when 1t nears the earth streams OF cleo
tric sparks flow from cloud TO earth.
The cyclone has q compound motion.
AS body 1t is carried forward with the
wind at whatever rate it happens TO be
blowing. Besides this, the funnel itself
las gyrating motion Of great rapidity
and force that beggars description.
Cyclonic tunnels are OF all sizes. from
that OF u mans body to half a milo or
more in diameter.
The attention of the writer was called
TO one Of the small ones that passed
through % section of Iowa few wears
ago. 1t hung like long rope dangling
from the clouds, Now and then Il
woulc Uuch the ground, when it would
loose part of its electricity, which
would allow IL to rise until IL had &C.
cumulated enough more energy to at
tract it to the earth, when the same
thing would be repeated Ii passed
through barn-yard, touching corner
OF the overhanging caves of the barn,
shaving off about afoot of the cornice as
smoothly rs though done with a sharp
tool. The funnel had sucked up sand
and dirt, which was set to whirling with
such terrific velocity that it did the
work of an edged tool. Beyond q
gentle wind there was no violent dis
turbance Of the air few rods away
from the funnel.
1t has been stated that these storms
could be accounted for on the common
theory Of high and low pressure, which
is the cause Of the great waves which
occasionally sweep over the country.
The absurdity Of this theory becomes
apparent by a study Of the daily weather
map. The areas Of high and low pres
sure are usually about 1000 miles apart,
and the wind blows from point Of
greater density to that Of lesser by
natural law of fluids seeking an equi-
librium. These areas Of high and low
barometric pressure will not account
Tor cyclones or even ordinary thunder
storms. IL is a common experience
few minutes before the most terrific
storms, and when they are not mile
away, that there is dead calm, show
ing that the cause of disturbance is local
and not general. For this reason 1t is
impossible for the Signal Service to pre-
dict storms Of this character.
We can manufacture miniature cy-
clones in the laboratory, with no other
force than electricity, that show all the
characteristics Of their larger brethren.
An ounce OF fact IS worth tons of theory.
A familiarity with electrical expert
ments coupled with intelligent observa-
~, fn.1 4.