Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-06-26
MEDICINE LODGE. KANSAS, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26. 1899

latent neat Will be evolved II vapor be con-
densed, yet this evolution would seem to
bring certain death to the very process of
condensation. Suppose we have mass of
air and could condense its moisture without
altering its temperature, the latent heat set
free would make just enough sensible heat
to again evaporate the moisture, and there
would be no rain, but every thing would re-
main in statu quo. Suppose, however, we
take away enough heat to cool the air 10 de-
grees for each cubic foot, this would amount
to the heat necessary to evaporate one
seventh OF grain of moisture and must be
taken in part at least from the surrounding
air. Ii we cool the air degree it will con-
dense certain amount of moisture, de-
pending upon the temperature, and this will
hberate exactly the same amount of heat
that was used in the original evaporation.
In order TO absorb this heat it Is necessary
to cool the condensing air, and this can only
be done by imparting still more heat to the
surrounding alr, so that we have increased
the temperature Of the environment in two
ways, and thus have put a stopto all further
development
For example, let US cool cubic foot of
saturated air from so to 20 degrees, and let
US suppose that the heat impaired to the
surrounding air is all concentrated in a sim
gle cubic foot close by the first. We now
have cubic foot Of saturated air at 80 de-
grees and another of unsaturated air at
about 81 degrees. The cooling to 20 degrees
has condensed one-third grain of moisture,
and this has liberated latent heat which can
be disposed or only by heating the adjacent
cubic foot to 2.3 degrees. We have, then, If
there is no f1aw in the reasoning, ene-third
grain OF moisture as rainfall, l cubic foot of
saturated air at 20 degrees and another of
unsaturated air at 1888. Suppose we mix
these, we shall have cubic feet of air at
about 81 degrees and unsaturated, hence no
further rainfall can occur till this is again
cooled, and it can not be cooled except at
the expense of the surrounding air. It is
plain that this will be the effect even with
the most infinitesimal cooling and condeu-
sation, hence we must conclude that no ap-
appreciable rainfall can occur by these
processes;and the enormous energy devel-
oped is a tigment Of the imagination, or else
that the heat evolved has been changed to
electricity or radiated into space or disposed
of in some other way. The processes here
In set forth seem to be exactly analogous to
those taking place when two masses of sat
urated air or widely differing temperature
are mixed together, in which case all meteor
ologists are agreed there can be no appre-
ciable rainfall, and, of course, no deyel-
opment of energy.
This seems very startling result, and
some will ask: What can we substitute as
a cause of stormss 1t is believed by a great
many intelligent people that meteorology
has not yet taken its first step toward a sat
isfactory solution of it's profoundest prob
lens, and there has been scarcely we'll
authenticated principle established even in
the simpler problems We may well con-
clude that the principal reason for this has
been the extreme proneness to adopt doubt
full hypothesis, which has greatly ham
pered investigation. One of the first steps
is to disprove these theories before we can
lay the foundation of better structure.
The only possible way in which we can hope
to learn the formation of our storms and
the laws governing their movement is to
investigate them in the open air, where, as
it is now admitted by all, their power lies.
This knowledge, it will he readily admitted,
would be of incalculable benefit to all classes
of people, but especially to those living in
tornado districts, to seafaring men and to
farmers. 1t is to be hoped that those inter-
ested will turn their attention to this sub
ject, but if not, in this evening of the nine
teenth century there will undoubtedly soon
be demand from many classes of people
that the investigation be undertaken With
our modern appliances this may be made at
very slight expense and with entire safety
to the investigator.