The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1890-05-02
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE.


ed complete set of instruments for
determining the meteorological phe-
nomina. 1t has three stations OF SIX
thermometers each for testing the tenn
perature of the soil at different depths.
At each station, is a six-inch ther-
mometer, 1-foot thermometer, a 2-foot
thermometer, 3fcot thermometer, and
4-foot thermometer. Up to this
date the two-inch thermometers have
registered temperature OF slxty-nlne
degrees, and the 4-foot thermometer as
high as fifty degrees. AT the begin
ming of the month the 4-foot ther-
mometers gave an average tempera-
ture of forty-six degrees, showing a
change of foui degrees at thai depth.
Very soon there will be put on the
grounds two new thermometers; one
determines the maximum radiated heat
of the sun during the day, and the
other determines the minimum heat,
or the least radiated heat of the earth
These thermometers are self-reglstef-
ing. The service also has an exposed
thermometer, a wet bulb thermometer,
maximum thermometer, aid min
imum thermometer. The latter two
are self-registering and give the max
imum heat and the minimum heat of
the atmosphere during each twenty
four hours. From the wet bulb ther-
mometer the amount of moisture i'll
the atmosphere is determined.
One of the most interesting devices
to determine the temperature of the
atmosphere is the thermograph; this
instrument is in little case about
twelve inches long, six inches high,
and eight inches wide, outside of this
case is metal hand about three inches
long and little over an inch wide;
this is so arranged that. the elongation
of the band moves a lever, which act
ing upon another lever, at the end Of
which is pen, moves 1t up or down
according to the contraction or elon9a-
tion of the metel band; on this the
pen registers the temperature of every
moment Of the day on paper which
is arranged on IA drum, which revolyes
by time keeping machinery.
The service have also an aneroid
barometer and 1t barograph to deter
mine the pressure of the atmosphere.
The aneroid is about three inches in
diameter and looks like little COM
pass; the barosraph is in Case similar
to that of the thcrnograph, the only
material difference is that the barograph
has a series of eight little metal cases
about the sza of IL silver dollar, which
are hollow, and are nearly vacuums.
When the air is light these little cases
expand and lengthen a lever and this
in turn acts on another lever and SO on
until the lever is acted on which bears
the pen. This one is lowered'showing
rarer atmosphere. When the air is
heavy the little cases are pressed to-
gether, and thus raise the pen.
On the top of the college building
are, the anemoscpe for determining the
direction of the wind; the anemometer
for determining the velocity of the
wind. The latter is come cted with
machinery on the third floor by electric
wires; the electricity is generated by a
battery of four cells; when the cups
have revolved with the wind a mile, a
peg, so arranged on the outside wheel
of the dial, presses a metallic band
against the side of the case covering
where the connection is made with the
battery and thus completes the circuit;
this current then passes around a
metallic bar and magnetizes it; these
magnets in turn attract a steel plate,
which is attached to the bar which
holds the pencil, and causes the pencil
to be DETECTED from its course about
the eighth of an inch; as soon as the
current is broken the pencil and steel
plate are drawn back to their original
position 10y spring 1t is by the
number of these little side marks that
the observer is enabled to determine
the rate of the wind during any hour
of the day or night. We had "high"
wind on the 29th inst. lasting an hour
or two, the rate was as high as 33
miles per hour. Our average sea
breeze travels at the rate of about II