Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-08-14
FROM HIGH TOWERS.
How They Will Be Important Assistants
in Meteorological Inquiry.

Row iney VIII Be Important Assistants
in Meteorological Inquiry.
London is to have larger edition of
the Eiffel tower. 1t will be 1000 feet
high, and will enable scientific men to
make important observations not posi-
bic on the earth's surface.
The proposed tower would allow of an
inquiry into the atmospheric conditions
up to /, 200 feet. Instruments for meas
tlring the heat of the suns rays, such as
black bulb thermometers in yacuo, and
actinometers, disposed at the top and
bottom of the tower. would also give
very interesting readings, the instru-
ments ct the highest station probably
showing an excess OF the suns heat over
tie other, because of the atmospheric
humidity intervening between the earth's
Immediate surface and an altitude OF
200 feet.
heights and properly screened from
radiation would show the temperature of
the atmosphere at different levehs; the
air would probably be found cooler on
rising higher and higher, giving this Gu
rious result-that the sun would be
warmer at the top than at the bottom;
but, in the absence of the sun, the air
would be colder at the top. At night
the distribution of the temperature in
the atmosphere is known to be the re-
verse OF the daytime. On a fine, clear
night the temperature will be found
higher at 900 feet than it is on the
earth while on Il cloudy night it will be
much the same at both stations; but we
have much to learn of the laws of ter
restial radiation, and the proposed tower
would be very useful in that respect.
Of course an observer would not be
expected to race day and night up and
down tower 1000 feet high, to make
observations and read thermometers;
this would be too great, and indeed an
unnecessary devotion to science. The
whole thing can be doue from below in a
comfortable building by means of Sic
mems electric thermometers Such an
instrument has been used for some time,
and is now at work at the Lincoln cathe-
dral, giving correct thermometer read
ing on the earth's surface from a height
of 270 feet. Besides observations for
temperature at various attitudes, the
state of humidity of the atmosphere, a
condition greatly concerned in the fOrma-
ton of fogs. could be readily examined.
dry and wet bulb thermometers disposed |
at various heights and in electrical con-
nection with the station below would |
Weld interesting observations, and assist |
materially in conjunction with the ba-
rometer in fOrecasting the weather.
The force and direction of the winds |
at various attitudes are subjects for me-
neurological inquiry OF much interest |
and Importance; there are eddies in the |
atmosphere, spiral and upward currents, |
of which little is known, and tower |
such as that now contemplated would |
allow of very interesting observations to |
be made ON winds. We may also VEN
ture to suggest that the information thus |
obtained would have an important prac-
teal bearing in an engineering point of |
view, as showing the strength of the |
wind buildings may have to withstand |
at great heights. The measurement of |
rainfall, made simultaneously at 200 |
feet and on the ground, would add to our |
knowledge of the laws of rainfall; it
would be found that less rain falls at the
top than at the bottom. The connection
of this phenomenon with atmospheric
humidity and temperature would be
very Interesting to investigate.
Finally, earth tremOrs, the forerun-
ners of earthquakes, would be felt at the
summit of a high tower much more
readily than in contact with the earth,
and earthquakes might be expected to
produce greatly magnified effects at such
an elevation: hence a seismometer
would find u fitting place at the top of
the proposed building. A great deal
might be added on this subject. We have
not touched on the astronomical uses of
Il very high tower from the greater clear
ness of the atmosphere at such an alti-
tudc. There are also other points of physi-
illogical interest that could have been
dwelt upon, such as the influence of an
altitude of 1000 feet on respiration, or
on the nervous system. 1t might be re-
marked that there would be little fear of
feeling giddy when looking down from
tower of such 4 height, although the view
over 4 prccipice of 1900 feet would not
be unlikely to produce a most unpleas-
ant sensation.-British Medical Journal