The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-11
DUE TO sun SPOTS
Recent observations on the Ef.
fects Of Earth Currents.
Felt During the Prevalence Of SsveN
Electrical Storms-Contrast to Phsnom-
esa Observed During Similar
Disturbances In the Past.

| eh8 OpSerSed during Similar
Disturbances In the Past.
The working of telegraph lines ex-
tending in an easterly and westerly di-
rection was greatly affected by the
magnetic storm of August 70 and 20.
which was accompanied by displays Of
brilliant aurora observed in various
sections of the country The disturb
| ance was first observed about nine p.
| m Sunday, August 70, when the wires
began to work badly. and became so
| intense at frequent intervals through
| out the night as to render circuits use
less, not only on land lines but on sub
| marine wires as well The storm,
which exhibited many of the ordinary
| characteristics of such phenomena. did
not finally disappear until after five D.
M Monday. August 20, though its et-
fects after nine o'clock on the morning
of that day were not marked east OF
Chicago, but were sufficiently pro-
nounced on lines west of that point to
cause temporary stoppages of work.
especially on automatic and quadruplex
circuits.
Similar phenomena were noted July
90, and the disturbance, which was
first felt about fve-twenty a. m, as
sumed a wavelike character which
reached its highest altitude with al
most perfect regularity about cnce
every two hours until seven-thirty ..
m, when the storm so far subsidized as
to unaffect the working OF land lines.
The ebb and flow of the earth currents
during the prevalence of the storm
were generally characterized with re-
forming strong contrast to the
violent fluctuations Of many preceding
magnetic storms, one of which ex-
hibited no fewer than one hundred and
fifty variations in the magnitude and
polarity of its currents in the course Of
q single minute.
An interesting practical point in this
connection consists in the fact that
whereas land lines are invariably in
fuenced by either of these classes Of
earth current, provided the latter is
sufficiently strong, the submarine
cables do not seriously feel the effects
OF very gradual variation of current
1t frequently happens that the At
lantic and other cables enjoy COM
parative immunity from earth current
interruptions at times when land lines
are more or less FRUSTRATED; while at
other times the cable circuits have
suffered from comparatively weak but
fuctuating currents that had no prac-
teal influence upon the working of
aerial wires. This anomalous action
arises from the fact that condensers
are interposed in cable circuits, which
are operated, not by continuous cur
rents as in the case of land lines, but
by induced currents of momentary
duration produced by the charging
and discharging of the condensers
The latter being responsive only to
sudden variations in current strength
it will be evident that such apparatus
serves to exclude from the cables all
but the more variable class of currents,
which latter, however, affect the cable
irrespective of the current value.
The storm of July 20 did not ap-
parently pursue the usual easterly and
westerly direction, but took course
more nearly north-northwest, Judging
from the results of number of stimuli
taneous observations taken on different
wires with the view of determining the
line of maximum disturbance
The greatest difference of potential
discovered on any wire on that occa-
sion was sixty-two volts, but from in
dications noted at times when it was
found impractica TO take scientific
measurements, il was evident that the
electro-motive force developed in some
circuits amounted to upwards of one
hundred and fifty volts.
Sun spots are generally credited with
being the cause of earth currents, and
1t is fact within the writer's knowl-
edge and experience that no magnetic
storm of any magnitude has ever ap-
peared without its accompanying solar
disturbance; but il is equally a fact
that the two phenomena are not in
variably associated with each other,
inasmuch as groups of prominent sun
spots have oftentimes been visible upon
the suns disk when earth currents
have been conspicuous by their alb
sence- This circumstance would ap-
pear to confirm the views held by DR.. {
NJ. a Veeder, who has made study Of !
the subject and who is in possession Of |
data which apparently prove that mag /
netlc storms are only possible when 1
the spots are IN a particular locality |
and when the earth occupies certain 4
position in relation TO these spots He /
further contends that the effects pro-
duced are brought about by conduc- I
ton rather than by induction and that 4
the masses ot matter thrown of from 1
the sun when the latter is violently 4
agitated constitute the medium 4
which the electrical energy is 1
transmitted from the sun 20 the earth. /
as otherwise the presence Of earth eur.
rents ought TO BE- felt whenever and 1
wherever sun spots are visible II the 1
latter are 70 he regarded as the direct 4
cause Of terrestrial magnetic pbe-
Lord Ro.ebery and His Dog.
They tel story OF Lord Rose berry and
his dog. Mutton. that is greatly 70 his