The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-08-15
" OCEAN OF THE ATMOSPHERIC.
Its Variations and Tides a. IL Rotates Will
the Earth.


the Earth.
We are dwellers at the bottom of a sort
of sea- This sea bottom, which is the sur
face OF the earth, may vary as to altitude,
being diversified with plains, valleys, pla-
teaus and mountains, but in this only
slightly varying range Of a few miles is
all human life .cstricted, while the wonder
full and mighty atmospheric ocean rolls
over all. AS our globe Is swung In space
In its relationship to the sun. 1t is impos-
sible that an equal diffusion of solar heat
should strike and penetrate this atmos-
pherio envelope, as the equatorial zone
gets the vertical rays, the temperate zone
receives rays that are moIo slanting and
consequently less heat, while the frigid
zones, made such by reason of the polar
points or regions most remote from the d.
rect rays of the sun, receive the mini
mum of light and heat
Now, what Is the consequence Certain
areas or belts are intensely heated and ex-
panded. Other belts are only partially
heated, and still other regions are almost
bereft of heat, and this veay mobile ocean
by law of nature seeks to squalize itself,
and system Of currents interchanging
and intercommineling is set in motion
that are in action seemingly ever and for
ever. But I'm the meantime peculiar
factor is operative and exerts q singNaarly
modifying influence on this procedure.
This is the earth's dturnal motion, It's
daily turning on Its axis, whereby this
very limpid ocean Is also turned and Is al
ternately heaced and cooled rs 1t Is pre-
sented to the sunward side or the side
away from the sun. This action relieves
the currents of the greater part Of their
labor, and were it possible for the earth to
turn with pole to the sun and the one
side constantly to the solar heat, while the
other side was constantly away from IL,
we cannot conceive Of the incessant hurri-
canes that would then prevail as the
fiercaly heated side and its frigid antipode
exchanged atmospheric compliments.
We are not to suppose that this atmos-
pheric sea is heated even over the equator
from the bottom To the top, which Is theo-
retically about 4b miles, and here Is an
other popularity: At height of only
from four to six miles IL is incessantly
cold, and higher up the air has more
than polar temperature But We get no
correct impression of the upper air phe-
nomena while we are down at the bottom
of this sea. There are thousands OF inn
pediments that temporarily retard and
stop the currents and which must conse-
quently 60 i'm fits and spurts regardless of
the more even and regular flow above. II
we could bo at the bottom, among the
rocks and holes of a deep, swift flowing
river, we should get no correct idea from
the surrounding swirls Of the smooth and
uniform flow on It's surface. Into tho
ocean of our atmosphere rise v2pors and
form clouds which under certain condi.
tions intercept and retard the electric cur
rents, which then accumulate and again
seek equilibrium In explosive action, caus-
ing the phenomenon known as lightning
and followed 10y pcsLs Of thunder. But
we are far from being fully conversant
with the varied phenomena on and near
the surface OF this atmospheric sea We
do not understand the situation where the
illimitable ether stops 10 give way TO N
commencing but a. yet exceedingly rare
atmosphere, IL indeed the atmosphere IL
not the ether condensed as 10 impinges on
the globc.
Whatever the solar emanations that
come 10 us, whatever they are as they
leave the solar surface, it is evident that
they undergo transposition OF correlation
as they enter and pierce the ethereal space,
and another transformation takes place
when they penetrate our atmosphere and
develop into what we call heat and light
as they impinge on the earth.-Pittsbure
Dispatch.