Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-01-31
THE eARTH's ATMOSPHERE.
Attitudes at which tho Mean temperature
Is 1900 Degrees Below Zero.


Attitudes at Which tho Mean Temperature
IL 1900 Degrees Below Zero.
Weather Observer White recently
gave an exhaustive talk on tho tom
perature and tho pressure of the air
at different heights, during which he
said in part
The air which we breathe and
which envelops this whole earth is
composed of oxygen 8 parts, nitro
gen 2 parts, and vapor pressure from
100 per cent to one-t tenth of l per
cont. This air is held upon tho earth's
surface by the attraction of the earth
itself. The tendency of the earth's
revolution upon its own axis is to
throw this air into space and, us the
attraction of tho earth for all parti-
cles of liquids, gases or solids dc
creases rs the square of the distance
increases, the attractive forco over
comes the repcllent force at all points
within a distance of 25, miles of
tho earth S center. Consequently that
point il whore the centrifugal force
equals the centripetal and the point
where air ceases TO exist. Beyond
that point there is an absolute void,
with the exception of ozone and
ether. Now we have reached point
where all matter is absent What tho
temperature OF this space is is mat
ter of doubt. There is no motion
there.
About 200 miles above the earth
we find actual, appreciable air, which
can DO measured with the barome-
tor. 1t contains all tho ingredients
of the air ut tho earth's surface.
There is very little motion at this
height. The temperature is exceed
ingly low, being probably about
1, 800 degrees below zorro. AT 20 miles
above the earth's surface we find q
different quantity of air, which can
be more easily measured by n ba-
ro1neter, has a perceptible motion,
chiefly due to radiation, and contains
animalculP, vegetable matter and
mineral matter. The temperature is
very low, probably 900 degrees be-
| low zero.
AT ten miles above the earth s
surface the air has actually been
measured in quantity, quality, vegc-
table, mineral and animal matter.
Here motion is very perceptible,
there being more there than at the
earth's surface. 1t is continually
moving from tho west. Professor
Ha2en of the weather bureau sent up
a balloon made of gold bcatcrs' skin,
equipped with a Paragraph, thermo-
| graph and a sunshine recorder. The
temperature was found to be 256 de
grees below zero, and the barometric
pressure correspondent exactly with
what it should be at ten miles above
the earth's surface.
AT seven miles above the earth s
surface we have air in all respects,
so far as chemical combinations are
concerned, and, with the single eX-
ception of rarity, the same as at the
earth'S surface. GlaShier, the ia
nous aeronaut, assembled in a bal
loon to this height and when about
1000 feet below it began to be un-
CONSCIOUS, but retained self posses
sion long enough to pull the throttle
valve, exhaust the air and drop un-
til he regained consciousness. The
dog that accompanied him never re-
covered. The temperature shown
by Glashier's thermograph was 125
degrees below zero.
AT these attitudes the tempera-
ture is always the same, whereas at
the earth's surface it is constantly
changing. This is due to the topog-
raphy of the country, latitude and
moro especially to the advance of cy-
clonic and Cnticyclonic areas.
From the experience of Glashier
1t will be seen that Il person can as
cend nearly seven miles above the
earth's surface without losing con-
seriousness or seriously endangering
his life. dorchester Union and Adj