Evening star., 1897-04-28
IS THE AIR vANIsHrNG.
SurprfsinE Results of n Series of Hal,
loon AscensiOns in France.
From the New York uerald

loon AscensiOns in France
From the New York Herald
A series of experiments is being conduct
ed in Paris which demonstrates to the
satisfaction Of scientists that the atrnos-
phere which surrounds the earth is grad
ually disappearing. These experiments are
with balloons, and they are known as aero
static ascents, The French savants Resan-
con and Hermite have been conducting
them. The balloon~which makes the as
cent is called the aerophle 1t is conical in
shape. 1t is almost sharp pointed at one
end, while the other is formed of a steel
cap which fits over an aperture through
which the gas passes from the retort into
tire receiver when the balloon Is IN pro-
cess of being filled.
Below the reservoir hangs double Mat
form, which looks not unlike the old-fash-
ioned hanging book case. In front of the
top section of the platform is an instrument
which registers the speed which the aero
phile is making, while just back of it is a
device called the meteorograph, which reg
listers the changes in the atmosphere 4
dial registers the highest point attained.
while another mechanism records the in
termediate attitudes.
-. Automatic Camera.
In the. rear of the platform and attached
to both sections is an automatic camera
that takes accurate photographs of atmos-
pheric. scenes and conditions at different
heights from the earth. There is also an
appara tus that imprisons specimens of air
a different attitudes. Its reservoirs when
the aerophile leaves the earth, are airtie hit
and exhausted. Therefore, when a reser-
vor is opened at a desired height there is
nothing to mix with the specimen of air
that rushes into It.
The latest in this series of experiments
with the aerophile was made a few days
ago and resulted most SUCCESSFULLY The
aerophile rose with extraordinary rapidity
to an immense height, fully 10000 meters.
The highest temperature recorded was six
ty degrees.
The balloon remained In the air two hours
and Travelled distance of 1O2 kilometers
All the recording apparatus worked sue
cessfully, and while the results have not
been definitely announced in all particulars
they, in the minds of many scientists. es-
tablish the fact that the inventors have
contended for-that the balloon will throw
startling light on the question of atmos-
pher:c disappearance
Of Great Importance.
The aerophile, as the balloon has been
named, is sometimes sent aloft merely ar
ranged so that at a>certain period of time
the gas vent will be partially opened, the
gas escape and the monster settle to the
earth. At other times it is like the captive
balloon sent aloft at the end of a great
pile of rope and pulled down whenever the
experimente-s desire. 1t is. however only
when the invention is permitted to soar to
great height that there is a possibility of
securing the results which the scientists
hope for.
The Importance Of the facts learned from
experiments with the balloon, scientists
say. can hardly be overestimated. They in
dicate, it. is thought, the conditions which
will prevail at the end of the world The
atmosphere mingles continually with the
water and the rocks. and by this action con-
tinuaHy diminishes its density. Thus is the
gauzy envelope which surrounds us brought
closer and reduced. and one day. say the
scientists. it will without doubt disappear
completely as 1t has already done from our
neighbor. the moon.
It should be stated that the apparatus
which the balloon contains for securing
specimens of the rarefied air at great
heights is the idea of M. Cailletet This has
proved the most successful feature. for it
has worked to a charm, and the results of
the analyses of the air 1t contains viii
from time to time indicate precisely the
exact changes that have taken place in the
oeAA1oSpASaS'