The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-03-28
MDAIR EXPERIMENTS,
Investigation of Storms and
Their Causes and Nature.
WORK OF THE WEATHER BUREAU.

Observations Made by Means OF Kites Sent
Up From sixteen stations( and Msnip-
ulated by Experts -Meteoroiogists All
over the World Interested.
WASHINGTON. March 2s.-l Special, j
One of the most interesting meteorological
experiments ever made Is now being pre-
pared for by Professor Willis Moore, the
energetic head of the United States wealth
or bureau. Up to this time all observa-
lions concerning storms and their causes
and nature have been made practically at
the level Of the earth. But In this way
only the lower edge of the storm area Is
observed We are able to ascertain only a
part Of the phenomena. Mr.. Moore now
proposes to measure the temperature,
pressure and movements of the air at vari-
Gus elevations from the earth, on sys-
tematio plan, covering sufficient area and
period Of time to permit the most impor-
tant deductions therefrom to be derived.
These observations will be made by
means of kites sent up in the air from 10
kite observing stations. These stations
will be located at the four corners OF rec
tangular area about 1000 miles long and
700 or 800 wide-from the Atlantic coast
to the Rocky mountains, and from the
northern lakes near to the gulf OF Mexico.
other stations will be placed at regular In
tervals between the corners. At each sta
ton there will be an outfit Of kites with
which self registering instruments may be
sent to various attitudes at fixed times OF
the day, and IL Is believed observations
will be secured from heights Of 1000, 5000
and perhaps 1000 feet. All these observa-
lions will be taken simultaneously, and
they will therefore, when interpreted, give
us information concerning the nature and
progress of storms which we do not now
possess.
Metsorologists Interested.
Meteorologist all over the world are
watching the result of these experiments
with keen interest They are admitted to
constitute the most important effort to add
to mans knowledge of the atmosphere and
its laws made in many years. or course
Professor Moore's purpose Is to improve
the science of weather forecasting. With
the means now available this science has
progressed about as far as possible. Moth
ing more can be accomplished till the up
per strata of air are brought within the
know ledge of the forecaster.
How important these forthcoming expert
ments are likely to be may be judged from
the fact that by the use of kites it has al
ready been determined that at consider
able altitude, say 5, 900 or 200 feet, the
air shows little changes of temperature,
even while cold waves are moving to and
fro with great extremes of temperature a
little nearer the earth. Substantially it
has been discovered to be true that at great
attitudes, just as ut great depths In the
| ocean, the temperatures never change.
| These facts show us how thin a layer of
atmospheric air il is which surrounds our
| earth and which is affected by causes
| springng from the earth.
1t is hoped that by an elaboration OF the
| system of kite observation it will be pos
sible to throw light upon the cause of the
origin of storms Scientific men have long
| agreed as to the nature OF storms. They
are simply whrling eddies of atmospheric
movement. But they have not agreed as
| to the cause thereof or as to the laws gov
erninS storm movements. Changes OF tenn
J perature over a given area, caused by Ia
dation of heat from the earth or sun or
contributing causes, are believed to be re-
| sponsible for winds. But this theory is not
| well settled and is open to question in the
L
are whirling columns of air-they may bt
only 100 miles or they may be 1000 OF
even z, 200 miles in diameter-all that We
are able to observe of them is their lower
edge, where they come in contact with thu
earth.
Where Is the vertical center of such {
storm? At what elevation above the earth 7
surface does 1t show its greatest intensity
As far as kite experiments have so far beer
able to throw light upon this problem TIT
center of greatest storm energy Is 5000 o.
4. 600 feet above't the surface of the earth
But whether the axis of rotation upward
and downward from this center Is vertica
or slanting as compared with the level o
the earth we do not know. When we as
certain this, as we hope to do by the kit
observing stations we may develop an en-
tirely new principle concerning the direc
ton taken by any given storm, SO that til
science of forecastiDg the weather will b
made infinitely more exact and usefu
than it is at the present time.
Professor Moore's Methods.
Professor Moore is going at this impol
tant work in the right spirit and method
He is now engaged in training staff G
men for manipulation of the kites and tn
instruments. About 90 men will be neec
ed in all for the 10 kite stations. 1t Is d.
sirable that all the work be done by care
full, conscientious men, for 1t squite will
In the range of tho possible that importar
discoveries may be made IL the work
thoroughly DONE The 10 stations whic
! are soon TO be set In operation will be col
tinued only few months. Then the ol
servations taken by them will be submit
ted to the scientists of the bureau for ela'
Grafton and Interpretation. If 1t appe,
that tho result Is sufficiently valuable
warrant an extension Of the service, col
7 gress will be asked for the necessary fund
j Congress Is utilitarian In Its views
cares nothing for pure science, but wan
results which will bo Of practical benel
to the agriculture, the shipping and Il
other Industries of the people. Interestir
g and important as these experiments a
o sure to be to all lovers of science nj
j. knowledge, congress looks only to perfe