New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-05-12
From Cosmos CParis).

From Cosmos Paris).
Involuntary influence exists without doubt; it
is exercised, for instance. by defOrestation and
by the resulting alteration of conditions Of soil.
which modifies the flowing of streams and in
creaSeS foundations; and also by the CeNeIup-
ment of Industrial activity, as Russell has shown
in the case of London fogs, which augment con-
siderably with increased consumption of coal.
The considerable increase of the number OF
thunderstorms. which has doubled since 1870
leads us believe that in this case also there is
effect due, in part, at least 10 inCustrlal &C
tivity; for it is difficult 10 attribute an increase
so considerable to the sole action of sun spots
An attempt has been made 10 explain the IN
crease in the number of storms by the Abundant
production of steam by industrial engines Dr.
Trabert cannot accept this explanation. Tor ne
calculates that the quantity of steam thus pro-
duced in the whole of Germany would scarcely
represent an evaporation of Vtse., mlillnletre
of water to the square kilornetre Q-ftst0 inch
10 the square milel. But il is quite different
with particles Of dust scattered in great album
dance Throughout, the air by the incomplete COM
buSteh or Huahti'E OF cotI qua 80 - ~ -
grams TO The square kIlo-netre tili' poCntiS 70
the square mileJ. This considerable increase OF
atmospheric dust should exercise an action on
the production or ram Nnen moist ar passes
the state Of SaturatiOn. condensation takes place
on PARTICLES of dust. The more there are or
thes,. the more drops are formed: thus, sUr 4
given quantity OF vauOr condensed. the crops
are necessarily smaller Now the tension 81
saturation on convex surface increases with
the curvature of the surface that is 70 say.
with the smallneSS Of the drops An Increase
of the quantity Of dust in the air will therefore
tend to favor the approximation OF the AR, and
conse quently 10 produce thUnderstorms and
abundant rains
II is much more interesting however. 70 know
whether may voluntarily act upon the
wtather. To this kind Of action belong the at
Temps made successfully in France. on a !4rSe
scale. u prevent nocturnal frosts by the pro-
Cuctlon Of artificial clouds. But when We come
70 the artificial production of rain. success is
much more doubtful, ell attempts. so ar,
have proved In the production of any 2Ae-
Dornenon it is always question of the eIu!Fa-
I.rt transformation Of one kind of energy into
another and must inquire whether the nee
eSsary amount Of energy is at our disposal.
Now Trabert calculates that To bring 70 Satura-
ton cubic kil0rIctre tOne-quarJer cubic miieb
of air at ~ per cent relative humidity requires
no less than l.i,sI kilograTnetres Of work
GGNEt foot poundsl. This scarcely allows us TO
think Of ,h,. possibility Of artificial condensation
sub a thlc would appear 10 be possible emily
t. the conditions necessary 70 condensation
already existed. and if had only u put
lat NJ forces into action. Finally. To this vol
untary action on the weather belongs the
method used in the Austrian Alps since the
time of the Emperor Joseph II. of making Ru-
TnerOyls explosions 70 ward off a hailStOrUl- u
process that, as is we'll known, has been de
veIoped and SystematZed by NJ. SteSer, at
Wandisch- FeistritZ in Southern Syria with
great success.