The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-01-14
Proposed Cooperation Between United
States and Germany In Study of
Atmosphere About Tropics.


of the unsolved problems OF meteorol-
ogy Is concerned with the permanent
circulation OF the atmosphere, especial
ly In the higher reaches in attitudes
greater than $4,000 feet. The surface
currents. including the steady trade
thoroughly studied but just what
takes place in the upper air has still
been rather guessed at than discovered
In the tropics on either side of the
equator there are supposed to be great
anti-trade currents flowing above the
trade winds and In an opposite direc-
ton, while in the north temperate zone
peculiar conditions of temperature and
directions Of air currents have been dis
covered that have led many scientists
to conjecture that great masses OF warm
air rise about the equator and roll off
In constantly descending and cooling
streams toward the two poles.
IN support CT such hypothesis the
scientists bring forward the well estab-
lished fact that the air does not grow
steadily colder at the rate of one degree
Fahrenheit for every 1873 feet OF vertical
ascent. as we were taught in our phys
ical biographies at school but that
there are warm strata even up in the
region of. eternal cold. This phenome-
non has been noted frequently In the
kite-iiying experiments at the Blue Hill
observatory. the meteorological station
or Harvard university, situated n mile
south of Boston. In the opinion OF most
authorities. however. the problem Of
such seeming irregularities can be set
tied only In manner proposed by Mr..
A. Lawrence Roth. the director at Blue
Hill, who was able. moreover, at the
recent meeting in Washington OF the
American Association for the Advance
rncnt Of Science to present q definite
proposition from the German govern
ncnt for international cooperation in
mStPOrtC in hn mid
del Atlantic about the equator
The Germans. Mr.. Roth then an
nounced, have agreed to furnish ship
equipped for three months cruise in
The tropics on condition that American
scientific men provide the necessary ap-
paratus and pay certain Of the inciden-
tai expenses. The total cost to the
people on this side OF the water would
notexceed $4,000, and although Mr..
Rotch Admitted frankly that no one
can foretell with assurance that the re-
suits OF the expedition would be of
commercial, or even scientific value
since 1t Is q case OF venturing into an
entierly unexplored field-heis person
ally confident that great benefit will
come to the weather service of the
whole world If it can be discovered ac-
curately just what goes on above the
tropical trade winds
1t Is theory OF Mr.. Rotch's that be-
tween the trade winds and the anti
trada inteTvenes an interval Of compar-
atvely still air. This is by no means
absolutely certain. but it Is accordance
with conditions discovered in the kite
nying experiments at Blue Hill observ-
atory; and. IL found. 1t Will justify Dir.
Rotchs contention that the most feasi-
mospheric levels about the tropics Is
through use Of kites flown from q NOV
abel base.
1t is indeed upon the kite that the
American scientists will chiefly rely IL
the proposed expedition takes place;
though the rubber balloon employed for
similar research by Dr. Assman Of Ber-
lin VIII also undoubtedly be used. ,f'he
limitations OF the balloon, however, are
20 manifest that 1t will scarcely sup
plant the "Hargrave" and 'T.ansom"
high fliers. 1t can be sent 10 great
heights but 1t cannot be maintained
there for purposes Of continuous OBJ
servation. Furthermore. theh unit for
the meteorological instruments which
are released from 1t by parachutes-
is an annoying feature Of the sport on
land. and will be likely to constitute a
very serious objection by sea- AS for
the paper balloons which the French
meteorologtsts still use. their case is
even worse; they do not burst, like the
German balloon. on attaining a certain
altitude. but drop slowly, drifting
sometimes 100 miles before they reach
earth.
Over both these methods, therefore.
tnc Kite has decided advantages. Kites
nave been sent to th> height of three
miles at the Blue Hill observatory, and
oy working from a movable. base Mr..
Rotch Is confident that he can go
higher yet, for. the most serious draw
back In flights fro1f, the land is that
above the surface winds one ordinarily
encounters deep strata Of stagnant air
through which the kite Will not rise.
BY utilizing the onward pull Of a NOV
ing vessel 1t has been shown that the
Kite can be drawn through this quies-
cent layer into the next windy tract.
a further advantage Is that IL the d.
rectlon or this upper current proves to
ne opposite to that OF die surface wind
the snip can make e. turn to sccommo-
GATE itself 70 the" hapsed conditions.
for the kite the vessel can be steered
slowly In the direction of the air cur
locity.
This use Of kites on shipboard is not
q matter OF mere theory, however. It
has already been pretty Thoroughly
tested on the sea route from Boston to
Liverpool. on one OF the Dominion Line
steamships. The methods adopted and
the results secured have been described
IN paper py Mr, Rotch published IN
the recently issued report of the Smith
sonian institution. The facts are GER
tainiy, interesting enough to bear sum-
marking.
Mr.. Rotch and his assistant, Mr..
Sweetland, installed huge kite reel
on the stern OF the steamer Common
wealth on August %. 1901. and made the
nrst recorded exploration Of the mid
Atlantic atmosphere. On the five of the
eight days occupied by the voyage they
were able to raise the kites. though the
oreezes were 80 light that the ships
speed OF 16 knots an hour had to be
utilized to cretae an east wind sufficient
70 INT the kites to the height Of 1000
feet. With larger kites and stronger