The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-04-29

| j sug anu absorbing more heat than
those less Dense. Now the stratum
| lof air next the surfaee, Of SEQ level.
Il sdenaeat Of oil, because il !. -all
the euperssesH,bsns air above press
| ling down on il, and, therefore, it will
be most heated. For q similar rea-
aon eacb SUCCESSIVE stratum ae We
ascend upward is less dense than Che
one helev ;;s., aud therefore less hsas-
ed. The upper atmosphere is, there-
fore, always relatively cold. But
therei is on additional reason Why the
lower strata OF air arc moro heated,
than the upper. Il is not the two
principal Ingredients of the atm6s-
| phere <its nitrogen and oxygen),
which most intercept the suns hsat,
/ butthe carbohic acid and yapor Of
water present init. These two sub
stances are moro abundant at low
levels than at f,reat attitudes. Evap-
oration from oceans, lakes, rivers,
the ground itself and from the leaves
OF plants. is continually contributing
lsvapor Of water TO the lower strata of
air. The decay Of vegetable matter,
the burning Of coal and wond, the
breathing Of animals are constantly
supplying the lower strata Of air with
Ilcarbonic acid; also with vapor Of wa
Ter. The same processes produce
like results on mountains, but the
quantities produced are relatively
very much less, because the surfaces Of
l5mountains are 80 limited compared
with the snrfaces Of lower levels.
Moreover, the winds which sweep
over the mountains quickly carry
away local accumulation Of carbonic
acid aud watery vapor. Especially
| in large cities and their vioinities are
these two Ingredients of the ,atmos-
phere increased. It is said that with
the growth Of New York city, fogs
have become moro abundant in its
harbor, supposed By metereologists 20
be. due to inoreaas Of watery vspor in
| its atmosphere, this increase being
oauaed by the vasS amount Of combus-
tion and Of breathing within the city
limits. 4 sss
This long introduction is necessary
TO explain che peouliarities Of smouE-
tain cl:.s=..ssss. As aavuntainp asusu6
into tho upper air they are enyeloped
by an atmosphere less heated by the
sun, as already explained, and this
ciroumambient air helps to cool them.
: OF course. the surfaces of mountains
receive heat from the sun as other
parts Of the earth do, but the currents
winds Of the cool upper air, which
are constantly passing over them,
quickly carry OF the heat thus re-
oeived. The winds which sweep the
mountain tops are not only cooler but
iswifter than those at lower levels,
because they encounter less obstruc-
tions and less frietien, aud have,
therefore, proportionately lyreater
cooling power.
4 Again, in the elevated valleys and
iplateaus, which ore surrounded T by
high mountains, the days are practi-
lSGally shorsar; that is, the time during
which the san shines directly upon.
them is reduced. The SUMS heat is.
often out of from such localities an
hour in the morning, and again an
hour in9the afternoon. The time for
receiving heat from the sun is thus
practically decreased, while The time
for losing il (by radiationy is inereas-
ed, arproximating somewhat winter
conditions, when the days are short
end the nights are dong; conditions
which always tend to produce sloWer
| Temperatures. :S5
As mountain tops have less air
above them than is present at lower,
levels, and the air above them is more
|,rariied end contains prop portionately
| less oarbonio acid and waterys vapor,
the SUMS heat reaches the surface
with less obstruction and Absorption,
Hence one feels the direct Aeat Of the
|ssnn, intenaely; in the mountains, more
80 than in tho plains belov. But FOR
the same reasons, 1, ths heat received
ab the surface ,of mountains radiatea
andsescapeE rapidly during che night;
II A. Z ylsaA.