The Dickinson press., 1905-09-23
OCEAN OF THE ATMOSPHERE

OCEAN OF THE ATMOSPHERE
Itsa a:Yariations and Tides AZ It Ro-
tates with the Earth.
$ We are dwellers at the bottom of u
sort OF sen. This sea bottom, which is
the surface Of the earth, may vary as
to attitude, being diversified with
plains, valleys plateaus and noun
tains, but in this only slightly varying
range Of q few miles Is all human life
restricted, while the wonderful and
mighty atmospheric ocean rolls over
all As our globe is swung in space
in its relationship to the sun it Is i'm
possible that an equal diffusion Of solar
heat should strike and penetrate this
atmospheric envelope, as the equato-
rial zone gets the vertical rays, the
temperate zone receives rays that are
more slanting and consequently less
heat, while the frigid zones, made such
by reason Of the polar points or re-
gions most remote from the direct rays
of tte sun, receive the minimum of
light and heat.
Now, what Is the consequence? Ger
tain areas or belts are intensely heat
ed and expanded. Other belts are
only partially heated, and still other
regions are almost bereft of heat, and
this very mobile ocean by a law Of
nature seeks to equalize itself and
system of currents interchanging and
intercommingling is set in motion that
are In action seemingly ever and for
ever. But in the meantime peculiar
factor is operative and exerts a singu-
larly modifying influence on this pro-
cedure.
This is the earth's diurnai motion, it's
daily turning on its axis, whereby this
very limpid ocean is also turned and is
alternately heated and cooled as it Is
presented to the sunward side or the
side away from the sun. This action
relieves the currents Of the greater
part Of their labor, and were 1t pos
sible for the earth to turn with pole
to the sun and the one side constantly
to the solar heat while the other side
was constantly away from it we can
not conceive Of the lncessant hurri-
canes that would then prevail as the
flercely heated side and Its frigid an
tipode exchanged atmospheric compll-
mentS.
We are not to suppose that this at
mospheric sea is heated even over the
equator from the bottom to the top,
which is theoretically about forty-five
miles, and here is another popularity.
At q height of only from four to six
miles It is necessarily cold, and higher
up the air has more than polar tenn
perature. But we get no correct i'm
preston OF the upper air phenomena
while we are down at the bottom OF
this sea. There are thousands Of i'm.
pediments that temporarily retard and
stop the currents and that must con.
sequently go in fits and spurts regard
less Of the more even and regular dow
above II we could be at the bottom
among the rocks and holes of deep,
swift flowing river we should get no
correct idea from the surrounding
swirls of the smooth and uniform flow
on its surface. Into the ocean Of our
Eatmosphere rise vapors and form
clouds which under certain conditions
intercept and retard the electric cur
rents, which then accumulate and again
seek equilibrium In explosive action,
causing the phenomenon known al
lightning and followed by peals Of
thunder. But we are far from being
fully conversant with the varied phe-
nomena on and near the surface Of
this atmospheric sea. We do not un-
derstand the situation where the IL
limitable ether stops to give way to a
commencing but as yet exceedingly
rare atmosphere, If, indeed, the at.
mosphere is not the ether condensed as
1t impinges on the globe.
Whatever the solar emanahons that
come to us, whatever they are as they
leave the solar surface, it Is evident
that they undergo transposition or cor
relation as they enter and pierce the
ethereal space, and another transfer
nation takes place when they pene-
trate our atmosphere and develop into
what we call heat and light as they
impinge on the earth.