The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-02-06
HAILSTONES.
The Way They Are Formed and How
ThaE Grow In Their Flight.

The Way They Are Formed and How
They Grow In Their Flight.
If one would know how hailstone IL
formed he must first dissect it. He
will find that it is composed Of q
quantity of tiny crystals arranged In
concentric rings or zones, and each
zone in turn will have its evidence to
give concerning the making of the hall
stone on its way to the earth.
An atom of dust is the nucleus of
each hailstone. These atoms of dust
pervade every part of the atmosphere
and are found not only in the lower
strata of the air, but the winds carry
them to the tops of the highest noun
tains. So that, no matter whether
samples Of air are obtained by balloon
lists or mountain climbers, minute par
ticles of dust are always to be found
In them. 1t is coming to be believed
that without these atoms of dust upon
which the moisture of the air can set
tie there would be no raindrops, no fog,
no snow, dew, clouds or hall. Without
these minute platforms, as they are
called, upon which the moisture con-
denses as it alights, rain would be
continually pouring down upon the
earth. These notes keep the atmos-
phere buoyed up till such times as cir
cumstances compel them to yield up
the supplies they have collected. II a
little vapor should happyl to condense
on particle of dust floating aimless-
Ixv of,- sc &b1
ming of what under favorable circum-
stances will become a full sized hail
stone.
The hailstone to attain great size
must plunge to the earth from a great
height The clouds which float at the
greatest distance from the earth are
those known as the cirrus and are often
many miles above the tops of the high
est mountains If the beginning of a
hailstorm can only dive to the earth
from this height it will In its headlong
flight pass through strata of air diff
fering very much as regards tempera-
ture and moisture, and these are cir
cumstancss most favorable to it's de-
velopment. But before it can begin it's
descent Ii must find some way of being
carried up to these heights. So the
journey is made by getting into the
way of one Of the strong ascensional
currents which spring upward from
almost every part of the earth's sur
face.
In such place 1t is not long before
the moisture on the atom of dust
| freezes. The form which the frozen
moisture takes depends upon circum-
stances, but there are many possibili-
ties before it. 1t may crystalline as a
tiny pellet of snow or may take the
shape of an ice crystal or simply the
form Of frozen raindrop. Any Of
those shapes will serve as an excellent
beginning for further change.
1t is easily understood that the force
Of gravitation has been constantly pull
ing this atom of dust and it's CONCEALED
moisture toward the ground. AS II
starts on it's journey back to the earth
1t will pass through strata of air which
differ greatly In moisture and temper
allure. Some of the air will be above
be below 1t, while it will be no uncom-
mon thing for the hailstone to dash
through cloud some thousands of feet
thick The hailstone itself, with its
heart of ice, is always below the freez.
ing point, SO that any moisture which
settles upon it is promptly frozen and
forms girdle of ice about the nucleus
When the hailstone passes through
the air that Is below the freezing point
the moisture settles upon 1t in the form
Of clear zone of Ice, while, on the
other hand, when the air is moistened
and its moisture is above the freezing
point the girdle of ice is opaQue-New
York Herald.