The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-08-31
THE MYSTERY OF VOLCANOES
THEIR STRANGE ERUPTioNs MAY
BE DUE TO RADlUM.

30 known About DISQUALIFICATION
He Accounts For the Lava.
New applications of new physical
conceptions are always interesting
when there is any ground for them"
says the Electrical Review. Every
new discovery in science is followed
by multitudes of letters or articles
appearing in the newspapers or Jour-
nails, applying the new ideas to ex'
plain many physical manifestations
which, to the writer's, seen to leeft
new treatment. By far he greatST
number of these discussions are OF
little or no value. The authors seem
to know little about the subject they
are discussing, and it is the novelty
of the idea, rather than its scientific
value, which appeals to their magma
ton.
4tOn the other hand, every new dis
covery in science necessarily suggests
explanations of phenomena hitherto
unexplained, or offers an idea of the
action which seems to be nearer the
truth than the one previously held.
The discovery of radioactivity natur
ally was followed by many attempts
to utilize the new conceptions in ex-
planning long-known facts. Many OF
these ideas have been of much value,
and the more we learn about radium
and it's allied elements, the wider does
their possible field of action seem to
become. A flood of light Is let in ons
ground hitherto obscure, SO that the
scientific view takes on a different
aspect, and phenomena which before
seemed entirely ASSOCIATED now seem
to be closely related.
Zone of the latest interesting uses
of the idea of radioactivity 10 due to
Major G. E. Dutton of the United
States army, who thinks that it offers
the ong-soIght-for explanation for
volcanic action. While discussion
of volcanic action may seem to be
little out icf the province of the cleo
trician, when the volcanist adapts to
his purposes phenomena closely al
lied with electrical reaction, the form
er has some excuse for showing an
interest in the discussion. Since,
therefore, Major Dutton turns to radio
activity to expain a phenomenon
which he has studied for many, many,
years, the electrical man is justified
in indicating his interest.
'In brief Major buttons argument
is this: The body of molten lava
which is thrown out OF volcano Is
fnsignificantly small compared with
the bulk of the earth, and for various
reasons which ne has set forth at
length during the past twenty years,
this lava, he believes, is contained IA
shallow reservoir. II these facts
are admitted, it seems uncomfortable
to Major button that this molten rock
can have existed for the aeons during
which the earth has been cooling
from a molten condition, for ages ago
such small masses would have be-
come solid. Some explanation must
therefore be found to account for the
molten mass. He suggests that radio
activity Is this agent, for radium Is
known to be present in the crust OF
the earth. 1t is known to develop
heat, which, If mot conducted away
as rapidly as it is set free, VIII &C.
cumulate. If this accumulation goes
on for a sufficiently long time and at
a sufficiently high rate. the rocks
where this action is taking place will
eventually melt, and water. vhich IS
always present, will be transformed
into steam. and the lava extravasated.
After relief has been found in this
way the accumulation of heat VIII be-
gin again, and the eruption repeated
at a later period. From the small
amount cf data which have been &C
cumulted, it Is believed that the
amount of radiIm contained in the
earth's crust is sufficient to develop
the heat required by this explana-
ton
This is a neat application of the
theory of radioactivity. 1t seems to
fit the case very prettily. The next
step necessary will be to investigate
the radioactive phenomena cd vol
canoes for a confirmation of this the
DRY would be of worldwide interest.
Who knows but that before many
years have passed we will be able TO
draw up schedule of the volcanic
eruptions to be witnessed for long
time to come, and thus take time by
the forelock, avoiding the destruction
of property in the surrounding cous-
try, or even running excursions ~
view the magnificent phenomenon,
All that will be necessary will he
for us to know the amount of radium
present and the physical character
istics of the VOLCANOES interior"
WHILE THE SULTAN PRAYs.