The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-08-17


necessary 70 employ captive balloons
10 attain great heights small free rub
her balloons Of two or three cubic
yards capacity, called pilot balloons
are employed. The instrument car
ried BY the kites and balloons vary
IN weight from one and one-half %
three or four pounds and record varia'
tions in the temperature, the pressure,
the humidity Of the air, and the vino
velocity
The balloons are filed with hydro
gen gas IN order to secure the great
est lifting power This neeessitates
the use Of special apparatus for the
manufacture Of hydrogen. Az the
Mount Weather Research observatory
strong electric current is passed
through water. breaking up the liquid
/ into its constituent elements Of hydro
gen and oxygen. These gases are then
collected and stored In appropriate
tanks for future use as occasion may
require.
As the small pilot balloons carry up
their instruments to heights Of many
miles. where the prevailing temperar
lures are at all times very low (some-
times exceeding 100 degrees Fahren-
heit below zero), It Is necessary 70
test the accuracy Of the thermograps
at these low points. For this purpose
the observatory is equipped with
plant for the manufacture Of liquid air
by means Of which the instrument
may be tested to the lowest points
likely to be reached at great eleva-
tons.
IN the near future these small rub
Der pilot balloons. carrying with them
to elevations OF 10000 10 $4,000 feet
the light selfrecordlng instruments
referred to. viii be liberated simulta-
neous at 20 to 80 weather bureau sta
tons surrounding typical storm cen
ters. Observations obtained In this
manner at various elevations when
compared with the records made at
the same time at the surface Of the
earth win doubtless throw much new
light upon the mechanism Of storms,
: cold waves, etc, and give to meteorolo-
gists a better understanding Of tho
general circulation OF the atmosphere.
! SO important 10 the study OF the sun
1 is continuous record OF the magnetic
: variations that one of the FIRST steps
n in the establishment Of the obserya'
I tory was the installation Of a magnetic
!. plant consisting Of the best modern
q Instruments for the direct observation
il and for the continuous registration Of
L the variations IN the magnetism Of the
4 earth. The standard observatory in
i. struments, both for continuous regis
n tratlon and direct measurement, are o
81 the type devised by Wild for the mode
\ magnetic observatory at PayloYsk
IS Russia. These are supplemented by
set OF Eschenhagen magnelographs
j., the extreme sensltveness OF whlcl
I. peculiarly fits them for recordlnl
! minute fluctuations Of the earth's mas
= netie force.
y The principal application Of the q
u suits Of the observations viii be I
i supplement the direct observations G
Of the sun, and thus to carry on the re'
j. ord OF the solar activity continuousl
,r. day and night in al conditions Z
n weather Researches viii also be ca
nd ried on TO determine the existence an
ss measure the extent Of probable dlreC
"a. relations between meteorological dll
on turbances and magnetic variation
n. The magnetic records win also be spl
al clally studied IN conjunction with n
~ results Of observations OF the radioa
n. tiylty and the electrical condition +,
n. the air
re- The physical laboratory IS not u
es completed. and consequently It has n,
ra- been possible to undertake lnvestlg
We tions here IN experimental physIc
- However through the kindness OF Il
3n authorities OF the University Of VI
ng ginla a good deal Of spectroscopic woI
has been done at that institutio
Some OF the results have been pu
= lished in the Astrophysical Journl
~ and there are many data yet on har
to be worked up at the earliest oppc
= tunity. An investigation. BY the aid
~ .s a large telescope, Of the causes al
A. meteorological relations Of the seint
'ah lation Of stars Is IN progress at Il
- University Of Virginia along lines su
81 gested by one Of the Mount Wealth
officials. A special photometer h
been devised for the purpose Of met
nel uring the relative densltles OF clou,
'es' particularly when the entire sky
e" covered. AS soon as the laboratory
Ie' completed and equipped investigatIo
4 ~ viii be begun on atmospheric electr
'eu' ity, It's origin. distribution, aud lav
re. the causes and nature Of preclpltatls
ssu heat and light absorption. and 9th
~ physical phenomena Of importance
ing the meteorological.
!, WILLIS T. MOORW
Chief Weather Bureau peDartmasl