Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-08-13


 A knowledge of the coming weather enters so intimately into every con templated human action that the ques- ton is often asked: What are the prospects for further improvement in the accuracy of weather forecasts, and can the seasons ever be foretold? The answer is that, while the government has a corps of forecasters who are now applying all of the knowledge of the atmosphere that has been re- vealed, little hope for material i'm provement in their work can be held out until substantial addition is made to the pure science of the prob lem. This can only come through ex- pertinent, study and research. With geo stations engaged in applying the science, 1t is wise economy to de- vote at least one of them to the work of adding to the knowledge that is now costing us nearly million and a half of dallars annually to apply. Ac- cordingly, those in charge have en- deavored to lay out plan of study and research leading to an increase in our knowledge of the laws governing the atmosphere such as should event ually enable our successors, if not our selves. to add to the accuracy of weather forecasts and to make them for a longer period in advance.
 Tn order that this country may do its share toward the advancement of meteorology along the lines that specially relate to conditions in Amer ica, it is imperative that the weather bureau should establish an observa- tory for its own special research work A piece of land has therefore been se- cured and work has been inaugurated at an establishment that is intended to respond to the present and prospec- tive needs of meteorology. This es- tablishment is called the Mount Weather Research observatory. and is organized on a broad and elastic basis.
 In order to prosecute the researches contemplated at Mount Weather, a plant has been established there espe- cially adapted to the investigation of the physical condition of the atmos- phere at great elevations above the surface of the earth. Hitherto our knowledge of the conditions of tenn perature. pressure. humidity and wind velocity and direction has been based upon observations made at or near the surface of the earth or upon mountain peaks. Current conceptions of the laws of storms and of the gen. eral circulation of the atmosphere are based upon such observations almost entirely. Records obtained in recent years by means of balloons have dem- onstrated the existence of hitherto un- suspected variations and contrasts in temperature at very great elevations, and have shown that observations on mountain tops and at equal elevations in the free air vary widely.
 The necessity for a better knowl- edge of temperature conditions at. great elevations has directed the minds of many meteonologists to the study of the best methods for lifting self-recording instruments high above the earth's surface. The result has been the invention in recent years of ingenious forms of kites and of spe- cially designed balloons for this pur. pose. The kite has again become an instrument for scientific research, and now enables us to bring down records of atmospheric conditions at eleva- tons of two and three miles. and even of four miles. as was recently dem onstrated at the German aeronautical observatory near Lindenberg. By means of small rubber balloons. mar veiously light self-recording instru- ments have been carried up to the re- markable heights of ten to IS miles, bringing back records of low tempera- lures and high velocities which have been a revelation to meteorologists- records which are compelling a recon. struction of existing ideas concerning the dynamics of the atmosphere.
 Pioneer work along these lines was begun some years ago by means of kites. both at weather bureau stations and. under the direction of Mir. A. L. Rotch. at the Blue Hill observatory, near Boston. By experiments begun at St Louis at the time of the worlds fair in the summer of 1904. Mr. Rotch also initiated the practice in this coun- try of sending up small rubber bal looms
 The observatory at Mount Weather is now well equipped with the neces- sary plant for carrying on this new and promising work of aerial re- search. and has for nearly a year been cooperating with European institu- lions and with the Blue HfIl obssrva- tory in sending up. on prearranged days. kifes or captive balloons These kites may be raised In winds varying from ten miles per hour to ss or 70 niles as the surface Win winds of