The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1907-08-10

less than ten miles per hour 1t is
necessary to employ captive balloons.
To attain great heights small free rub
Der 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-halt to
three or four pounds and record varla-
tons in the temperature the pressure,
the humidity of the air, and the wind
velocity.
The balloons are filled with hydro
gen gas in order to secure the great
est lifting power This necessitates
the use of special apparatus for the
manufacture of hydrogen, At 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 aye 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 OK many
miles, where the prevailing tempera
| lures are at all times very low (some
times exceeding 100 degrees Tahren'
heit below zero), It is necessary to
test the accuracy Of the thermograps
at these low points For this purpose
the observatory is equipped with
plant for the manufacture of l'Quid air,
by means of which the instrument
may be tested to the lowest points
likely to be reached at great eleva.
tions.
In the near future these small rub
Der pilot balloons, carrying with them
to elevations of 10000 to $4,000 feet
the light self-recording instruments
referred to, will be liberated simulta.
neous at 90 to 80 weather bureau sta
lions surrounding typical storm cen.
tiers. Observations obtained in this
manner at various elevations when
| compared with the records made at
the same time at the surface Of the
earth will doubtless throw much new
light upon the mechanism Of storms,
cold waves, etc, and give to meteorolo-
gists a better understanding of the
general circulation of the atmosphere.
SO important TO the study of the sun
! is a continuous record Cf the magnetic
variations that one of the first steps
in the establishment of the observa.
/ tory was the installation of a magnetic
pIaut consisting of the best modern
instruments for the direct observation
and for the continuous registration OF
the variations in the magnetism of the
earth. The standard observatory in
struments, both for continuous regis
tration and direct measurement, are of
the type devised by Wild for the model
magnetic observatory at Pavlovsk,
Russia. These are supplemented by a
set Of Eschenhagen magnetogrnphs,
the extreme sensitiveness of which
peculiarly fits them for recording
minute fluctuations of the earth's mag
netic force.
The principal application Of the re-
suits OF the observations will be to
! supplement the direct observations Of
the sun, and thus to carry on the rec
ord Of the solar activity continuously
day and night in all conditions Of
| weather. Researches will also be car
red on to determine the existence and
| measure the extent of probable direct
| relations between meteorological dis
| tmbanCes and magnetic variations.
The magnetic records will also be spe-
! cially studied in conjunction with the
results of observations Of the radioac-
tiyity and the electrical condition of
the air.
The physical laboratory Is not yet
| completed. and consequently it has not
been possible to undertake inyestiga
lions here in experimental physics
/ However, through the Kindness of the
authorities Of the University Of Vir
ginia a good deal Of spectrOscopic work
has been done at that institution
Some Of the results have been pub.
ished in the 8strOphysical Journal
and there are many data yet on hand
to be worked up at the earliest oppor
tunity An investigation, by the aid Of
! a large telescope, OF the causes and
| meteorological relations OF the scintil.
lation Of stars IS in progress at the
University Of Virginia along lines sug
gested BY one Of the Mount Weather
officials special photometer has
been devised for the purpose Of meas.
uring the relative densities of clouds
particularly when the entire sky ts
covered. As soon as the laboratory is
completed and equipped inyestgaugna
will be begun on atmospheric electric
ity, IT'S origin distribution and laws
the causes and nature Of precipitation
heat and light absorption. and other
physical phenomena Of importance tc
the metenrologist.
WILLIS + MOORE
Cliet Weather Bureau Department