Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-28
Kites Already Reach Four Miles.

Kites Already Reach -Four miles.
A third class Of aerial craft acquired for
the upper air research Is the great box
kite perfected by the weather bureau
These engagements of the box kites
now flown by many a small boy. They are
made to fold up when not In use and swing
ing from the upper, horizontal. central rib
of the framework is a case containing the
self-recordng instruments, such as are
packed In the more generous space OF the
baIlon basket. In test flights with such
kites at the German aeronautIcal obServa-
tory at Lindenburg elevations as great as
four miles have already been reached The
kites at Mount Weather can be raised in
winds varying from ten to forty miles per
hour at the surface of the earth. In winds
less than ten miles per hour balloons must
be used.
The surprising records of low tenpera-
lures and high wind velocity brought back
by pilot balloons that have already mounted
to ten and fifteen miles have been a rtvcla-
ton to meteOrolOgiSts. These records
cording to Prof. Moore. are compelling
reconstruction of existing ideas concerning
the dynamCs OF the atmosphere" The OBJ
scrvatory at Mount Weather has been for
the past year silently cooperating with Eu-
ropean observatories in sending up both
kites and captive balloons on prearranged
days.
The automatic weather observers sent up
WIN THESE dtTldl craft vary IN lOtaI weight
from one and half to three or four pounds.
Each is made In one piece and automatically
writes upon revolving drum the exact
temperature. pressure and humidity of the
air besides the velocity OF the wind during
each minute the instrument is in the air.
The score OF these four elements of weather
is written by four pens side by side. mark
ing upon a sheet of paper travelling upon
revolving cylinder.
A Hundred Below Freezing.
Terrific cold more than 100 degrees be-
low freezing point, Fahrenheit, is sometimes
recorded by these Instruments when sent
to these great heights. Since these low tenn
peratures have been encountered II has been
necessary to test the accuracy of the ''ther-
mographs," or delicate thermometers, at
these points For this purpose the observa-
tory has been equipped with a liquid air
plant. which produces temperatures lower
than any which are likely to be reached by
the balloons
special hydrogen plant for supplying
these balloons is another new adjunct of
this new observatory on the Blue Ridge
mountains. strong electric current passed
through water breaks the liquid into It's
constituent elements of hydrogen and oxy-
gen. These gases are then collected and
stored in appropriate tanks for future use
as occasion may require. Commercial ny
drogen. the gas of greatest lifting power
cannot now be bought in this country, for
which reason aeronauts are filling their
balons at coal gas works.
Passing events in our surface winds cast
their shadows before in the great rushing,
eastward drift of the upper sky. BY tapping
the outer shell of perpetual hurricane our
weather prophets find veritable mine Of
data on which they can base more depend
able predictions of longer range. Hence all
Of this high-fying of kites and balloons.
JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS.