Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-07

and by Others the "perma-
nent-inversion stratum" The air is warmer
here than in the region of strong easterly
winds; but it is not exactly summary. The
temperature varies from ore hundred and
twenty to hundred and forty degrees below
freezing point. This air IS also excessively dry.
1t is so thin and tenuous that If we could as
cend to it we should find the sky always cloud
less and not suffused with light 1t would APP
pear fearfully black day and night, and the
stars would shine with cold brilliance and
not blink at us. The sun in this thin air
would in spite of the cold, burn our skin to u
blister with its relentless rays, as clouds or
dense layers of air would intervene to temper
1t. Wireless telegraphy would be useless in
such thin atmosphere; for no appreciable
sound waves could travel through it. The hui
man voice would not carry dozen feet away.
The thickness of this great upper layer is
unknown; for no sounding balloon has been
able to penetrate beyond it. The stratum be-
gins at about seven miles from the earth and
extends as far up man has been able to in
vestigate. 1t may be that it reaches out to
fifty miles, the limits set for the earth's at
mosphere, or it may be that there is fourth or
even fifth distinct layer. The study and in
vestigation of this region is now one Of the am
billions entertained by the meteorologist. The
question simply revolves round the problem of
making sounding balloons that can ascend to
still greater heights.
Working with Gas Balloons
WHEN hydrogen gas balloon goes up. the
gas expands as a thinner atmosphere is
reached, and at great heights the expansion
causes an explosion. By building balloons of
greater capacity and very light, exploration of
still greater attitudes may be accomplished
When the balloons are released with instru-
ments they carry small parachutes which open
when the gas bag explodes, and these drop
slowly toward the earth. When the balloon
reach an altitude within the second layer of air
they travel with great velocity making from
forty to eighty miles an hour. When they pass
beyond this altitude they gradually cease their
violent speed, and sometimes travel in the OBJ
posite direction at very slow speed or remain
stationary.
The science of weather prediction NAV thus
be said to be Just entering upon its second era
1t has taken all these years to secure Trustworthy
data concerning the nature of the air immcCli-
ately above. With such data it has been i'm
possible to do more than make surface predic-
tons. The true solution of the problem must
be made through closer knowledge of the rela-
tive effect of the various layers upon one an
other.
For instance the great planetary swirl of the
second layer OF air may have direct bearing
upon the disturbance of the lower stratum, or
the latter may simply react upon the former
and cause local Interruptions in the great
winds. As the three distinct layers of air
float one upon another much as oil floats upon
water, 1T may be that the function of each is
separate from the others and no reaction fol-
lows.
One other fact has been recorded in the last
year. The beginning of the third layer of air
changes somewhat at different times of the
year In the summer it begins at seven and
a half miles. and in winter at lower altitude
So after all the theory that our weather is mod
ned by the condition of the upper LAYERS of az
has foundation in fact