The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1911-06-22
HOW TO FORECAST WEATHER
Not Impossible Now to Divine Some
lime Ahead. Science Daily
Growing More Accurate

lime Aileau. - Science Daily
Growing More Accurate.
( The weather bureau at Washing
ton and nearly all the other met
eorological institutions of the world,
are now engaged in taking obserya-
lions of the temperature OF the sun
/ with view to determine what
changes take place in the radiation
I OF heat from that luminary. Many
years ago Prof. Samuel Z. Langley
! Oh the Smithsonian institution, haV-
! ing observed that the appearance of
spots on the sun nearly always coin
/ clded with weather disturbances
came to the conclusion that perhaps
the law of the weather might bebas-
ed upon changes in the amount of
neat given off by the sun from day
/ 10 day. With this opinion as a work
| ing basis astronomers and meteorlo-
OSlsts all over the world have be-
come interested in the matter and
have resorted to all sorts of plans TO
wrest this secret from the sun.
1t is believed that the changes in
radiation follow certain movements
OF the sun, and that they recur at
certain well defined periods, Just as
! Ihe seasons Change on earth. How
lohg the periods are is not known,
hellher mas anyone yet discovered
what brings them about. There
seems TO have been some foregleams
OF this new idea of weather predic-
tion in the long range forecasts of
tne past. Although modern meteor
ology has decried the art of the
SIllI DelleVe in the verify of the
long lorecasters, millions of people
weather predictions of their old
tashloned almances.
The meteorological institutions or
the world have entered into a sort
OF agreement to record upon every
favorable day the radiation of the
sun and the related polarization of
SKY life. These observations are
eNchahged by the different institu-
tons and when they have been TAX
en- for long term of years and are
compared with the weather records
Oh tnoSe years it is hoped that
weather forecasting at long range
Will become scientific reality.
ne effect OF such a discovery up-
on the civilization of the world
MOuid perhaps be greater than any
other discovery made in the entire
history of the human race. Blessed
with the ability accurately TO fore
cast the weather, no farmer would
need to feel the pinch of destructive
urouth. With an unusually dry
season ahead of him he would need
only TO plant such as required little
moisture, and dry farming would
become national institution. On
the other hand, if a very wet sea-
son were in prospect he would
choose only such crops as needed
lhuch moisture for their most sue
cessful growth. The effect of such
discovery would be no less i'm
portant to men in other avenues of
iiie than to the farmer The in
a:lEiuual e:r, could plan his vacation, his
ilshlhg trip, and all other affairs
dependent upon the weather far in
advance, assured that there would
De no disappointment thereafter.
Inc instrument used by the
weather bureau for the ascertain
!heht or the changes in radiation
: Is known as the pyreheliometer.
coupled with an electrical resist
ahce thermometer il is so sensi-
1--WE to hear that it can register a
dlf1erence in the temperature mil
lions OF times more minute than
may be recognized by the average
person. The pyrheliometer is made
OF Two blackened discs fitted on a
reed pully fashion, and immersed
IN water. The suns rays are con-
cehtrated on these discs, and the
amount OF radiation is determined
py Che varying temperature Of the
water at the different exposures.
The pyrheliometer differs radical
ly from the instrument used by the
Astrophysical observatory in the in
Vestlgation it is making to the
same end. This instrument is
known as the bolometer. 1t was in
vented by Professor Langley and i'm
proved by Professor Abbott. who is
now III charge of the Astrophysical
observatory. AS improved, this in
Strument is capable of recognizing a
ul1terence of temperature up to fne
undFedth-millionth part of a de-
gree. One of it's essentials is the
Unread of spiders web, a hun
dred times mmore delicate than any
Unread ever spun by human hand.
Inc gazure of a flys wing in an
other item called for in the con-
struction, to which is pasted a mir
ror as small as a pinhead. but is
perfectly ground as $4,000 re-
hector. The ray whose heat is to
be measured is thrown into the
Tiny reflector and from that upon
thread of spun glass. The gen
eral principle If the bolometer is
the same as that of the little solar
motors one sees in many jewelers.
windows. Pyrheliometers also are
used by Professor Abbott in his in
vestigation of the constancy Of solar
radiation.
These Investigations are only \
small part of the weather studies
being made by the weather bureau
at Washington. Some years ago an
observatory was erected on the tor
or the Blue Ridge mountains, In
virginia, and here all sorts of in.
vestigation into the why's and whens
OF the weather are being made and
au kinds of ingenious and delicate
Instruments have been devised fol