Evening star., 1911-06-10

are used by the weather bureau In its
meteorological In
Many instruments vestisations. One
Used by Bureau. ssass 2, sns'e r. Is earr,.,. ss,n,
of a receiver and q little bucket with two
compartments In II. mounted on trunnions
in such q way that one OF these compart-
ments is always under the receiver. When
compartment becomes fun IL tips over
and empties It's contents into q tank.
and In the act OF tipping brings the other
compartment into position TO bs filled.
When the bucket tips IL forms . closed
electric circuit with q recording pen at.
tached. and the number OF bucketfuls dis
charged is thus automatically written
down.
Another instrument used by the bureau
IS the sunshine recorder. This consists OF
end These bulbs are filled with dry air.
the chambers being separated by q small
quantity OF mercury and alcohol Plati-
mum wires are inserted I'm the middle sec
ton OF the tube. The lower bulb 10
blackened with lamp black and Is always
turned toward the south. II Is so mount
ed that whenever the sun shines II will
start the recording pen TO writing. and as
soon as the sun ceases to shine the pen
ceases to write. A chart Is placed upon q
revolving roller operated by clockwork.
BY this means the weather bureau is se-
curing a written description OF the
amount OF sunshine and shadow.
The barometers used by the weather
bureau also make continuous written rec
ord OF the atmospheric pressure through
out the entire year. The bureau likewise
measuring and recording the velocity
and direction of the wind. II has self
registering thermometers. which are sent
up into the air. with other instruments,
in free balloons or captive kites. With
these IL has been able TO learn some new
and surprising things about the weather.
Some of the kites frequently attain an
altitude OF nearly three miles, although
the average is about two miles.
The Investigations made with the lites
and balloons have discovered conditions
which have upset
Many Old Theories many accepted
Have Been Upset. to ~ he h.,,s~sS - rssS
that the atmosphere grew cooler with
altitude. but this rule has many excep-
tions. great layer of warm air being
frequently found floating upon a layer
of cold air. 1t also has been found that
the wind may be blowing from the east At
the ground. from the southeast Q half
mile above the ground and from the south
a mile up. Cloud movements indicate
that the wind direction changes to the
right with increasing attitudes. but kite
and balloon observations show that Il
frequently turns to the left.
Changes in temperature occur slmul-
taneousy at the surface of the earth and
one and two miles above, thus contradict
ing the formerly accepted theory that
high temperatures started from the high
er portions Of the atmosphere and grad
ually work down to the surface Of the
earth. All this information is OF much
service TO the weather. bureau i'm making
its forecasts. Sometimes a storm passes
eastward without being followed by ex-
pected clear weather, because a second
storm was developing OF the middle or
south Atlantic coast.
This new development is not indicated
by surface observation. but the Mount
Weather flight show the approach OF the
storm in the higher regions of the atmos-
phere before II arrives I'm the lower re-
gions. 1t seems that the majority Of
storm conditions may be forecast by the
self-registering instruments in the weather
bureau kites and balloons at least
twenty-four hours before there are any
appreciable indications Of these conditions
of the earth.