The Washington herald., 1912-03-21
EARTH's AERIAL ENVELOPE.
New Facts Ascertained by som'
scIf-recording Instruments.

New Facts Ascertained by Some
self-recordinE Instruments.
From the Chicago Examiner.
Modern scientific researches in the ocean
of air surrounding the earth have been
greatly aided by means OF self-record-
ing instruments. These are ingenious,
indeed, and have required a high order
of inyentire skill.
The problem OF discovering the nature
OF the upper atmosphere is that Of find
ing some way Of sending instruments
into regions where man cannot go and
live.
But there would be no use in sending
an instrument anywhere unless 1t could
make record OF its strange surround
ings. Thus Thermometers can be placed
in heat where no life could exist and
record the degrees OF temptature. And
barometers likewise can be put into air
so rare that 1t would not enter the lungs
and enable one 10 breathe. And thermom-
eter combined with barometers have
been sent up to regions so cold and with
air so rare that organic life could not
exist therein.
The atmospheric envelope is far more
elaborate and complex than any thought
possible before late studies Of upper
regions. Thus beside the components Of
chemically pure air, oxygen and nitrogen,
there exist argon, xenon, krypton and
neon, newly discovered gases. These are
in such minute quantities that they es-
capped all chemists before the last twenty
years.
Scientific men carried up instruments
in balloons as early as in 1854. but these
were crude in comparison with modern.
And they had no apparatus for meas
uring electricity and magnetism: indeed.
they did not then know that these pow
erful and also weak agents could be
measured. Since these remote scientific
times thousands of ascents have been
human endurance was reached greatef
heights meant death from cold and want
OF air.
But. all undalnted, knowledge has been
gained OF the state OF the air far above
the possible reach Of man himself. Sup
pose all the air possible be pumped
from a hollow globe of metal say. down
to the one-millionth. Attach this to a
small balloon and allow II TO ascend to
great heights as far as IL can. An auto
matte device opens and closes the empty
globe. But when open the air and all
II contains rushes In and thus a sample
at these attitudes is secured and brought
down to laboratories.
Hygrometers, water-vapor measures.
have often been sent up, and these were
self-recording. and water vapor has been
detected at enormous heights.
Electrical apparatus. automatic record
ing. have been sent TO elevated regions
and free electricity has been ''sensed"
and measured. Likewise magnetic in
struments. and mysterious magnetism has
been discovered up there.
Photometers. light-measures, have been
many times sent up to measure the rate
N absorption Of light from the sun
also. moon. Light reflected from clouds.
ice particles and frost is at times changed
TO the polarized state.
Captive balloons were used in 1890. An
chored to the earth. they carried thin
wires through which currents OF cleo
tricity were sent up to surround soft
iron cores which at once became magnets,
opening and closing photo cameras, thus
securing for the first time pictures Of
clouds banks of ice spicules and frost
particles.
Spectroscopes have been taken up and
spectra secured OF the sun and Of sun
light reflected from clouds to determine
the radiant energy OF the sun.
Anemometers have searched out intricate
complex rates, directions and all changes
in winds and air currents in upper re-
gions. The ancient says ''as leeting
as the wind" Is true. High flying kites
bearing sensitive apparatus are used in
some stations.
BaIloon-sondes. small free balloons and
pilot balloons ascend far higher than
II is possible for captives or kites. These
are free. The reader may wonder how
We can obtain scientific data by means
of free flyers.
Two balloons are Joined, one large and
OF weak material. the other small and
strong. The instruments are fastened TO
this. At great height the air becomes to
rare that the hydrogen, expanding, bursts
the weak walls and allows the strong
to fall. Free flyers have been sent up
from decks OF ships at sea, and the
falling balloons are provided with floats
and are picked up from the waves.
instruments made OF invar have been
launched into the cerulean blue. invar
being the new invariable metal, not
changing with temperature. One page of
the Examiner would be required to hold
the tables OF results and discoveries.
Meteorology is a greater science than
We think. They are striving to fathom
the majestic laws OF selective absorption
eXerted by the air on radiant energy
received from the sun. Without this Sc
lection all life would soon vanish from
earth.