The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1915-05-13

from its surface the result would Ee
appalling. The product of the solar
constant by the square Of the ratio
between it's radius and it's distance
from the earth reveals the radiation
at it's surface to be fourty six thous-
and times as great as that received
by unit of space at the earth. this
expressed in calories would be
l 400. 900 per square meter per min
ute, or in terms of energy is the
tremendous total Of 100000 horse
power per squire meter per minute.
since it requires 80. .O2 calories of heat
to fuse one kilogram of ice it follows
if this entire radiation could be con-
centrated and directed upon a col
umn of ice two and half miles
square and extending from the earth
to the sun it would be melted in
one second. vaporized in seven.
The question at once arises: when
ce the source, the fountain head of
all this radiant energy? Our know
ledge of chemical science permits US
to state that massive as the sun is,
| if it's elements had consisted of the
very best materials known for Civ
ing out heat and most resistive to
its action it could not have supplied
us more than five thousand years at
at its present radiation, had the source
been one of combustion alone;
nor would the most energetic
chemicals known to US combine in
proportion for giving out the great
est amount of heat by chemical COM
bination. supply the suns waste for
every five thousand years. But
Geology distinctly declares that at
least the present rate of radiation,
and, perhaps higher has been main
tanned for at least hundred million
years. Where the source? First
proof has been adduced to show
that continuous shrinking of the
suns disc, three hundred feet a year
would liberate sufficient heat to keep
up it's present temperature, without
any loss of heat due to radiation,
and the 300 feet of shrinkage in the
$685. miles of diameter would be
50 infnitesimally small that II 6
years would be required to reduce
it one mile. and eight thousand years
to reduce it one second of arc; the
smallest possible measure that we
can, with accuracy ascertain.
The End, is seen in the solar bonn
bardment. But whence source of
this material for bonn mbardment? In
the breakup of the nebula, millions
of asteroids of lesser magnitude and
tremendous particles were by
centrifugal force thrown out into
space where in in their revolutions
they are brought within the influence
of the suns gravity to which they
are hurled with tremendous velocity.
Some Idea of the impact with
which freely falling body strikes
may be gained when we consider
their kenetic energy equal to 3Mvs
A 100 pound body falling with a
velocity of 1000 feet per second
would develop the tremendous total
50,000,OO0 foot-pounds under the
earth's gravity;but when we attempt
o consider the terrific impact that a
body falling under the influence of
the suns gravity, which is 27. 6
as great as that of the earth, it re-
quires a stretch of imagination.
Instead of our 9g of l6 .OS it,. the
distance freely falling body moves
he first second, under solar gravity
it would move 443 8 feet in that
time. A ten pound mass would
weigh 276 pounds at the sun.
The terrific drawing power of the
sun may be seen by comparing the
earth's attraction for bodies at it's
surface, with the suns attraction
for the earth as measured by our
orbital motion. In each second of
time the earth is DETECTED Oils of
inch in 18a miles from tangent to
Nb:o I