The Washington herald., 1922-04-02
CheHeuuzaSI
Scientific
Notes
SUNDAY. APRIL :. Isz:


DID THE EARTH GROW
ITS OWN ONYGENt
The recent surprising discovery
by Ora Charles Z. ST John and
Seth B. Nicholson at Mount Will
son Observatory Of the Carnegie
/ Institution Of washington that
oxygen Is absent in the spectrum
OF Venus has raised the question
Of the source of the present abun-
dant supply Of oxygen in the at
mosphere Of our own planet 4
1t is believed that all OF ths
planets were originally throwH
from the sun by some gigautIcl
eruption billions Of years ago. Thd
presence Of much unoxidized ma \
terisl in the igneous rocks Of the
earth's crust implies that the orig
insl earth mass was deficient I'd
oxygen. The ejectA OF volcan noe
also contain considerable quantiJ
ties Of unoxidized compounds and
free sulphur. The outer layers of
the solar atmosphere, moreover
are known to contain today only
small amounts OF free oxygen
These facts all give grounds for
the belief that the earth's atmos j
phere did not originally contalnI
the vast quantities Of oxygen thad
are present in IL today.
II has been suggested by nd
Mount Wilson investigators tina !
the present abundant supply "a
oxygen in our atmosphere NAV bel
a product OF vegetstive growth inI
past geological ages. A layer "A
coal about two feet deep over the
entire surface Of the earth, IL ha u
been estimated. would equal the
amount Of carboniferous residue
that would be formed in the pro-
duction through plant growth ID
the present quantity OF oxygen in
the atmosphere. IL is not beyond
reason to believe that the equiva :
lent OF this estimated amount of
organic residue may actually cNisrI
in the sedimentsry rocks OF nd
esrth's surface.
II this theory Is correct none ofI
the planets contained any appre
ciable Quantities OF oxygen I'd
their atmospheres at the tims Of
| their election from the ceuIrs
1 solar mass. The ability OF 2 plauetI
TO acquire its own supply OF uNy-|
gen would depend upon tho cir
| cumstances OF its evolution and
| it's physical properties. Bodies ID
! the moon, would not be able "a
! hold any atmosphere permanently /
( owing TO their small Ersvitaii"nal
attraction which would permit Jh-
molecules Of their atmospheric
| gases to escape gradually.
The absence OF oxygen from the
atmosphere Of Venus might De- en-
! indirect result Of a hong rotation
period II is generally believed
now that the period OF rotation "r
Venus on its axis equals its period
OF revolution around the sun. 81"
that il always keeps the same
2 face turned toward the sun. ~ -
IL is very improbable that any
veEetstional growth could eAist uu
this planet and its evolution WDul .
| differ radically from that or our
! own planet
/ The method employed at I'D
Mount Wilson Observatory
| analyzing the atmosphere OF NcnUy
I is to be applied soon TO the plansty
Mars and Jupiter. As Mars close !
resembles the earth in the natuI 4
OF its seasons and the length OF il I
day its past evolution may haN
| resembled that Of the earth NOR
! closely than that OF any 9th,
planet. II so. Mars may lik' ~ il
have produced a supply OF oNyEe
! through the growth Of VeEetatiu
{ in past ages amply suft1cient
: support varied forms OF life tina
are dependent upon oxygen ~
/ their sustenance.-By Isabel n
Lewis, L. 5. Naval Observatory