The Washington times., 1922-05-14
- BsERvINa everywhere and

at all hours, as 1t were'
~ the marvellous effect pro-
duced upon the existence Of our
little world by . that vast life
motor, the sun, is It not natural
curiosity that prompts US to pene.
trate to the first source Of its
blessed rays. to ask Ourselves
II this sun. which Is SO good
TO us. so precious. so indispens-
sable. has always burned and will
continue burning forevsr the
same; and to attempt to estimate,
II possible, the colossal amount
Of energy which bursts from its
generous surface?
Let us note first one indispu-
table fact; that this hurting grain
OF sand on the surface OF which
we fulfill our destinics-the
Earth, to call 1t by its name-
q planetary islet plunged into the
infinitesimal part of the radiant
energy Of the sun. perhaps one
half of one billioneth OF that
energy. All the rest is lost to
US.
USE LITTLE ENERGY.
But the other planets OF our
system-the other earths of the
sky, sisters to our own-each
taking her share, make use OF no
more than about one hundred
millionth Of the solar energy.
Yes. as little as that, IN spite
of the huge surfaces of the great
exterior planets-Jupiter. eleven
times as large in diameter as the
earth, and only ten times less
large than the sun; Saturn, nine
times as great in diameter as our
globe; Uranus and Neptune, with
diameters approximately four times
the size of ours.
1t is not astonishing that this
trivial allowance which we levy
upon the total radiant heat of the
sun is sufficient to produce the in
numerably varied effects which we
observe upon the earth's surface,
from the depths OF the sea to the
highest attitudes Of the atmos-
sphere: to inspire the hurricane
destroying everything in its path
as well as the gentle springtime
which repopulates the nests and
breathes the eternal song of love?
The solar rays, when they strike
perpendicular to the ground, how
ever, are strong enough to melt in
sae hour a layer Of ice measuring
= centimeter and a half In thick
ness. We know. moreover, thst a
number of efforts have already
been made to apply solar heat to
industry, especially in warm cour-
tries such as Egypt. and I am con-
vinced that the science Of the fu-
ture will discover a process where
by to store up the abundant and
gratuitous treasures of solar heat
during the summer, in order to put
them to good use in the Writer
months, when we need the suns
rays so badly.
"SOLAR CONSTANT"
A vigorously stated scientific
measurement of the quantity o.
heat received by the earth shows
us that a square centimeter of
ground exposed in a direct plumb
line to the sun receives two cal
ories of heat per minute of expo
sure. This gives us what we call
the "solar constant" and II Is not.
let us say in passing. as constant
rs it's name implies.
These two little calories to the
square centimeter give us at once
10000 to the square meter, and In
q single minute, which Is suffi-
ciently indicative to be appreciated
by any one. And II we consider
the total amount Of the earth's
surface subjected to tho solar fire
we can form an idea Of the power
Of this gigantic reservoir Of force.
We may now ask by what mech
snism does this energy support
itself, so that It never burns out
and assures our solar engine q
uniform feed continually renewed.
Will II not grow weaker at length
some time before the end of the
term that the earth has sttll to
live? Has It not been more intense
in the past. before even the advent
OF humanity upon our globe, while
tho latter was preparing our habl-
tation through period after period
Of geologic development
TRAVELS STRAIGHT LINE.
Many writer's, pointing to eli
matte changes-such as the glacial
periods-have suggested that vs.
could attribute them to profound
corresponding fluctuations of the
radiant energy Of the sun.
Diverse theories have been pro.