Evening star., 1926-04-11
SIJNSPOTS HAVE LITTLE EFFECT
ON WEATHER, SCIENTISTS BELIEVE

Scientists assert that immense cos
mic forces $4,000 900 miles away are
mobilizing to bring their influence to
bear upon the affairs of man.
The sun has been mysteriouSly
stirred up. AS a result of some inf1u-
ence unknown to astronomers, the
sun apparently Is entering upon the
maximum phase of it's 11-year cycle of
activity ahead of schedule and it's in
candescent atmosphere is developing
more of the huge whirls and eddies
known as sunspot.
Mariners are blaming the large sun
spots for the terrific storms that have
been Swamping ocean vessels. This
the experts deny, of il there is any
direct connection between the spots
and the storms they at least are not
aware of it.
Spots Will Increase.
A single spot 10000 miles by 35 900
miles recently was photographed by
the United States Naval Observatory,
as well as a group of spots extending
IT'S, 900 miles, or almost % times the
diameter of the earth. Astronomers
say the number of spots will increase
for at least another year, possibly two,
until the maximum of activity is
reached some time between late 1926
and 1928.
What will be their effect on earth?
VIII they cause great disturbances in
the weather, earthquakes, electrical
storms? Several scientist have given
corroborative but reassuring answers
None expresses any anxiety.
DR.. William J. Humphreys of the
Weather Bureau here says that sun
spots will have some effect upon the
weather-probably slightly cooler
when the spots reach their maximum
activity. But as to an effect on day
to-day or week -to-week weather, the
bureau was skeptical. The opinion
was that no general law would apply.
DR.. Louis A. Bauer. director of the
terrestrial magnetism laboratory of
Carnegie Institution, declares that
while sunspots and magnetic storms
are closely associated, II -airly long
periods were taken for comparison
the correspondence is not close enough
to be used as a basis of prediction
from day today.
Not Cause, But Eject.
"Sunspots may not be the direct
,auses of magnets storms" he adds. 1t
seems more probable that both are
caused by a stirring up of the solar
activity from a cause, probably cleo
trical in its nature. of which we really
know nothing. It Is observed that in
times when there are the most spots
there are many other signs of
increased solar activity. 1t is this in
creased activity that probably causes
both the sunspot and the magnetic
storms"
Solar activity means heat and when
there are the most spots the sun
usually is hotter, asserts DIR. F. Z.
Fowle, jr.,of the Asthophysical OBJ
servatory of the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition. This does not mean a hotter
earth, he explains, recalling the Hum
phreys statement. Reasons for this
paradox are long and complicated, but
DR.. F'owle gives a hint as TO how
this might happen:
IF the sun got hot enough to cause
more evaporation from the oceans
there would be more cloudiness and
more rain on land and cooler weather" !"
Smithsonian officials believe that
small changes in solar heat have a
fairly close relation to ensuing wealth
er on earth, but do not think 1t pos
sible for advance weather predictions.
That there Is a definite, although
as yet not clearly defined, relationship
between sunspots and weather is
thought likely by Rr. Robert De c.