Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-10

The heat of the sun pours down upon the
earth through space and through atmosphere
envelops the earth for a depth of several miles
Because the earth's atmosphere checks the
free penetration of solar heat to the earth in
varying degrees-owing to the amount OF for
eien substances and particles in it-scien5ists
who deal with solar radiation measure just
outside the atmospheric belt. Thus they ar
rive at the solar constant"-the average
amount Of heat during an average period OF
time at an average distance from the earth,
measured In Galleries per square centimeter per
minute The average is 1.940. This Is the
basic figure for solar radiation, IS zero on the
thermometer Is for temperature.
IN dealing with solar-radiation drops. how
ever, day to-day figures are used. These drops
are the sudden variations in the normal daily
and weekly run of STANDARDIZATION observations
They are caused by sunspots and gases march,
ing across the face Of the sum- Since the sun
turns completely on its axis about every ~
days sunspotS and other solar phenomena take
about half this time to cross its visible hefni-
sphere-or that side facing the earth. Starting
from the rim, these effervescent phenomena
take about seven or eight days to arrive on the
suns meridian and cross it. As they progress
to the center the suns heat increaseS-that Is,
If the sunSpotS are numerous. The moment
they pass the center-cross the mer1dianal
line-and start away from the earth, sharp
place. This is the solar radiation drop.
All tropical hurricanes according to Dr.
Brownies studies, are preceded by these drops
from six to eight days. This fact leads him
to the conclusion that by watching day-by day
solar radiation and keeping an eye on at
mospheric conditions in the hurricane belt, the
actual time that hurricane will spring up
can be forecast.
DR.. Browne belongs to that advanced school
of scientists who claim that the sun, moon and
oceans largely responsible for our weather
He goes step farther than the strict me-
teorologiSt-one who SpecializeS In the at
mosphere and its phenomena. There are the
oceanic waters, he says, and there Is the sum
and the moon. The sun heats the oceanic
waters of the tropical belt which fow In cur
rents, north and south, warming large sea
areas in the higher ATTITUDES. These areas, IN
turn, warm the everything air, increasing tts
humidity and affecting the winds which blow
toward the continents The winds, In turn
affect the weather there.
The moon assists the sun in weather making
by dragging the surface waters OF ell oceans
to the westward, irrespective of the vertical
tidal pull This action of the moon affects the
movement Of polar ice and icebergs, chilling
agents In oceanic waters.
Therefore, by watching the moons changes
in latitude and its approaches to the earth, and
at the same time studying the influence of the
sun on the oceanic waters in the tropical belt
from year to year, this school of weathermen-
oceanographic MISUNDERSTANDING that 1t Is
possible to predict many months In advance
just what the weather over q given continental
area Will be.
Recently, H. H. Clayton, at one time weather
forecaster for the United States Weather Bu-
reau and more lately weather forecaster for
the Argentine government, wrote q treatise ON
the atmosphere and the sun in which he de-
clared that the weather does not "just happen"
as many persons believe but is subject to cal~
culation which will, before many years pass
be made with increasing accuracy and for
weeks and perhaps months in advance. Mr..
Clayton, however. stays strictly within meteor
illogical lines. But it Is interesting to note
that he says with regard to his conclusions on
the atmosphere and the sun that il they are
verified and accepted by other research work
ers it will mean q revolution in the present
method of weather, forecasting'" - - -