Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-04-27
Explanation of Colder Air at
, Equator Than North Pole
Is Research Aim.
HEATED BY EARTH ALONE,
DR.. HUMPHREYS THINKS
Muscle of Frogs Leg Pictured as
Valuable Instrument for Study
of Light Spectra.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

Programs for two extensive meteor
illogical research undertakings were pro-
posed to the American Geophysical
Union today by DR.. William J. Humph-
reys of the United States Weather
Bureau.
The first would clear up the mystery
of why it is much colder at the equa-
tor than at the North Pole all the time.
This condition is found in the so-called
shakespeare. about 10 miles above the
surface of the earth from which point
there is no longer marked decline OF
temperature with height. There Is
strong evidence for believing, DR..
Humphreys said. that the stratosphere
earth. like the sun, Is sending out heat
into space
The SHAKESPEARE DR.. Humphreys said.
might be compared with the glass wall
of greenhouse through which the sun
passes without leaving any demon
strable heat. 1t gets only the radiation
that is reflected back from the earth.
For some unknown reason. DR.. Humph-
reys holds, earth radiation from the
equatorial regions is held back while it
escapes freely from the polar and tenn
perate regions There is also variation
in earth radiation from rainy and fair
sections of the globe.
Proposes Extensive Measurements.
For the first time, he told the meteor
ologists of the Geophysical Union, 1t Is
now possible to reach the shakespeare
in balloons with delicate instruments
which will make actual measures OF this
escaping earth radiation.
Dr. Humphreys also proposed extern
sive barometric measurments at high
attitudes to test the actual effect Of
variations in the radiation Of the sun
on the temperature OF the earths at.
mosphere. A very slight change OF
temperature affecting any considerable
volume Of atmosphere, he said, will
cause pressure changes which can easily
be detected by the barometer. The ba-
rometer readings then could be CORE
lated with data on the variable solar
radiation and deductions made as to
the effect Of this variation on the
weather.
For countless generations men have
predicted weather fro mthe appearance
of clouds, but only today Is it being re-
duced to something like an exact SCI
ence Charles F. Brooks of Harvard
University reported to the meteorologi-
cal section of the American Geophysical
Union
An organization known as the Inter-
national Cloud Commission has been
formed. The very presence Of a cloud,
Dr. Brooks said, indicates there is con-
densation in the atmosphere. A cloud
increasing in size means increasing con-
densation and a decrease means evapo-
ration. Thus the change in the size Of
the cloud gives the trend of atmospheric
processes toward rain.
Clouds Discussed.
"Since a cloud is formed only by con-
densation of vapor," he said, Its pres
ence indicates some cooling process has
taken place. Cooling in free air most
commonly is caused by ascent and ex-
pansion of air. Therefore cloud usu-
ally indicates ascending air. A lumpy
cloud indicates that the ascent Is local
there is an extended sheet the ascent is
general, probably from the sliding of
one air layer over another.
Progressive motion of q cloud tells
the way the wind at its level is blow
ing. Motions of clouds at different
levels show winds differing in direc-
ton and speed. If the lower Of two
cloud sheets is moving from the south
and the upper from the north, we may
expect an increased contrast in temp
erature between the layers which, If
carried far, will result in instability and
probably rain
Speed and direction of the move
ments tells the pressure gradiants at
the levels of the clouds. From the dis
tribution of pressure in free air sur
misses as to the direction and intensity
of storm centerS, or areas OF high pres |
sure and low temperature can be made. |
Ali are familiar with the sequence Of
light, thin high clouds to low thick |
ones as storm approaches. If the |
storm is passing to the south it prob |
ably will bring cool rain. If it is pass
ing to the north there will be fair
weather with occasional showers"
Micro-moving pictures, revealing life |
and death IN the vague world of the |
infinitely little with its innumerable |
population OF one,celled creatures, were
described before the American Physical |
Society which opened its annual WASH
ington meeting at the Bureau of |
Standards today.
Tests Made on Tiny Animals.
A flood of the invisible ultraviolet |
light was turned on groups of such |
tiny animals as entosiphons, euglenas |
colpodas and paramecia. 1t caused an |
immediate cessation of all movement by |
these creatures and within a short |
time their single-celled bodies began to
dlsintegrate.
This accomplishment was reported by
Rachel Franklin, A. j. Allen and Ellice |
Mcdonald of the Cancer Research Lab
oratory of the University of Pennsylva-
MIA They also reported the construc- I,
ton of an ultraviolet microscope with /
quartz instead of a glass optical sys-
tenn, by means of which 1t Is possible to |
see the little animals in much greater |!
detail and to observe the effects of yari-
GUS substances upon them. BY the
same means 1t is possible to make photo
graphs Of cancer cells.
There is considerable similarity be- !
tween the one-celled protazoa and the
cells Of q malignant growth; Both are
one-celled organisms, but the former
are completely Independent, while the
latter have "revolted" from a vast colony !
of cells. BY means Of the new micro
scope it is possible to study the specific
effects of radiation of various wave
lengths on the individual cells. /
A muscle Of frogs leg was pictured !
as a valuable instrument for the study
of light spectra In a report presented !,
by DR.. A. Sandow of New York Uni
versity. It is, said Sandow, a natural
defractlon grating Tor the light to pass
through. This muscle consists of long, /
cylindrical fibers crossed by alternate |
dark and light bands which number !
about 10000 to the inch. Preparation |
of such grating is extremely difficult. !
The study also is throwing new light |
on the nature of muscle activity show !
ing that the dark bands probably con-
tain the mechanism which permits con-
traction.
The annual election of the National
Academy Of Sciences held yesterday -.