Evening star., 1935-04-26
Ice Rivers in U. S. Retreat
ing Rapidly, F.. &. Mathes
Tells Scientists.
DENSE GAS FOUND
ON GIANT PLANETS
Thick Envelopes of Methane on
Four Bodies Reported at
Physical Society Session.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

BY THOMAS r. HENRY.
The last vestiges of the ice age in
the continental United States are be-
ing driven from their high mountain
strongholds at a rate almost twice as
fast as had hitherto been recorded, it
was reported to the American Geo.
physical Union today by F. E. Mathes
of the Geological Survey, chairman OF
the Unions Committee on Glaciers.
The retreat of the great ice rivers to
the mountain tops has been continuous
since about 1920 but the mild Winter
of 1884, followed by the early and
hot Summer. enormously accelerated
the backward movement. The great
Nusqually Glacier on Mount Rainier
went back 125 feet, compared to an
average of 81 feet year for IS years.
Its rates of recession, Mr.. Mathes re-
ported, has been increasing from year
to year. From 1850 to 1860 this rate
was about 90 feet a year. From 1880
to 1890. it had increased to so feet
a veal.
The enormous acceleration was
shown more clearly in the case of an
other Mount Rainier ice river, the
Enmons glacier. In 1884 it went back
1872 feet. In 1888 the recession was
only 4S feet and in 1882 less than 3
feet.
End OF Glaciers Predicted.
The same phenomenon of rapid re-
treat was reported from the glaciers
of Mount Hood in Oregon, Mount
Shasta in California and the glaciers
of the Yosemite National Park.
If even the average rate of recession
continues for another Is years, Mr..
Mathes said. the Glacier National
Park will be almost devoid of glaciers
and the chief scenic attraction to
which 1t owes its name will be gone.
The Alaskan glaciers. however. ap-
pear to be holding their own. While
measurements of the four in the
Mount Mckinley National Park were
not very satisfactory. the indications
were that they had stood still. The
year was notable for the discovery of
many new and large Alaskan glaciers
and for the finding that the forward
flow of a glacier is not a continual
progress, like that of a river, but
matter Of spurts.
Gas Found on Planets.
The giant planets of the solar sys-
ten-Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and
Neptune-have immensely thick and
heavy atmospheres of methane gas.
combination of carbon and hydrogen
which is one of the chief constituents
Of Illuminating gas
This was reported before the
American Physical Society meeting
here today by Dr. Arthur Adel of the
University of Michigan and DR.. v. NJ.
Slipher of the Lowell Observatory
Only few months ago these two an
nounced their findings that methane
was a notable constituent of the at
mosphere of the great planets. Today
they announced their findings as to
the methane content as follows.
Jupiter-Height, half mile;
weight, 80 million billion tons.
Saturn-Height. more than half
mile; weight. so million billion tons
Uranus-Height, four miles; weight.
80 million billion tons. Neptune
Height, Is miles; weight, 600 million
billion tons.
Spectra Gave Solution.
The determinations were made by
study of the lines of light and dark
ness produced in the spectra of the
planets. The light of the sun, as it is
reflected by the layers of methana in
the atmosphere. is caught in the net
of the spectrum and compared with
similar spectra of elements known On
earth. Each element or compound of
elements known in the universe when
1t emits or absorbs light, makes itself
known in the spectrum by character
istic lines and bands, each occupying
definite position.
A new laboratory on wheels for
chasing radio echoes was demon
strated by Prof. Harry r. Mimno and
his associates of the Cruft laboratory
OF Harvard University. This portable
laboratory Is designed to carry on in
the field a wide variety of scientific
measurements which have hitherto
required the facilities of fixed stations
and to undertake new types of expert
ments which could not be performed
in ordinary laboratory buildings. The
car is made Of copper containing fea-
lures that are flexible in operation.
"More than a year ago." Prof.
Mimno stated, "echoes of radio sig
nails were recorded automatically at
points many miles distant from Har-
ward University and were compared
with echoes received in Cambridge
close to the transmitting station. In
this way 1t was possible to obtain an
indication of the movement of indi-
vidual clouds of electrons drifting
over the earth at a height of approx
tmately 62 miles. The echoes ap-
peared and disappeared several min
utes earlier at one station than at
the other.
1.-THE new portable laboratory car
ries transmitting sets as well as SEN
sitive receiving equipment and it is
now possible to extend the scope and
accuracy of the simultaneous expert
ments."
In certain types Of long distance
simultaneous echo experiments a
trailer is also used. In this case
elaborate crystal-controlled vacuum
tube circuits permit extremely accu-
rate synchronization OF the receiving
apparatus with the transmitter at
the home laboratory. This syn
chronization, Prof. Mimno stated,
was accurate to a thousandth of l
per cent an hour and was inde-
pendent of the radio wave and of the
characteristics of the power line. The
special copper body of the car has
oise-absorbing walls, electrical shield
ing and thermal insulation de-
signed to keep the car warm In
Winter and cool in Summer. An
upper deck on the roof carries special
devices for the erection of antennae.
The equipment now installed is de-
signed for five types of experiments:
Transmission of "corkscrew waves"
for additional experiments on the
4.