Evening star., 1936-08-16

low water twice each day. There are
very few places. however. where the
tide is high when the sun and moon are
overhead. High water may be delayed
anywhere from l to II hours after
the time when one would expect the
greatest effect. For this reason the
Government has established tide
gauges at many Of the principal ports
to determine what the water actually
does at Savannah, Charleston, New
York or San Francisco.
With these records Of the time Of
high and low water it is then possible
for scientists to connect them with the
sun and the moon. Since astronomers
know perfectly we'll the movements of
the sun and the moon, the tides can
be predicted with great accuracy after
the relationship Of the tides at a
given place to the position Of these
bodies has once been determined
In similar way. therefore. it should
be possible, DR.. Abbot thinks, to find
from the temperatures and barometer
readings at established places in the
United States the particular behavior
pattern which follows changes in the
output Of the suns heat 1t was for
this reason that the Smithsonian In
stitution and the National Geographic
cal Society have been interested in
establishing stations for solar radiation
under advantageous conditions all
over the globe
Great Obstacles Overcome.
1t is not surprising that DR.. Abbot
has already had remarkable success in
predicting weather In various parts of
the world from careful analyses of the
data obtained at his solar radiation
stations-one in California, one in
South America and still another in
Africa. But Dr. Abbot has struggled
against great difficulties in getting
reliable daily measurements Of the
suns radiation. He has had to con-
tend with clouds, dust, moisture and
that troublesome ozone layer which
cuts one of the most important regions
of the solar spectrum-the region of
ultra~v violet radiation. If he could only
get above at least some of the ozone
layer, get above all cloud levels and
the turbulent storms of the earth's
surface-there, he thinks. would be
the ideal location for his solar observa-
tory.
Then, too, Dr. Abbot believes that
the ultra violet radiation from the sun
may be much more sensitive in re-
spending to changes in solar activity
than the ordinary sunshine. II OBJ
servations, therefore. of solar radiation
could be made in the stratosphere-
say 20 miles up-these troubles would
be over. The small variations in the
suns radiation which he has been
measuring at the earth's surface, which
amounts to perhaps or per cent,
might we'll be accompanied by varia-
tions of several per cent in the in
tensity of the ultra violet radiation.
Here, then, would be a broader base
line on which to make weather pre-
dictions. 1t would seem that the in
vention of the radio-meteorgraph
solves this scientists problem. Thus,
in his recent publication, DR.. Abbot
proposes sending one of his pyrhelio-
meters daily into the stratosphere
by balloon, with a radio robot that
will send down to earth the readings
Of the instrument.
Ultra Violet Light Checked.
Now, to measure changes in the
ultra violet light alone is quite simple.
A thin film of silver not over a mil
lionth of an inch thick, while opaque
to ordinary light, transmits the ultra
violet radiation. So DR.. Abbot pro-
poses sealing one Of his recorders in
side glass sphere over which a coat
ing of silver has been deposited. The
heat, radiation from the earth and
the ordinary radiation of the sun
would not penetrate this device.
However, as soon as the balloon car
ried the equipment into the strato-
sphere and above the lower level Of
ozone, the powerful ultraviolet rays
of the sun would trickle through this
silver screen and set the apparatus to
work.
No longer would it be necessary to
seek high mountain tops and dry
desert regions Of the globe, which at
best are disappointing for the purpose.
No longer would science have to de-
pend upon such observers as might
be obtainable locally to read instru-
ments In such out-of-the-way places.
In many important meteorological sta
tions all over the world balloon ascen-
sions could be made daily. The re-
cording devices could be made in large
quantities, thus reducing the cost. and
even though large percentage Of
them might be lost, the radio record
would have been received while the
balloon was at Its maximum height.
The cost would be much less than
airplane ascents, the attitudes far
higher, and q great many ascents
could be made for the price Of main
tanning man-powered stations. If the
results brought striking advances to-
ward q scientific method Of long
range weather forecasting, Of predict
ing hot and cold seasons. years Of rain
and of drought, who can estimate the
billions Of dollars that would be saved,
not only to agriculture, but indirectly
to almost every industry in the world?
Therefore, If scientists are success
full In gaining the necessary funds for
subsidizing the project. you may soon
see balloons floating above you at
strategic points in the United States.
That tiny scintillating star-like point
below the balloon will be the reflection
of the sun from the silver glass ball.
glistening like a miniature gazing
globe while it is carrying into the
stratosphere a new type Of sunshine
recorder for the latest returns on the
weather 40 miles up.