Evening star., 1949-11-30
Screeching Of Stars Seen
Possible Navigation Aid
Navy Studies Milky Way Hot Spots
Which Stream Out Radio Waves
By Thomas r. Henry

Which Stream Out Radio Waves
By Thomas r. Henry
Navigation by screeching Of stars is being
investigated by the Navy.
Within the past two years there have
been found several "hot spots" in the Milky
Way from which great streams Of radio
waves are coming through space to the
earth. This is the stellar noise which inter-
feres with radio reception.
It hitherto had been believed to ernanate
from the whole universe Of stars. Now 1t
is known to come from rather restricted
areas-perhaps from single stars or small
groups OF stars with temperatures thousands
Of times that Of the sun.
Constant Noise Output.
These hot spots are fixed in space and
fairly constant in their noise output. Most
of the streams come generally from the
neighborhood of the constellation of Sagit-
tarius beyond which lies the center Of the
Milky Way galaxy, hidden forever from
view by black clouds Of cosrnic dust thou
sands of light years in thickness.
The direction Of the streams can be de-
termined with some precision by present
radio equipment. Thus these hot spots pro-
vide points Of reference In the sky which
are not as precise as the fixed stars at night
than the sun during the day. II the pro-
posed navigation becomes practical. ships
would be steered both by the stars that
shine IN the dark and stars that talk In the
day.
The investigations are being carried out
under the Office Of Naval Research. Success,
it is explained, depends on possibility OF
much more precise localization of the In
coming noise than is practical with equip
yNaSSt NM t1oh
could be done at present is to locate a
position within about degrees OF latitude
and longitude
Drawback to DEVELOPMENT.
The drawback to development Is the great
size OF equipment which now would be
needed. This is true especially for air navi-
cation where. it is believed, the system
eventually may find its greatest usefulness.
Observers in the United States, England and
Australia are trying to find more Of the hot
spots and get more precise determinations
Of their locations.
II the new system can be made practical,
it presumably would do away entirely with
any need for dead reckoning. No weather
conditions at night or day would affect the
incoming cosnic noise.
This type Of navigation would prove Of
particular value in the Arctic and Antarctic,
where the magnetic compass fails to function
IN the neiehoorhood OF the magnetic poles.
tuberculosis, the great white plague" Of
past generations whose incidence has been
so reduced In the United States and Western
Europe during the past few decades that its
complete eradication has been predicted,
actually Is increasing alarmingly through q
great part Of the world.
This Is the substance Of report to
UNESCO. the scientific and cultural organ
ization Of the United Nations, by DR.. Rene
J. Dubos Of the Rockefeller Institute. Thus,
it Is pointed out, the apparent gains due to
better sanitation and diet may be quite
llusory.. In Continental Europe there has
been some increase because Of the poor living
conditions during the war, but this Is con-
sidered an unimportant part Of the world
picture. The TB death rate in the United
States is ncr about IS per 100, 900 per year
an enorl IS r lction in two or three
generation.
Long b---oce the war;" says DR.. Dubois,
tuberculosis infections were becoming more
widespread and more severe in all Of Gen.
tral and South America. Gross death rates
from this disease Of several hundred per
100000 are now common In all Latin
American cities. All reports indicate . full
hedged epidemic state with an enormous
percentage Of the population suffering from
active tuberculosis.
Rate Heavy in Far East.
In Japan the death rate has remained
close to 200 per 100000 for many years. In
the Philippines it is easily the greatest
cause Of death. In the Netherlands Indies
In earlier years 1t stood fourth, following
malaria, cholera. and typhoid fever After
cholera was largely stamped out, it rose to
third place and in the past year has ousted
typhoid for the second place.
To-day 1t is regarded as the chief cause Of
death in Jamaica in Africa on the Gold
Coast, the Congo and Tanganyika. In Nige-
ria and British Guiana 1t has increased i've
or six times what 1t was previously in the
past 10 years.
In view Of this increase. and particularly
Of the severity Of the disease In Latin Amer.
lea. hopes Of eradication seem quite slim,
DR.. Dubos says.
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