Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-01-29
Tides so Miles High
Exist in Atmosphere
Discovery important
To Radio Communication
By Themes R. Henry


By Thomos R. Henry
Sixty mlle-high tides sweep the eartf'i
upper atmosphere.
Their existence has been discovered
by Bureau of Standards radio engineers,
and the finding may be of considerable
importance to certain types OF radio
communication.
The uppermost layer Of the atmosphere
the so-called F layer, about 200 miles
above the earths surface which acts as
one OF the electrical roofs Of the world"
and makes possible long distance COM
munication-is lifted by the moon in
just the same way that sea tides are
raised but on titanic scale. The tides
result in great winds through the ex-
tremely thin ionosphere.
Nature Not Understood. i.
Bureau of Standards physicists to
date have little more than demonstrated
the existence Of this phenomenon, the
nature OF which Is not clearly UNDER
stood.
The major lifting takes place, it has
been learned, at noon about four days
after both full moon and new moon.
1t is present throughout the year but Is
and weakest from May to August.
Tides are most pronounced near the
magnetic equator and appear to be tied
up in some complex fashion with the
magnetic field of the earth. Strongest
effects have been observed in Peru. ac-
companied by nearly opposite effects
at stations 20 degrees of latitude north
and south.
Tides raised by both sun and moon In
the high atmosphere have been re-
cognized for some years and are taken
into account in broadcasting predictions,
but the new phenomenon Is on q scale
hitherto not imagined, the Bureau Of
Standards engineers say Like ocean
tides, the occurance of these sky tides
can be predicted with considerable &C.
curacy
A new automobile engine is being de-
vised which will use less than half as
much gas in general driving and less
than go per cent as much in city trafic.
1t is high compression engine which
operates on gasoline with rating above
100 octane. It will not be in general
use for several years and its introduction
depends on several factors-one Of which
is the time when suitable gasoline can be
made generally availabl-
This is revealed by Dr. Charles r. Ket-
terlng, vice president of General Motors
Corporation and one of the foremost
living automotive engineers, in a predic-
ton OF probable major developments in
the Industry during the next few years.
Does Not Increase Speeds.
1t is highly unlikely, he says, that
Yno mill H.
creased, since little research is going into
this field. The buying public, he says,
seems generally to feel that cars now 20
fast enough and there no longer Is Q
demand for more speed. He also dis
counts the probability Of engines Of
much greater power.
On the other hand. he says, the major
advances will come In fuel economy.
maintaining today's standards Of per-
Torrance. @rF
a. The demand Of the Air Forces for
high anti-knock fuels stimulated the
production during the war, he says, and
there was much speculation about their
use in automobiles. Most engineers were
pessimistic. rtt
Studies were started with single-cyl-
inder engines using triptane, fuel with
knock rating far above 100 octane.
which was being produced for the gov.
eminent in small scale pilot plant Il
was not in actual USE
Engineering difficulties were very
great, Dr. Kettering says. but most Of
them finally were overcome, and It was
possible to build full-sized engine on
the Oldsmobile model which was In
stalled in test car.
Many tests have been carried out he
explains. in which the performance Of
the new engine has been compared with
that of the standard engine On the
whole there was an economy of from IS
to 40 per cent. Gains as high as so
per cent on level roads were recorded.
The 40 per cent saving in city traffic,
he points out, is of the greatest impor-
lance since approximately two-thirds Of
all automobile gasoline is consumed IN
this way.