The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-08-20
SCIENTIFIC STUDY
CONTINUED From Page Oue)

0AAAI1N NJ ~ OD
Continued From Page Onel
stitute of Technology and the
holder of a Masters degree in
physics from Harvard ColleL :,
Wertheim will remain in Key
West for another month conduct
ing his work which is in the
realm of the purest of pure
science. He will return to Harvard
in the fall for q work on his Phd
This marks Wertheim's fourth
summer as a researcher at Woods
Hole.
Financed in part by the Rookie.
Teller Foundation, the non-profii
Woods Hole organization has en-
gagged in extensive studies Of the
behaviour of the Atlantic Ocean
and the Gulf, and only recently,
one of its researchers, Henry Stom.
mel, evolved mathematical the
DRY of the Gulf Stream.
Daily records of the amount Of
water flowing in the Gulf Stream
or more precisely the Florida Cur
rent between Key West and Hava
ma have been taken right here II
Key West since the beginning o.
this month, according to Wertheim
The amount of water involved is
tremendous, with about 5000 mil
lion gallons of water passing be.
tween the two cities each second,
the scientist said.
The measurements are made and
the data obtained electrically by
determining the voltage between
Key West and the Cuban Capitol
The Western Union which has Of
fered the use Of their submarine
cables is cooperating In the study,
An electrode has been placed In
the sea at the Havana terminus Of
the cable and another at this end
of the line. Briefly, the voltage OF
electrical energy, which Is pro
duced by the motion of the water
over the earth's magnetic field
the same as electricity Is made in
a generator. is recorded on an au'
tomato voltage indicator. This In
formation is collected and coore'
lated by Wertheim. Certain natural
phenomena, such as variations In
the earth's magnetic field. disturb
ances caused by sun spots, ETC.,
must be considered in interpreting
the data.
Roughly, the amount Of flow Of
the Gulf Stream is proportional to
variations In the voltage and thus
the information may be made use
full in the researches Of the Insti
tute.
In commenting on the study
Vert =. said, ''The Gulf Stream
has fas 'ated the world since tn
time Of e discovery Of America
Ponce & Leon first described 1
after having sailed around Cuba II
1913. Benjamin Franklin published
a chart showing the extent Of thu
Gulf Stream as an aid TO navigat
, ors around the time Of the Revolu
tionary War. Accurate measure
ments Of the stream, however
| were begun by the u. s. Coast IN,
Geodetic Survey only about o
years ago.
From the earliest days. scien
lists and explorers have speculate
on what makes the Gulf Stream 60
Present theories consider the win
| system over the Atlantic Ocean
the trade winds and the preyailinl
westeriies as the primary cause
The measurements now being tai
en- viii be used 10 determine u
relations between seasonal varis
! tons in the strength Of the FlOrid
Current. OF course, interest In d
Gulf Stream IL not entirely Of
theoretical nature. The warm waite
Of the Gulf Stream Is one Of u
factors which determines n
weather Of the North Atlantic N
Western Europe. In addition.
better knowledge Of Ifs behayiou
may be Of interest TO fishermen Z
vel.
| Present clans can for snoths
year 81 vcgk On the project -
when II 10 finished. scientists 8
over the world win have the ben
fiji Of studies made In the watel
surrounding Key West.
ticket The cor statement. lsis
attributed 20 Assistant ch2lrmz