"HORIZONTAL AIR"

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 102, 27 October 1925, Page 5

"HORIZONTAL AIR"

STUDY OF METEOROLOGY

NEW CONCEPTIONS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, 3rd September.

Dr. G. C. Sin'ipson, in the course of his presidential address to the Mathematics and Physics Section of the British Association, entered a strong pica' that the study of meteorology should be taken up at the universities and colleges. "We need their help," he said, "for the problems we offer, though difficult, are fascinating." Dealing with the temperature of the atmosphere, he stated that, whereas at the earth's surface the mean was 50 degrees C. higher at. the Equator than at the poles, when one went up 12£ miles the temperature at the poles was 50 degrees C. higher than at the Equator. The air, as a result of its physical conditions, was prevented from moving in anything but sn almost horizontal direction, the position being almost exactly as if the atmosphere were definitely stratified in nearly horizontal platiesi This was a new idea in meteorology, for it ruled out ascending and descending currents as a direct consequence of the normal temperature distribution in the atmosphere. Such movements did take place, but only when the air received sufficient heat through condensing of water vapour. When these conditions were satisfied they gave riso to thunderstorms.

As to the origin of winds, which were dependent on the sun's energy, another new conception had arisen. Instead of warm air vising vertically like the warm gases in a chimney, drawing air in at the hoi loin and delivering if nl- the top, one saw two bodies of air. one warm and the. other cold, brought, side by side, then tho cold mass slowly subsiding and pushing its way as a wedge of cold air under the warm air. which was partly raised and partly drawn in above to replace the cold subsiding air. In the process the centre, of gravity of the whole moving mass was gradually lowered, so providing the energy for the motion recognised as winds.

The essential difference between the old ami new idea was that [lie two musses of air. whose difference of teniperaluro was the cause of motion, never mixed. The. two bodies of nil-, side by iilflu, 1«il i). (iui'fMCß of &lwnj dlßuoiiiiimliy eomiwsble with a gßolugiyal jault.