LUNAR CYCLES

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 July 1925, Page 3

LUNAR CYCLES

MR. SKEY INTERVIEWED (Special to “Star.”) CHRISTCHURCH, July 30. “This shows the real advantage of taking meteorological observations,” said Mr. Skey of the Magnetic Observatory to-day, regarding the Press cablegram announcing Abbe Gabriel’s discovery, “and exemplifies the usefulness of recording phenomena which may not seem worth while at the time, but in nearly every case, are useful to posterity. It is a fact, which has been shown and again in astronomy and everything else.” “I hope it pana out all right,” lie continued, “and that something useful comes of it. A periodicity of cycles such as this might apply to one place and not to another, but if the periodicity is proved useful for one part of the earth’s surface, say for example, Europe, there is no> doubt that further research would enable it to apply to other* places as well, with good effect. It was commonly supposed that the moon had nothing to do with the weather. Meteorologists had never been able to discover anything definite to the point. It now seemed as if a remarkable discovery had been made. Inferring that the moon gave rise to the tides in the ocean, it really might be presumed that the moon produced changes in the atmosphere, but it had been clearly shown that these changes, if any, were very small in regard to the effect on the barometer. The consequence of moon influence on the higher atmosphere had been in the directing of horizontal movements owing to the extreme mobility of that atmosphere. One theory of variations of terrestrial magnetism had been brought forward by Dr. Chapman, in which these horizontal currents played an important part, so that it was only a presumption, even by people who knew a lot about such things, that the moon had influence in the variations of the atmosphere. They could not specify as to the exact nature of these influences.” “There is not much data available about the higher levels,” continued Mr. Skey, “but there is no doubt that much greater* attention will be paid to the subject by meteorologists in the future, so something may come of it. I have not heard previously of any well established lunar cycle, and it is to be hoped that the reported discovery is correct. The figures seem to show its authenticity. Once the key of the long range phenomenon is got, then further research work can be done, and the results will undoubtedly do much good to humanity and the farmer in particular. Of course, meteorologists’ manifestations are all mechanical and a mechanical system is the one thing in which one could expect cycles to show themselves. I think that this will be a great phase of solar investigation, and it will probably be profitable.” In concluding Mr. Skey remarked as there had not been meteorology in New Zealand for 186 years Dominion figures would not have much bearing on the questions, but the figures taken from the older countries bore the stamp of authenticity.