EARTH’S TAIL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 31 August 1929, Page 11

EARTH’S TAIL.

LIKE THAT OF A COMET. r JMIE earth has a tail like .that of a carnet but shorter, and is continually losing tho gases of its atmosphere to keep this tail in existence, says an American writer. Bitch is the startling conclusion reached by Carl Bl renter of Oslo. Norr.vav, who has spent much time studying 'the aurora or “northern lights” sometimes seen 1000 or JOOO miles Above the ground. Dr. Stromer, already known as the world expert on auroras, recently discovered radio echoes, believed to be due to waves which leave the earth and are reflected back from clouds of electrons or something else between -the earth and the sun.

The only probable explanation of the thousand-mile-high auroras which he has observed. Dr. Stromer believes, is that sunlight shining on the earth drives off into space billions of gas atoms from the upper layers of the ar. These form the earth’s “tail,” perhaps visible to anyone in outer- space tie the tails of comets are seen, but invisible because of the lower denser lavers of. air.

The high auroras are believed to be due to electric rays from the sun striking against this comctnrv tail and making it shine. If this is true the earth must be losing its atmosphere, slowly but. appreciably.. How this loss of air is made up. or whether it, is made up at all, scientists have not been able to ascertain.