SOLAR PHENOMENA

Otago Witness, Issue 3331, 16 January 1918, Page 54

SOLAR PHENOMENA

INTERVIEW WITH MR CLEMENT

WRAGGE.

AUCKLAND, January 8

A statement regarding his views as to the influence of solar phenomena on the weather has been supplied to the Herald byMr Clement Wragge. "The present maximum of the sun," said Mr Wragge, "is probably the most abnormal on record. Ten days ago 17 disturbances, popularly called sun spots, were observed in the solar photosphere, the largest being about 45,000 miles in diameter, but upheavals even greater—to 100,000 miles in diameter —have been observed during this remarkable period of solar upheaval. There is every reason to believe that the approaching hurricane season over the Pacific Islands, off the coast of Queensland and New South Wales, and the north-west coast of West Australia, also around Mauritius and the South Indian Ocean, will be very, pronounced, and as such disturbances arc expected to pass further south than usual, it is reasonable to suppose that the Auckland province, and especially North Auckland,- will be in a measure affected by the southern sides oredges of the Pacific storms, which should result in heavy winds from between east-north-east-north and north-west, with accompanying periodical heavy rains. The present absence of rainfall is mainly due to the condition of what may be termed the static equilibrium attaching to the summer solstice, and as the sun's southern declination decreases towards the equator the state of affairs just mentioned may be expected to develop." "In regard to earthquakes," continued Mr Wragge," " there is no doubt the sun's influence is the prime factor. I do not say it is the only one in causing - earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. I am not forecasting future earthquakes, and I am not sounding the alarmist note, but I do emphatically say that in consequence of the change of the wireless wave-lengths which are bound to operate after 1920, the conditions will become more favourable for seismic and volcanic action in all those parts of the South Hemisphere where the surface of the earth is weak. It is just possible—l do not say probable—that some of the alleged extinct volcanoes may begin to manifest, some slight signs of activity. My advice, when that period arrives, to those people who live in earthquake areas is not to sleep too near chimneys which are liable to tumble down. It is possible, that seismic action may be-' come evident in.the neighbourhood of Cook Straits and the Canterbury Plains, but I am not sounding the alarmist note. The tone that I use is embodied in the word caution."