[Annals N. Y. Acad. Sci., Vol. XXIV, pp. 39-113. 27 June, 1914] 



A STUDY OF THE CHANGES IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF 



TEMPERATUEE IN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA 



DURING THE YEARS 1900 TO 1909 ^ 



By Henkyk Arctowski 



(Presented in abstract before the Academy, 2 February, 19H) 



CONTENTS 



Page 



Introduction 39 



Long-range variations of temperature 41 



European temperature data for 1900-1909 50 



American temperature data for 1900-1909 73 



Consecutive maps 87 



Consecutive temperature curves for several stations in the United States. . 97 

 About temperature variations and the changes of the ai'ctic ice conditions. 104 

 Conclusions Ill 



LIBRARY 

 iSEW YOKI 

 eOTANICA 



UAKUfc:!^' 



Introduction 



Considering the sefies of annual means of temperature, of given local- 

 ities, we notice everywhere more or less important fluctuations. The 

 curves expressing graphically the succession of figures show perfectly 

 well pronounced variations at certain localities differing completely from 

 other variations of other localities. Some curves go down while others 

 go up, and the length of time separating the maxima varies from one 

 curve to the other. 



It is impossible, therefore, to discuss the question of climatic variations 

 with only the data of a selected number of stations. All available data 

 have to be taken into consideration, and the problem has to be studied 

 geographically. The problem of the variations of terrestrial temperature 

 is, indeed, absolutely similar to the problem of the mean elevation of the 

 surface of the earth crust. The precision gained in the appreciation of 

 the mean elevation of a continent depends on the precision of the utilized 

 hypsometrical maps. The precision of an estimate of the mean depth of 

 an ocean depends on the accuracy of the bathymetrical map, on the num- 

 ber of soundings. Since, in the case of temperature, we have also to deal 



1 Manuscript received by the Editor, 4 March, 1914. 



(39) 



