REPORT ON GEOPHYSICS 



By C. R. Van Hise, 



ADVISER IN GEOPHYSICS. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



"Why a geophysical laboratory should be established 173 



Scope of a geophysical laboratory. 175 



Establishment of a geophysical laboratory at Washington 175 



Opinions of geologists as to importance of a geophysical laboratory. ... 176 



The work of a geophysical laboratory 178 



The relations of liquid and solid rocks 178 



Minerals and rocks from aqueous solutions 179 



The deformation of rocks 180 



The constants of rocks 181 



Basis of selection of problems suggested 181 



Cooperation in geophysical work 182 



Branch laboratories 183 



Seismology 183 



Cost 184 



In the report of the Advisory Committee for Geophysics submitted 

 last year, the estabhshment of a geophysical laboratory is somewhat 

 fully considered. This report I was asked to supplement. Before 

 taking up additional points it may be well to briefly summarize the 

 reasons already advanced for the establishment of such a laboratory. 



Why a Geophysical Laboratory Shoui^d be Kstabi^ished. 



In recent years there has been no more striking development than 

 cooperation in industrial enterprises. Whatever may be thought 

 about certain aspects of such cooperation, there is no question that 

 from the point of view of abundant cheaply manufactured products, 

 industrial cooperation has been of enormous advantage. 



Science has reached a stage in its development in which coopera- 

 tion is as essential as cooperation in business. When the sciences 

 were young — indeed, until very recently — work was done in each in 

 comparative independence of others. But the independent advance 

 of the sciences has left unoccupied great intermediate fields. This 



(173) 



