1883.] 5^5 [Chase. 



cometaiy and meteoric influences, and made the moons of Mars, as I have 

 shown {Proc. Am. Phil. Soc, xvii, 802), an unexpected coniinnation of his 

 views. Fourier's discussions of elasticity and cyclical motion, in a line of 

 research to which American investigators have made important contribu- 

 tions (see op. cit., xvi, 298-303), showed that all cyclical movements are 

 qunsi-e\&5iic and may be represented by simple combinations of elastic 

 formulae, and thus paved the way for a wide extension of the theory of 

 harmonic motion. The three foregoing notes show a combination of sim- 

 ultaneous and continuous activities, which it would be difficult, if not im- 

 possible, to explain by Laplace's theory. They are all, however, in full 

 accordance with the views of Herschel and Fourier, and they indicate that 

 the photic sether may still be regarded as nebulous. 



345. Pliotic Loci of Earth and Saturn. 



Note 34t suggests the influence of linear oscillation in subsiding particles. 

 Neptune's locus of incipient subsidence (30.47^3) became, by the relative 

 slowness of its motion, a point of virtual suspension. Saturn's locus of 

 incipient subsidence (10.343^o3) which was near its centre of oscillation 

 (10.16^3), was the origin of the belt of mean planetary inertia. While the 

 Neptuno-Uranian and the .Jupiter-Telluric belts were yet undivided, the 

 theoretical period of rotation was (30.46955 X 214. 45)^ X 25.5084dy = 

 3050950.7 years. The fundamental photodynamic equation (Note 331), 

 with the equality of action and reaction, fixed the chief centre of con- 

 densation at a locus which is in simple photic relations with the solar 

 nucleus, the photic radius of rotation and the centre of planetary rotating 

 inertia. For the mean proportional between the mean locus of incipient 

 planetaiy subsidence (10.343253^3) and Earth's semi-axis major is3.2l61^j 

 = 689.69^„. If we call this the photic radius, or the locus of luminous 

 equatorial velocity for a sphere which would have orbital velocity at Sun's 

 surface, Earth's semi-axis major should be [31558149 -=- (2 ;r x 497.827 x 

 689.69)]«^„ — 213.99^„, which is within x\ of one per cent, of the British 

 Nautical Almanac estimate (214. 45^^). 



346. Mass-Relations of Earth and Saturn. 



The relative masses, as well as the relative positions, of the chief centres 

 of condensation and of planetary inertia, show simple harmonic accord- 

 ances with the energies of sethereal rotation and reacting inertia ; Earth's 

 locus of incipient projection (.932265^3), bearing the same ratio to Sat- 

 urn's mean locus of projection (9.077645o3), as the square root of Earth's 

 mass bears to the square root of Saturn's mass, thus indicating an exact 

 equivalent between the moment of rotation and the inertia of mass. 

 This gives 331988»i3— ??z„ ; p,^ = 92,805,400 miles. The mass-value differs 

 by less than Jg of one per cent, from the value which was adduced from 

 the relative inertia of Earth and Jupiter (Note 152), and by less than y^- 

 of one per cent, from the value which was deduced from centres of oscilla- 

 tion (Notes 5, 23). 



