82 SCIENCE IN SHOUT CHAPTERS. 



tances, and velocities of the planets produces a result equiva- 

 lent to a number of clashing irregular tides in the solar atmos- 

 phere ; or, otherwise stated, the centre of motion and centre 

 of gravity of the whole system will be perpetually varying with 

 the varying relative positions of the planets, and thus the solar 

 nucleus and solar atmosphere will be subject to irregularities of 

 motion, which, though very small relatively to the enormous 

 magnitude of the sun, must be sufficient to produce mighty 

 vortices, and thus effect a continual commingling between the 

 outer and inner atmospheric strata. 



It must be remembered that, according to the preceding, the 

 inner or lower strata of the solar atmosphere should consist of 

 our ordinary atmospheric mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, and 

 the dissociated elements of water and carbonic acid, besides 

 some of the more volatile elements of the solar nucleus. Out- 

 side of this there should be a boundary limit where the disso- 

 ciated gases are combining as rapidly as their latent heat can 

 be evolved by radiation ; this will form a shell or sphere of 

 flame the photosphere and above or beyond this will be the 

 sphere of vapors resulting from this combustion, which, by 

 their resistance to radiation, will limit the evolution of heat and 

 consequent combustion. 



Now the vortices above referred to will break through the 

 shell of combustion, and drag down more or less of the outer 

 vapor into the lower and hotter regions of dissociated gases. 



As there can be no action without equal and contrary reac- 

 tion, there can be no vortices, either in the solar atmosphere or 

 a terrestrial stream, without corresponding upheavals. These 

 upheavals will eject the lower dissociated gases more or less 

 completely through the vaporous jacket which restrains their 

 normal radiations, and, thus liberated, they will rush into 

 combination with an explosive energy comparable to that 

 which they display in our laboratories ; not, however, with an 

 instantaneous flash, but with a continuous rocket-like combus- 

 tion, the rapidity of which will be determined by the possibil- 

 ity of radiation. The heat evolved by this combustion, acting 

 simultaneously with the diminution of pressure, will effect a 

 continually augmenting expansion of these upheaved gases, and 

 as the rapidity of combustion will be accelerated in proportion 

 to elevation above the restraining vapors, an outspreading far 

 in excess of that which would be due to the original upheaving 

 force is to be expected. 



The reader who is acquainted with the phenomena of the 



