18 SCIENCE IN SHORT CHAPTERS. 



will be perpetually varying with the varying relative posi- 

 tions 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. Outside of this there should be a boundary limit 

 where the dissociated 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 radia- 

 tion, will limit the evolution of heat and consequent com- 

 bustion. 



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 dissocia- 

 ted gases. 



As there can be no action without equal and contrary 

 reaction, there can be no vortices, either in the solar atmos- 



Ehere or a terrestrial stream, without corresponding up- 

 eavals. 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 con- 

 tinuous rocket-like combustion, the rapidity of which will be 

 determined by the possibility of radiation. The heat 

 evolved by this combustion, acting simultaneously with the 

 diminution of pressure, will effect a continually augment- 

 ing 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 



