336 : REPORT—1863. 
Mr. Marsh presents in a tabular view the heating power of a constant 
volume of air drawn from different heights in the atmosphere, upon an equal 
volume of air at standard pressure, when the latent heat is rendered sensible 
by condensation of the air to standard pressure. The results of Mr. Marsh 
are here reproduced. 
Heating power 
of 1 volume (upon 
| Saji anil Dilatation. Number of 1 volume of 
tithe No. of the volumes corresponding to one | standard pres- 
errs igh dita volume at the surface of sure), when 
Bf the earth. condensed to 
standard pres- | 
sure. 
n at ° 
na. re on x 143 
3-43 2 72 1m 
6-86 4 1674.8) 
10°29 8 126 | 
13-72 16 135°" 
17:15 32 139 
20°58 64 142 
24:01 128 143 
27°44 256 143 
30°87 512 143 
34°30 1024 143 | 
37°73 2048 143 
41-16 4096 143 
44-59 8192 143 
48-02 16384 143 
51:45 32768 143 | 
54°88 65536 143 
58°31 131072 143 | 
61:74 262144 143 | 
65°17 524288 143 
68-60 1048576 143 
102-90 1073741824 143 
137-20 1099511627776 143 
171-50 1125899906842624 143 
205-80 1152921504606846976 143 
The bulk of air compressed before a meteorite, determines the absolute 
quantity of heat made sensible, independently of the height of the trajectory 
above the surface of the earth, until the height of twenty-four miles is 
reached in the descent. From this point the quantity of heat made sensible 
gradually diminishes, and falls rapidly to half the quantity of the supreme — 
heights, between ten miles and three miles above the earth’s surface. 
Mr. Marsh points out the intense illumination which a uniform develop- 
ment of free heat must produce in the highest strata of the atmosphere. At 
