i rl ti ere tes te ee 
ESTABLISHING A SOLAR OBSERVATORY IN AUSTRALIA. 71 
secure the establishment of a Solar Physics Observatory in Australia.’ 
‘That a-committee be formed to aid in the work of establishing such 
an observatory.’ ‘ That in view of the generous attitude of the British 
Association in granting 50]. towards the establishment of the observa- 
tory a similar sum be granted by the Australasian Association.’ 
Smithsonian Institution, October 31, 1907.—The Secretary writes : 
‘Mr. Abbot, the Director of the Astrophysical Observatory here, with 
whom I have conferred in the matter, is of the opinion that Australia 
furnishes excellent sites for a Solar Observatory because of cloudless- 
ness. It is now known that there are rapid changes occurring on the 
sun, which for their proper understanding require nearly continuous 
observations to be made. Few existing observations are situated in 
regions where good solar observing conditions are common, and there is 
abundant opportunity for valuable work on the part of the proposed 
Australian Observatory. Its situation is exceptionally favourable both 
in latitude and longitude, and therefore the more desirable, so that it 
may be unhesitatingly said that an Australian Solar Observatory is likely 
to promote knowledge in many Lranches of science. While, of course, 
the advantage to science is a sufficient argument among scientific men 
- for the usefulness of such an establishment, it may be fairly claimed 
that such an observatory would have a direct value for the people of 
Australia. Indeed there is no branch of astronomy which more fully 
deserves the support of the Government because of its probable utility, 
than the study of solar radiation in its relations to life and climate and 
power upon the earth.’ 
In addition to the above institutions and to British and Colonial 
observatories the project has the support of the following: ‘ The 
Mount Wilson Solar Observatory, California, U.S.A.; ‘The Royal 
Observatory of Cetania and Etna’; and ‘The Society of Italian 
Spectroscopists.’ 
The Present State of our Knowledge of the Upper Atmosphere as 
obtained by the use of Kites, Balloons, and Pilot Balloons.—Report 
of the Committee, consisting of Messrs. E. Gotp and W. A. 
Harwoop. 
[PLATE II.] 
CONTENTS. PAGE 
I. Introductory. : : : : - : : : : . aif 
Il. Historical . . * SA Cae ge 5 (aad eae ti EP 
Ill. (a) Apparatus and Tanramonel? c : : é : : ; Sees) 
(b) Testing of Instruments . ; ; A 184 
IV. Temperature (a) Mean Temperatures ‘idl Gradients of iinapietabire : . 92 
(b) Temperatures wnder Cyclonic and Anti- aaa Con- 
ditions . 96 
(c) The Advective and Convective Regions : : S . 102 
(d) Annual Variation of Temperature . ; 3 : - 109 
(e) Diurnal Variation of Temperature . , » 5 . 115 
V. Wind. Changes in Velocity and Direction with Height . . 3 : . 116 
I. IntRopucToRY. 
THE past decade has been most fruitful in the application of self-recording 
instruments to the investigation of the free atmosphere. But the work 
has been mainly confined to obtaining, collecting, and publishing the 
