April 14, 1893. J 



SCIENCE. 



203 



in the ascending current, and this latter is a continuous source of 

 energy as long as moist air is being drawn in from all sides to 

 supply this current.'' 



These are the careful words of one who devoted more than thirty 

 years to a most thorough study of this whole question. I am 

 well aware that certain disciples of Professor Ferrel are trying to 

 take advanced ground on this vital question, and are striving to 

 show that we may have a storm with lower temperature in its 

 upper portion, but it seems to me this is a fatal error, and if per- 



fluctuation of temperature at the base and summit of the follow- 

 ing stations: Pike's Peak (14,134 feet, highest meteorological 

 station in the world), and Colorado Springs (5.950 feet) ; Mount 

 Washington (6,279 feet), and Lunenburg (1,100 feet); also at 

 Sonnblick (10,170 feet), and Salzburg (1,434 feet), in Austria. In 

 the last set of curves I have added Santis (8,202 feet), situated 

 165 miles west of Sonnblick. Any one studying these curves 

 must be convinced that the temperature fluctuations are precisely 

 the same at the summit and base of each high station. Now it 





Co/o.S. 



Co/o.S 



firfSSiire. 



sisted in must overthrow the convection hypothesis. I do not see 

 how there can be any middle ground in this matter. If we ac- 

 cept Ferrel's views, we must stand by the convection hypothesis. 

 It is well known that I have taught for many years that the con- 

 vection hypothesis is disproved by the most convincing facts, 

 and cannot possibly be sustained. It is none the less true, how- 

 ever, that the temperature in our storms up to great heights is 

 vastly higher than that of the surrounding air, and in our high 

 areas it is vastly less. These facts are absolutely established by 

 observations on mountain-tops. I give here curves showing the 



is a universal law that on the approach of a storm the tempera- 

 ture rises at sea-level, and with a high area there is a decided fall, 

 especially in the colder months. This law is abundantly borne 

 out in these curves, for a comparison between the pressure curve 

 (broken) at the base and the temperature curve (dotted) shows 

 opposite phases between the two, and the temperature maxima 

 and minima occur earlier at the summit than the pressure minima 

 and maxima at the base. This is shown most clearly at the 

 stations in the United States, but it can be seen also at the Aus- 

 trian stations. 



