462 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



vations, which were made with Peltier's electrometer in August, 

 1842, are represented in the following table : 



Hours. 



Electricity. 



6 A. M +17 



7 " 27 ] 



8 " 36 , f . 



9 u 27 r Maximum. 



10 " , 



11 " . 



12 M. 



1 P. M. 



2 " . 

 3 

 4 

 5 

 6 

 7 

 8 

 9 



10 

 11 



20 



14 



12 



10 



5 



3 



5 



11 



18 



24 



30 



32 



30 



19 



Minimum. 



Maximum. 



Ozone. 



4.10 



4.60 



4.88 



4.45 



.31 



.41 



.80 



.96 



1.17 



1.31 



1.40 



1.33 



1.33 



1.41 



1.56 



1.70 



1.00 



1.15 



Maximum. 



Minimum. 



Maximum. 



Ozone, like electricity, seems to depend in a measure on the humid- 

 ity of the air. The relation of fog to atmospheric ozone is not yet 

 determined, but it seems to be agreed that during snow-storms it is 

 increased. Thus, Wolf gives the following comparison : 



Amount of atmospheric ozone in fine days, 4.186. 



Amount of atmospheric ozone in rainy days, 11.40. 



Amount of atmospheric ozone in snowy days, 14.15. 



It will be remarked that snow-storms also favor atmospheric elec- 

 tricity. The direction of the wind has a certain influence, as is well 

 recognized, on ozone. According to Lowe, ozone is most abundant 

 during a southwest or south-southwest wind, and least abundant when 

 the wind is north or northeast. There is a maximum when the barom- 

 eter is low, and a minimum when it is high. Other inland observers 

 agree with Mr. Lowe. At the sea-side, winds blowing from the sea 

 bring with them abundant ozone. 



When the sky is darkened with clouds, there is more ozone than 

 when it is clear. Before thunder-storms, or while they are at a dis- 

 tance, ozone, like electricity, increases, and various changes and fluctu- 

 ations may occur during the progress of the storm. 



Summing up in a few words, we may say that atmospheric ozone is 

 more abundant during the winter and spring, because in those seasons 

 there is much rain, snow, hail, and wind, a low temperature, and a 

 maximum of electricity. During these seasons, also, there is little de- 

 composition going on in the vegetable world. In the summer and 

 autumn, atmospheric ozone is least abundant, because, during these 

 seasons, there is no snow, or hail, less wind, rain, high temperature, a 

 minimum of electricity, and a great amount of decomposition of ani- 

 mal and vegetable matter, by which the air becomes polluted, and is 

 neutralizing and purifying while the ozone is consumed. 



