SUNSPOTS AND VOLCANIC AND SEISMIC PHENOMENA. 73 



and monsoonal disturbances affected our latitudes than 

 during the minimum years 1897-1903. In fact in the 

 period of sunspot maximum the antarctic V disturbances 

 extend further north, and the monsoonal influences further 

 south than usual, with the result that the anticyclone belt 

 is narrowed, and the frequency of anticyclones reduced. 

 During minimum years on the other hand the anticyclone 

 belt widens and anticyclones pass across our continent in 

 rapid succession. The researches of Professor K. Kassner 1 

 seem to show the reverse relation to obtain for the North 

 American cyclone track, cyclones there being according to 

 him more frequent at sunspot minima. 



The connection between pressure and temperature is 

 stated by Dr. Lockyer, as follows : — " The Indian meteoro- 

 logists have abundantly proved that the increased radiation 

 from the sun on the upper air currents at sunspot maximum 

 is accompanied by a lower temperature in the lower strata, 

 and that with this disturbance of the normal temperature 

 we must expect pressure changes." 



IV. Sunspots and their connection with Rainfall. — The 

 majority of meteorologists were a few years ago full of 

 eagerness to embrace the theory that sunspots brought 

 rainfall and their absence drought. This idea was strength- 

 ened by the fact, as shown by Jevons, 2 that many great 

 Indian famines closely followed sunspot minima. Many of 

 our own Australian and many European droughts coincide 

 with sunspot minima. Lately, however, Sir Norman and 

 Dr. W. J. S. Lockyer have shown that India has two rain- 

 fall pulses, one at maximum and one at minimum sunspot 

 conditions, and that often a very wet year in Mauritius is 

 a dry year in parts of India and vice versa. Mr. H. O. 

 Russell, b.a., c.m.g., f.r.s., has also shown that wet seasons 



1 Annalen der Hydrographie und Maritiraen Meteorologie, March 1903. 



2 Nature, Vol. lxiii., p. 107. 



