AN ELECTRIC STORM

Dominion, 14 August 1919, Page 6

AN ELECTRIC STORM

IN THE EARTH

ACUTELY FELT IN NEW ZEALAND

The following messnges appeared in yesterday's Dominion ■—

Sydnoy, August 12. A magnetic storm and electrical phenomenon in tho form of an Auroni Au.'troiis have interrupted telegraphic coiiumiiiioation between Adeliude and Sydney.—Press Assn. Tho superintendent, Pacific Cable Board, Auckland, notifies asfdiows:— "Baniiield reports all lines on mainland affected by exceptionally intense aurora. AVe aro cut off from Montreal. Unable say prospects." Seeking an explanation from the telegraphic officials of the true inwardness of the a'bove messages, a. Dominion representative was informed that the phenomenon referred to had been experienced in New Zealand on Wednesday night. The causa was abnormal earth of elocfcricity, which had a distinct effect on several of the telegraph iines. Thcso currents run from east to west, and affect tho earth return more or less according to their strength or voltage. On Wednesday night tho electricity in the earth— or the difference in the potential—whs so great that sufficient current was available to wc-rk the lines without batteries. The trouble, however, is that sjuch power is spasmodic and altogether unreliable, so that in such cases an effort is made, if it can be managed, to uso one of the wires as a metallic return instead of using the earth. The cables across Cook Strait were also affected by the disturbance, to such an extent that metallic circuit had to l>9 made by utilising one of them as a return. Deep sea, cables aro not as a rule affected, as they use condensers for tho return. Some difficulties, liowover, have been encountered recently with wireless tolegranh.v in New Zealand, undoubtedly caused by the same disturbances, which are, it is curious to note, RMenilly nsscciateel with tho appearance oi' spots! on the sun.

In ithe case of the stoppage of communication in Canada, it was pointed out that the influence of such subterranean disturbances would naturally be great on a long laud line running east and west (as did tho lines across Cnuada). Over n distance of. say, 250 miles, the voltage might only be 50. whweas it might bo l.V\ ovpr donbl". dhat distance, and such dilforent.ia.tion in potential , ., would swioiiffly affect the line, whereas on a lino running, north and south it might not bo noticed at all , .

On being communicated witili in regard to the appearance of sun spot?, Br. C. IC. Adams (Government Astronomer) stated that the weather conditions of late luid not been favourable to observations of the sun, hut as laio as Saturday Inst, he had been obie to "get the sun," and had observed nrominent'spots on thp sun's fiurfaop. Shortly after 4 p.m. yfsterday Dr. Adams took a further observation, .when he detected throo very Inrge and three =mall spots on the sun. Whether such solar appearances did account fov the misnelic disturbances that .11V 'bsing experienced 011 earth h<> cou.ld not s.'iy. but scientific journals he had received had drawn attention, from lime to time, to ishc synchronisation of tho phenomena. ■>