SUN AND WEATHER.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 January 1918, Page 2

SUN AND WEATHER.

MR. WRAGGE'S. FORECASTS. SEISMIC ACTIVITY Es T 1920. ''The present maximum of the sun," said Mi. Clement YVragge ip an interview with the Auckland Herald) "is probably tlie most abnormal on record. Ten clays ago 17 disturbances, popularly called sun spots., were observed in the solar photosphere, the largest being about 45,000 miles in diameter. But upheavals even greater, to 100,000 miles in diameter, have been observed during this remarkable period of solar upheaval. From these titantic cyclones in the sun, ether or 'wire-ieis waves of varying wave lengths are always emanating, and under them the earth and our fellow olants sing, vibrate,'and-hum life the singing of a telegraph wire, but inasmuch as all our senses on the physical piano are limited, our organs of hearing are not sufficiently acute to respond to thero. In order to understand t'hi.s theory it must be home in raind that the whole endless universe from sun to sun, planet to plaliet, system to svsteiu, is governed by wireless waves. Oiir sun is operated in its turn by the ether waves emanating from our next nearest sun, which is Alpha Centauri, the bnghest of the two pointers to the Southern Cross, and so it goes on through the niter-stellar or inter-solar spaces.

FACTORS IN CLIMATIC CHANGES. '"The forecasts of the seasons are baso(l 011 three main factors, first the physical condition of the sun with respect to its maximum land minimum 'moods: secondly, the astronomical ■ positions' of the moon and periodical swing' of lunar declination i thirdly, the perturbations or wireless waves that are for ever working throughout our solar system, linking up (he earth with our fellow planets. That this working hypothesis with respect to seasonal weather forecasting if a. sound one there is no doubt 'whatever, -but a source of error lies in the fact that we do not. yet thoroughly understand the nature of the emanations from Alpha which affect our sun. It is a remarkable fact that there is a connection so intimate between the weather—if we may use such a term—of the sun and the weather of earth, as if the two bodies, through 9" millions of miles, were actually linked up by a telegraph wire. So they are in very fact, but by wireless, as I have already stated. In the northern hemisphere of the sun winds •if terrific velocity sweep around in appalling and fiery cyclones in the opposite direction to the hands of a clock, and in the southern hemisphere of the sun in the same direction of clock hands, nrnl the very same circulation takes place around our globe in the northern and southern hemispheres respectively.

FORECAST OF STORMY ■SEASON'. '"Arguing from these standpoints, and seeing that actions and reatcions pervade the Cosmos, there is every reason to believe that the approaching hurricane season over the Pacific Islands off tlie coast of Queensland and New South Wales, anil the north-west coast of West Australia, also ground Mauritius and the South Indian Ocean, will he verv pronounced, and, as such disturbances ar? expected to pass further south than usual, it is reasonable to suppose , that the Auckland Province, and especially North Auckland, will be in a measure affected by the southern sides or edges of t'lie Pacific storms, which should result in heavy winds from between east, northeast, north, and north-west, with accompanying periodical heavy rains. The present absence of rainfall is mainly due to the condition of what may be termed the static equilibrium attaching to thesummer solstice, and as the sun's southern declination decreases towards the equator the state of affairs just mentioned may bo expected the more to develop. But it must ever be borne in mind tJhat, with regard to forecasts of the seasons, we dare not, speak ox cathedra, that we [only claim, and equitably so, a high percentage of accuracy, knowing that our hypothetical -formula is a sound one. and absolute accuracy is never expected, remembering the qualifying influences from Alpha Ccutauri.

sunstorjis and earthquakes. "in regard to earthqu.'iktg," continued Mi . Wragge, "there is no doubt the sun's mllueiice is the prime factor—l do not s>ay the onl}' one—in causing earthquakes and volcanic, eruptions. The recent VVairarapa earthquake followed a mighty solar upheaval exceeding 100,00(1 miles trom edge to edge. The Guatemala earthquake was contemporaneous with the enormous solar energy already mentioned, together with the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. lam not forecasting future earthqi. es, and lam not. sounding the alarmist note, but I do emphatically say that in consequence of the change of wireless wave lengths from the sun—like altering the gear of a motor-ear—which are bound to operate after 1920, conditions will become more javorable for seismic and volcanic action m all those parts..of the soutlie.ni hemisphere .where the surface of the earth is I weak. It is just, possible—l do not sav probable that some of the alleged extinet volcanoes may 'begin to manifest some slight signs of activity. Mv advice when that period arrives to'those people who live in earthquake areas is riot to sleep too near chimneys, which are liable to tumble down. It is possible that seismic action may become evident in the neighbourhood of Cook Straits and Canterbury Plains, hut re-' I member," he concluded,' 'T am not sounding' the alarmist note. The tone that I use is embodied in the word 'caution.'"