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maha Sunday Bee Magazine Page
Mi'
The Startling
Discovery of
Science That the Millions
of Tons of Dust Thrown Up by Our
Alaskan Volcano Katmai Spread
All Around the World and Reduced
the Sun's Heat 10 Per Cent
t"i"f HAT cold years nro due to
1 volcanic dust Is the curloua
discovery made by Professor
C. Q. Abbot, Director of the Astro
physical Laboratory of the Smith
Eonlan Institution, of Washington.
His conclusions are published In
a pamphlet called "Volcanoes and
Climate," Just issued by this insti
tution. From this it appears that the re
markably cool Summer which wo
experienced last year must be at
tributed to volcanic dust
The professor made this discovery
whllo observing tho suit at DaBSour,
Algeria, for tho purpose of compar1
ing temperatures with those taken
at Mount Wilson, California. Ho
was working on tho hypothesis that
the amount of heat given off from
the sun's surface varies in different
years. While this hypothesis has
not been disproved, it has boen con
siderably modified by his recent ob
servations. He wa3 puzzled to observe a very
persistent reddish haze in the sky
above Basaour. Observation showed
that It could not be a vapor cloud.
Reports from Mount Wilson in
formed him that a similar haze was
vlslblo there. Investigation proved
that this could only be due to the
tremendous eruption of Mount Kat
mai, near Alaska, which occurred on
June C, 1912.
A long series of intricate calcula
tions indicated that the volcanic
dust in the atmosphere reduced tho
amount of heat received from the
sun by about 10 per cent. It would
produce a fall of several degrees
Fahrenheit perhaps Ave or six
from the mean average temperature
of the year.
"From our Bassour (Algeria) ex
periments," writes Professor Abbot,
In his report, "including the meas
urements by two methods of the
radiation of the sky. It appears that
the quantity of heat available to
warm the earth was diminished by
nearly, or quite, 10 per cent by the
naze. There is, however, some in
dication that this was in part coun
terbalanced by a decrease In the
earth's radiation to space, caused by
the haze."
One method of measuring the heat
was by tho spectro-bolometer. In
vented by the late Professor Lang
ley. This instrument shows by
spectroscopy the amount of heat
abstracted from a pure ray of sun
light by the atmosphere and all the
substances in it.
Professor Abbot calculated that
the amount of heat ordinarily lost in
Summer by radiation to space was
0.05 calories per square centimetre
per minute, while during tho preva
lence of the volcanic dust it was 0.23
calories, showing a loss of 0.20
calories to the earth through this
cause.
Volcanic dust now appears to b
the chief factor in causing cold
years. Hitherto the variation in
sun spots has been regarded as the
determining factor. The sun spots
go through an eleven-year cycle of
increase, and decrease. It has been
noticed that there is a fall from the
average temperature at the point of
maximum sun spots. The year 1912,
however, was not a year of max
imum sun spots, and this strength
ens the evidence that the fall of tem
perature was duo to volcanic dust,
Tho fall was much greater than has
usually been found to occur in years
of maximum sun spots.
TJie loss of heat is, of course, uue
to the interposition of a layer of
minute floating solid particles which
prevent a certain proportion of the
sun's rays from reaching the earth.
Tho effect of tho volcanic dust is
very much intensified if it prevails
shortly before tho beginning of Win
ter or Just after tb'at season . In that
case It would cause an abnormal ac
cumulation of ice and snow and an
unnatural prolongation of Winter,
(fortunately, this coincidence did
not occur in 1912. Volcanic dust
clouds may prevail for many months,
vnd It seems qulto possible that If
they should come at tho end of a
lone and severe Winter they might
create a practically all-the-year
Winter.
That -would be a calamity ot
, orldwlde magnitude. It would
mean the failure of the crops over
tho whole of the United States and
New
all the temperate regions of the
earth.
It seems clear from Professor
Abbot's observations that there is
no form of terrestrial disturbance
which .Is so farreachlng In Us effects
ns volcanic dust. Within a wook or
less of a great volcanic eruption In
America tho dust is observed in Eu
rope. The dust often travels at a
speed of forty miles an hour, or 960
miles a day. That means that in
fifteen days it will have gono half
way around the world.
From tho moment of the eruption
the effect on o ur climate begins to bo
felt and in less than a month that
of the whole world shows tho in
fluence of tho disturbance.
We should remember that oven
at ordinary times a largo proportion
of tho sun's heat and light is lost to
us. Wo should perish instantly If
wo were exposed to tho unflltered
heat of the. sun. It is tho reflection
of the sun's light from particles of
dust and water vapor that gives us
tho beautiful and welcome phenom
enon we call tho sky. In so-callod
cloudless countries the sunlight is
very difficult to enduro, and even
there the atmosphere is by no moans
free from particles of dust and
water vapor.
When, however, the atmosphere is
filled with an almost continuous pall
of red dust, the dilution of the sun
light is carried much farther than Is
agreeable or health)'. Such occur
rences suggest tho possibility that
they may some day take a much more
alarming form than they have yet
done. The material thrown up by the
volcanoes varies very much in com
position. Is it not possible that
through certain chemical' combina
tions, and the composition of the
earth whero the eruption occurs, the
material ejected may take the form
of a heavy poisonous gasT
The 1012 Eruption of the Volcano
Club-Shaped Cloud Shown Rues 17
Mainly if Particles of Dust, So Small
Hibs Air, Being Held Up by tho
Copyright, 1911. by
OES
in 1912
V ..IS?
Diagram illustrating How tho Tiny PnrticI
thrown Up by Volcanoes Obstruct the
and Turn One in Teh Back Into' Space,
Depriving Earth of That Much Light
and Heat.
Now tho ability, ot one volcano to
throw a shower of solid particles
over more than half the earth's sur
face has been amply demonstrated.
It this material should be changed
into a poisonous gas it would ex
tinguish the. life of most, or per
haps all, of the human inhabitants
of the globe. ' It Is evident that
science is lncrcasljgly disposed to
Colima in Mexico, The Enormous
Miles High in Air. It Is Composed
That They Drift for Months in the
Denser Air Below.
the Star Company. Great Britain
?3r
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'?vv.
'riii
SBailli
of Dut
Sun'a Ray
Bodies Covered with Volcanic Ash After the Disastrous Eruption of Mont
Pelec, in Martinique.
accept the probability of such a
catastrophe occurring from one
cause or another.
After observing tho presence ot
dust from Mount Katmai in tre
mendously separated parts of tho
world, Professor Abbot made a
study of tho tomperature in connec
tion with all periods of great vol
canic activity during tho past cen
tury. He found that In every year
of great volcanic activity there had
been a less than normal tempera
ture. He also found that in all these
years there were reports of "hazes,"
"dry fogs" and curious atmogphorlc
disturbances in places far apart.
Tho relation of these to one vol
canlo centre was not generally un
derstood and their effect on cllmato
waa entirely overlooked.
There wero periods of diminished
heat from 1883 to 1887. from 1888
to 1898, and from 1902 to 1904.
These were all periods of great vol
canic activity. Tho last named
period, for instance, was begun by
the terrible eruption of Mount Pelee,
on tho Island of Martinique, which
was followed by that of La Soufrlero
on the Island of St. Vincent.
Professor Abbot has collected an
ltnjreR8lve mass of facts showing
the stupendous quantities of mate
rial thrown up by volcanoes. We
are impressed by the historical fact
that Pompeii and Herculunium were
buried under a shower of lava, mud
and ashes from Vesuvius, but that
Is only an Imperfect indication, of
the power and activity of a volcano,
for those towns are but a mile or
two from the crater
One of the greatest eruptions on
,ird U said tn hv n that nf
Rights Tlsssrvtd.
Mount Asamayama,
1783. The matter
formed an island in
in Japan, in
it throw up
a river wnlcli
Is shown at tho present day. Tho
dust darkened the air for months
and was observed in many parts of
tho world, although its source was
not recognized. That was an ex
rationally cold year.
That year was marked by an
eruption of nearly equal violence
to that In Japan. This second erup
tion ocourred at the volcano of
Shaptar Jokull, In Iceland. Half a
How "Squaw Men" Add to England's
TIB
of
HE Fabian Society of England
which George Bernard
Shaw Is tho distinguished
bead Is taking a census of the
growing army of "Squaw Men" in
that country husbands who loaf
while their wives labor to support
them. The suspicion is that the
rapid increase of this type of male
creature is largely responsible for
the growing violence of militant suf
fragettlsm. Mra. C. M. Wilson, of the Fabians,
who is investigating the matter, has
this to say:
"The object ot the Fabian
women's group is to study as thor
oughly aB possible the economic posi
tion ot women in this country.
"So little is known at present
about the number ot wage-earning
women who suDoort others that we
tf
mountain was blown away by this
eruption.
Tho dust thrown up by theso
eruptions was noticed all over ISu
ropo and In parts of Africa. It was
described In many places ns "a dry
fog," and tho. idea that It wns a fog
coincldod with tho coldness of the
weather. Benjamin Franklin, our
earliest American scientist, who was
in Paris at tho time, commented on
tho presenco of this peculiar hdze
und' tho annoyance it causod him.
Ho attributed an attack of bron
chitis to it.
The year 1883 was romarkablo for
great volcanic disturbances, and at
that tlmo tho extraordinarily wide
distribution of tho dust was noticed.
Around Dabujan, in Southeastern
ABla, tho sun was hidden for three
weoks. There was no thickness of
tho ntmosphere at the surface ot
tho earth, tho obstruction being
high, up in the air.
When the darkness cleared some
wha't tho sun appearod green, al
though at other times volcanic dust
has been found to bo purple. A
tremendous eruption occurred at
Krakatoa, in the South Paclfiic, In
tho samo year and was attended by
Blmllar phenomona. Tho dust
reached Europe- within ten days and
caused considerable obscuration ot
the sun.
Tho eruption of Krakatoa is re
garded as one of the most terrible in
history because 40,000 persons lost
their lives In it. Tho eruption blew
away nearly half the Island and
crevices a thousand feet deep wero
left where onco there had been
mountains.
The report was heard 3,000 miles
away and the darkness caused by
the dust extended over 720,000
square miles.
Many romarkablo eruptions escape
are making special Inquiries Into the
subject. .
"I have as yet no definite figures,
but I should say that there are many
thousands ot women in this country
who support husbands or other rela
tives. "These women are to be found
among all classes and in all profes
sions and trades. Some of these
wives are skilled workers, and take
up their position as bread-winners
quite cheerfully.
"It is very difficult to ascertain
details ot the better class homes
where husbands, for some reason or
other, are supported by their wives.
"Among poorer people, however
particularly in the districts around
the East London docks I know there
are hundreds of cases where the wife
la the wage-earner ot the home.
"The numbers of women who work
3ft'..
aw
How the Great Alaskan Vol
can6 Katmai Threw Up Mil
lions of Tons of Ashes Which
Drifting Around the Earth in
the Hlnhest Stratum of Oar
Atmosphere Formed a Barrier
to the Sun's Rays, Threw Te
Per Cent of Its Heat Back In.
to Space and So Caused tha
Cold Summer of 1912.
notice bocaueo thoy aro not attend
ed with great loss of Mfo or damage
to property.' An eruption in Guate
mala in 1902sproad ashes over an
aroa of 126,000 square miles. The
dust cloud abovo tho crater was
eighteen miles high, a very signifi
cant Indication of the force ot the
eruption.
Although tho eruption of Mount
Katmai has attractod comparatively
little attention, bocauso it occurred
far away from thickly peopled re
gions, it was, nevertheless, of a most
tremendous character. Thero is
every reason to boliovo that, the
eruption of Mount Peloe, which
caused such universal distress, was
but a trifling natural disturbance
compared to that of Mount Katmai.
This latter eruption deposited a toot
of ashes a hundred miles away.
When It is remembered that this
deposit was spread for at least that
distance in every direction tha
enormous quantity may be gauged.
Tho column of dUBt abovo tha
crater was estimated to bo thirty
miles high. The United States rev
enue cutter Manning witnessed the
eruption from a distance ot 100 miles
from the volcano. Tho sky became
completely dark for " twenty-four
hours and tho deck was plied up
with volcanic dust to such a depth
that tho men had great difficulty In
treeing tho ship from the burden.
The dust was observed by Pro
fessor Abbot In Africa, C.OOQ miles
awny, eleven days after the eruption,
and at Mount Weather, Virginia,
3,700 miles away, within four dayB.
It was not soon at Mount Wilson,
California, 2,500 miles from Katmai,
until fifteen days after the eruption,
because the prevailing air currents
do not blow In that direction. The
dust moves with the upper air cur
rents. Woman Troubles
to support not only husbands but
fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers
and other relatives, must bo amazing!
"I have heard of poor little domes
tics who have given away nearly all
their money every month to keep
some home going, whllo there are
numerous instances ot elder sisters
who have bravely gone out to busi
ness In order to bring up a troop of
small brothers and sisters.
"Women workers with Idle or In
valid husbands have practically tha
same financial responsibilities as a
man, and are looked upon by the
State as the official wage-earners."
According to tho statistics issued,
and assuming the economic condi
tions to be unchanged, New York, id
Is claimed, will contain 1,600,000
women workers and 300,000 husbands
and fathers ot families ot the idle,
nevaivw-te class by the year 19J3t