The progress of the development of the law of storms, and of the variable winds, with the practical application of the subject to navigation. / by Lieut-Colonel William Reid.

  • William Reid
Date:
1849
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The progress of the development of the law of storms, and of the variable winds, with the practical application of the subject to navigation. / by Lieut-Colonel William Reid. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    * GREAT OSCILLATIONS OF THE BAROMETER. gyrations subject to a different law, as is exemplified i? the foregoing experiment; and this difference or de- parture from the law of solids, is doubtless greater in aeriform fluids, than in those of a denser character. “ The whole experiment serves to demonstrate that such an active gyration as we have ascribed to storms, and have proved as we deem to appertain to some at least of the more violent class, must necessarily expand and. spread out, by its centrifugal action, the stratum of atmosphere subject to its influence, and which must consequently become flattened or depressed by this lateral movement, particularly towards the vortex or centre of the storm, lessening thereby the weight of the incumbent fluid, and producing a con- sequent fall of the mercury in the barometrical tube. This effect must increase, till the gravity of the cir- cumjacent atmosphere, superadded to that of the storm itself, shall by its counteracting effect have produced an equilibrium in the two forces. Should there be no overlaying current in the higher regions, moving in a direction different from that which contains the storm, the rotative effect may perhaps be extended into the region of perpetual congelation, till the medium becomes too rare to receive its influence. But what- ever ma]r be the limit of this gyration, its effect must be to depress the cold stratum of the upper atmosphere, particularly towards the more central portions of the storm; and by thus bringing it in contact with the humid stratum of the surface, to produce a perma- nent and continuous stratum of clouds, together with a copious supply of rain, or a deposition of congelated vapour, according to the state of the temperature pre- vailing in the lower region.” 21 CHAP.