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Tf 0 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 m4 ft '?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