Paper, 'On the constituent of the atmosphere that absorbs radiant heat II' by S A Hill

Description

Hill continues his research into the topic (see PP/1/17). He writes: 'General [Richard] Strachey has suggested to me that with the data given in my first paper we may arrive at a numerical relation between the absorptive powers of dry air and aqueous vapour, instead of being content with merely showing that vapour is by far the most active constituent of the atmosphere in this respect. The following calculations, worked out on the lines suggested by him, indicate that the dry air has a small and, as far as we can judge, invariable effect m the way of absorption, while the effect of water vapour is large and variable. In other words, the air probably exercises a feeble absorption over the whole range of the spectrum, while the absorption due to water vapour is selective, and probably varies in amount with the nature of the radiation from day to day.'

Annotations in pencil and ink.

Subject: Meteorology

Received 10 March 1882. Read 23 March 1882. Communicated by Strachey.

A version of this paper was published in volume 33 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'On the constituent of the atmosphere that absorbs radiant heat. II'.

Reference number

PP/1/37

Earliest possible date

1882

Physical description

Ink and graphite pencil on paper

Page extent

5 pages

Format

Manuscript