Worlds In The Making; The Evolution Of The Universe

WORLDS IN THE MAKING; THE EVOLUTION OF THE UNIVERSE S - 1908 - TABLE OF CONTENTS I. -- VOLCANIC PHENOMENA AND EARTHQUAKES . . l Destruction caused by volcanism and by earthquakes.-Different kinds of volcanoes.-Vesuvius.-Products of erup tion. - Volcanic activity diminishing. - Structure of volcanoes.-Geographical distribution of volcanoes.-Temperature in the interior of the earth. - significance of water for volcanism.-Composition of the earths interior.-Geographical distribution of earthquakes.-Fissures in the earths crust.-Groups of earthquakes.-Waves in the sea and in the air accompanying earthquakes.-Their connection with volcanism .-Systems of fissures.-Seisinograms. 11. THE CELESTIAL BODIES, IN PARTICULAR THE EARTH, AS ABODES OF LIVING BEINGS . . . 39 Manifold character of the worlds.-The earth probably at first a ball of gases.-Formation of the earth crust and its rapid cooling.-Balance between heat received and heat lostr by radiation.-Life already existing on the earth for a milliard of years.-The waste of solar heat.-Temperature and habitability of the planets.-Heat-preserving influence of the atmosphere.-Significance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere - Warm and cold geological ages. - Fluctuations in the percentage of carbon dioxide of the air.--Cornbustion, decay, and growth.-Atmospheric oxygen.-Vegetable life more ancient than animal life.-The atmospheres of planets.---Chances of an improvement in the climate. 111. RADIATION AND CONSTITUTION OF THE SUN. 64 Stability of the solar system.-Losses and possible gains P of heat by the sun.-Theses of Mayer and of Helmho1tz.-Temperatdres of the white, yellow, and reddish stars, and of the sun .-Sun-spots and . .. s un facu1ae.-Prominences.-111 TABLE OF CONTENTS Spectra of the parts of the sun.-Temperature of the sun.-The interior of the sun.-Its composition according to the mechanical theory of heat.-The losses of heat by the sun probably covered by the enormous solar energy. IV. THE RADIATION PRESSURE. . . . . . . . . 94 Newtons law of gravitation.-Keplers observation of comets tails.-The thesis of Euler .-Proof of Maxwell The radiation pressure.-Electric charges and condensation.-Cornets tails and radiation pressure.-Constituents and properties of comets tails.-Weight of the solar corona. - Loss and gain of matter by the sun.-Nature of meteorites.-Electric charge of the sun.-Electrons drawn into the sun.-Magnetic properties of the sun and appearance of the corona.-Constituents of the meteors.-Nebul and their heat and light. V. THE SOLAR DUST IN THE ATMOSPHERE. POLAR LIGHTS ANT THE VARIATIONS OF TERRESTRIAL MAGNETISM The supply of dust from the sun rather insignificant.-Polarization of the light of the sky.-The upper c1oucis.-Different kinds of aurorz.-Their connectim with the corona of the sun.-Polar lights and sun-spots.-Periodicity of polar lights.-Polar lights and magnetic disturbances.-Velocity of solar dust.-Fixation of atmospheric nitrogen.-The Zodiacal Light. VI. END OF THE SUN.-ORIGIN OF NEBULA3 . . . 148 The extinction of the sun.-Collision between two celestial bodies.-The new star in Perseus.-Formation of nebu1rc.-The appearance of nebulae.-The nebulae catch wandering meteors and comets.-The ring nebula in TJyra.-Variable stars.-Eta in Argus.-Mira Ceti.-Lyra and .41gol stars.--Evolution of the stars. VII. THE NEBULAR AND THE SOLAR STATES . . 191 The energy of the universe.-The entropy of the universe.-The entropy increases in the suns, but decreases in the nebul2.-Temperature and constitution of the nebul2...