On atmospheric radio-activity and Indian weather

The pioneer observations of Elster and Geitel have definitely shown that the atmosphere contains radio-active emanations, and that the amount of this emanation depends in some way or other upon meteorological conditions. To find an exact relationship between atmospheric radio-activity and various meteorological factors naturally becomes an important problem, since its solution is sure to offer great facilities to meteorologists in the work of accurate weather forecasting. Rutherford, Gockel, Schmidt, Simpson, Jaufmann, Zlatarovic, and others, have done much experimental work in this direction; but from the point of view of the meteorologist, the close observations of Simpson and Gockel are specially noteworthy. The general view held at present is that the atmospheric radium content is due to emanations from the pores of the soil; and therefore we should expect an increase or decrease in the atmospheric radio-activity if there be an increase or decrease in these emanations. Any factor causing the pores to dilate or contract would obviously increase or lower the value of the atmospheric radium content. On the other hand, there may be factors which will cause emanations to move from one region to another; and there may also be influences which would produce a screening effect.