Volcanic Eruption in Java, Brilliant Sunset Glows in 1901, and Probable Glows from the Eruption in Martinique

Abstract

THE brilliant sky glows and sunsets following the eruption of Krakatoa, near Java, on August 26 and 27, 1883, threw a flood of light on the movements of the upper atmosphere in a way which was probably not otherwise possible. Up to that time it had been supposed generally by meteorologists that the airforming the trade winds ascended at the equator and turning toward the poles became a south-westerly current in the northern hemisphere and a north-westerly current in the southern hemisphere flowing over the trades. After the explosion eruption of Krakatoa, the large mass of observations gathered by the committee of the Royal Society and the admirable discussion of the optical phenomena by Russell and Archibald (“The Eruption of Krakatoa and Subsequent Phenomena,” London, 1888) brought out the following facts:—