The Isothermal Layer of the Atmosphere

Abstract

IT is a commonplace observation that “truths of science, waiting to be caught”, are often simultaneously and independently “caught” by two or more investigators. One of the most remarkable coincidences of this kind appears never to have been definitely pointed out as such. This is the recent Gold-Humphreys (or Humphreys-Gold) explanation as to why the stratosphere is vertically isothermal; viz., because of equality in that region between emitted and absorbed radiation. This discovery is probably destined to remain conspicuous in the annals of meteorology for two reasons; first, because of its intrinsic importance, and, secondly, because of the following remarkable chronological parallelism in its independent development by two investigators:—