Regarding improvement of appliances for measurement of the Earth's magnetic elements by magnetic and electric methods

Abstract

On April 1, 1914, the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism of the Carnegie Institution of Washington enters upon the eleventh year of its existence, and in quarters specially designed for its various needs. In its new home (see Plate I), the requisite facilities are provided for coping, in as successful manner as possible, with the many problems of general physical interest, or of an experimental nature, continually arising in the course of such an undertaking as a general magnetic or an electric survey of the Earth. Here the attempt is made to supplement the existing agencies for observational research in cosmical and terrestrial physics by laboratory research.The work at present being conducted in the subjects of terrestrial magnetism and atmospheric electricity, is mainly observational: Either the magnetic or electric elements are determined at suitably distributed points over the Earth with the view of obtaining, as accurately as possible, a knowledge of its general magnetic or electric condition (magnetic or electric surveys), or at a considerably smaller number of points are registered the variations to which the magnetic and electric elements are subject with time and with varying planetary and solar conditions (observatories). There are thus magnetic and electric surveys, and magnetic and electric observatories; but hitherto there has been no laboratory for the specific purpose of broad physical research in problems of common interest to observational and experimental work, in brief, the same kind of happy combination of laboratory and observational facilities as has already proved successful in other sciences, as in astrophysics, for example.