value in about 35 minutes. A permanently active deposit was left behind after volatilization of the oil, indicating that probably one or more of the radio-elements were present in minute quantity.
Elster and Geitel[1] have found that the active sediments obtained from springs at Nauheim and Baden Baden showed abnormal ratesA of decay of the excited activity. This was finally traced to the presence in the deposit of both thorium and radium. By suitable chemical methods, the two active substances were separated from each other and were then tested separately.
278. Effect of meteorological conditions upon the radio-activity of the atmosphere. The original experiments
of Elster and Geitel on the excited radio-activity derived from
the atmosphere were repeated by Rutherford and Allan[2] in
Canada. It was found that a large amount of excited radio-activity
could be derived from the air, and that the effects were
similar to those observed by Elster and Geitel in Germany. This
was the case even on the coldest day in winter, when the ground
was covered deeply with snow and wind was blowing from the
north over snow-covered lands. The results showed that the
radio-activity present in the air was not much affected by the
presence of moisture, for the air during a Canadian winter is
extremely dry. The greatest amount of excited activity on a
negatively charged wire was obtained in a strong wind. In some
cases the amount produced for a given time of exposure was ten
to twenty times the normal amount. A cold bright day of winter
usually gave more effect than a warm dull day in summer.
Elster and Geitel[3] have made a detailed examination of the effect of meteorological conditions on the amount of excited radio-activity to be derived from the atmosphere. For this purpose a simple portable apparatus was devised by them and used for the whole series of experiments. A large number of observations were taken, extending over a period of twelve months. They found that the amount of excited activity obtained was subject to great
