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Physics of the terrestrial environment, subtle matter and height of the atmosphere : conceptions of the atmosphere and the nature of air in the age of enlightenment
- Author / Creator
- Available as
- Online
Details
- Creator
- Eric Chassefière
- Format
- Books
- Language
- English
- Publication
-
- London, England ; Hoboken, New Jersey : ISTE : Wiley, [2021]
- ©2021
- Physical Details
-
- 1 online resource (368 pages)
- ISBNs
- 9781786307170, 9781119866190, 1119866197, 1119866154, 1786307170, 9781119866152, 9781119866121, 111986612X
- OCLC
- on1276808641, on1276856631
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- Cover -- Half-Title Page -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- Introduction -- Contents -- Introduction -- 1 Words Used to Describe the Atmosphere and Subtle Matter -- 1.1. Introduction -- 1.2. Air and the atmosphere -- 1.3. Vapors and exhalations -- 1.4. Coarse and subtle matters -- 1.5. The triptych of heat, fire and light -- 1.5.1. Heat -- 1.5.2. Fire -- 1.5.3. Light -- 1.6. Ether -- 1.7. Fundamental properties of air -- 2 Refractive Matter -- 2.1. Introduction -- 2.2. State of knowledge in the 17th century -- 2.2.1. Representations of the atmosphere in the mid-17th century -- 2.2.2. The atmosphere of mathematicians and refraction in the first half of the 17th century -- 2.2.3. Gravity and elasticity of atmospheric matter in the second half of the 17th century -- 2.3. Arguments for the introduction of a refractive matter other than air -- 2.3.1. Argument based on invalidation by the observation of the theory of refraction by vapors and exhalations -- 2.3.2. Argument based on the high values of horizontal refraction at high latitude -- 2.3.3. Argument based on the too large value of the horizontal refraction predicted by the barometric model -- 2.3.4. Argument based on the gap considered as too large between the refractive height and the heights determined by the other methods -- 2.3.5. Argument based on the judgment that the sine law implies an absurd consequence on the path of light rays -- 2.4. Discussion -- 2.4.1. Observers and refractive matter -- 2.4.2. Cartesians and refractive matter -- 2.4.3. Mathematicians and refractive matter -- 2.5. Conclusion -- 3 Solar Matter -- 3.1. Introduction -- 3.2. State of knowledge of the Sun in the 17th century -- 3.2.1. Sunspots and rotation of the Sun on its axis -- 3.2.2. Nature and origin of comets and their tails -- 3.2.3. Zodiacal light and solar atmosphere
- 3.2.4. The example of Hartsoeker's model merging sunspots, comets and zodiacal light in a single representation -- 3.3. Solar matter and height of the atmosphere -- 3.3.1. Solar atmosphere and effect on the duration of twilight -- 3.3.2. Solar atmosphere and the Northern Lights -- 3.4. Conclusion -- 4 Magnetic Matter -- 4.1. Introduction -- 4.2. Main concepts of magnetism in the 17th century -- 4.2.1. Descartes's magnet theory and Gassendi's design -- 4.2.2. Knowledge of magnetism at the turn of the 18th century -- 4.3. The explanation of the aurora borealis by magnetic matter -- 4.3.1. The aurora borealis of 1716 and the hypothesis of Edmond Halley -- 4.3.2. The consequences of Halley's hypothesis -- 4.4. Magnetism in the second half of the 18th century -- 4.5. Conclusion -- 5 Electrical Matter -- 5.1. Introduction -- 5.2. Highlighting the link between electricity and thunderstorm activity -- 5.2.1. The first experimental advances -- 5.2.2. Characterization of the natural electricity of the atmosphere -- 5.3. Knowledge of the nature of electricity in the mid-18th century -- 5.4. Precursory work on fiery meteors -- 5.5. Explanation using electricity -- 5.5.1. Early stages -- 5.5.2. Theories based on electricity -- 5.5.3. Controversies about the explanation by electricity -- 5.6. Elucidation of the origin of fiery meteors and falling stars -- 5.7. Conclusion -- 6 Subtle Air -- 6.1. Introduction -- 6.2. Difference in mercury heights between different barometers -- 6.3. Suspension of water and mercury from the tops of inverted tubes -- 6.4. Gravity theories and the impulse system -- 6.5. Light barometers -- 6.6. Conclusion -- 7 Results and Theories on the Height of the Atmosphere in the 18th Century -- 7.1. Introduction -- 7.2. Representation of the atmosphere inherited from previous centuries -- 7.2.1. Representation of the atmosphere
- 7.2.2. The central question of the height of the atmosphere -- 7.3. Two major paradigms for the composition and vertical extension of the atmosphere in the 18th century -- 7.3.1. A lower atmosphere heavily laden with vapors and exhalations -- 7.3.2. An upper atmosphere extended upwards, but how far up? -- 7.4. The three main inconsistencies between estimates of atmospheric height made by different methods -- 7.4.1. First inconsistency: twilight duration and atmospheric refraction -- 7.4.2. Second inconsistency: atmospheric refraction and air pressure -- 7.4.3. Third inconsistency: air pressure and aurora borealis -- 7.5. Two other methods for estimating the height of the atmosphere -- 7.5.1. Fiery meteors and falling stars -- 7.5.2. Projection of the Earth's shadow during lunar eclipses -- 7.6. Conclusion -- 8 Atmospheres of Earthly Bodies -- 8.1. Introduction -- 8.2. Porosity of bodies -- 8.2.1. Boyle's founding treaty -- 8.2.2. Musschenbroek's theory inherited from Newton -- 8.2.3. Nollet's experiments on porosity -- 8.3. Atmospheres of bodies -- 8.3.1. The atmosphere of solid bodies according to Boyle -- 8.3.2. Mariotte's aerial matter -- 8.3.3. Nollet's distillation experiments -- 8.3.4. Atmospheres of liquid bodies and ice formation according to Perrault -- 8.3.5. Béraud's atmosphere of electric and magnetic etheric matter -- 8.3.6. Marat's igneous and luminous atmospheres -- 8.4. Conclusion -- Conclusion -- References -- Index -- EULA