Abstract
THE writer commenced by observing that in various papers published during the last ten years, he had stated, as the result of an examination of a large body of observations, that the tropical cyclones of the Indian Ocean, south of the Equator, originated between two contrary streams of air, viz., the N.W. monsoon and the S.E. trade-wind; and, in a paper read on the 10th of November last, he remarked that what had been found to hold good in that part of the ocean might be found to do so generally. As the observations collected by the Society only referred to the Indian Ocean, he could not directly test the matter with regard to the cyclones of other parts of the world. But cyclones also occurred in the Indian Ocean, north of the Equator, and as the Society possessed observations which had been taken there, he proposed to examine the records with a view of ascertaining whether these cyclones were formed, as he believed those south of the Equator were, between two oppositely directed currents of air which had pre-existed. It was to that point alone that he wished to direct attention at present. How the barometric depression in the heart of a cyclone was formed, whether owing to an ascending current, to condensation of vapour, or to other causes, why the air moved more or less round a central area in a particular direction, and why the cyclone had a progressive movement, were subjects upon which he would not then touch; for the question of the existence or non-existence of opposite winds, previously to the formation of the cyclone, had, in his opinion, an important bearing upon all the others, and should therefore be taken up first.
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Mr. Meldrum on the Origin of Storms in the Bay of Bengal*. Nature 2, 151 (1870). https://doi.org/10.1038/002151a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/002151a0