Dolbear's law states the relationship between the air temperature and the rate at which crickets chirp.[1][2] It was formulated by physicist Amos Dolbear and published in 1897 in an article called "The Cricket as a Thermometer".[3] Dolbear's observations on the relation between chirp rate and temperature were preceded by an 1881 report by Margarette W. Brooks,[n 1] although this paper went unnoticed until after Dolbear's publication.[2]
The tree cricket Oecanthus fultoni
Dolbear did not specify the species of cricket which he observed, although subsequent researchers assumed it to be the snowy tree cricket, Oecanthus niveus.[1][2] However, the snowy tree cricket was misidentified as O. niveus in early reports and the correct scientific name for this species is Oecanthus fultoni.[4]
The chirping of the more common field crickets is not as reliably correlated to temperature—their chirping rate varies depending on other factors such as age and mating success. In many cases, though, the Dolbear's formula is a close enough approximation for field crickets, too. [citation needed]
Dolbear expressed the relationship as the following formula which provides a way to estimate the temperature TF in degrees Fahrenheit from the number of chirps per minute N60:
This formula is accurate to within a degree or so when applied to the chirping of the field cricket.
Counting can be sped up by simplifying the formula and counting the number of chirps produced in 15 seconds (N15):
Reformulated to give the temperature in degrees Celsius (°C), it is:
A shortcut method for degrees Celsius is to count the number of chirps in 8 seconds (N8) and add 5 (this is fairly accurate between 5 and 30 °C):
The above formulae are expressed in terms of integers to make them easier to remember—they are not intended to be exact.
Math textbooks will sometimes cite this as a simple example of where mathematical models break down, because at temperatures outside of the range that crickets live in, the total of chirps is zero as the crickets are dead. You can apply algebra to the equation and see that according to the model at 1000 degrees Celsius (around 1800 degrees Fahrenheit) crickets should be chirping at 6,970 chirps per minute (around 116 chirps per second), but no known cricket can live at that temperature to chirp.
In popular cultureedit
This formula was referenced in an episode (Season 3, Episode 2, "The Jiminy Conjecture") of the American TV sitcom The Big Bang Theory (although Sheldon referred to Amos Dolbear as Emile Dolbear and gave the year of publication as 1890). It is also referenced in two episodes ("Highs and Lows", "Jungles") of the British comedy show QI. Richard Powers, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning [The Overstory] (2018, W.W. Norton & Co.), has his fictional character Patricia Westerman use the formula (chapter 11. Pg 436).
^According to Frings and Frings, this is: Margarette W. Brooks, "Influence of temperature on the chirp of the cricket", Popular Science Monthly 20 (1881), p. 268; citing "W.G.B.", a writer whom Brooks does not further identify.
Referencesedit
^ abFrings, Hubert; Frings, Mable (1957). "The effects of temperature on chirp-rate of male cone-headed grasshoppers, Neoconocephalus ensiger". Journal of Experimental Zoology. 134 (3): 411–425. doi:10.1002/jez.1401340302. PMID 13475653.
^ abcFrings, Hubert; Frings, Mable (1962). "Effects of temperature on the ordinary song of the common meadow grasshopper, Orchelimum vulgare (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)". Journal of Experimental Zoology. 151 (1): 33–51. doi:10.1002/jez.1401510104.
^Dolbear, Amos (1897). "The cricket as a thermometer". The American Naturalist. 31 (371): 970–971. doi:10.1086/276739. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
^ Walker, Thomas J. (1962). "The Taxonomy and Calling Songs of United States Tree Crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Oecaiithinae). I. The Genus Neoxabea and the niveus and varicornis Groups of the Genus Oecanthus" (PDF). Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 55 (3): 303–322. doi:10.1093/aesa/55.3.303. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
External linksedit
Media related to Dolbear's law at Wikimedia Commons
Dolbear's law calculator
January 01, 1970
dolbear, states, relationship, between, temperature, rate, which, crickets, chirp, formulated, physicist, amos, dolbear, published, 1897, article, called, cricket, thermometer, dolbear, observations, relation, between, chirp, rate, temperature, were, preceded,. Dolbear s law states the relationship between the air temperature and the rate at which crickets chirp 1 2 It was formulated by physicist Amos Dolbear and published in 1897 in an article called The Cricket as a Thermometer 3 Dolbear s observations on the relation between chirp rate and temperature were preceded by an 1881 report by Margarette W Brooks n 1 although this paper went unnoticed until after Dolbear s publication 2 The tree cricket Oecanthus fultoniDolbear did not specify the species of cricket which he observed although subsequent researchers assumed it to be the snowy tree cricket Oecanthus niveus 1 2 However the snowy tree cricket was misidentified as O niveus in early reports and the correct scientific name for this species is Oecanthus fultoni 4 The chirping of the more common field crickets is not as reliably correlated to temperature their chirping rate varies depending on other factors such as age and mating success In many cases though the Dolbear s formula is a close enough approximation for field crickets too citation needed Dolbear expressed the relationship as the following formula which provides a way to estimate the temperature TF in degrees Fahrenheit from the number of chirps per minute N60 T F 50 N 60 40 4 displaystyle T F 50 left frac N 60 40 4 right This formula is accurate to within a degree or so when applied to the chirping of the field cricket Counting can be sped up by simplifying the formula and counting the number of chirps produced in 15 seconds N15 T F 40 N 15 displaystyle T F 40 N 15 Reformulated to give the temperature in degrees Celsius C it is T C N 60 30 7 displaystyle T C frac N 60 30 7 A shortcut method for degrees Celsius is to count the number of chirps in 8 seconds N8 and add 5 this is fairly accurate between 5 and 30 C T C 5 N 8 displaystyle T C 5 N 8 The above formulae are expressed in terms of integers to make them easier to remember they are not intended to be exact Contents 1 In math classes 2 In popular culture 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksIn math classes editMath textbooks will sometimes cite this as a simple example of where mathematical models break down because at temperatures outside of the range that crickets live in the total of chirps is zero as the crickets are dead You can apply algebra to the equation and see that according to the model at 1000 degrees Celsius around 1800 degrees Fahrenheit crickets should be chirping at 6 970 chirps per minute around 116 chirps per second but no known cricket can live at that temperature to chirp In popular culture editThis formula was referenced in an episode Season 3 Episode 2 The Jiminy Conjecture of the American TV sitcom The Big Bang Theory although Sheldon referred to Amos Dolbear as Emile Dolbear and gave the year of publication as 1890 It is also referenced in two episodes Highs and Lows Jungles of the British comedy show QI Richard Powers author of the Pulitzer Prize winning The Overstory 2018 W W Norton amp Co has his fictional character Patricia Westerman use the formula chapter 11 Pg 436 See also editArrhenius equationNotes edit According to Frings and Frings this is Margarette W Brooks Influence of temperature on the chirp of the cricket Popular Science Monthly 20 1881 p 268 citing W G B a writer whom Brooks does not further identify References edit a b Frings Hubert Frings Mable 1957 The effects of temperature on chirp rate of male cone headed grasshoppers Neoconocephalus ensiger Journal of Experimental Zoology 134 3 411 425 doi 10 1002 jez 1401340302 PMID 13475653 a b c Frings Hubert Frings Mable 1962 Effects of temperature on the ordinary song of the common meadow grasshopper Orchelimum vulgare Orthoptera Tettigoniidae Journal of Experimental Zoology 151 1 33 51 doi 10 1002 jez 1401510104 Dolbear Amos 1897 The cricket as a thermometer The American Naturalist 31 371 970 971 doi 10 1086 276739 Retrieved 27 November 2012 Walker Thomas J 1962 The Taxonomy and Calling Songs of United States Tree Crickets Orthoptera Gryllidae Oecaiithinae I The Genus Neoxabea and the niveus and varicornis Groups of the Genus Oecanthus PDF Annals of the Entomological Society of America 55 3 303 322 doi 10 1093 aesa 55 3 303 Retrieved 27 November 2012 External links edit nbsp Media related to Dolbear s law at Wikimedia Commons Dolbear s law calculator Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dolbear 27s law amp oldid 1221889686, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
