The Distribution of Radio Brightness over the Solar Disk at a Wavelength of 21 Centimetres. II. The Quiet Sun ? One-dimensional Observations

Abstract

Daily records of one-dimensional distribution of radio brightness over the Sun are obtained in the way described in Part I of this series (Christiansen and Warburton 1953). When superimposed, these records show a well-marked lower envelope which remains substantially the same, in shape and size, over a period of months. This envelope gives the brightness distribution over the "quiet" Sun. The direction of scan, with respect to the position of. the solar axis, changes during a year by more than 50°. The very small change in shape of the envelope during this period suggests that for purposes of preliminary calculation the brightness distribution may be assumed to be circularly symmetrical. The radial distribution of brightness, calculated on this basis, is found to show marked limb-brightening and to be consistent with the calculated brightness distribution for a simple solar model in which the assumed values of temperature and density are close to those commonly accepted.