Solar Radiation at a Wavelength of 10 Centimetres including Eclipse Observations

Abstract

Observations were made of the intensity of solar radiation at a wavelength of 10.0 centimetres before and during the partial eclipse of November 1, 1948. Measurements were also made of the average level of solar radiation on a number of days before and after the eclipse. In this way conditions during the eclipse were related to the varying day-to-day level of intensity. A determination of the distribution of intensity of radiation over the solar disk was made, the most intense radiation coming from near the limb and some radiation from beyond the limb. At least one small area was located which emitted more intensely than the average.    Polarization measurements, although inconclusive, suggest that radiation from one " hot " area was partially circularly polarized. Excess of either right- or left-hand polarized component at eclipse maximum was small, probably less than 1½ per cent. of the mean and perhaps zero. It is shown that the usually accepted value of the solar general magnetic field of 50 gauss at the poles should provide an excess of one component of about 2½ per cent. at eclipse maximum.