Abstract
THE solar eclipse of November 1, 1948, was visible in its partial phases over most of Australia. Observations of radio-frequency radiation at a wave-length of 60 cm. were made at three sites to determine tme distribution of radio brightness over the solar/fisk and also to investigate possible polarization Effects associated with solar magnetic fields. Previous work1,2,3 at decimetre wave-lengths has suggested that the radiation may be divided into : (a) a thermal component from the 'quiet' sun, and (6) a component which is correlated with sunspot area. Theoretical considerations4, based on the probable existence of temperatures around 10 6 °K. in the corona, suggest that the first component should show 'limb-brightening' at these wave-lengths. A solar eclipse provides an opportunity of testing this prediction. It has been suggested4 also that a general magnetic field on the sun should produce an inequality in the circularly polarized thermal components of the radiation from each hemisphere. The circumstances of this eclipse were such that one hemisphere only was visible at the maximum phase, and this favoured the detection of such an effect.
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References
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CHRISTIANSEN, W., YABSLEY, D. & MILLS, B. Eclipse Observations of Solar Radiation at a Wave-length of 50 cm. Nature 164, 569–570 (1949). https://doi.org/10.1038/164569a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/164569a0