Atmospheric‐Electric Observatories at Huancayo, Peru, during the Solar Eclipse, January 25, 1944

Abstract

IntroductionDuring the solar eclipse of January 25, 1944, (08h 04m to 10h 44m) which reached 88 per cent totality at Huancayo, Peru, at 09h 18m, it seemed desirable that the Huancayo Magnetic Observatory (latitude 12° 02′.7 south, longitude 75° 20′.4 west, altitude 3300 meters) of the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, make special observations of several components of the geophysical program of the Observatory. These included observations of the potential‐gradient of the atmosphere, positive and negative conductivity, and nuclei‐count. A description of the method for measurement of the potential‐gradient and the conductivity can be found elsewhere [see 1 of “References” at end of paper]. Jones and Ledig [2] have shown that in the early morning hours at Huancayo there is a variation in potential‐gradient and conductivity which may be attributed to heating effects of the Sun. It appeared that during a solar eclipse interesting data would be obtained due to the variation in heating effect on the lower strata of the atmosphere. An increase in heating decreases the stability of this lower stratum and causes a mixing of this layer with higher strata, gradually bringing in more nuclei and consequently decreasing the conductivity of the air. The reverse would be expected during a solar eclipse.