On the correlation of radio reception with the Moon's position in the observer's sky

Abstract

Papers previously presented by the writer,1 and by G. W. Pickard2 and others, have shown significant correlation of the intensity of radio reception with solar activity. The 15‐month cycle in secondary maxima, to which particular attention has been called in the present sunspotcycle by both Stetson and Pickard, have led to numerous speculations as to the possible cosmic causes.The possibility of planetary influences being the basis for periodic solar disturbances have been exhaustively studied from time to time, notably by Schuster3, Maunder4, and Brown5. The relatively small tidal forces of the planets give little encouragement for disturbances arising on the gravitational basis. The fact, however, that the 15‐month period corresponds fairly closely with two sidereal periods of Venus and five of Mercury, with the arrival of Mercury at perihelion at approximately the same interval, suggested to the writer that charges on these inner planets might be a disturbing factor in the electrostatic equilibrium of the solar atmosphere.