Solar‐constant values at Calama, Chile, March‐April, 1920

Abstract

[The following values of the solar constant observed at the Smithsonian Institution station, Calama, Chile, as communicated by Dr. Abbot, are of special interest in connection with the severe magnetic storm of March 22–23, and the marked solar activity of that period.1 It is very gratifying that Dr. Abbot has devised a method of observation and reduction which makes it possible to obtain a value of the solar constant within a few hours after the observations have been made and to receive the data at Washington as promptly as the mail service permits. The values from July, 1918, to January, 1920, inclusive, will be found in various issues of the Monthly Weather Review, January, 1919, to February, 1920. The values from January to March, 1920, Dr. Abbot states, “were all high—of the order of 1.96 to 2.00”. It will be observed from the. table that the lowest value (1.866) since January was observed on March 23—Ed.]