Observations of solar radiation in the
wavelength range from one centimetre to four metres are studied in relation to
expected thermal radiation. The data are derived partly from published and
partly from unpublished observations.
It is found that a relatively constant
component can be identified throughout the whole of this wavelength range
despite the complication introduced on the longer wavelengths by the presence
of highly variable components. This steady component has the properties expected
of thermal radiation and it is concluded that it is, in fact, thermal radiation
from the ionized gases of the outer atmosphere of the sun.
The intensity of radiation is found to increase fairly uniformly from that
corresponding to black-body radiation at about 104 �K . at 1.25 cm.
to about 106 �K. at 1.5 m.
The results yield direct confirmation of
the hypothesis that the corona has a kinetic temperature of about a million
degrees.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.