RADIO STAR SCINTILLATION DURING THE JULY 20, 1963, ECLIPSE

Abstract

Amplitude scintillations of the radio energy from the galactic radio source Cassiopeia A were examined for the total solar eclipse of July 20, 1963, using the 150-foot parabolic antenna at the AFCRL Sagamore Hill Radio Observatory, Hamilton, Massachusetts. The extent of eclipsing varied along the ionospheric ray path from 100% at about 100 km to about 80% near 500 km. Chart recordings of the amplitude variations of the Cassiopeia A signal were made at frequencies of 29.8, 63, 113, and 228 Mc/s. The extent of variation in amplitude and rate of scintillation was comparable to that on control days. Examination of the frequency dependence showed that the scale size of the irregularities did not change significantly during the period of the eclipse. No effects in the scintillation records could be related uniquely to the reduction of ionizing illumination and subsequent cooling of the medium.