No signature of Circum-Solar Dust Ring up to 5R. from Optical Polarization and Near IR Observations of 24 October 1995 Total Solar Eclipse

Abstract

A circum-solar dust ring, consisting of interplanetary particles, is believed to be situated at 4R., and temporarily variable in anti-phase with the solar activity cycle. The signature of such a ring should be observable through: (i) a highly polarized scattered solar radiation, and (ii) its thermal component in near IR. We designed an instrument for detecting these ring-signatures and conducted the experiment at Kalpi, UP during the October 24, 1995, total solar eclipse. The instrument consisted of a computer-controlled wide-field imaging polarization haveing three filters centred at 6500, 8100 and 9750 Armstrong. The observed coronal polarization and surface brightness were found to be consistent with the overall expected in the Corona at the solar minimum phase. We report that no ring signature was observed by our experiment.