γ and X ray measurements during total solar eclipse on October 24, 1995 at Diamond Harbour

Abstract

The γ-ray and X-ray background was measured at Diamond Harbor located on the total eclipse phase path, during total solar eclipse (TSE) which occurred on October 24, 1995. The data taken by two high resolution γ-ray detectors, a γ discriminator system comprising a liquid scintillator system and a high resolution Si(Li) x-ray detector when analyzed show a sharp dip in both γ-ray and X-ray integral counts over the energy range 150 KeV to 1300 KeV and 1 - 80 Kev respectively coinciding with the TSE time. Also the integral background spectrum vs. eclipse time indicates from the sharp peaking in the background reduction coinciding with exact total eclipse time, that most of this 9% to 10% reduction in both γ and X rays is from the central portion of the Sun. This also agrees with the optical phases of the Sun. The preliminary analysis and inferences of the data are presented in this paper. Further analysis of the data is in progress.