On very-low-frequency atmospherics at Roburent,Northern Italy

Summary The diurnal and seasonal variation of the VLF sferics pulse rate recorded at Roburent, Northern Italy, on 27 kHz since 1966 is derived. By analyzing the sunrise effect, the minimum distance of the thunderstorm centers providing at that time an unperturbed behaviour of the sferics pulse rate is obtained: this distance varies in azimuth and with the seasons and lies between 600 and 1300 km. In the time of the equinoxes, however, it is more stable between 700 and 900 km. The role of the groundwave propagation, generated by thunderstorm center within a radius of less than 500 km, is emphasized.

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Zusammenfassung Der Tagesgang und der Jahresgang der Sferics-Impulshäufigkeit werden abgeleitet. Diese Sferics-Häufigkeit ist seit 1966 auf 27 kHz in Roburent, in Nord-Italien, registriert worden. Der Mindestabstand der Gewitterherde, welche zur Zeit des Sonnenaufgangs ein ungestörte Bild der Impulshäufigkeit geben, wird mit Hilfe des Sonnenaufgangseffekts abgeleitet: der Abstand liegt — abhängig von der Jahreszeit und der Einfallsrichtung — zwischen 600 und 1300 km; jedoch bewegt er sich in dem engeren Rahmen zwischen 700 und 900 km zur Zeit der Tag-und Nachtgleichen. Betont wird die Rolle der Bodenwelle, welche von Gewitterherden in einem Abstand von weniger als 500 km erzeugt wird.

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Contribution No. 241 of the Istituto Geofisico e Geodetico, Università di Genova,Genoa, Italy. This work has been supported by a grant from the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Comitato Nazionale per le Scienze Fisiche), Roma.     

On the geomagnetic effect of the solar eclipse of 1961, February 15th at Genova

Summary The geomagnetic records obtained at Genova during the eclipse of February 15th, 1961 are quantitatively interpreted with the aim of separating the eclipse effect. Using the ionospheric observations also made at Genova, the result is well confirmed by the calculations carried out applying both theChapman-model and theVolland-scheme for estimating the geomagnetic effect as originated by the changes of the current system flowing in theE-layer.This report belongs to a set of investigations on geophysical effects of the solar eclipse of February 15th, 1961 carried out by the «Istituto Geofisico, Università di Genova», and made possible through a financial support of the «Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche».