Dynamic processes in the near-ground atmosphere during the solar eclipse of August 1, 2008

The optical observations and dynamics analysis of the effects in the near-ground atmosphere accompanying a partial (about 0.42 magnitude) solar eclipse (SE) near Kharkov, Ukraine, on August 1, 2008, are described in comparison with the effects of the partial eclipses on August 11, 1999, and October 3, 2005. All three SEs occurred around midday. The SE of August 1 was accompanied by a 2.0° decrease in the near-ground atmospheric temperature. It is found that, when the obscuration function was maximum (0.31), the standard deviation in the solar-limb displacement decreased by 0.30″. The measured fluctuations of the jitter level of the solar limb edge were used to estimate the parameters of the near-ground atmosphere and turbulence.