Internal gravity-wave motions induced in the Earth’s atmosphere by a solar eclipse

Abstract

In a solar eclipse, the moon shields a limited region of the earth's atmosphere from the heating effect of the solar radiation. This shadow travels through the earth's lower atmosphere at supersonic velocity, causing the neutral gas to emit internal gravity waves that form a bow wave about the shadow region. Tentative estimates of the amplitude of this wave indicate that it will be detectable well outside the area where the eclipse can be observed directly.