The Response of Meteorological Parameters to the September 1 2016 Solar Eclipse as Observed in Anyigba, Nigeria

Abstract

The effect of the annular solar eclipse of September 1 2016 on meteorological parameters at Anyigba, Nigeria is examined. Parameters examined include the surface air temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind speed, soil temperature, solar radiation, and relative humidity. Meteorological data were obtained from a TRODAN station equipped with Campbell scientific equipment at the Anyigba location. Background diurnal profiles of the parameters were computed by averaging diurnal profiles for the 3 days before and after the eclipse day. Profiles for the eclipse day were compared with the background profiles to deduce the effect of eclipse on each of the parameters. The surface air temperatures were observed to be lowered by as much as about 1°C, while the soil temperatures were lowered by as much as 0.05^oC. The solar radiation and the wind speed were also observed to be lowered, while the atmospheric pressure and relative humidity witnessed upsurges. The work also indicates that there were time delays/shifts between the eclipse peak times and the times when maximum deviations were observed for the parameters. Results from the work also indicated that it took different lengths of time after the end of the eclipse for the parameters to be recovered to their expected background profiles.

Keywords: Atmosphere, eclipse, meteorology, temperature, wind, relative humidity