Abstract
American Journal of Science; May.—Carbon and oxygen in the sun, by J. Trowbridge. The peculiar bands of the arc spectrum of carbon can be detected in the sun's spectrum. They are, however, almost obliterated by the overlying absorption lines of other metals, especially by the lines due to iron. In order to form an idea of the amount of iron in the atmosphere of the sun which would be necessary to obliterate the banded spectra of carbon, the author compared the spectrum of carbon with that of carbon dust and a definite proportion of iron distributed uniformly through it. The carbon dust and iron reduced by hydrogen was formed into pencils suitable for forming the voltaic arc, and containing 28 per cent. of iron to 72 per cent. of carbon. Photographs were taken of the portion of the solar spectrum which contains traces of the peculiar carbon band lying at wave-length 3883˙7. The pure carbon-banded spectrum was photographed on the same plate immediately below the solar spectrum, and the spectrum of the mixed iron and carbon immediately below this. It was found that the iron present almost completely obliterated the carbon, and this fact tells in favour of the supposition that the traces of bands observed are true carbon bands. The author also investigated the spark spectrum of oxygen produced by a dynamo and transformer, and compared the bright lines found with the solar iron lines found in the same positions. The result showed that the oxygen lines, if present in the sun, are not sufficient to cover even the faintest iron absorption lines. Still, the author inclines to the view that the sun's light is due to carbon vapour in an atmosphere of oxygen.
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Scientific Serials. Nature 54, 91–92 (1896). https://doi.org/10.1038/054091a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/054091a0