Extreme ultraviolet spectra of solar active regions and their analysis

Abstract

Extreme ultraviolet spectra of several active regions are presented and analyzed. Spectral intensities of 3 active regions observed with the NRL Skylab XUV spectroheliograph (170–630 A) are derived. From this data density sensitive line ratios of Mg viii, Si x, S xii, Fe ix, Fe x, Fe xi, Fe xii, Fe xiii, Fe xiv, and Fe xv are examined and typically yield, to within a factor of 2, electron pressures of 1 dyne cm−2 (n e T = 6 × 1015 cm−3 K). The differential emission measure of the brightest 35″ × 35″ portion of an active region is obtained between 1.4 × 104 K and 5 × 106 K from HCO OSO-VI XUV (280–1370 A) spectra published by Dupree et al. (1973). Stigmatic EUV spectra (1170–1710 A) obtained by the NRL High Resolution Telescope and Spectrograph (HRTS) are also presented. Doppler velocities as a function of position along the slit are derived in an active region plage and sunspot. The velocities are based on an absolute wavelength scale derived from neutral chromospheric lines and are accurate to ±2 km s−1. Downflows at 105 K are found throughout the plage with typical velocities of 10 km s−1. In the sunspot, downflows are typically 5 to 20 km s−1 over the umbra and zero over the penumbra. In addition localized 90 and 150 km s−1 downflows are found in the umbra in the same 1″ × 1″ resolution elements which contain the lower velocity downflows. Spectral intensities and velocities in a typical plage 1″ resolution element are derived. The velocities are greatest (∼ 10 km s−1) at 105 K with lower velocities at higher and lower temperatures. The differential emission measure between 1.3 × 104 K and 2 × 106 K is derived and is found to be comparable to that derived from the OSO-VI data. An electron pressure of 1.4 dynes cm−2 (n e T = 1.0 × 1016 cm−3 K) is determined from pressure sensitive line ratios of Si iii, O iv, and N iv. From the data presented it is shown that convection plays a major role in determining the structure and dynamics of the active region transition zone and corona.