Modeling the Infrared Magnesium and Hydrogen Lines from Quiet and Active Solar Regions

Abstract

The emission lines of Mg I at 7.4, 12.2, and 12.3 μm are now known to be formed in the upper photosphere; the line emission is due to collisional coupling of higher levels with the continuum together with radiative depopulation of lower levels. These combined effects cause the line source functions of high-lying transitions to exceed the corresponding Planck functions. However, there are uncertainties in a) the relevant atomic data, particularly the collisional rates and ultraviolet photoionization rates, and b) the sensitivity of the calculated results to changes in atmospheric temperature and density. These uncertainties are examined by comparing twelve calculated Mg I line profiles in the range 2.1-12.3 μm with ATMOS satellite observations. We show results based on different rates, and using different atmospheric models representing a range of dark and bright spatial features. The calculated Mg profiles are found to be relatively insensitive to atmospheric model changes, and to depend critically on the choice of collisional and photoionization rates. We find better agreement with the observations using collision rates from van Regemorter (1962) rather than from Seaton (1962). We also compare twelve calculated hydrogen profiles in the range 2.2-12.4 μm with ATMOS observations. The available rates and cross sections for hydrogen seem adequate to account for the observed profiles, while the calculated lines are highly sensitive to atmospheric model changes. These lines are perhaps the best available diagnostics of the temperature and density structure of the photosphere and low chromosphere. Further calculations based on these infrared hydrogen lines should lead to greatly improved models of the solar atmosphere.