Solar Ultraviolet Measurements Of Emitted Radiation Research Articles

The diversity of spectral shapes of hydrogen Lyman lines and Mg II lines in a quiescent prominence

Context. Broad sets of spectroscopic observations comprising multiple lines represent an excellent opportunity for diagnostics of the properties of the prominence plasma and the dynamics of their fine structures. However, they also bring significant challenges when they are compared with synthetic spectra provided by radiative transfer modeling. Aims. In this work, we provide a statistical spectroscopic analysis of a unique dataset of coordinated prominence observations in the Lyman lines (Lyα to Lyδ) and the Mg II k and h lines. The observed data were obtained by the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) spectrograph on board of the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SoHO) satellite and the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) on 22 October 2013. Only a few similar coordinated datasets of Lyman and Mg II k and h observations have ever been obtained in prominences and we present here the first analysis using these two sets of spectral lines. Moreover, for the first time, we assess the influence of noise on the statistical properties of the studied profile characteristics. Methods. We focus on the following profile characteristics: the shape of the observed line profiles based on the number of distinct peaks, the integrated line intensity, the center-to-peak ratio describing the depth of the reversal of two-peaked profiles, and the asymmetry of these peaks. Results. We show that the presence of noise has a negligible effect on the integrated intensity of all observed lines, but it significantly affects the classification of spectral profiles using the number of distinct peaks, the reversal depth, and also the peak asymmetry. We also demonstrate that by taking the influence of noise into account, we can assess which profile characteristics in which spectral lines are suitable for diagnostics of different properties of the observed prominence. For example, we show that the subordinate peaks (peaks below error bars) in the Lyman line profiles are mostly caused by noise, which means that only the dominant peaks should be used for statistical analyses or comparisons with synthetic spectra. On the other hand, in the Mg II k and h profiles, the key role in the distinction between the multi-peaked profiles with low peaks and the profiles with deep reversals is played by the dynamics of multiple fine structures located along a line of sight. The complex, multi-peaked profiles are observed in places where multiple fine structures with different line-of-sight velocities are crossing the line of sight, while the profiles with deep reversals likely correspond to instances when we observe single fine structures or more fine structures but with similar line-of-sight velocities. Conclusions. This study allows us to conclude that if we are interested in the diagnostics of the dynamics of prominence fine structures, the best approach is to use a combination of profile asymmetry in the Lyman lines together with the complex profiles of Mg II k and h lines. On the other hand, if we want to diagnose the temperature and pressure properties of individual prominence fine structures, we need to focus on the deeply reversed Mg II k and h lines in combination with the Lyman lines and to analyze the depth of the central reversal and the integrated intensities.

Estimating Ion Temperatures at the Polar Coronal Hole Boundary

The temperatures of the heavy ions (T i ) in the solar corona provide critical information about the heating mechanism of the million-degree corona. However, the measurement of T i is usually challenging due to the nonthermal motion, instrumental limitations, and optically thin nature of the coronal emissions. We present the measurement of T i and its dependency on the ion charge-to-mass ratio (Z/A) at the polar coronal hole boundary, only assuming that heavy ions have the same nonthermal velocity. To improve the Z/A coverage and study the influence of the instrumental broadening, we used a coordinated observation from the EUV Imaging Spectrometer on board the Hinode satellite and the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. We found that the T i of ions with Z/A less than 0.20 or greater than 0.33 are much higher than the local electron temperature. We ran the Alfvén Wave Solar Model-realtime to investigate the formation of optically thin emissions along the line of sight (LOS). The simulation suggested that plasma bulk motions along the LOS broaden the widths of hot emission lines in the coronal hole (e.g., Fe xii, Fe xiii). We discussed other factors that might affect the T i measurement, including the non-Gaussian wings in some bright SUMER lines, which can be fitted by a double-Gaussian or a κ distribution. Our study confirms the preferential heating of heavy ions in coronal holes and provides new constraints on coronal heating models.

Solar microflares: a case study on temperatures and the Fe XVIII emission

In this paper, we discuss the temperature distribution and evolution of a microflare, simultaneously observed by Hinode’s X-Ray Telescope (XRT), its Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS), as well as the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on-board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Using EIS lines, we find that during peak emission the distribution is nearly isothermal and peaked around 4.5 MK. This temperature is in good agreement with that obtained from the XRT filter ratio, validating the use of XRT to study these small events, invisible to full-Sun X-ray monitors such as the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES). The increase in the estimated Fe XVIII emission in the AIA 94 Å band can mostly be explained with the small temperature increase from the background temperatures. The presence of Fe XVIII emission does not guarantee that temperatures of 7 MK are reached, as is often assumed. With the help of new atomic data, we also revisit the temperatures measured by a Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SoHO) Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) observation of an active region that produced microflares, also finding low temperatures (3–4 MK) from an Fe XVIII/Ca XIV ratio.

Effects of resonant scattering of the Si IV doublet near 140 nm in a solar active region

Aims. In a previous study we analysed the C IV 1548.189 Å and 1550.775 Å lines observed with the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER), showing cases where the 1548.189 Å spectral profile was noticeably different from the 1550.775 Å one, profiles that we dubbed differentially shaped profiles. We explained this differential behaviour by an important radiative contribution, affecting multiple plasma motions happening at the instrument sub-resolution scale. In the present study we examine more general cases where radiative effects may contribute to the emission from the transition region of an active region. Here we analyse the lines Si IV 1393.757 Å and 1402.772 Å observed with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). Methods. We study active region NOAA 12529, observed with IRIS on 18 April 2016. Using sorting techniques we selected individual profiles for which the intensity line ratio 1393.757 Å/1402.772 Å is significantly higher or lower than 2 and we also tracked differentially shaped profiles. We analyse the physical conditions that create these profiles and in some cases we estimate electron densities. Results. We found more than 4000 individual profiles with line ratios higher than 2, about 500 profiles for which the line ratio is in the range 1.3–1.6, and 15 differentially shaped profiles. Line ratios higher than 2, are found along loops, and mostly at the y = 250 to 300″ part of the plage. There, we estimated the incident radiation and derived electron densities that can vary from 109 to a few times 1011 cm−3, depending on the plasma temperature. For the low line ratios, the sources are concentrated at the periphery of the active region plage, mostly along fibrils and present optical depths, τ, between 1.5 and 3. in most cases. The electron densities calculated from these Si IV profiles are comparable with electron densities derived using the O IV 1399.766 Å-1401.163 Å ratios. Conclusions. We found that about 2.4% of the individual profiles for which we can perform a Gaussian fit present a line ratio higher than 2. In profiles with a high line ratio, the resonant scattering appears to be due to the combination of an average incident radiation field with a relatively low local electron density and not due to the vicinity of an ephemeral strong light source. As far as low intensity ratios are concerned, non-negligible optical depths are found at the edge of the plage, near the footpoints of fibrils that are oriented towards quiet Sun areas, where the electron density can be as high as (7 − 9) × 1011 cm−3 if we assume a plasma in ionization equilibrium.

Spectroscopy of Very Hot Plasma in Non-flaring Parts of a Solar Limb Active Region: Spatial and Temporal Properties

Abstract In this work we investigate the thermal structure of an off-limb active region (AR) in various non-flaring areas, as it provides key information on the way these structures are heated. In particular, we concentrate on the very hot component ( > 3 MK ) as it is a crucial element to distinguish between different heating mechanisms. We present an analysis using Fe and Ca emission lines from both the Solar Ultraviolet Measurement of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) and the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on board Hinode. A data set covering all ionization stages from Fe x to Fe xix has been used for the thermal analysis (both differential emission measure and emission measure, EM). Ca xiv is used for the SUMER-EIS radiometric cross calibration. We show that the very hot plasma is present and persistent almost everywhere in the core of the limb AR. The off-limb AR is clearly structured in Fe xviii. Almost everywhere, the EM analysis reveals plasma at 10 MK (visible in Fe xix emission), which is down to 0.1% of EM of the main 3 MK plasma. We estimate the power-law index of the hot tail of the EM to be between −8.5 and −4.4. However, the question about the possible existence of a small minor peak at around 10 MK remains open. The absence in some part of the AR of the Fe xix and Fe xxiii lines (which fall into our spectral range) enables us to determine an upper limit on the EM at these temperatures. Our results include a new Ca xiv 943.59 Å atomic model.

MODELING OF REFLECTIVE PROPAGATING SLOW-MODE WAVE IN A FLARING LOOP

Quasi-periodic propagating intensity disturbances have been observed in large coronal loops in EUV images over a decade, and are widely accepted to be slow magnetosonic waves. However, spectroscopic observations from Hinode/EIS revealed their association with persistent coronal upflows, making this interpretation debatable. We perform a 2.5D magnetohydrodynamic simulation to imitate the chromospheric evaporation and the following reflected patterns in a flare loop. Our model encompasses the corona, transition region, and chromosphere. We demonstrate that the quasi periodic propagating intensity variations captured by the synthesized \textit{Solar Dynamics Observatory}/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) 131, 94~\AA~emission images match the previous observations well. With particle tracers in the simulation, we confirm that these quasi periodic propagating intensity variations consist of reflected slow mode waves and mass flows with an average speed of 310 km/s in an 80 Mm length loop with an average temperature of 9 MK. With the synthesized Doppler shift velocity and intensity maps of the \textit{Solar and Heliospheric Observatory}/Solar Ultraviolet Measurement of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) Fe XIX line emission, we confirm that these reflected slow mode waves are propagating waves.

Solar Coronal Plumes and the Fast Solar Wind

The spectral profiles of the coronal Ne viii line at 77 nm have different shapes in quiet-Sun regions and Coronal Holes (CHs). A single Gaussian fit of the line profile provides an adequate approximation in quiet-Sun areas, whereas, a strong shoulder on the long-wavelength side is a systematic feature in CHs. Although this has been noticed since 1999, no physical reason for the peculiar shape could be given. In an attempt to identify the cause of this peculiarity, we address three problems that could not be conclusively resolved, in a review article by a study team of the International Space Science Institute (ISSI) (Wilhelm et al. 2011): (1) The physical processes operating at the base and inside of plumes, as well as their interaction with the Solar Wind (SW). (2) The possible contribution of plume plasma to the fast SW streams. (3) The signature of the First-Ionization Potential (FIP) effect between plumes and inter-plume regions (IPRs). Before the spectroscopic peculiarities in IPRs and plumes in Polar Coronal Holes (PCHs) can be further investigated with the instrument Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), it is mandatory to summarize the results of the review to place the spectroscopic observations into context. Finally, a plume model is proposed that satisfactorily explains the plasma flows up and down the plume field lines and leads to the shape of the neon line in PCHs.

NEON AND OXYGEN ABUNDANCES AND ABUNDANCE RATIO IN THE SOLAR CORONA

In this work we determine the Ne/O abundance ratio from Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)/Solar Ultraviolet Measurement of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) off-disk observations of quiescent streamers over the 1996-2008 period. We find that the Ne/O ratio is approximately constant over solar cycle 23 from 1996 to 2005, at a value of 0.099 ± 0.017; this value is lower than the transition region determinations from the quiet Sun used to infer the neon photospheric abundance from the oxygen photospheric abundance. Also, the Ne/O ratio we determined from SUMER is in excellent agreement with in situ determinations from ACE/SWICS. In 2005-2008, the Ne/O abundance ratio increased with time and reached 0.25 ± 0.05, following the same trend found in the slowest wind analyzed by ACE/SWICS. Further, we measure the absolute abundance in the corona for both oxygen and neon from the data set of 1996 November 22, obtaining A o = 8.99 ± 0.04 and A Ne = 7.92 ± 0.03, and we find that both elements are affected by the first ionization potential (FIP) effect, with oxygen being enhanced by a factor of 1.4-2.1 over its photospheric abundance, and neon being changed by a factor of 0.75-1.20. We conclude that the Ne/O ratio is not constant in the solar atmosphere, both in time and at different heights, and that it cannot be reliably used to infer the neon abundance in the photosphere. Also, we argue that the FIP effect was less effective during the minimum of solar cycle 24, and that the Ne/O = 0.25 ± 0.05 value measured at that time is closer to the true photospheric value, leading to a neon photospheric abundance larger than assumed by ≈40%. We discuss the implications of these results for the solar abundance problem, for the FIP effect, and for the identification of the source regions of the solar wind.

INTENSITY ENHANCEMENT OF O VI ULTRAVIOLET EMISSION LINES IN SOLAR SPECTRA DUE TO OPACITY

Opacity is a property of many plasmas, and it is normally expected that if an emission line in a plasma becomes optically thick, its intensity ratio to that of another transition that remains optically thin should decrease. However, radiative transfer calculations undertaken both by ourselves and others predict that under certain conditions the intensity ratio of an optically thick to thin line can show an increase over the optically thin value, indicating an enhancement in the former. These conditions include the geometry of the emitting plasma and its orientation to the observer. A similar effect can take place between lines of differing optical depth. Previous observational studies have focused on stellar point sources, and here we investigate the spatially-resolved solar atmosphere using measurements of the I(1032 A)/I(1038 A) intensity ratio of O VI in several regions obtained with the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) instrument on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SoHO) satellite. We find several I(1032 A)/I(1038 A) ratios observed on the disk to be significantly larger than the optically thin value of 2.0, providing the first detection (to our knowledge) of intensity enhancement in the ratio arising from opacity effects in the solar atmosphere. Agreement between observation and theory is excellent, and confirms that the O VI emission originates from a slab-like geometry in the solar atmosphere, rather than from cylindrical structures.

DOPPLER SHIFTS IN ACTIVE REGION MOSS USINGSOHO/SUMER

The velocity of the plasma at the footpoint of hot loops in active region cores can be used to discriminate between different heating frequencies. Velocities on the order of a few kilometers per second would indicate low-frequency heating on sub-resolution strands, while velocities close to zero would indicate high-frequency (steady) heating. To discriminate between these two values requires accurate velocity measurements; previous velocity measurements suffer from large uncertainties, mainly due to the lack of an absolute wavelength reference scale. In this paper, we determine the velocity in the loop footpoints using observations from Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) on Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. We use neutral spectral lines to determine the wavelength scale of the observations with an uncertainty in the absolute velocity of <3.5 km s–1 and co-aligned Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) images to identify footpoint regions. We studied three different active regions and found average redshifts in the Ne VIII 770 A emission line (formed at 6 × 105 K) of 5.17 ± 5.37 km s–1 and average redshifts in the C IV 1548 and 1550 A emission lines (formed at 1 × 105 K) of 13.94 ± 4.93 km s–1 and 14.91 ± 6.09 km s–1, respectively. We find no correlation between the brightness in the spectral line and the measured velocity, nor do we find correlation between the Ne VIII and C IV velocities measured co-spatially and co-temporally. SUMER scanned two of the active regions twice; in those active regions we find positive correlation between the co-spatial velocities measured during the first and second scans. These results provide definitive and quantitative measurements for comparisons with simulations of different coronal heating mechanisms.

Study of an Extended EUV Filament Using SoHO/SUMER Observations of the Hydrogen Lyman Lines

A filament and its channel close to the solar disk were observed in the complete hydrogen Lyman spectrum, and in several EUV lines by the SUMER (Solar Ultraviolet Measurement of Emitted Radiation) and CDS (Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer) spectrographs on the SoHO satellite, and in Hα by ground-based telescopes during a multi-instrument campaign in May 2005. It was a good opportunity to get an overview of the volume and the density of the cold plasma in the filament channel; these are essential parameters for coronal mass ejections. We found that the width of the filament depends on the wavelength in which the filament is observed (around 15 arcsec in Hα, 30 arcsec in Lα, and 60 arcsec in EUV). In Lα the filament is wider than in Hα because cool plasma, not visible in Hα, is optically thick at the Lα line center, and its presence blocks the coronal emission. We have derived physical plasma properties of this filament fitting the Lyman spectra and Hα profiles by using a 1D isobaric NLTE model. The vertical temperature profile of the filament slab is flat (T≈7000 K) with an increase to ≈ 20 000 K at the top and the bottom of the slab. From an analysis of the Lα and Hα source functions we have concluded that these lines are formed over the whole filament slab. We have estimated the geometrical filling factor in the filament channel. Its low value indicates the presence of multi-threads.

Testing spectropolarimetry in the extreme ultraviolet to infer the solar coronal magnetic field

Context. Spectropolarimetry has the potential to provide us with important coronal plasma parameters. Aims. We test spectropolarimetric forward modelling by investigating whether it is possible to reproduce the only linear polarisation measurement made for the optically thin 1032 A UV O vi line detected by the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) instrument, operating aboard the SOlar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft located 1.29 Rabove the south- ern solar rotation axis. Methods. Through the realistic synthesis of line-of-sight integrated emission coefficients in the four Stokes parameters, we explore subsets of the ten-dimensional parameter space, (ne,nO5+ ,α c,Ichr,T, B,u ,w ⊥ ,w � ,δ ), i.e., the number density of electrons and O 5+ ions, respectively, the electronic collision rate, the chromospheric intensity of the O vi line, the electronic temperature, the magnetic and solar outflow-velocity vectors, the perpendicular and parallel (with respect to the magnetic field) parameters of the anisotropic velocity-distribution functions, and finally the tilt of the solar rotation axis, non-rigorously in search for agreement between the forward-modelled linear polarisation parameters and the observed values. Results. The most interesting result is that the tilt of the solar rotation axis creates non-radial fields, for both the magnetic field and velocity, above the Sun in the plane of the sky, thus transforming this previously rather uninteresting area from the polarimetric point of view into a highly exciting one. Our findings show that if the magnetic field intensity lies in the range 10-45 G and the solar outflow velocity in the range 20-100 km s −1 , we are able to reproduce the full range of observed values plus uncertainties in the rotation angle of 9 ◦ ± 6 ◦ . The second observable, i.e., the fractional linear polarisation is somewhat harder to bring into alignment with our forward modelling efforts in that one has to decrease the electron density in most current models by an order of magnitude. Conclusions. It is indeed very encouraging to note how this single measurement of the linear polarisation parameters in the ultravio- let virtually steers the forward modeller in the right direction of reproducing the physical environment that gave rise to the observed values. This bodes well for spectropolarimetry because it provides the basis for the hope that these observations will aid the forward modeller in determining how and where to start searching in the possibly terribly complicated maze of parameter space.

Off-limb (Spicule) DEM Distribution from SoHO/SUMER Observations

In the present work we derive a Differential Emission Measure (DEM) distribution from a region dominated by spicules. We use spectral data from the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) spectrometer on-board the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SoHO) covering the entire SUMER wavelength range taken off-limb in the Northern polar coronal hole to construct this DEM distribution using the CHIANTI atomic database. This distribution is then used to study the thermal properties of the emission contributing to the 171 Å channel in the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on-board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). From our off-limb DEM we found that the radiance in the AIA 171 Å channel is dominated by emission from the Fe ix 171.07 Å line and has sparingly little contribution from other lines. The product of the Fe ix 171.07 Å line contribution function with the off-limb DEM was found to have a maximum at logT max (K)=5.8 indicating that during spicule observations the emission in this line comes from plasma at transition region temperatures rather than coronal. For comparison, the same product with a quiet Sun and prominence DEM were found to have a maximum at logT max (K)=5.9 and logT max (K)=5.7, respectively. We point out that the interpretation of data obtained from the AIA 171 Å filter should be done with foreknowledge of the thermal nature of the observed phenomenon. For example, with an off-limb DEM we find that only 3.6 % of the plasma is above a million degrees, whereas using a quiet Sun DEM, this contribution rises to 15 %.

Signatures of transition region explosive events in hydrogen Lyβ profiles

We search for signatures of transition region explosive events (EEs) in hydrogen Ly-beta profiles. Two rasters made by the SUMER (Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation) instrument on board SOHO in a quiet-Sun region and an equatorial coronal hole are selected for our study. Transition region explosive events are identified from profiles of C II 1037 Angstrom and O VI 1032 Angstrom, respectively. We compare Ly-beta profiles during EEs with those averaged in the entire quiet-Sun and coronal-hole regions. The relationship between the peak emission of Ly-beta profiles and the wing emission of C II and O VI during EEs is investigated. We find that the central part of Ly-beta profiles becomes more reversed and the distance of the two peaks becomes larger during EEs, both in the coronal hole and in the quiet Sun. The average Ly-beta profile of the EEs detected by C II has an obvious stronger blue peak. During EEs, there is a clear correlation between the increased peak emission of Ly-beta profiles and the enhanced wing emission of the C II and O VI lines. The correlation is more pronounced for the Ly-beta peaks and C II wings, and less significant for the Ly-beta blue peak and O VI blue wing. We also find that the Ly-beta profiles are more reversed in the coronal hole than in the quiet Sun. We suggest that the jets produced by EEs emit Doppler-shifted Ly-beta photons, causing enhanced emission at positions of the peaks of Ly-beta profiles. The more-reversed Ly-beta profiles confirm the presence of a larger opacity in the coronal hole than in the quiet Sun. The finding that EEs modify the Ly-beta line profile in QS and CHs implies that one should be careful in the modelling and interpretation of relevant observational data.

THE ELECTRON TEMPERATURE OF THE SOLAR TRANSITION REGION AS DERIVED FROM EIS AND SUMER

We use UV and extreme-UV emission lines observed in quiet regions on the solar disk with the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) instrument and the Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) to determine the electron temperature in solar transition region plasmas. Prominent emission lines of O IV and O VI are present in the solar spectrum, and the measured intensity line ratios provide electron temperatures in the range of log T = 5.6-6.1. We find that the theoretical O IV and O VI ion formation temperatures are considerably lower than our derived temperatures. The line ratios expected from a plasma in ionization equilibrium are larger by a factor of about 2-5 than the measured line ratios. A careful cross-calibration of SUMER and EIS has been carried out, which excludes errors in the relative calibration of the two instruments. We checked for other instrumental and observational effects, as well as line blending, and can exclude them as a possible source of the discrepancy between theoretical and observed line ratios. Using a multi-thermal quiet-Sun differential emission measure changes the theoretical line ratio by up to 28% which is not sufficient as an explanation. We also explored additional excitation mechanisms. Photoexcitation from photospheric blackbody radiation, self-absorption, and recombination into excited levels cannot be a possible solution. Adding a second Maxwellian to simulate the presence of non-thermal, high-energy electrons in the plasma distribution of velocities also did not solve the discrepancy.

THE EMISSION MEASURE OF THE SOLAR LOWER TRANSITION REGION (2 × 104-2 × 105K)

We analyze Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) spectra in the 750-790 A wavelength range from 12 different solar regions on the disk to measure the thermal structure of the lower transition region (LTR). We considered four coronal hole (CH), four quiet Sun (QS), and four active region (AR) data sets observed by SUMER during the rising phase of the solar cycle, and we analyzed the emission of seven different ions formed between 2 × 104 and 2 × 105 K. We study the spatial variation of line radiances along the slit within each observation, as well as their relative radiances in different data sets. We also use them to determine the differential emission measure of the LTR. We find that all lines behave in the same way both along the slit within the same observation, and between different data sets from different regions of the Sun. We also find that while the absolute value of the differential emission measure of LTR plasmas changes from region to region, its distribution with temperature is fairly constant, suggesting that the thermal structure of LTR plasmas is the same in CH, QS, and AR regions, and as a function of time along the solar cycle. We discuss the implications of our results for studies of coronal heating and of the solar cycle.

A NEW APPROACH TO ANALYZING SOLAR CORONAL SPECTRA AND UPDATED COLLISIONAL IONIZATION EQUILIBRIUM CALCULATIONS. II. UPDATED IONIZATION RATE COEFFICIENTS

We have re-analyzed Solar Ultraviolet Measurement of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) observations of a parcel of coronal gas using new collisional ionization equilibrium (CIE) calculations. These improved CIE fractional abundances were calculated using state-of-the-art electron–ion recombination data for K-shell, L-shell, Na-like, and Mg-like ions of all elements from H through Zn and, additionally, Al- through Ar-like ions of Fe. They also incorporate the latest recommended electron impact ionization data for all ions of H through Zn. Improved CIE calculations based on these recombination and ionization data are presented here. We have also developed a new systematic method for determining the average emission measure (EM) and electron temperature (Te) of an isothermal plasma. With our new CIE data and a new approach for determining average EM and Te, we have re-analyzed SUMER observations of the solar corona. We have compared our results with those of previous studies and found some significant differences for the derived EM and Te. We have also calculated the enhancement of coronal elemental abundances compared to their photospheric abundances, using the SUMER observations themselves to determine the abundance enhancement factor for each of the emitting elements. Our observationally derived first ionization potential factors are in reasonable agreement with the theoretical model of Laming.

Impact of Active Regions on Coronal Hole Outflows

Establishing the sources of the fast and slow solar wind is important for understanding their drivers and their subsequent interaction in interplanetary space. Although coronal holes continue to be viewed as the main source of the fast solar wind, there is recent evidence that the quiet Sun provides other spatially concentrated sources. To identify the underlying physical characteristics of the outflow from coronal holes, solar disk observations from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) are considered. These observations encompass photospheric line-of-sight magnetic field measurements from the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI), Fe X 171 A passband imaging from the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT), and Ne VIII 770 A spectral observations with outflows inferred from their corresponding Doppler blueshifts, at solar minimum and maximum and at different latitudes, from the Solar Ultraviolet Measurement of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) instrument. The sharp variations of outflows within the SUMER field of view, referred to as velocity gradients, are introduced as a new diagnostic. It is shown that, in general, coronal holes are indistinguishable from the quiet Sun, whether in their outflows or their gradients. Surprisingly, however, when enhanced unbalanced magnetic flux from active regions extends into neighboring coronal holes, both outflows and their gradients become significantly enhanced within the coronal holes and along their boundaries. The same effect is observed in the quiet Sun, albeit to a lesser extent. These findings point to the possibility that active regions can lead to enhanced plasma outflows in neighboring coronal holes.

An Observation of Low‐Level Heating in an Erupting Prominence

Here we present multiwavelength observations of low-level heating in an erupting prominence observed in the UV and EUV over a wide range of temperatures and wavelengths by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) instrument and the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE), and also in Hα by the Yunnan Astronomical Observatory. The eruption occurred on 2004 April 30. The heating is relatively mild, leading only to the ionization of hydrogen and helium. It is also localized, occurring along the bottom edge of the erupting prominence and in a kinklike feature in the prominence. The heating is revealed as a decrease in the Lyman absorption relative to other parts of the prominence. This decrease results in an apparent increase in emission in all the lines observed by SUMER, especially those formed at temperatures of ~105 K. However, this is due to the disappearance of cooler absorbing material in the prominence rather than to an increase in these higher temperature species. These observations suggest that there may be low-level heating occurring in other erupting prominences that do not show heating to coronal temperatures. They also indicate that the prominence-corona transition region is best modeled with two or more structures along the line of sight. We discuss the results in terms of models of heating in erupting prominences and observations of Lyman absorption in prominences.

Doppler Shift Correlations in the Solar Transition Region

I investigate dynamical correlations between the lower transition and the upper transition using spectra from the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) spectrometer on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft. The measured quantity is the Doppler shift (mostly solar radial) along the line of sight. The purpose is to shed light on the fraction of the lower transition that resides in cool structures not physically associated with higher temperature regions and the fraction that can be described by a classical transition with a physical connection from the chromosphere into the corona. Transition region in this context means the transition sufficiently bright in ultraviolet spectral lines to be observed. I find strong Doppler shift correlations between two different lower lines from C IV and S V, but much weaker correlations between these lines and a line of Ne VIII formed well into the upper transition region. I conclude that most of the lower transition that is observable because of its brightness arises in cool loop structures. The results also favor a scenario in which the lower transition is heated and cooled transiently on timescales less than or perhaps comparable to the SUMER exposure times of 21 s for the data analyzed in this work.