Volume Emission Measure Research Articles

High resolution solar flare X-ray spectra - The temporal behavior of electron density, temperature, and emission measure for two class M flares

view Abstract Citations (86) References (28) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS High resolution solar flare X-ray spectra - The temporal behavior of electron density, temperature, and emission measure for two class M flares Doschek, G. A. ; Feldman, U. ; Landecker, P. B. ; McKenzie, D. L. Abstract High resolution soft X-ray flare spectra recorded by Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and Aerospace Corporation Bragg crystal spectrometers flown on an orbiting spacecraft (P78-1) are combined and analyzed. The instruments were launched on t979 February 24 by the U.S. Air Force, and the data discussed in this paper cover the wavelength ranges, 1.82-1.97 Å, 3.143.24 Å, and 18.423.0 Å. The NRL experiment (SOLFLEX) covers the two short wavelength ranges (highly ionized Fe and Ca lines) and the Aerospace experiment (SOLEX) covers the t8.4-23.O Å range, which includes the Lyα O VIII line and the resonance, intercombination, and forbidden lines of O VII. We analyze the spectra of two flares which occurred on 1980 April 8 and May 9. Temporal coverage is fairly complete for both flares, including the rise and decay phases. Measurements of electron density Ne with rather high time resolution (about 1 minute) have been obtained throughout most of the lifetimes of the two flares. These measurements were obtained from the O VII lines and pertain to flare plasma at temperatures near 2 × 106 K. Peak density seems to occur slightly before the times of peak X-ray flux in the resonance lines of Fe XXV, Ca XIX, and O VII, and for both flares the peak density is about 1012 cm-3. Electron temperature Te as a function of time is determined from the Fe and Ca spectra. Peak temperature for both flares is about 18 × 106 K. Differential emission measures and volume emission measures are determined from the resonance lines of O VII, Ca XIX, and Fe XXV. The number of electrons NeΔV and the volume ΔV over which the O VII lines are formed are determined from the O VII volume emission measure Ne2ΔV and the density Ne. These quantities are determined as a function of time. The relationship of the low and high temperature regions is discussed. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: October 1981 DOI: 10.1086/159294 Bibcode: 1981ApJ...249..372D Keywords: Line Spectra; Solar Flares; Solar Spectra; Solar X-Rays; Temporal Resolution; X Ray Spectra; Electron Density (Concentration); Electron Energy; Emission Spectra; Forbidden Bands; High Resolution; Plasma Density; Plasma Temperature; Resonance Lines; Solar Temperature; Spaceborne Astronomy; Solar Physics full text sources ADS |

Physical conditions in the solar atmosphere above an active region

From a series of EUV spectra obtained at several heights above the limb in a solar active region, the volume emission measure is derived as a function of the electron temperature in the temperature range 70,000-1,500,000 K and the electron density at two locations. The emission measure from the coronal material (temperature greater than 700,000 K) is nearly the same everywhere and represents most of the material in the line of sight, while the emission measure from the transition region material (temperature between 70,000 and 250,000 K) fluctuates by two orders of magnitude from position to position above the active region. This is in agreement with the picture of this active region as consisting of a number of well-defined loops or lower portions of loops at transition region temperatures that are inhomogeneously distributed in much larger and more diffuse loop structures at coronal temperatures. The coronal data are in reasonable agreement with simple coronal models. Emission measures near 1,000,000 K evaluated using different ions differ by a factor of 4, suggesting difficulties with the atomic physics data.

High-resolution X-ray spectra of solar flares. III - General spectral properties of X1-X5 type flares

High-resolution X-ray spectra of six class X1-X5 solar flares are discussed. The spectra were recorded by spaceborne Bragg crystal spectrometers in the ranges 1.82-1.97, 2.98-3.07 and 3.14-3.24 A. Electron temperatures derived from dielectronic satellite line to resonance line ratios for Fe XXV and Ca XIX are found to remain fairly constant around 22,000,000 and 16,000,000 K respectively during the rise phase of the flares, then decrease by approximately 6,000,000 K during the decay phase. Nonthermal motions derived from line widths for the April 27, 1979 event are found to be greatest during the rise phase (approximately 130 km/sec) and decrease to about 60 km/sec during decay. Volume emission measures for Fe XXV, Ca XIX and Ca XX are derived from photon fluxes as a function of temperature, and examination of the intensity behavior of the Fe K alpha emission as a function of time indicates that it is a result of fluorescence. Differences between the present and previous observations of temperature variation are discussed, and it is concluded that the flare plasmas are close to ionization equilibrium for the flares investigated.

The effects of coronal regions on the X-ray flux and ionization conditions in the winds of OB supergiants and Of stars

The anomalously strong O VI and N V lines in O stars and the C IV lines in B supergiants may be due to Auger ionization by X-rays from a thin coronal zone at the base of the cool stellar winds. We determine the size of a corona that is necessary to produce the overall ionization conditions in zeta Pup as has been deduced by Olson from line profile analysis. In the ionization balance calculations we account for diffuse radiation field in the wind and for the large optical depths in the He II continuum due to radiative and Auger ionization edges of abundant elements. The X-ray flux transmitted through the wind is calculated and compared with upper limits derived for upper limits derived for zeta Pup observations from ANS and Uhuru satellites. It is found that a coronal zone with a temperature of 5x10/sup 6/ K and a volume emission measure of 10/sup 58/ cm/sup -3/ can produce the required ionization in a wind having a temperature of 30,000--35,000 K. The emergent X-ray flux bears little resemblance to the coronal emissivity because of the opacity of the wind. The X-ray flux nearly reaches the upper limits derived from themore » ANS observations and, at several energy bands, should be detectable by the HEAO B satellite. A simplified analysis of the Auger ionization process is developed and applied to other Of and OB supergiants. We find that the model can explain the presence of C IV and Si IV in supergaints with effective temperatures as low as 12,000 K and can explain the appearance of O VI and N V lines in early type supergiants as late as BO.5 and B2, respectively.« less

Observational studies of the Herbig Ae/Be stars. III - Spectrophotometry

Spectrophotometry from 3400 to 8300 A is presented for 18 of the pre-main-sequence Herbig Ae/Be stars. Two observational features are readily noted in many of these stars: a Balmer discontinuity smaller than that exhibited by main-sequence stars of similar spectral type, and very heavy reddening. The observations are de-reddened through the use of model atmospheres appropriate to the spectral type, and an excess flux in the near-infrared is apparent also. A simple optically thin model is developed which ascribes the small Balmer jump to free-bound emission in the Balmer continuum arising in a circumstellar region; the same model parameters also reproduce the near-infrared excess when free-free and Paschen free-bound emission are invoked. The model produces a volume emission measure for the circumstellar region. Estimates of mass-flow rates are made, and some implications of the model for the infrared excess past 1 micron are discussed.

Approximate solutions of radiative transfer in dusty nebulae. II - Hydrogen and helium

The ionization structure of hydrogen and helium in dusty nebulae is discussed. The general equations for pure hydrogen nebulae are modified to include helium. An approximate analytic solution is presented for Stroemgren radii of hydrogen and helium in the absence of dust. It is shown that these results, with simple modifications, are also applicable to dusty nebulae where the effective absorption cross section of dust grains varies slowly with frequency in the 1000 to 200A range. No analytic solutions are possible if this cross section varies rapidly with frequency. In this case, however, simple coupled differential equations are derived. Approximate analytic expressions are presented for evaluation of the variation of the fraction of ionizing radiation absorbed by dust and the ratio of the volume emission measures of He II to H II regions with the spectrum of the ionizing source, helium abundance, and absorption properties of dust. The effects of dust on the He III zone are discussed. Results are restricted to spherically symmetric nebulae, but nonuniform gas and dust distributions and clumpiness can be taken into account.