Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jan 1999
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1999apj...510.1064s&link_type=abstract
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 510, Issue 2, pp. 1064-1077.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
41
Line: Formation, Scattering, Sun: Corona, Sun: X-Rays, Gamma Rays, Techniques: Spectroscopic
Scientific paper
Fe XVII soft X-ray spectral emission lines are examined using data from the Flat Crystal Spectrometer (FCS) on the Solar Maximum Mission satellite. Results are compared with theoretical calculations and with other recent observational results. Disparate findings from different studies on the inferred opacity of the bright resonance line at 15.01 Å and on its center-to-limb behavior are reviewed. Present limitations on the use of resonance scattering to infer coronal plasma densities and absolute elemental abundances are discussed. An analysis is made of the temperature-insensitive ratio of the 15.01 Å line of Fe XVII to the optically thin 16.78 Å line. This analysis shows that approximately half of the photons expected in the 15.01 Å line are missing from the bright emission cores of quiescent active regions on the solar disk; the missing fraction increases at most by 50% near the solar limb. If the missing flux has been resonantly scattered out of the line of sight, then the equivalent optical depth at line center of the 15.01 Å line is tau_0~2 on the disk, based on a simple escape probability treatment for a slab geometry. This suggests that the effects of resonance scattering for other FCS lines, with the possible exception of the O VIII doublet at 18.97 Å, should be negligible for quiescent active region conditions. This is consistent with the lack of systematic center-to-limb dependence found previously for FCS lines other than Fe XVII at 15.01 Å. Yohkoh Soft X-ray Telescope measurements of the expected lines of sight for active regions as a function of location on the solar disk, and resonance scattering results from other soft X-ray active region data sets all support a trend of increased opacity at the limb compared to disk center.
Bhatia Anand K.
Saba Julia L. R.
Schmelz Joan T.
Strong Keith Temple
No associations
LandOfFree
Fe XVII Soft X-Ray Lines: Theory and Data Comparisons does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Fe XVII Soft X-Ray Lines: Theory and Data Comparisons, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Fe XVII Soft X-Ray Lines: Theory and Data Comparisons will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1190062