| Issue |
J. Phys. Colloques
Volume 49, Number C1, Mars 1988
IAU Colloquium N° 102 on UV and X-ray Spectroscopy of Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas
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|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | C1-329 - C1-329 | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/jphyscol:1988170 | |
IAU Colloquium N° 102 on UV and X-ray Spectroscopy of Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas
J. Phys. Colloques 49 (1988) C1-329-C1-329
DOI: 10.1051/jphyscol:1988170
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, GB-Didcot OX11 OQX, Great-Britain
J. Phys. Colloques 49 (1988) C1-329-C1-329
DOI: 10.1051/jphyscol:1988170
THE INTERPRETATION OF SOLAR SPECTRAL INTENSITIES
R.W.P. McWHIRTERRutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, GB-Didcot OX11 OQX, Great-Britain
Abstract
The intensity of a specrtal line from an optically thin plasma such as the outer atmosphere of the Sun depends on both the atomic properties of the atomic ion responsible for the line and the physical nature of the plasma. In this paper we discuss the various ways in which the measured spectral intensities from the sun are used to discover something about tbe nature of the sun's atmosphere. The technique has been referred to as the emission measure method. It has important limitations in terms of the accuracy of the specrtal data as well as the atomic data. We discuss some of these and suggest methods by which they may be assessed. The technique is illustrated by application to real observations from a number of authors.