SOLAR PHYSICS FROM SPACELAB 2

Abstract
Four instruments were flown aboard the Spacelab 2 shuttle mission to perform systematic observations of the solar atmosphere at high resolution and to measure specific global properties of the sun. The Solar Optical Universal Polarimeter recorded series of white light images with which the evolution of the granulation and sunspot phenomena have been studied. The Coronal Helium Abundance Shuttle Experiment provided measurements of a number of EUV coronal lines, and, in particular, the intensities of He II λ304 and H I λ1216 from which the coronal helium abundance can be determined. The High Resolution Telescope and Spectrograph obtained stigmatic spectra in the 1200-1700 Å wavelength range, as well as broad band UV spectroheliograms, to provide diagnostic information on the solar chromosphere and transition zone. The Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor measured the total solar irrandiance at a resolution of 1.5 and 50 Å in the 1200 to 4000 Å wavelength range to an accuracy of 3%.