Analysis of coronal H I Lyman alpha measurements from a rocket flight on 1979 April 13

Journal Article · Mon Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/159740· OSTI ID:5234719

Withbroe, G L; Kohl, J L; Weiser, H; Noci, G; Munro, R H

Measurements of the profiles of resonantly scattered hydrogen Lyman-..cap alpha.. coronal radiation have been used to determine hydrogen kinetic temperatures from 1.5 to 4 R/sub sun/ from Sun center in a quiet region of the corona. Proton temperatures derived from the line widths decrease with height from 2.6 x 10/sup 6/ K at r = 1.5 R/sub sun/ to 1.2 x 10/sup 6/ K at r = 4 R/sub sun/. These measurements combined with temperatures for lower heights determined from earlier Skylab and eclipse data suggest that there is a maximum in the quiet coronal proton temperature at about 1.5 R/sub sun/. Comparison of measured Lyman-..cap alpha.. intensities with those calculated using a representative model for the radial variation of the coronal electron density provides information on the magnitude of the electron temperature gradient and suggests that the solar wind flow was subsonic for r<4 R/sub sun/ in the observed region. Comparison of the measured kinetic temperatures to the predictions of a simple two fluid model suggests that there is a small amount of proton heating and/or a nonthermal contribution to the motions of coronal protons between 1.5 and 4 R/sub sun/.

• Research Organization: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
• OSTI ID: 5234719
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 254:1; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics &amp; Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BARYONS
DATA ANALYSIS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
FERMIONS
HADRONS
HYDROGEN
LINE WIDTHS
LYMAN LINES
NONMETALS
NUCLEONS
PROTONS
RADIATIONS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR CORONA
SOLAR PARTICLES
SOLAR PROTONS
SOLAR RADIATION
SOLAR WIND
SPECTRA
STELLAR RADIATION
ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRA