Energy balance from the chromosphere-corona transition region
Journal Article
·
· Astrophys. J.; (United States)
A detailed energy balance of the chromosphere-corona transition region and lower corona is computed starting with the multicomponent temperature model developed to study the EUV emission lines. It becomes clear that in order to keep the energy balance, a ''mechanical'' energy source and sink must be included in the computations. The shape and detailed study of this ''mechanical'' energy source and sink allow us to search for the physically plausible mechanism responsible for this behavior. Heat conduction is a very efficient mechanism to heat the dense regions of the chromosphere, and a ''sudden'' liberation of energy has to be invoked in order to maintain equilibrium. The conductive flux for the quiet region reaches a maximum of 9.47 x 10/sup 4/ ergs cm/sup -2/ s/sup -1/ at the top of the transition zone in a region less than 100 km thick. The integrated ''mechanical'' energy that must be released from this quiet region is 3.8 x 10/sup 4/ ergs cm/sup -2/ s/sup -1/, giving a luminosity L=9/4 x 10/sup 6/ ergs cm/sup -2/ s/sup -1/. For the active region considered, the conductive flux reaches a maximum of 5.81 x 10/sup 5/ ergs cm/sup -2/ s/sup -1/ at the top of the transition region of the order of only 10 km thick. The ''mechanical'' energy source is computed to be 1.9 x 10/sup 4/ ergs cm/sup -2/ s/sup -1/, and the luminosity for this region is L=8.3 x 10/sup 8/ ergs s/sup -1/.
- Research Organization:
- Institudo de Astronomia, Observatorio Astronomico Nacional, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
- OSTI ID:
- 6735237
- Journal Information:
- Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 240:1; ISSN ASJOA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English