The Ly-alpha profile and center-to-limb variation of the quiet Sun

dc.creatorCurdt, W.
dc.creatorTian, H.
dc.creatorTeriaca, L.
dc.creatorSchuehle, U.
dc.creatorLemaire, P.
dc.date2008-12-08
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T12:16:10Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T12:16:10Z
dc.descriptionWe study the emission of the hydrogen Lyman-a line in the quiet Sun, its center-to-limb variation (CLV), and its radiance distribution. We also compare quasi-simultaneous Ly-a and Ly-b line profiles. We used the high spectral and spatial resolution of the SUMER spectrometer and completed raster scans at various locations along the disk. For the first time, we used a method to reduce the incoming photon flux to a 20%-level by partly closing the aperture door. We also performed a quasi-simultaneous observation of both Ly-a and Ly-b at Sun center in sit-and-stare mode. We infer the flow characteristic in the Ly-a map from variations in the calibrated 1206 Si III line centroids. We present the average profile of Ly-a, its radiance distribution, its CLV behaviour, and the signature of flows on the line profiles. Little CLV and no limb brightening are observed in the profiles of the Ly-a line. In contrast to all other lines of the Lyman series, which have a stronger red-horn, Ly-a has a dominating blue-horn asymmetry. There appears to be a brightness-to-asymmetry relationship. A similar and even clearer trend is observed in the downflow-to-asymmetry relationship. This important result is consistent with predictions from models that include flows. However, the absence of a clear CLV in the profiles may be more indicative of an isotropic field than a radial flow. It appears that the ubiquitous hydrogen behaves similar to a filter that dampens all signatures of the line formation by processes in the chromosphere and transition region.
dc.description4 pages, 4 figures
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/0812.1441
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/0812.1441
dc.identifierAstron.Astrophys.492:L9-L13,2008
dc.identifierdoi:10.1051/0004-6361:200810868
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/211715
dc.subjectAstrophysics
dc.titleThe Ly-alpha profile and center-to-limb variation of the quiet Sun
dc.typetext

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