On the Interpretation of Prominence Spectra. II. The Line and Continuous Spectrum of the Spray-Type Limb Event of March 7, 1959.

Abstract

The line and continuum emission of a limb flare of March 7, 1959, are discussed. An analysis of the continuum emission near the almer limit shows that the kinetic temperature of the flare must be considerably less than 20000 K in that region where the hydrogen is excited. On the assumption that the hydrogen emission is axially symmetric, a model is derived for the temperature, electron density, and gas pressure as a function of distance from the axis. The temperatures so derived are much lower than those obtained from the usual methods of line-width analysis, which, it is suggested, are of questionable value in application to active limb events.