The ionization and energy balance of the chromosphere-corona transition region.
Abstract
The hypothesis of heating the lower transition region by thermal conduction from the corona has been shown to contradict the observations. Emission measure analysis implies that heating and radiative losses are nearly in balance for the lower transition region, explaining this balance may require time dependent modeling. The geometry of the transition region is not known, though theoretical and observational arguments imply that it is fine structured, and further that not all gas at transition region temperatures is in thermal contact with the corona. Observations show that flows are prevalent throughout the transition region. This is important to the energy balance through the enthalpy flux. Furthermore, flows will impact the ionization balance and therefore the energy balance through the radiative loss rate. The ionization balance should also be considered in emission line diagnostics when flows are present, the author has shown the contribution function for emission lines to be sensitive to variations in the ionization balance.
- Publication:
-
Flux Tubes in the Solar Atmosphere
- Pub Date:
- 1989
- Bibcode:
- 1989ftsa.conf...35H
- Keywords:
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- Solar Transition Region: Ionization;
- Solar Transition Region: Energy Distribution