High-resolution X-ray plasma diagnostics of stellar coronae
Abstract
Spatial structure in the solar corona can directly be assessed by missions like TRACE providing high spatial resolution. The million degree plasma has been found to be confined to loop like structures following magnetic field lines. These loops have constant pressure and are hottest in the loop top. The slitless spectrometers aboard Chandra and XMM-Newton provide excellent means to measure temperatures and densities from ratios of emission lines. From these measurements average structural properties can be derived using scaling laws from the Sun for stellar coronae in different stages of activity. In my PhD thesis I present detailed analyses of Chandra LETGS spectra for the stars Capella, Procyon, and Algol inferring plasma temperatures and densities from ratios of line intensities. An additional aspect is investigating the influence of stellar radiation fields on the analysis with He-like triplets.
- Publication:
-
Ph.D. Thesis
- Pub Date:
- March 2002
- Bibcode:
- 2002PhDT.........3N
- Keywords:
-
- stellar coronae X-ray