Balmer and Lyman Emission Lines in Solar Prominences
Abstract
Space observations of Lyman lines are compared with ground-based observations of Balmer lines for quiescent solar prominences of comparable brightness defined by their Hβ emission. The integrated spectral line radiances of the Lyman and the Balmer emissions show differences which diminish with increasing upper level u and converge toward highest level numbers. Lyman lines emitted from u=5 originate from 250 times less emitters than the corresponding Balmer lines from the same upper level. For u=8 this difference still amounts to a factor of 65, supporting the idea of a distinct origin of the emissions of both hydrogen series.
- Publication:
-
Central European Astrophysical Bulletin
- Pub Date:
- 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009CEAB...33...99W
- Keywords:
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- prominence emissions;
- Balmer and Lyman series