975 research outputs found
Association of mid-infrared solar plages with Calcium K line emissions and magnetic structures
Solar mid-IR observations in the 8-15 micrometer band continuum with moderate
angular resolution (18 arcseconds) reveal the presence of bright structures
surrounding sunspots. These plage-like features present good association with
calcium CaII K1v plages and active region magnetograms. We describe a new
optical setup with reflecting mirrors to produce solar images on the focal
plane array of uncooled bolometers of a commercial camera preceded by germanium
optics. First observations of a sunspot on September 11, 2006 show a mid-IR
continuum plage exhibiting spatial distribution closely associated with CaII
K1v line plage and magnetogram structures. The mid-IR continuum bright plage is
about 140 K hotter than the neighboring photospheric regions, consistent with
hot plasma confined by the magnetic spatial structures in and above the active
regionComment: 5 pages, 4 figures. Accepted by PAS
The Pinhole/Occulter Facility
A large occulting system in space can be used for high resolution X-ray observations and for large aperture coronagraphic observations in visible and UV light. The X-ray observations can combine high angular resolution in hand (10 keV) X-radiation with the high sensitivity of a multiple pinhole camera, and can permit sensitive observations of bremsstrahlung from nonthermal particles in the corona. The large aperture coronagraphs have two major advantages: high angular resolution and good photon collection. This will permit observations of small scale structures in the corona for the first time and will give sufficient counting rates above the coronal background rates for sensitive diagnostic analysis of intensities and line profiles for coronal structures in the solar wind acceleration region. The technical basis for performing observations with a large occulting system in these three wavelength ranges is described as well as a pinhole/occulter facility presently being considered for Spacelab. Some indications about future developments are included
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