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Identification and analysis of structures in the corona from X-ray photography

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Abstract

This paper summarizes the results of a program of rocket observations of the solar corona with grazing incidence X-ray telescopes. A series of five flights of a Kanigen-surfaced telescope with a few arc seconds resolution, together with the first flight of a newer telescope have resulted in the identification of six classes of coronal structures observable in the X-ray photographs. These are: active regions, active region interconnections, large loop structures associated with unipolar magnetic regions, coronal holes, coronal bright points, and the structures surrounding filament cavities. Two solar flares have been observed. The methods involved in deriving coronal temperature and density information from X-ray photographs are described and the analysis of a bright active region (McMath plage 11035) observed at the west limb on November 24, 1970 is presented as an example of these techniques.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. American Science and Engineering, Cambridge, Mass., U.S.A.

    G. S. Vaiana, A. S. Krieger & A. F. Timothy

Authors
  1. G. S. Vaiana
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  2. A. S. Krieger
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  3. A. F. Timothy
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Additional information

This paper originated in an invited talk presented by one of us (G.V.) at the COSPAR Symposium on High Resolution Astronomical Observations from Space, Seattle, Washington, June 29, 1971. In addition, it includes material presented at the three NASA OSO workshops, as well as more recent work.

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Vaiana, G.S., Krieger, A.S. & Timothy, A.F. Identification and analysis of structures in the corona from X-ray photography. Sol Phys 32, 81–116 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00152731

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00152731

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