Skip to main content
Log in

On determining the electron density distribution of the solar corona from K-coronameter data

  • Published:
Solar Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The electron density distribution of the inner solar corona (r ⩽ 2 R ) as a function of latitude, longitude, and radial distance is determined from K-coronameter polarization-brightness (pB) data. A Legendre polynomial is assumed for the electron density distribution, and the coefficients of the polynomial are determined by a least-mean-square regression analysis of several days of pB-data. The calculated electron density distribution is then mapped as a function of latitude and longitude. The method is particularly useful in determining the longitudinal extent of coronal streamers and enhancements and in resolving coronal features whose projections on the plane of the sky overlap.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen, C. W.: 1947, Monthly Notices Roy. Astron. Soc. 107, 426.

    Google Scholar 

  • Altschuler, M. D. and Newkirk, G. Jr.: 1969, Solar Phys. 9, 131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumbach, S.: 1937, Astron. Nachr. 263, 121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumbach, S.: 1939, Astron. Nachr. 267 273.

    Google Scholar 

  • Billings D. E.: 1966, A Guide to the Solar Corona, Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohlin, J. D.: 1968, Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. of Colo.

  • Bohlin, J. D.: 1970a, Solar Phys. 12, 240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohlin, J. D.: 1970b, Solar Phys. 13, 153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dollfus, A.: 1968, in K. O. Kiepenheuer (ed.), ‘Structure and Development of Solar Active Regions’, IAU Symp. 35, 359.

  • Golub, G. H. and Reinsch, C.: 1970, Numer. Math. 14, 403.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, R. T.: 1971, private communication.

  • Hansen, R. T. and Hansen, S. F.: 1971, private communication.

  • Hansen, R. T., Garcia, C. J., Hansen, S. F., and Loomis, H. G.: 1969, Solar Phys. 7, 417.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, R. T., Hansen, S. F., Garcia, C. J., and Trotter, D. E.: 1971, Solar Phys. 18, 271.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hiei, E.: 1962, J. Phys. Soc. Japan 17, Suppl. A-II, 227.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawabata, K.: 1960, Publ. Astron. Soc. Japan 12, 513.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leblanc, Y.: 1970, Astron. Astrophys. 4, 315.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leblanc, Y., Leroy, J. L., and Poulain, P.: 1970, Astron. Astrophys. 5, 391.

    Google Scholar 

  • Minnaert, M.: 1930, Z. Astrophys. 1, 209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mustel, E.: 1963, in J. W. Evans (ed.), The Solar Corona, Academic Press, New York, p. 331.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newkirk, G. Jr.: 1961, Astrophys. J. 133, 983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newkirk, G. Jr.: 1967, Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 5, 213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newkirk, G., Jr.: 1971, Asilomar Conf. on Solar Wind, in press.

  • Newkirk, G. Jr. and Altschuler, M. D.: 1970, Solar Phys. 13, 131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ney, E. P., Huch, W. F., Kellogg, P. J., Stein, W., and Gillett, F.: 1961, Astrophys. J. 133, 616.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nishi, K. and Nakagomi, Y.: 1963, Publ. Astron. Soc. Japan 15, 56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orrall, F.: 1971, private communication.

  • Saito, K.: 1959, Publ. Astron. Soc. Japan 11, 234.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saito, K.: 1970, Ann. Tokyo Astron. Obs., 2nd Ser., 12, 53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saito, K. and Billings, D. E.: 1964, Astrophys. J. 140, 760.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schuster, A.: 1879, Monthly Notices Roy. Astron. Soc. 40, 35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shklovskii, I. S.: 1965, Physics of the Solar Corona, 2nd ed., Pergamon Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • van de Hulst, H. C.: 1950, Bull. Astron. Neth. 11, 135.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waldmeier, M.: 1956, Z. Astrophys. 40, 221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waldmeier, M.: 1963, Z. Astrophys. 56, 291.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waldmeier, M. and Muller, H.: 1950, Z. Astrophys. 27, 58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Withbroe, G. L., Dupree, A. K., Goldberg, L., Huber, M. C. E., Noyes, R. W., Parkinson, W. H., and Reeves, E. M.: 1971, Solar Phys. 21, 272.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wlérick, G. and Axtell, J.: 1957, Astrophys. J. 126, 253.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Altschuler, M.D., Perry, R.M. On determining the electron density distribution of the solar corona from K-coronameter data. Sol Phys 23, 410–428 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00148104

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00148104

Keywords

Navigation