Crystal spectrometer studies of the Sun employing a rotation modulation collimator

Abstract

The use of rotating modulation collimators in high resolution solar X-ray spectroscopy is discussed with reference to the recent flight of a sounding rocket payload. This rocket carried an experiment which combined a modulation collimator and a Bragg crystal spectrometer to make moderately high resolution spectral and spatial measurements simultaneously. The response of the instrument to extended sources is described. It is shown that the technique is particularly suited to long term observations of active region emission, but that useful measurements can be made even during a short rocket flight.

Our observations were made in 1972 October 26 between 0432 UT and 0436 UT. During the flight a scan of the solar X-ray spectrum was made which covered the wavelength range 1.45–1.71 nm. A small flare commenced at about 0432 UT in McMath calcium plage region 12094; the emission from this provided the major contribution to the observed spectrum. X-ray emission from a group of active regions in the SW and the small McMath region 12090 has also been detected.

Spectral and spatial observations have been combined to investigate the conditions in both active region and flare plasmas.