Reference models of sunspot chromospheres

Abstract

Recent observational and theoretical studies of the structure of umbral chromosphres have led us to propose new models of the region. We combine space and ground based determinations of the densitytemperature structure of the transition region with existing Caii H, K, and IR triplet spectral data to establish relatively high density, ‘gradient’ models of the sunspot chromosphere.

Avrett in 1981 presented theSunspot Sunspot Model which can be characterized as a physically extended, low density, plateau model. However, in a similar study, the authors (Beebeet al., 1982) pointed out that the relatively high transition region pressures derived from space observations indeed are required to reproduce high resolution Caii spectral features. Studies of the umbral chromosphere as a resonant cavity for slow-mode magneto-acoustic waves producing umbral oscillations (Zhugzhdaet al., 1984) also lead to atmospheres of relatively small physical thickness, thus higher densities.