Spectral observations of the diffuse FUV background with DUVE (the diffuse UV experiment)

Abstract

We present results from a search for FUV emission from the diffuse ISM conducted with an orbital FUV spectrometer, DUVE, which was launched in July, 1992. The DUVE spectrometer, which covers the band from 950 Å to 1080 Å with 3.2 Å resolution, observed a region of low neutral hydrogen column density near the south galactic pole for a total effective integration time of 1583 seconds. the only emission line detected was a geocoronal hydrogen line at 1025 Å. We were able to place upper limits to several emission features that provide constraints to interstellar plasma parameters. We were also able to place continuum limits in this band. We use these upper limits to place constraints upon the emission measure vs. temperature distribution of this gas using an isothermal Landini and Fossi model.

A more detailed discussion of these results may be found in Korpela et al. (1997).