Skip to main content

Reconstruction of the Large-Scale Distribution of Coronal Electrons from Eclipse Data

  • Chapter
Theoretical and Observational Problems Related to Solar Eclipses

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASIC,volume 494))

  • 181 Accesses

Abstract

Mathematical models of the global electron density distribution in the corona were first constructed from solar eclipse images at the end of the last century. Since then, the complexity of these density models has increased steadily, as additional free parameters and new mathematical tools were incorporated. The ultimate goal of this effort has always been to improve the representation of the inhomogeneous coronal structure, while maintaining a restricted set of parameters. This review puts the successive steps of this maturation process in a general perspective. A recent model, developed at the Royal Observatory of Belgium for the 1991 and 1994 eclipses, is described to illustrate the modeling techniques and some current issues.

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

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Munro, R.H., Jackson, B.V. (1977) Physical properties of a polar coronal hole from 2 to 5 R , Astrophys. J. 213, 874–886.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Feldman, W.C. (1976) Implication of Saito’s coronal density model on the polar solar wind and heavy ion abundances, Journal Geoph. Res. 82, 667–673.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Withbroe, G.L. (1988) The temperature structure, mass, and energy flow in the corona and inner solar wind, Astrophys. J. 325, 442–467.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Saito, K., Poland, AI., Munro, R.H. (1977) A study of the background corona near solar minimum, Sol. Phys. 55, 121–134.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. van de Hulst, H.C. (1950) The electron density of the solar corona, Bull Astron. Inst. Neth. XI,410, 135–150.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Schuster, A. (1879) On the polarisation of the solar corona, Monthly Notices of the R.A.S. 40, 35–57.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Saito, K. (1970) A non-spherical axisymmetric model of the solar K corona of the minimum type, Ann. Tokyo Astron. Obs., Second Ser. 12, 53–120.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Minnaert, M. (1930) On the continuous spectrum of the corona and its polarisation, Zeitschrift fur Astrophys. 1, 209–236.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Baumbach, S. (1939) Die polarisation der sonnenkorona, Astron. Nachrichten B.267, 6401–02, 273–296.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Perry, R.M., Altschuler, M.D. (1973) Improved three-dimensional mapping of the electron density distribution of the solar corona, Sol. Phys. 28, 435–456.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Perry, R.M., Altschuler, M.D. (1989) A fast technique for improved 3-dimensional mapping of the solar corona, Sol. Phys. 119, 301–321.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Gulyaev, R.A., Vanyarkha, N.Ya. (1992) Regularities of variation of theheliospheric current sheet orientation duringthe solar activity cycle, Sol. Phys. 140, 369–378.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Sime, D.G., Mc Cabe, MK. (1990) The structure of the white-light corona and the large-scale solar magnetic field, Sol. Phys. 126, 267–284.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Gabryl, J.-R. (1994) Développement d’un modèle de densité électronique de la couronne solaire, Mémoire, Institut d’Astrophysique, Université de Liège.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Gabryl, J.-R., Cugnon, P., Clette, F. (1996) Comparing the large-scale coronal electron density distribution of the 1991 and 1994 solar eclipses, these proceedings.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bohlin, J.D., Garrison, L.M. (1974) Numerical calculation of Thomson scattering from inhomogeneous models of the corona, and application to streamers of the 1970 and 1972 eclipses, Sol. Phys. 38, 165–179.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Badalyan, O.G., Livshits, M.A (1985) White emission of the hydrostatic corona, Sov. Astron 29(1), 76–81 (Astron. Zh. 62, 132–140).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Badalyan, O.G., Livshits, MA (1986) The K-corona under hydrostatic density distribution: relevance to the solar wind, Sol. Phys. 103, 385–392.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. Dzifcakova, E., Rusin, V., Rybansky, M. (1986) The solar corona during the solar eclipse of February 16, 1980. (Density, temperature and expansion velocity), Bull. Astron. Inst. Czech., 37, no 5, 253–260.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Guhathakurta, M., Rottman, G.J., Fisher, R.R., Orrall, F.Q., Altrock, R.C. (1992) Coronal density and temperature structure from coordinated observations associated with the total solar eclipse of 1988 March 18, Astrophys. J. 388, no 2, 633–643.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. Bagenal, F., Gibson, S. (1991) Modeling the large-scale structure of the solar corona, Journal Geoph. Res. 96, no A10, 17663–17674.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Gibson, S., Bagenal, F. (1994) Large-scale coronal magnetic field and density structures, in Rusin, V., Heinzel, P. and Vial, J.-C. (eds.), Proc. IAU Colloq. 144, “Solar coronal structures”, VEDA Publ., 155–157.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Bogdan, T.J., Low, B.C. (1986) Three-dimensional structures of magnetostatie atmospheres. II. Modeling the large-scale corona, Astrophys. J. 306, 271–283.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1997 Klmver Academic Publishers

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Clette, F. (1997). Reconstruction of the Large-Scale Distribution of Coronal Electrons from Eclipse Data. In: Mouradian, Z., Stavinschi, M. (eds) Theoretical and Observational Problems Related to Solar Eclipses. NATO ASI Series, vol 494. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5492-5_18

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5492-5_18

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-7923-4619-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-5492-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics