Spectral investigation of chromospheric fine structure

H spectra and effectively simultaneous filtergrams were taken at the Fraunhofer Observatory on Capri with the 35 cm domeless Coudé. The spatial resolution of the 19 best spectra selected for analysis was estimated to be 1–2 arc sec. The comparison of several hundred H line profiles emitted by typical chromospheric structure elements with theoretical prediction yielded strong evidence to suggest that the chromosphere consists of two parts: A lower, rather uniform layer at rest superposed by clouds (condensations of great spatial variability) which constitute the well-known structure pattern of H filtergrams. For most image points the line-of-sight velocity, optical thickness, source function and Doppler broadening of these clouds could be determined. While the values of the latter three quantities were found to be similar to what Beckers (1968) has found for limb spicules the velocity of the bright and of the dark mottles is considerably smaller than to be expected if these features were the spicules as seen on the disk. However, our results do not rule out the possibility that the spicules rise at the centers of rosettes where they are difficult to detect.Mitteilung aus dem Fraunhofer Institut No. 105.