The interpretation of XUV rocket measurements of intensity ratios of solar spectral lines of the lithiumlike ions O vi,Ne viii,and Mg x

A rocket borne spectrometer was flown to measure absolute intensities of extreme ultraviolet spectral lines from the three ions O vi, Ne viii, and Mg x present in the Sun. From these measurements, intensity ratios of lines from O vi, ratios of lines from Ne viii, and ratios of lines from Mg x were formed. These experimental ratios were compared with ratios calculated by using specific theoretical values of the ionization equilibrium in which dielectronic recombination was included in the processes establishing ionization balance. The effects of the electron density and temperature gradient on the temperature distribution of the flux of the spectral lines in the solar atmosphere have been taken into account in the calculations of the ratios. The agreement between the experimental and calculated ratios is good for the ions Ne viii and Mg x and satisfactory for the ion O vi for which the calculated ratio is subject to large uncertainties. A reliable measurement of the electron temperature in the lower corona was obtained from the experimental ratios for Mg x. This experimental temperature is in good agreement with the emission temperature of the spectral lines of Mg x predicted from the theoretical values of the ionization equilibrium. The design and photometric calibration of a new rocket spectrometer developed to measure the intensity ratios over the broad spectral region 50 to 1250 Å are also described.