Coronal Densities, Temperatures and Abundances During the 2019 Total Solar Eclipse: The Role of Multi-Wavelength Observations in Coronal Plasma Characterization

TL;DR

This study demonstrates how multi-wavelength observations, including NIR, EUV, and visible data, can reliably diagnose coronal plasma parameters such as density, temperature, and elemental abundances during a solar eclipse.

Contribution

It provides detailed diagnostics of coronal plasma using improved NIR spectrometry and compares results across multiple instruments, confirming the diagnostic potential of NIR wavelengths.

Findings

Electron densities ranged from Log Ne 8.4 to 7.2 cm$^{-3}$

EIS spectra show near-isothermal plasma at 1.3 MK on the west limb

Sulphur and iron abundances are consistent with photospheric values

Abstract

The Airborne Infrared Spectrometer (AIR-Spec) offers an unprecedented opportunity to explore the Near Infra-Red (NIR) wavelength range. It has been flown at two total solar eclipses, in 2017 and 2019. The wavelength range of the much improved instrument on the second flight (July 2, 2019) was shifted to cover two density sensitive lines from S XI. In this paper we study detailed diagnostics for temperature, electron density and elemental abundances by comparing results from AIR-Spec slit positions above the east and the west limb with those from Hinode/EIS, the PolarCam detector and SDO/AIA. We find very good agreement in the electron densities obtained from the EIS EUV line ratios, those from the NIR S XI ratio and those obtained from the polarized brightness PolarCam measurements. Electron densities ranged from Log Ne [cm$^{-3}]$ = 8.4 near the limb, falling to 7.2 at $R_0=1.3$. EIS spectra indicate that the temperature distribution above the west limb is near-isothermal at around 1.3 MK, while that on the east has an additional higher-T component. The AIR-Spec radiances in Si X and S XI as well as the AIA data in the 171, 193, and 211 Angstroms bands are consistent with the EIS results. EIS and AIR-Spec data indicate that the sulphur abundance (relative to silicon) is photospheric in both regions, confirming our previous results of the 2017 eclipse. The AIA data also indicate that the absolute iron abundance is photospheric. Our analysis confirms the importance of the diagnostic potential of the NIR wavelength range, and that this important wavelength range can be used reliably and independently to determine coronal plasma parameters.