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Session 59 -- Solar Surface and Corona

Oral presentation, Thursday, January 13, 10:15-11:45, Salon VI Room (Crystal Gateway)

[59.06] Spartan 201 H I Lyman-Alpha Observations of a Polar Coronal Region

\noindent Measurements of H I Lyman-alpha spectral line profiles were made during the Spartan 201-1 Mission on 11 April 1993. The spectral resolution elements were 0.025 nm and the spatial elements were 0.5 arc min. by 2.5 arc min. Observations were made between 1.35 and 3.5 solar radii from sun-center. The line shapes are found to be complex. Velocity distributions derived from the line profiles will be presented. Broad wings on the profiles indicate proton velocity distributions that deviate significantly from that expected in a purely Maxwellian thermal distribution. Possible explanations for the observed high velocities will be discussed.

\noindent Supported in part by NASA Grant no. NAG 5-613 to the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.

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