Fe XIV and Ca XV Coronal Intensity Maps from Sacramento Peak

Observational data from the National Solar Observatory's Sacramento Peak facility, providing coronal maps for the Fe XIV 530.3 nm and Ca XV 569.4 nm spectral lines. Each file contains a 61x29 array of intensity values measured in millionths of the solar disk brightness at 0.15 solar radii above the limb. Data files are organized by ion, date, and observed limb (East or West).

Use Cases

• Analyze temporal evolution of coronal Fe XIV and Ca XV emission intensities across the solar limb.
• Map the spatial distribution of coronal plasma using the 61x29 intensity array, correlating positions from the North to South pole and East to West limb.
• Identify data gaps or background sky regions flagged by the intensity value of -1.0 in the Ca XV maps.
• Compare coronal activity between different solar limbs using separate data files for East ('E') and West ('W') observations.

Strengths

• Standardized 61x29 data array structure per observation, enabling consistent spatial analysis.
• Intensity values are calibrated in physical units (millionths of solar disk brightness).
• Data is separated by specific ion (Fe XIV, Ca XV), date, and solar limb, facilitating targeted studies.

Limitations

• Sample size and total temporal coverage are unspecified.
• The Ca XV maps use a value of -1.0 to indicate both background sky and consecutive days of missing data, introducing potential ambiguity.
• Data format and availability details for historical versus current observations are unclear.

Provenance

Source

National Solar Observatory (NSO) Sacramento Peak.

Collection Method

Ground-based telescopic observations of specific coronal emission lines.

Time Range

Includes data from at least January 23, 1991; full range unspecified.

Geography

Observations from the Sacramento Peak facility; data represents the solar corona.