Cool Stars 14 - Submitted Abstract # 362
This version created on 05 October 2006

Neon and oxygen absolute abundances in the solar corona


Enrico Landi, Naval Research Laboratory/Artep Inc.
Uri Feldman, Naval Research Laboratory/Artep Inc.
George A. Doschek, Naval Research Laboratory

In the present work we use the UV spectrum of a solar flare observed
with SOHO/SUMER to measure the aboslute abundance of Ne in he solar
atmosphere.  THe measurement is carried out using the intensity ratio
between the allowed 1s2s 3S1-1s2p 3P2 Ne IX line at 1248.28 A and the
free-free continuum radiation observed close to the Ne IX line.  We
find a value of the absolute Ne abundance A_Ne=8.11 +/- 0.12, in
agreement with previous estimates but substantially higher than the
very recent estimate by Asplund et al.  2005 based on indirect
measurements obtained through the Ne/O relative abundance.
Considering out measure A_Ne value, and measurements of the relative
Ne/O abundance A_Ne/A_O=0.15 in flares, we find that the absolute
oxygen abundance is A_O=8.93 +/- 0.12 and that the value recently
proposed by Asplund et al.  2005 is too low by a factor about 1.9.
These results have important consequences for models of the solar
interioir based on helioseismology measurements.  

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