The Stellar Extreme‐Ultraviolet Radiation Field

Abstract

The local extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation field from stellar sources has been determined by combining the EUV spectra of 54 stars, taken with the spectrometers aboard the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer satellite. The resultant spectrum over the range 70-730 A is estimated to be 95% complete above 400 A and 90% complete above 200 A. The flux contributed by two B stars and three hot white dwarfs dominate the spectrum except at the shortest wavelengths, where an assortment of EUV source types contribute. The high electron densities measured toward nearby stars can be accounted for by photoionization from this radiation field, but the spectrum is too soft to explain the overionization of helium with respect to hydrogen recently measure in the Local Cloud.