Abstract
By the line ratio of Oxygen IV 1399.776.50 Å and 1401.163 Å lines in a flare ribbon in the solar transition region, the principle of the electron density diagnostics using the collisional radiative model is discussed, and the relationship of the electron density with the line ratio is obtained, for both Maxwellian and Kappa distributions. By the observed line ratio, the diagnostic result of the electron density in the flare ribbon for the Maxwellian distribution are
and
at the temperature of
K, 5.0 K and 5.17 K, respectively, which are slightly smaller than reported
using the method of differential emission measure. The electron density for the Kappa distributions are
and
for κ = 2, 3 and 5, respectively. With increasing κ, the electron density for the Kappa distribution will be close to that for the Maxwellian distribution. This discussion is significant in the electron density diagnostics in the solar transition region, which will be also important for diagnostics for non-Maxwellian distribution.