Solar limb and disk continuum intensities in the wavelength region 1450-1950 A

Observations of the intensity of the solar continuum in the wavelength region 1450–1950 Å are reported. Measurements of fluxes were made on the disk and across the limb and have been compared with those predicted by the Bilderberg Continuum Atmosphere and the Harvard Smithsonian Reference Atmosphere. A large discrepancy between the observed fluxes and those predicted by the models is found for the region where λ > 1700 Å, as reported by other authors. The origin of the continuum (i.e. the photosphere, region of the temperature minimum or chromosphere) as a function of wavelength is deduced from the observed limb-brightening or limb-darkening. There is evidence that continuum emission from material with brightness temperatures less than about 5000 K extends further beyond the limb than predicted by the spherically symmetric homogeneous models.