NE-VI LINE RATIOS IN THE SUN

Recent calculations of electron impact excitation rates for Ne VI are used to derive theoretical electron density sensitive emission line ra tios involving transitions in the wavelength range 399-563 Angstrom. E lectron densities deduced from the observed line ratios for solar flar es, obtained with the Naval Research Laboratory's S082A slitless spect rograph on-board Skylab, are in excellent internal agreement and, furt hermore, compare favorably with densities estimated from line ratios i n O V and Ne VII, which are formed at similar electron temperatures to Ne VI. These results provide experimental support for the accuracy of the atomic data adopted in the analysis.