Astrophysics – Solar Spectrum (Fraunhofer Lines) The dark lines observed in the solar spectrum are primarily due to which phenomenon?

Introduction / Context:
The solar spectrum contains numerous dark absorption lines known as Fraunhofer lines. Understanding why they occur links atomic spectroscopy with stellar atmospheres and is a classic application of absorption/emission concepts.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Light originates in the hot, dense solar interior (continuum source).
• Light passes through cooler, rarified outer layers (photosphere/chromosphere).
• Atoms/ions in these cooler layers absorb specific wavelengths.

Concept / Approach:
Hot, dense sources produce continuous spectra. Cooler gases in front absorb radiation at discrete wavelengths corresponding to electronic transitions, producing dark lines against the continuum. The lines identify elements present in the solar atmosphere. Interference or prism absorption do not explain the precise, element-specific pattern seen across instruments and methods.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Laboratory spectra of elements match solar Fraunhofer lines (e.g., sodium D lines), proving that absorption by outer layers is the cause, independent of instruments like prisms or gratings.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• destructive interference: Would depend on path differences and setup, not produce a fixed elemental pattern.
• absorption by the prism: Instrumental effect cannot mimic the rich, reproducible solar line spectrum.
• absence from the core: The core emits a broad continuum; absence is not the driver—selective absorption is.

Common Pitfalls:
Attributing dark lines to the instrument. Spectrographs with different dispersing elements still record the same lines, confirming an astrophysical origin.

Final Answer:
absorption of corresponding wavelengths by the outer layers of the sun