Neon and oxygen absolute abundances in the solar corona

In the present work we use the UV spectrum of a solar flare observed with SOHO SUMER to measure the absolute abundance of Ne in the solar atmosphere. The measurement is carried out using the intensity ratio between the allowed 1s2s S-3(1)-1s2p P-3(2) Ne ix line at 1248.28 angstrom and the free-free continuum radiation observed close to the Ne ix line. We find a value of the absolute Ne abundance A(Ne) = 8.11 +/- 0.12, in agreement with previous estimates but substantially higher than the very recent estimate by Asplund et al. based on the oxygen photospheric abundance and the Ne/O relative abundance. Considering our measured A(Ne) value, we argue that the absolute oxygen abundance of Asplund et al. is too low by a factor 1.9. This result has important consequences for models of the solar interior based on helioseismology measurements, as well as on the FIP bias determination of the solar upper atmosphere, solar wind, and solar energetic particles.