The Sun as an X-ray star. II. Using the Yohkoh/soft X-ray telescope-derived solar emission measure versus temperature to interpret stellar X-ray observations

This paper is the second of a project dedicated to using solar Yohkoh/SXT data as a guide and a template to interpret data on stellar coronae. In the light of the large differences in scope and approach between solar and stellar studies, we have developed a method to translate Yohkoh/SXT data of the whole solar corona into stellar-like data, i.e., to put them in the same format and context as the stellar ones. First from the Yohkoh/SXT images we derive the whole-Sun X-ray emission measure versus temperature [EM(T)], in the range 10(5.5)-10(8) K, during the specific observation. Then, we synthesize the solar X-ray spectrum; finally, we fold the spectrum through the instrumental response of nonsolar X-ray observatories, for instance, ROSAT/PSPC and ASCA/SIS. Finally, we analyze such solar coronal data in the same band and with the same methods used for stellar observations, allowing a direct and homogeneous comparison with them. In this paper we present in detail our method and, as an example of results, we show and discuss EM(T) and stellar-like spectra for three phases of the solar cycle: maximum, intermediate phase, and minimum. The total amount and the distribution of the emission measure change dramatically during the cycle, in particular at temperatures above 10(6) K. We also show the EM(T) of the whole solar corona during a large flare. The ROSAT/PSPC- and ASCA/SIS-like X-ray spectra of the Sun as a star that we obtain are discussed in the context of stellar coronal physics. The Sun's coronal total luminosity in the ROSAT/PSPC band ranges from approximate to 2.7 x 10(26) ergs s(-1) (at minimum) to approximate to 4.7 x 10(27) ergs s(-1) (at maximum). We discuss future developments and possible applications of our method.