The X-ray corona of Procyon

X-ray emission from the nearby system Procyon A/B (F5 IV + DF) was detected, using the IPC (Imaging Proportional Counter) on board the Einstein Observatory. Analysis of the X-ray pulse height spectrum suggests that the observed X-ray emission originates in Procyon A rather than in the white dwarf companion Procyon B, since the derived X-ray temperature, log T = 6.2, agrees well with temperatures found for quiescent solar X-ray emission. Modeling Procyon's corona with loops characterized by some apex temperature Tmax and emission length scale L, it is found that Tmax is well constrained, but L, and consequently the filling factor of the X-ray emitting gas, are essentially unconstrained even when EUV emission from the transition region is included in the analysis.