EUV Observations Above Polar Coronal Holes

We derive electron temperature and density as a function of height up to 0.2 R_⊙ above the limb in polar coronal holes, using five EUV data sets recorded by the SOHO Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer between July 1997 and February 1998. Radial T and N distributions, averaged in a 2° to 10° range of position angles, are the same above the North and South coronal holes. They do not show any time variability over a period of seven months. Polar plumes are found to have lower electron temperature and higher density than the interplume lanes. The electron density slope suggests that the proton temperatures are twice as high as the electron temperatures. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.