Spectro-polarimetry
Abstract
Spectro-polarimetry is our tool for remotely diagnosing the Sun's magnetic field. It deals with the wavelength variation of an observable vector quantity, the Stokes vector. The observational task is to map the Stokes vector both in the spectral and spatial domain with highest possible resolutions (spatial, spectral, temporal) and polarimetric accuracy. The interpretation or inversion of Stokes vector data to derive the magnetic and thermodynamic structure of the solar atmosphere must take into account the extreme structuring of the magnetic field, which extends to scales far smaller than we can resolve with present-day telescopes. With novel imaging Stokes polarimeters qualitatively new diagnostic tools like the Hanle effect and optical pumping are now available to complement the Zeeman effect in the exploration of the magnetized solar plasma on all scales.
- Publication:
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Dynamic Sun
- Pub Date:
- 2003
- Bibcode:
- 2003dysu.book..128S
- Keywords:
-
- Spectropolarimetry