Author name code: gandorfer
ADS astronomy entries on 2022-09-14
author:"Gandorfer, Achim"
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Title: The on-ground data reduction and calibration pipeline for
SO/PHI-HRT
Authors: Sinjan, J.; Calchetti, D.; Hirzberger, J.; Orozco Suárez,
D.; Albert, K.; Albelo Jorge, N.; Appourchaux, T.; Alvarez-Herrero,
A.; Blanco Rodríguez, J.; Gandorfer, A.; Germerott, D.; Guerrero,
L.; Gutierrez Marquez, P.; Kahil, F.; Kolleck, M.; Solanki, S. K.; del
Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Volkmer, R.; Woch, J.; Fiethe, B.; Gómez Cama,
J. M.; Pérez-Grande, I.; Sanchis Kilders, E.; Balaguer Jiménez,
M.; Bellot Rubio, L. R.; Carmona, M.; Deutsch, W.; Fernandez-Rico,
G.; Fernández-Medina, A.; García Parejo, P.; Gasent Blesa, J. L.;
Gizon, L.; Grauf, B.; Heerlein, K.; Korpi-Lagg, A.; Lange, T.; López
Jiménez, A.; Maue, T.; Meller, R.; Michalik, H.; Moreno Vacas, A.;
Müller, R.; Nakai, E.; Schmidt, W.; Schou, J.; Schühle, U.; Staub,
J.; Strecker, H.; Torralbo, I.; Valori, G.
Bibcode: 2022arXiv220814904S
Altcode:
The ESA/NASA Solar Orbiter space mission has been successfully launched
in February 2020. Onboard is the Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager
(SO/PHI), which has two telescopes, a High Resolution Telescope
(HRT) and the Full Disc Telescope (FDT). The instrument is designed
to infer the photospheric magnetic field and line-of-sight velocity
through differential imaging of the polarised light emitted by the
Sun. It calculates the full Stokes vector at 6 wavelength positions
at the Fe I 617.3 nm absorption line. Due to telemetry constraints,
the instrument nominally processes these Stokes profiles onboard,
however when telemetry is available, the raw images are downlinked and
reduced on ground. Here the architecture of the on-ground pipeline
for HRT is presented, which also offers additional corrections not
currently available on board the instrument. The pipeline can reduce
raw images to the full Stokes vector with a polarimetric sensitivity
of $10^{-3}\cdot I_{c}$ or better.
Title: Development of Fast and Precise Scan Mirror Mechanism for an
Airborne Solar Telescope
Authors: Oba, Takayoshi; Shimizu, Toshifumi; Katsukawa, Yukio; Kubo,
Masahito; Kawabata, Yusuke; Hara, Hirohisa; Uraguchi, Fumihiro;
Tsuzuki, Toshihiro; Tamura, Tomonori; Shinoda, Kazuya; Kodeki,
Kazuhide; Fukushima, Kazuhiko; Morales Fernández, José Miguel;
Sánchez Gómez, Antonio; Balaguer Jimenéz, María; Hernández
Expósito, David; Gandorfer, Achim
Bibcode: 2022arXiv220713864O
Altcode:
We developed a scan mirror mechanism (SMM) that enable a slit-based
spectrometer or spectropolarimeter to precisely and quickly map
an astronomical object. The SMM, designed to be installed in the
optical path preceding the entrance slit, tilts a folding mirror
and then moves the reflected image laterally on the slit plane,
thereby feeding a different one-dimensional image to be dispersed by
the spectroscopic equipment. In general, the SMM is required to scan
quickly and broadly while precisely placing the slit position across
the field-of-view (FOV). These performances are highly in demand for
near-future observations, such as studies on the magnetohydrodynamics of
the photosphere and the chromosphere. Our SMM implements a closed-loop
control system by installing electromagnetic actuators and gap-based
capacitance sensors. Our optical test measurements confirmed that the
SMM fulfils the following performance criteria: i) supreme scan-step
uniformity (linearity of 0.08%) across the wide scan range (${\pm}$1005
arcsec), ii) high stability (3${\sigma}$ = 0.1 arcsec), where the
angles are expressed in mechanical angle, and iii) fast stepping speed
(26 ms). The excellent capability of the SMM will be demonstrated
soon in actual use by installing the mechanism for a near-infrared
spectropolarimeter onboard the balloon-borne solar observatory for
the third launch, Sunrise III.
Title: Polarimetric calibration of the Sunrise UV Spectropolarimeter
and Imager
Authors: Iglesias, F. A.; Feller, A.; Gandorfer, A.; Lagg, A.;
Riethmüller, T. L.; Solanki, S. K.; Katsukawa, Y.; Kubo, M.;
Zucarelli, G.; Sanchez, M.; Sunrise Team
Bibcode: 2022BAAA...63..305I
Altcode:
Sunrise is an optical observatory mounted in a stratospheric balloon,
developed to study magnetic fields in the solar atmosphere with very
high resolution. In its third flight, Sunrise carry the Sunrise UV
Spectropolarimeter and Imager (SUSI), that operates in the 313-430 nm
range, covering thousands of spectral lines not accessible from the
ground and thus largely unexplored. SUSI does not include a polarimetric
calibration unit on board. We report about the development status of
SUSI and the preliminary results of its calibration.
Title: The essential role of Earth-Sun L4 in solar particle event
forecasting for Lunar and Mars exploration
Authors: Posner, Arik; Toit Strauss, Du; Solanki, Sami K.; Effenberger,
Frederic; Gandorfer, Achim; Hirzberger, Johann; Kühl, Patrick; Heber,
Bernd; Malandraki, Olga; Folta, David; Jones, Sarah; Arge, Charles;
Sterken, Veerle; Henney, Carl J.; Staub, Jan; Hatten, Noble; Stcyr,
O. Chris
Bibcode: 2022cosp...44.1157P
Altcode:
We learned from the STEREO mission that solar particle events
originating from behind the west limb of the Sun, i.e., out of view
from Earth, make up about 30 percent of those significantly affecting
Earth's vicinity and thus could endanger human exploration of the
Moon. The Earth-Sun Lagrangian point 4 is a meta-stable location at 1
au from the Sun, 60° ahead of Earth's orbit. L4 has an uninterrupted
view of the solar photosphere centered on W60, the Earth's nominal
magnetic field connection to the Sun. The role of L4 observations
for improving several existing short-term SEP forecasting techniques,
including protons, ESPERTA, UMASEP and pps, for Lunar exploration will
be highlighted. We can show that BFO dose savings from short-term
solar energetic particle forecasts are critically important in a
worst-case scenario. Placing a mission at L4 is even a precondition
for any SEP all-clear forecasting for Lunar exploration. Furthermore,
we analyzed example trajectories of short-term Mars round trips that
may be considered for future human exploration of Mars and find that
L4-based SWx observations would have relevance for protecting Mars
explorers from radiation exposure.
Title: The magnetic drivers of campfires seen by the Polarimetric
and Helioseismic Imager (PHI) on Solar Orbiter
Authors: Kahil, F.; Hirzberger, J.; Solanki, S. K.; Chitta, L. P.;
Peter, H.; Auchère, F.; Sinjan, J.; Orozco Suárez, D.; Albert,
K.; Albelo Jorge, N.; Appourchaux, T.; Alvarez-Herrero, A.; Blanco
Rodríguez, J.; Gandorfer, A.; Germerott, D.; Guerrero, L.; Gutiérrez
Márquez, P.; Kolleck, M.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Volkmer, R.;
Woch, J.; Fiethe, B.; Gómez Cama, J. M.; Pérez-Grande, I.; Sanchis
Kilders, E.; Balaguer Jiménez, M.; Bellot Rubio, L. R.; Calchetti,
D.; Carmona, M.; Deutsch, W.; Fernández-Rico, G.; Fernández-Medina,
A.; García Parejo, P.; Gasent-Blesa, J. L.; Gizon, L.; Grauf, B.;
Heerlein, K.; Lagg, A.; Lange, T.; López Jiménez, A.; Maue, T.;
Meller, R.; Michalik, H.; Moreno Vacas, A.; Müller, R.; Nakai,
E.; Schmidt, W.; Schou, J.; Schühle, U.; Staub, J.; Strecker, H.;
Torralbo, I.; Valori, G.; Aznar Cuadrado, R.; Teriaca, L.; Berghmans,
D.; Verbeeck, C.; Kraaikamp, E.; Gissot, S.
Bibcode: 2022A&A...660A.143K
Altcode: 2022arXiv220213859K
Context. The Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) on board the Solar Orbiter
(SO) spacecraft observed small extreme ultraviolet (EUV) bursts,
termed campfires, that have been proposed to be brightenings near the
apexes of low-lying loops in the quiet-Sun atmosphere. The underlying
magnetic processes driving these campfires are not understood.
Aims: During the cruise phase of SO and at a distance of 0.523
AU from the Sun, the Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager on Solar
Orbiter (SO/PHI) observed a quiet-Sun region jointly with SO/EUI,
offering the possibility to investigate the surface magnetic field
dynamics underlying campfires at a spatial resolution of about 380
km.
Methods: We used co-spatial and co-temporal data of the
quiet-Sun network at disc centre acquired with the High Resolution
Imager of SO/EUI at 17.4 nm (HRIEUV, cadence 2 s) and the
High Resolution Telescope of SO/PHI at 617.3 nm (HRT, cadence 2.5
min). Campfires that are within the SO/PHI−SO/EUI common field
of view were isolated and categorised according to the underlying
magnetic activity.
Results: In 71% of the 38 isolated events,
campfires are confined between bipolar magnetic features, which seem to
exhibit signatures of magnetic flux cancellation. The flux cancellation
occurs either between the two main footpoints, or between one of the
footpoints of the loop housing the campfire and a nearby opposite
polarity patch. In one particularly clear-cut case, we detected the
emergence of a small-scale magnetic loop in the internetwork followed
soon afterwards by a campfire brightening adjacent to the location
of the linear polarisation signal in the photosphere, that is to
say near where the apex of the emerging loop lays. The rest of the
events were observed over small scattered magnetic features, which
could not be identified as magnetic footpoints of the campfire hosting
loops.
Conclusions: The majority of campfires could be driven
by magnetic reconnection triggered at the footpoints, similar to the
physical processes occurring in the burst-like EUV events discussed
in the literature. About a quarter of all analysed campfires, however,
are not associated to such magnetic activity in the photosphere, which
implies that other heating mechanisms are energising these small-scale
EUV brightenings.
Title: A Multi-Purpose Heliophysics L4 Mission
Authors: Posner, A.; Arge, C. N.; Staub, J.; StCyr, O. C.; Folta,
D.; Solanki, S. K.; Strauss, R. D. T.; Effenberger, F.; Gandorfer,
A.; Heber, B.; Henney, C. J.; Hirzberger, J.; Jones, S. I.; Kühl,
P.; Malandraki, O.; Sterken, V. J.
Bibcode: 2021SpWea..1902777P
Altcode:
The Earth-Sun Lagrangian point 4 is a meta-stable location at 1 AU from
the Sun, 60° ahead of Earth's orbit. It has an uninterrupted view of
the solar photosphere centered on W60, the Earth's nominal magnetic
field connection to the Sun. Such a mission on its own would serve
as a solar remote sensing observatory that would oversee the entire
solar radiation hemisphere with significant relevance for protecting
Moon and Mars explorers from radiation exposure. In combination with
appropriately planned observatories at L1 and L5, the three spacecraft
would provide 300° longitude coverage of photospheric magnetic field
structure, and allow continuous viewing of both solar poles, with
>3.6° elevation. Ideally, the L4 and L5 missions would orbit the Sun
with a 7.2° inclination out of the heliographic equator, 14.5° out of
the ecliptic plane. We discuss the impact of extending solar magnetic
field observations in both longitude and latitude to improve global
solar wind modeling and, with the development of local helioseismology,
the potential for long-term solar activity forecasting. Such a mission
would provide a unique opportunity for interplanetary and interstellar
dust science. It would significantly add to reliability of operational
observations on fast coronal mass ejections directed at Earth and
for human Mars explorers on their round-trip journey. The L4 mission
concept is technically feasible, and is scientifically compelling.
Title: SUNRISE Chromospheric Infrared spectroPolarimeter (SCIP)
for SUNRISE III: Scan mirror mechanism
Authors: Oba, Takayoshi; Shimizu, Toshifumi; Katsukawa, Yukio; Kubo,
Masahito; Uraguchi, Fumihiro; Tsuzuki, Toshihiro; Tamura, Tomonori;
Shinoda, Kazuya; Kodeki, Kazuhide; Fukushima, Kazuhiko; Gandorfer,
Achim; del Toro Iniesta, Jose Carlos
Bibcode: 2020SPIE11445E..4FO
Altcode:
The SUNRISE Chromospheric Infrared spectroPolarimeter (SCIP) is a
balloon-borne long-slit spectrograph for SUNRISE III to precisely
measure magnetic fields in the solar atmosphere. The scan mirror
mechanism (SMM) is installed in the optical path to the entrance slit
of the SCIP to move solar images focused on the slit for 2-dimensional
mapping. The SMM is required to have (1) the tilt stability better
than 0.035″ (3σ) on the sky angle for the diffraction-limited
spatial resolution of 0.2″, (2) step response shorter than 32 msec
for rapid scanning observations, and (3) good linearity (i.e. step
uniformity) over the entire field-of-view (60″x60″). To achieve
these performances, we have developed a flight-model mechanism
and its electronics, in which the mirror tilt is controlled by
electromagnetic actuators with a closed-loop feedback logic with
tilt angles from gap-based capacitance sensors. Several optical
measurements on the optical bench verified that the mechanism meets
the requirements. In particular, the tilt stability achives better
than 0.012″ (3σ). Thermal cycling and thermal vacuum tests have
been completed to demonstrate the performance in the vacuum and the
operational temperature range expected in the balloon flight. We
found a small temperature dependence in the step uniformity and this
dependence will be corrected to have 2-demensional maps with the
sub-arcsec spatial accuracy in the data post-processing.
Title: Sunrise Chromospheric Infrared spectroPolarimeter (SCIP)
for SUNRISE III: optical design and performance
Authors: Tsuzuki, Toshihiro; Katsukawa, Yukio; Uraguchi, Fumihiro;
Hara, Hirohisa; Kubo, Masahito; Nodomi, Yoshifumi; Suematsu, Yoshinori;
Kawabata, Yusuke; Shimizu, Toshifumi; Gandorfer, Achim; Feller, Alex;
Grauf, Bianca; Solanki, Sami; Carlos del Toro Iniesta, Jose
Bibcode: 2020SPIE11447E..AJT
Altcode:
The Sunrise Chromospheric Infrared spectroPolarimeter (SCIP) is a
near-IR spectro-polarimeter instrument newly designed for Sunrise III,
which is a balloon-borne solar observatory equipped with a 1 m optical
telescope. To acquire high-quality 3D magnetic and velocity fields,
SCIP selects the two wavelength bands centered at 850 nm and 770 nm,
which contain many spectrum lines that are highly sensitive to magnetic
fields permeating the photosphere and chromosphere. To achieve high
spatial and spectral resolution (0.21 arcsec and 2 × 105),
SCIP optics adopt a quasi-Littrow configuration based on an echelle
grating and two high-order aspheric mirrors. Using different diffraction
orders of the echelle grating, dichroic beam splitter, and polarizing
beam-splitters, SCIP can obtain s- and p-polarization signals in the
two wavelength bands simultaneously within a relatively small space. We
established the wavefront error budget based on tolerance analysis,
surface figure errors, alignment errors, and environmental changes. In
addition, we performed stray light analysis, and designed light traps
and baffles needed to suppress unwanted reflections and diffraction
by the grating. In this paper, we present the details of this optical
system and its performance.
Title: Sunrise Chromospheric Infrared spectroPolarimeter (SCIP)
for SUNRISE III: opto-mechanical analysis and design
Authors: Uraguchi, Fumihiro; Tsuzuki, Toshihiro; Katsukawa, Yukio;
Hara, Hirohisa; Iwamura, Satoru; Kubo, Masahito; Nodomi, Yoshifumi;
Suematsu, Yoshinori; Kawabata, Yusuke; Shimizu, Toshifumi; Gandorfer,
Achim; del Toro Iniesta, Jose Carlos
Bibcode: 2020SPIE11447E..ABU
Altcode:
The Sunrise Chromospheric Infrared spectroPolarimeter (SCIP) is a
near-IR spectro-polarimeter instrument newly designed for Sunrise III,
a balloon-borne solar observatory with a 1-m diameter telescope. In
order to achieve the strict requirements the SCIP wavefront error, it is
necessary to quantify the errors due to environmen- tal effects such as
gravity and temperature variation under the observation conditions. We
therefore conducted an integrated opto-mechanical analysis incorporating
mechanical and thermal disturbances into a finite element model of
the entire SCIP structure to acquire the nodal displacements of each
optical element, then fed them back to the optical analysis software
in the form of rigid body motion and surface deformation fitted by
polynomials. This method allowed us to determine the error factors
having a significant influence on optical performance. For example,
no significant wavefront degradation was associated with the structural
mountings because the optical element mounts were well designed based
on quasi-kinematic constraints. In contrast, we found that the main
factor affecting wavefront degradation was the rigid body motions of
the optical elements, which must be mini- mized within the allowable
level. Based on these results, we constructed the optical bench using a
sandwich panel as the optical bench consisting of an aluminum-honeycomb
core and carbon fiber reinforced plastic skins with a high stiffness
and low coefficient of thermal expansion. We then confirmed that the
new opto-mechanical model achieved the wavefront error requirement. In
this paper, we report the details of this integrated opto-mechanical
analysis, including the wavefront error budgeting and the design of
the opto-mechanics.
Title: First results from SO/PHI's on-board data reduction
Authors: Albert, K.; Hirzberger, J.; Kolleck, M.; Albelo Jorge,
N.; Busse, D.; Blanco Rodriguez, J.; Cobos Carrascosa, J. P.;
Fiethe, B.; Gandorfer, A.; Germerott, D.; Guan, Y.; Guerrero, L.;
Gutierrez-Marques, P.; Hernández Expósito, D.; Lange, T.; Michalik,
H.; Orozco Suárez, D.; Schou, J.; Solanki, S. K.; Woch, J. G.
Bibcode: 2020AGUFMSH038..05A
Altcode:
The Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (PHI), on-board Solar
Orbiter (SO), is a spectropolarimeter imaging the solar photosphere
at the wavelengths of the Fe I 617.3 nm Zeeman sensitive absorption
line. SO/PHI's aim is to provide data about the magnetic structures and
the line-of-sight (LOS) velocity in the solar atmosphere. For this, it
takes time series of data sets consisting of 2048 x 2048 pixel images of
the Sun at 6 wavelengths, each in 4 different polarisation states. With
the minimum necessary 17 bits pixel depth, one data set amounts to
approx. 0.2 GB. The guaranteed data telemetry for PHI, in contrast,
is only 50 GiB/orbit which would also need to contain any calibration
data obtained on-board, i.e. our flat and dark fields. To cope with
this discrepancy, SO/PHI is performing full data reduction on-board,
including the inversion of the radiative transfer equation. The
downloaded results are science ready data, containing 5 final images: a
total intensity image from nearby the spectral line, the magnetic field
strength, azimuth and inclination (describing the magnetic vector) and
the LOS velocity. This process maximises the science return by reducing
the number of necessary images in a data set, as well as rendering the
download of calibration data unessential. In the commissioning phase
of SO/PHI we used the on-board data reduction system successfully
for the first time. We have calibrated the instrument to its optimal
operational parameters (calculation of exposure time, focus, etc.),
acquired and processed calibration data (dark and flat fields),
removed the most significant instrumental artefacts from the data
(dark field, flat field, polarimetric modulation and polarimetric
cross-talk), and performed the inversion of the radiative transfer
equation. The data have then been compressed to further maximise the
use of our telemetry. This contribution presents and discusses the
final results from this process.
Title: Power spectrum of turbulent convection in the solar photosphere
Authors: Yelles Chaouche, L.; Cameron, R. H.; Solanki, S. K.;
Riethmüller, T. L.; Anusha, L. S.; Witzke, V.; Shapiro, A. I.;
Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.; Gizon, L.; Hirzberger, J.; van Noort,
M.; Blanco Rodríguez, J.; Del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Orozco Suárez,
D.; Schmidt, W.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2020A&A...644A..44Y
Altcode: 2020arXiv201009037Y
The solar photosphere provides us with a laboratory for understanding
turbulence in a layer where the fundamental processes of transport
vary rapidly and a strongly superadiabatic region lies very closely
to a subadiabatic layer. Our tools for probing the turbulence are
high-resolution spectropolarimetric observations such as have recently
been obtained with the two balloon-borne SUNRISE missions, and numerical
simulations. Our aim is to study photospheric turbulence with the
help of Fourier power spectra that we compute from observations
and simulations. We also attempt to explain some properties of the
photospheric overshooting flow with the help of its governing equations
and simulations. We find that quiet-Sun observations and smeared
simulations are consistent with each other and exhibit a power-law
behavior in the subgranular range of their Doppler velocity power
spectra with a power-law index of ≈ - 2. The unsmeared simulations
exhibit a power law that extends over the full range between the
integral and Taylor scales with a power-law index of ≈ - 2.25. The
smearing, reminiscent of observational conditions, considerably reduces
the extent of the power-law-like portion of the power spectra. This
suggests that the limited spatial resolution in some observations
might eventually result in larger uncertainties in the estimation of
the power-law indices. The simulated vertical velocity power spectra
as a function of height show a rapid change in the power-law index
(at the subgranular range) from roughly the optical depth unity layer,
that is, the solar surface, to 300 km above it. We propose that the
cause of the steepening of the power-law index is the transition from
a super- to a subadiabatic region, in which the dominant source of
motions is overshooting convection. A scale-dependent transport of
the vertical momentum occurs. At smaller scales, the vertical momentum
is more efficiently transported sideways than at larger scales. This
results in less vertical velocity power transported upward at small
scales than at larger scales and produces a progressively steeper
vertical velocity power law below 180 km. Above this height, the
gravity work progressively gains importance at all relevant scales,
making the atmosphere progressively more hydrostatic and resulting
in a gradually less steep power law. Radiative heating and cooling of
the plasma is shown to play a dominant role in the plasma energetics
in this region, which is important in terms of nonadiabatic damping
of the convective motions.
Title: The SUNRISE UV Spectropolarimeter and imager for SUNRISE III
Authors: Feller, Alex; Gandorfer, Achim; Iglesias, Francisco A.;
Lagg, Andreas; Riethmüller, Tino L.; Solanki, Sami K.; Katsukawa,
Yukio; Kubo, Masahito
Bibcode: 2020SPIE11447E..AKF
Altcode:
Sunrise is a balloon-borne solar observatory dedicated to the
investigation of key processes of the magnetic field and the plasma
flows in the lower solar atmosphere. The observatory operates in
the stratosphere at an altitude of around 37 km in order to avoid
image degradation due to turbulence in the Earth's atmosphere and to
access the UV range. The third science flight of Sunrise will carry new
instrumentation which samples the solar spectrum over a broad wavelength
domain from the UV to the near IR and covers an extended height range in
the solar atmosphere. A key feature of the Sunrise UV Spectropolarimeter
and Imager (SUSI) operating between 309 nm and 417 nm, is its capability
to simultaneously record a large number of spectral lines. By combining
the spectral and polarization information of many individual lines
with different formation heights and sensitivities, the accuracy and
the height resolution of the inferred atmospheric parameters can be
significantly increased. The spectral bands of SUSI are selected one
at a time by rotating a diffraction grating with respect to a fixed
polarimetry unit. The spatial and spectral field of view on the 2k x
2k cameras is 59" and 2.0 - 2.3 nm, respectively. A further innovation
is the numerical restoration of the spectrograph scans by means of
synchronized 2D context imaging, a technique that has recently produced
impressive results at ground-based solar observatories.
Title: Sunrise Chromospheric Infrared SpectroPolarimeter (SCIP)
for sunrise III: system design and capability
Authors: Katsukawa, Y.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Solanki, S. K.;
Kubo, M.; Hara, H.; Shimizu, T.; Oba, T.; Kawabata, Y.; Tsuzuki,
T.; Uraguchi, F.; Nodomi, Y.; Shinoda, K.; Tamura, T.; Suematsu,
Y.; Ishikawa, R.; Kano, R.; Matsumoto, T.; Ichimoto, K.; Nagata, S.;
Quintero Noda, C.; Anan, T.; Orozco Suárez, D.; Balaguer Jiménez,
M.; López Jiménez, A. C.; Cobos Carrascosa, J. P.; Feller, A.;
Riethmueller, T.; Gandorfer, A.; Lagg, A.
Bibcode: 2020SPIE11447E..0YK
Altcode:
The Sunrise balloon-borne solar observatory carries a 1 m aperture
optical telescope and provides us a unique platform to conduct
continuous seeing-free observations at UV-visible-IR wavelengths from
an altitude of higher than 35 km. For the next flight planned for
2022, the post-focus instrumentation is upgraded with new spectro-
polarimeters for the near UV (SUSI) and the near-IR (SCIP), whereas
the imaging spectro-polarimeter Tunable Magnetograph (TuMag) is capable
of observing multiple spectral lines within the visible wavelength. A
new spectro-polarimeter called the Sunrise Chromospheric Infrared
spectroPolarimeter (SCIP) is under development for observing near-IR
wavelength ranges of around 770 nm and 850 nm. These wavelength ranges
contain many spectral lines sensitive to solar magnetic fields and
SCIP will be able to obtain magnetic and velocity structures in the
solar atmosphere with a sufficient height resolution by combining
spectro-polarimetric data of these lines. Polarimetric measurements are
conducted using a rotating waveplate as a modulator and polarizing beam
splitters in front of the cameras. The spatial and spectral resolutions
are 0.2" and 2 105, respectively, and a polarimetric sensitivity of
0.03 % (1σ) is achieved within a 10 s integration time. To detect
minute polarization signals with good precision, we carefully designed
the opto-mechanical system, polarization optics and modulation, and
onboard data processing.
Title: The Solar Orbiter Science Activity Plan. Translating solar
and heliospheric physics questions into action
Authors: Zouganelis, I.; De Groof, A.; Walsh, A. P.; Williams, D. R.;
Müller, D.; St Cyr, O. C.; Auchère, F.; Berghmans, D.; Fludra,
A.; Horbury, T. S.; Howard, R. A.; Krucker, S.; Maksimovic, M.;
Owen, C. J.; Rodríguez-Pacheco, J.; Romoli, M.; Solanki, S. K.;
Watson, C.; Sanchez, L.; Lefort, J.; Osuna, P.; Gilbert, H. R.;
Nieves-Chinchilla, T.; Abbo, L.; Alexandrova, O.; Anastasiadis, A.;
Andretta, V.; Antonucci, E.; Appourchaux, T.; Aran, A.; Arge, C. N.;
Aulanier, G.; Baker, D.; Bale, S. D.; Battaglia, M.; Bellot Rubio,
L.; Bemporad, A.; Berthomier, M.; Bocchialini, K.; Bonnin, X.; Brun,
A. S.; Bruno, R.; Buchlin, E.; Büchner, J.; Bucik, R.; Carcaboso,
F.; Carr, R.; Carrasco-Blázquez, I.; Cecconi, B.; Cernuda Cangas, I.;
Chen, C. H. K.; Chitta, L. P.; Chust, T.; Dalmasse, K.; D'Amicis, R.;
Da Deppo, V.; De Marco, R.; Dolei, S.; Dolla, L.; Dudok de Wit, T.;
van Driel-Gesztelyi, L.; Eastwood, J. P.; Espinosa Lara, F.; Etesi,
L.; Fedorov, A.; Félix-Redondo, F.; Fineschi, S.; Fleck, B.; Fontaine,
D.; Fox, N. J.; Gandorfer, A.; Génot, V.; Georgoulis, M. K.; Gissot,
S.; Giunta, A.; Gizon, L.; Gómez-Herrero, R.; Gontikakis, C.; Graham,
G.; Green, L.; Grundy, T.; Haberreiter, M.; Harra, L. K.; Hassler,
D. M.; Hirzberger, J.; Ho, G. C.; Hurford, G.; Innes, D.; Issautier,
K.; James, A. W.; Janitzek, N.; Janvier, M.; Jeffrey, N.; Jenkins,
J.; Khotyaintsev, Y.; Klein, K. -L.; Kontar, E. P.; Kontogiannis,
I.; Krafft, C.; Krasnoselskikh, V.; Kretzschmar, M.; Labrosse, N.;
Lagg, A.; Landini, F.; Lavraud, B.; Leon, I.; Lepri, S. T.; Lewis,
G. R.; Liewer, P.; Linker, J.; Livi, S.; Long, D. M.; Louarn, P.;
Malandraki, O.; Maloney, S.; Martinez-Pillet, V.; Martinovic, M.;
Masson, A.; Matthews, S.; Matteini, L.; Meyer-Vernet, N.; Moraitis,
K.; Morton, R. J.; Musset, S.; Nicolaou, G.; Nindos, A.; O'Brien,
H.; Orozco Suarez, D.; Owens, M.; Pancrazzi, M.; Papaioannou, A.;
Parenti, S.; Pariat, E.; Patsourakos, S.; Perrone, D.; Peter, H.;
Pinto, R. F.; Plainaki, C.; Plettemeier, D.; Plunkett, S. P.; Raines,
J. M.; Raouafi, N.; Reid, H.; Retino, A.; Rezeau, L.; Rochus, P.;
Rodriguez, L.; Rodriguez-Garcia, L.; Roth, M.; Rouillard, A. P.;
Sahraoui, F.; Sasso, C.; Schou, J.; Schühle, U.; Sorriso-Valvo, L.;
Soucek, J.; Spadaro, D.; Stangalini, M.; Stansby, D.; Steller, M.;
Strugarek, A.; Štverák, Š.; Susino, R.; Telloni, D.; Terasa, C.;
Teriaca, L.; Toledo-Redondo, S.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Tsiropoula,
G.; Tsounis, A.; Tziotziou, K.; Valentini, F.; Vaivads, A.; Vecchio,
A.; Velli, M.; Verbeeck, C.; Verdini, A.; Verscharen, D.; Vilmer, N.;
Vourlidas, A.; Wicks, R.; Wimmer-Schweingruber, R. F.; Wiegelmann,
T.; Young, P. R.; Zhukov, A. N.
Bibcode: 2020A&A...642A...3Z
Altcode: 2020arXiv200910772Z
Solar Orbiter is the first space mission observing the solar plasma
both in situ and remotely, from a close distance, in and out of the
ecliptic. The ultimate goal is to understand how the Sun produces
and controls the heliosphere, filling the Solar System and driving
the planetary environments. With six remote-sensing and four in-situ
instrument suites, the coordination and planning of the operations are
essential to address the following four top-level science questions:
(1) What drives the solar wind and where does the coronal magnetic field
originate?; (2) How do solar transients drive heliospheric variability?;
(3) How do solar eruptions produce energetic particle radiation that
fills the heliosphere?; (4) How does the solar dynamo work and drive
connections between the Sun and the heliosphere? Maximising the
mission's science return requires considering the characteristics
of each orbit, including the relative position of the spacecraft
to Earth (affecting downlink rates), trajectory events (such
as gravitational assist manoeuvres), and the phase of the solar
activity cycle. Furthermore, since each orbit's science telemetry
will be downloaded over the course of the following orbit, science
operations must be planned at mission level, rather than at the level
of individual orbits. It is important to explore the way in which those
science questions are translated into an actual plan of observations
that fits into the mission, thus ensuring that no opportunities are
missed. First, the overarching goals are broken down into specific,
answerable questions along with the required observations and the
so-called Science Activity Plan (SAP) is developed to achieve this. The
SAP groups objectives that require similar observations into Solar
Orbiter Observing Plans, resulting in a strategic, top-level view of
the optimal opportunities for science observations during the mission
lifetime. This allows for all four mission goals to be addressed. In
this paper, we introduce Solar Orbiter's SAP through a series of
examples and the strategy being followed.
Title: Autonomous on-board data processing and instrument calibration
software for the Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager on-board the
Solar Orbiter mission
Authors: Albert, Kinga; Hirzberger, Johann; Kolleck, Martin; Jorge,
Nestor Albelo; Busse, Dennis; Rodríguez, Julian Blanco; Carrascosa,
Juan Pedro Cobos; Fiethe, Björn; Gandorfer, Achim; Germerott, Dietmar;
Guan, Yejun; Guerrero, Lucas; Gutierrez-Marques, Pablo; Expósito,
David Hernández; Lange, Tobias; Michalik, Harald; Suárez, David
Orozco; Schou, Jesper; Solanki, Sami K.; del Toro Iniesta, José
Carlos; Woch, Joachim
Bibcode: 2020JATIS...6d8004A
Altcode:
A frequent problem arising for deep space missions is the discrepancy
between the amount of data desired to be transmitted to the ground
and the available telemetry bandwidth. A part of these data consists
of scientific observations, being complemented by calibration data
to help remove instrumental effects. We present our solution for this
discrepancy, implemented for the Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager
on-board the Solar Orbiter mission, the first solar spectropolarimeter
in deep space. We implemented an on-board data reduction system that
processes calibration data, applies them to the raw science observables,
and derives science-ready physical parameters. This process reduces
the raw data for a single measurement from 24 images to five, thus
reducing the amount of downlinked data, and in addition, renders the
transmission of the calibration data unnecessary. Both these on-board
actions are completed autonomously.
Title: The Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager on Solar Orbiter
Authors: Solanki, S. K.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Woch, J.; Gandorfer,
A.; Hirzberger, J.; Alvarez-Herrero, A.; Appourchaux, T.; Martínez
Pillet, V.; Pérez-Grande, I.; Sanchis Kilders, E.; Schmidt, W.;
Gómez Cama, J. M.; Michalik, H.; Deutsch, W.; Fernandez-Rico, G.;
Grauf, B.; Gizon, L.; Heerlein, K.; Kolleck, M.; Lagg, A.; Meller, R.;
Müller, R.; Schühle, U.; Staub, J.; Albert, K.; Alvarez Copano, M.;
Beckmann, U.; Bischoff, J.; Busse, D.; Enge, R.; Frahm, S.; Germerott,
D.; Guerrero, L.; Löptien, B.; Meierdierks, T.; Oberdorfer, D.;
Papagiannaki, I.; Ramanath, S.; Schou, J.; Werner, S.; Yang, D.;
Zerr, A.; Bergmann, M.; Bochmann, J.; Heinrichs, J.; Meyer, S.;
Monecke, M.; Müller, M. -F.; Sperling, M.; Álvarez García, D.;
Aparicio, B.; Balaguer Jiménez, M.; Bellot Rubio, L. R.; Cobos
Carracosa, J. P.; Girela, F.; Hernández Expósito, D.; Herranz, M.;
Labrousse, P.; López Jiménez, A.; Orozco Suárez, D.; Ramos, J. L.;
Barandiarán, J.; Bastide, L.; Campuzano, C.; Cebollero, M.; Dávila,
B.; Fernández-Medina, A.; García Parejo, P.; Garranzo-García, D.;
Laguna, H.; Martín, J. A.; Navarro, R.; Núñez Peral, A.; Royo, M.;
Sánchez, A.; Silva-López, M.; Vera, I.; Villanueva, J.; Fourmond,
J. -J.; de Galarreta, C. Ruiz; Bouzit, M.; Hervier, V.; Le Clec'h,
J. C.; Szwec, N.; Chaigneau, M.; Buttice, V.; Dominguez-Tagle, C.;
Philippon, A.; Boumier, P.; Le Cocguen, R.; Baranjuk, G.; Bell,
A.; Berkefeld, Th.; Baumgartner, J.; Heidecke, F.; Maue, T.; Nakai,
E.; Scheiffelen, T.; Sigwarth, M.; Soltau, D.; Volkmer, R.; Blanco
Rodríguez, J.; Domingo, V.; Ferreres Sabater, A.; Gasent Blesa,
J. L.; Rodríguez Martínez, P.; Osorno Caudel, D.; Bosch, J.; Casas,
A.; Carmona, M.; Herms, A.; Roma, D.; Alonso, G.; Gómez-Sanjuan, A.;
Piqueras, J.; Torralbo, I.; Fiethe, B.; Guan, Y.; Lange, T.; Michel,
H.; Bonet, J. A.; Fahmy, S.; Müller, D.; Zouganelis, I.
Bibcode: 2020A&A...642A..11S
Altcode: 2019arXiv190311061S
Aims: This paper describes the Polarimetric and Helioseismic
Imager on the Solar Orbiter mission (SO/PHI), the first magnetograph and
helioseismology instrument to observe the Sun from outside the Sun-Earth
line. It is the key instrument meant to address the top-level science
question: How does the solar dynamo work and drive connections between
the Sun and the heliosphere? SO/PHI will also play an important role
in answering the other top-level science questions of Solar Orbiter,
while hosting the potential of a rich return in further science.
Methods: SO/PHI measures the Zeeman effect and the Doppler shift
in the Fe I 617.3 nm spectral line. To this end, the instrument
carries out narrow-band imaging spectro-polarimetry using a tunable
LiNbO3 Fabry-Perot etalon, while the polarisation modulation
is done with liquid crystal variable retarders. The line and the nearby
continuum are sampled at six wavelength points and the data are recorded
by a 2k × 2k CMOS detector. To save valuable telemetry, the raw data
are reduced on board, including being inverted under the assumption of
a Milne-Eddington atmosphere, although simpler reduction methods are
also available on board. SO/PHI is composed of two telescopes; one,
the Full Disc Telescope, covers the full solar disc at all phases of
the orbit, while the other, the High Resolution Telescope, can resolve
structures as small as 200 km on the Sun at closest perihelion. The high
heat load generated through proximity to the Sun is greatly reduced by
the multilayer-coated entrance windows to the two telescopes that allow
less than 4% of the total sunlight to enter the instrument, most of
it in a narrow wavelength band around the chosen spectral line.
Results: SO/PHI was designed and built by a consortium having partners
in Germany, Spain, and France. The flight model was delivered to
Airbus Defence and Space, Stevenage, and successfully integrated into
the Solar Orbiter spacecraft. A number of innovations were introduced
compared with earlier space-based spectropolarimeters, thus allowing
SO/PHI to fit into the tight mass, volume, power and telemetry budgets
provided by the Solar Orbiter spacecraft and to meet the (e.g. thermal)
challenges posed by the mission's highly elliptical orbit.
Title: PMI: The Photospheric Magnetic Field Imager
Authors: Staub, Jan; Fernandez-Rico, German; Gandorfer, Achim; Gizon,
Laurent; Hirzberger, Johann; Kraft, Stefan; Lagg, Andreas; Schou,
Jesper; Solanki, Sami K.; del Toro Iniesta, Jose Carlos; Wiegelmann,
Thomas; Woch, Joachim
Bibcode: 2020JSWSC..10...54S
Altcode:
We describe the design and the capabilities of the Photospheric Magnetic
field Imager (PMI), a compact and lightweight vector magnetograph,
which is being developed for ESA's Lagrange mission to the Lagrange
L5 point. After listing the design requirements and give a scientific
justification for them, we describe the technical implementation and
the design solution capable of fulfilling these requirements. This is
followed by a description of the hardware architecture as well as the
operations principle. An outlook on the expected performance concludes
the paper.
Title: The SO/PHI instrument on Solar Orbiter and its data products
Authors: Solanki, Sami K.; Hirzberger, Johann; Wiegelmann, Thomas;
Gandorfer, Achim; Woch, Joachim; del Toro Iniesta, José Carlos
Bibcode: 2020EGUGA..2217904S
Altcode:
A central instrument of Solar Orbiter is the Polarimetric and
Helioseismic Imager, SO/PHI. It is a vector magnetograph that also
provides data for helioseismology. SO/PHI is composed of two telescopes,
a full-disk telescope (FDT) and a high-resolution telescope (HRT). The
HRT will observe at a resolution as high as 200 km on the solar
surface, while the FDT will obtain the magnetic field and velocity of
the full solar disc whenever it observes. SO/PHI will be the first
solar spectro-polarimeter to leave the Sun-Earth line, opening up
some unique perspectives, such as the first detailed view of the solar
poles. This will allow not just a more precise and exact mapping of the
polar magnetic field than possible so far, but will also enable us to
follow the dynamics of individual magnetic features at high latitudes
and to determine solar surface and sub-surface flows right up to the
poles. In addition to its standard data products (vector magnetograms,
continuum images and maps of the line-of-sight velocity), SO/PHI will
also provide higher-level data products. These will include synoptic
charts, local magnetic field extrapolations starting from HRT data and
global magnetic field extrapolations (from FDT data) with potential
field source-surface (PFSS) models and possibly also non-potential
models such as NLFFF (non-linear force-free fields), magnetostatics
and MHD. The SO/PHI data products will usefully complement the data
taken by other instruments on Solar Orbiter and on Solar Probe, as
well as instruments on the ground or in Earth orbit. Combining with
observations by Earth-based and near-Earth telescopes will enable
new types of investigations, such as stereoscopic polarimetry and
stereoscopic helioseismology.
Title: Performance Analysis of the SO/PHI Software Framework for
On-board Data Reduction
Authors: Albert, K.; Hirzberger, J.; Busse, D.; Rodríguez, J. Blanco;
Castellanos Duran, J. S.; Cobos Carrascosa, J. P.; Fiethe, B.;
Gandorfer, A.; Guan, Y.; Kolleck, M.; Lagg, A.; Lange, T.; Michalik,
H.; Solanki, S. K.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.
Bibcode: 2019ASPC..523..151A
Altcode: 2019arXiv190508690A
The Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (PHI) is the first deep-space
solar spectropolarimeter, on-board the Solar Orbiter (SO) space
mission. It faces: stringent requirements on science data accuracy, a
dynamic environment, and severe limitations on telemetry volume. SO/PHI
overcomes these restrictions through on-board instrument calibration
and science data reduction, using dedicated firmware in FPGAs. This
contribution analyses the accuracy of a data processing pipeline by
comparing the results obtained with SO/PHI hardware to a reference
from a ground computer. The results show that for the analyzed pipeline
the error introduced by the firmware implementation is well below the
requirements of SO/PHI.
Title: Sunrise Chromospheric Infrared spectroPolarimeter (SCIP)
for the SUNRISE balloon-borne solar observatory
Authors: Suematsu, Yoshinori; Katsukawa, Yukio; Hara, Hirohisa;
Ichimoto, Kiyoshi; Shimizu, Toshifumi; Kubo, Masahito; Barthol,
Peter; Riethmueller, Tino; Gandorfer, Achim; Feller, Alex; Orozco
Suárez, David; Del Toro Iniesta, Jose Carlos; Kano, Ryouhei; Ishikawa,
Shin-nosuke; Ishikawa, Ryohko; Tsuzuki, Toshihiro; Uraguchi, Fumihiro;
Quintero Noda, Carlos; Tamura, Tomonori; Oba, Takayoshi; Kawabata,
Yusuke; Nagata, Shinichi; Anan, Tetsu; Cobos Carrascosa, Juan Pedro;
Lopez Jimenez, Antonio Carlos; Balaguer Jimenez, Maria; Solanki, Sami
Bibcode: 2018cosp...42E3285S
Altcode:
The SUNRISE balloon-borne solar observatory carries a 1 m aperture
optical telescope, and allows us to perform seeing-free continuous
observations at visible-IR wavelengths from an altitude higher than
35 km. In the past two flights, in 2009 and 2013, observations mainly
focused on fine structures of photospheric magnetic fields. For the
third flight planned for 2021, we are developing a new instrument
for conducting spectro-polarimetry of spectral lines formed over a
larger height range in the solar atmosphere from the photosphere to
the chromosphere. Targets of the spectro-polarimetric observation
are (1) to determine 3D magnetic structure from the photosphere to
the chromosphere, (2) to trace MHD waves from the photosphere to the
chromosphere, and (3) to reveal the mechanism driving chromospheric
jets, by measuring height- and time-dependent velocities and magnetic
fields. To achieve these goals, a spectro-polarimeter called SCIP
(Sunrise Chromospheric Infrared spectroPolarimeter) is designed to
observe near-infrared spectrum lines sensitive to solar magnetic
fields. The spatial and spectral resolutions are 0.2 arcsec and
200,000, respectively, while 0.03% polarimetric sensitivity is
achieved within a 10 sec integration time. The optical system employs
an Echelle grating and off-axis aspheric mirrors to observe the two
wavelength ranges centered at 850 nm and 770 nm simultaneously by
two cameras. Polarimetric measurements are performed using a rotating
waveplate and polarization beam-splitters in front of the cameras. For
detecting minute polarization signals with good precision, we carefully
assess the temperature dependence of polarization optics, and make
the opto-structural design that minimizes the thermal deformation
of the spectrograph optics. Another key technique is to attain good
(better than 30 msec) synchronization among the rotating phase of
the waveplate, read-out timing of cameras, and step timing of a
slit-scanning mirror. On-board accumulation and data processing are
also critical because we cannot store all the raw data read-out from the
cameras. We demonstrate that we can reduce the data down to almost 10%
with loss-less image compression and without sacrificing polarimetric
information in the data. The SCIP instrument is developed by internal
collaboration among Japanese institutes including Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Spanish Sunrise consortium, and the
German Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) with a
leadership of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ).
Title: Getting Ready for the Third Science Flight of SUNRISE
Authors: Barthol, Peter; Katsukawa, Yukio; Lagg, Andreas; Solanki,
Sami K.; Kubo, Masahito; Riethmueller, Tino; Martínez Pillet,
Valentin; Gandorfer, Achim; Feller, Alex; Berkefeld, . Thomas; Orozco
Suárez, David; Del Toro Iniesta, Jose Carlos; Bernasconi, Pietro;
Álvarez-Herrero, Alberto; Quintero Noda, Carlos
Bibcode: 2018cosp...42E.215B
Altcode:
SUNRISE is a balloon-borne, stratospheric solar observatory dedicated
to the investigation of the structure and dynamics of the Sun's
magnetic field and its interaction with convective plasma flows and
waves. The previous science flights of SUNRISE in 2009 and 2013 have
led to many new scientific results, so far described in around 90
refereed publications. This success has shown the huge potential of the
SUNRISE concept and the recovery of the largely intact payload offers
the opportunity for a third flight.The scientific instrumentation of
SUNRISE 3 will have extended capabilities in particular to measure
magnetic fields, plasma velocities and temperatures with increased
sensitivity and over a larger height range in the solar atmosphere, from
the convectively dominated photosphere up to the still poorly understood
chromosphere. The latter is the key interaction region between magnetic
field, waves and radiation and plays a central role in transporting
energy to the outer layers of the solar atmosphere including the
corona.SUNRISE 3 will carry 2 new grating-based spectro-polarimeters
with slit-scanning and context imaging with slitjaw cameras. The
SUNRISE UV Spectro-polarimeter and Imager (SUSI) will explore the rich
near-UV range between 300 nm and 430 nm which is poorly accessible
from the ground. The SUNRISE Chromospheric Infrared spectro-Polarimeter
(SCIP) will sample 2 spectral windows in the near-infrared, containing
many spectral lines highly sensitive to magnetic fields at different
formation heights. In addition to the two new instruments the Imaging
Magnetograph eXperiment (IMaX), an etalon-based tunable filtergraph and
spectro-polarimeter flown on both previous missions, will be upgraded
to IMaX+, enhancing its cadence and giving access to 2 spectral lines
in the visible spectral range. All three instruments will allow
investigating both the photosphere and the chromosphere and will
ideally complement each other in terms of sensitivity, height coverage
and resolution.A new gondola with a sophisticated attitude control
system including roll damping will provide improved pointing/tracking
performance. Upgraded image stabilization with higher bandwidth will
further reduce residual jitter, maximizing the quality of the science
data.SUNRISE 3 is a joint project of the German Max-Planck-Institut für
Sonnensystemforschung together with the Spanish SUNRISE consortium, the
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, USA, the German
Kiepenheuer Institut für Sonnenphysik, the National Astronomical
Observatory of Japan and the Japan Aerospace eXploraion Agency (JAXA).
Title: Autonomous on-board data processing and instrument calibration
software for the SO/PHI
Authors: Albert, K.; Hirzberger, J.; Busse, D.; Lange, T.; Kolleck, M.;
Fiethe, B.; Orozco Suárez, D.; Woch, J.; Schou, J.; Blanco Rodriguez,
J.; Gandorfer, A.; Guan, Y.; Cobos Carrascosa, J. P.; Hernández
Expósito, D.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Solanki, S. K.; Michalik, H.
Bibcode: 2018SPIE10707E..0OA
Altcode: 2018arXiv181003493A
The extension of on-board data processing capabilities is an
attractive option to reduce telemetry for scientific instruments
on deep space missions. The challenges that this presents, however,
require a comprehensive software system, which operates on the limited
resources a data processing unit in space allows. We implemented such
a system for the Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (PHI) on-board
the Solar Orbiter (SO) spacecraft. It ensures autonomous operation
to handle long command-response times, easy changing of the processes
after new lessons have been learned and meticulous book-keeping of all
operations to ensure scientific accuracy. This contribution presents
the requirements and main aspects of the software implementation,
followed by an example of a task implemented in the software frame,
and results from running it on SO/PHI. The presented example shows
that the different parts of the software framework work well together,
and that the system processes data as we expect. The flexibility of
the framework makes it possible to use it as a baseline for future
applications with similar needs and limitations as SO/PHI.
Title: The High Resolution Telescope (HRT) of the Polarimetric and
Helioseismic Imager (PHI) onboard Solar Orbiter
Authors: Gandorfer, A.; Grauf, B.; Staub, J.; Bischoff, J.; Woch, J.;
Hirzberger, J.; Solanki, S. K.; Álvarez-Herrero, A.; García Parejo,
P.; Schmidt, W.; Volkmer, R.; Appourchaux, T.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.
Bibcode: 2018SPIE10698E..4NG
Altcode:
Solar Orbiter is a joint mission of ESA and NASA scheduled for
launch in 2020. Solar Orbiter is a complete and unique heliophysics
mission, combining remote sensing and in-situ analysis; its special
elliptical orbit allows viewing the Sun from a distance of only 0.28
AU, and - leaving the ecliptic plane - to observe the solar poles from
a hitherto unexplored vantage point. One of the key instruments for
Solar Orbiter's science is the "Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager"
(PHI), which will provide maps of the solar surface magnetic fields and
the gas flows on the visible solar surface. Two telescopes, a full disc
imager, and a high resolution channel feed a common Fabry-Perot based
tunable filter and thus allow sampling a single Fraunhofer line at 617.3
nm with high spectral resolution; a polarization modulation system
makes the system sensitive to the full state of polarization. From
the analysis of the Doppler shift and the magnetically induced Zeeman
polarization in this line, the magnetic field and the line-of-sight
gas motions can be detected for each point in the image. In this
paper we describe the opto-mechanical system design of the high
resolution telescope. It is based on a decentred Ritchey-Chrétien
two-mirror telescope. The telescope includes a Barlow type magnifier
lens group, which is used as in-orbit focus compensator, and a beam
splitter, which sends a small fraction of the collected light onto
a fast camera, which provides the error signals for the actively
controlled secondary mirror compensating for spacecraft jitter and other
disturbances. The elliptical orbit of the spacecraft poses high demands
on the thermo-mechanical stability. The varying size of the solar disk
image requires a special false-light suppression architecture, which is
briefly described. In combination with a heat-rejecting entrance window,
the optical energy impinging on the polarimetric and spectral analysis
system is efficiently reduced. We show how the design can preserve the
diffraction-limited imaging performance over the design temperature
range of -20°C to +60°C. The decentred hyperbolical mirrors require
special measures for the inter-alignment and their alignment with
respect to the mechanical structure. A system of alignment flats and
mechanical references is used for this purpose. We will describe the
steps of the alignment procedure, and the dedicated optical ground
support equipment, which are needed to reach the diffraction limited
performance of the telescope. We will also report on the verification
of the telescope performance, both - in ambient condition - and in
vacuum at different temperatures.
Title: Prospects of Solar Magnetometry—From Ground and in Space
Authors: Kleint, Lucia; Gandorfer, Achim
Bibcode: 2018smf..book..397K
Altcode:
No abstract at ADS
Title: The Maximum Entropy Limit of Small-scale Magnetic Field
Fluctuations in the Quiet Sun
Authors: Gorobets, A. Y.; Berdyugina, S. V.; Riethmüller, T. L.;
Blanco Rodríguez, J.; Solanki, S. K.; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.;
Gizon, L.; Hirzberger, J.; van Noort, M.; Del Toro Iniesta, J. C.;
Orozco Suárez, D.; Schmidt, W.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2017ApJS..233....5G
Altcode: 2017arXiv171008361G
The observed magnetic field on the solar surface is characterized by a
very complex spatial and temporal behavior. Although feature-tracking
algorithms have allowed us to deepen our understanding of this behavior,
subjectivity plays an important role in the identification and tracking
of such features. In this paper, we continue studies of the temporal
stochasticity of the magnetic field on the solar surface without relying
either on the concept of magnetic features or on subjective assumptions
about their identification and interaction. We propose a data analysis
method to quantify fluctuations of the line-of-sight magnetic field by
means of reducing the temporal field’s evolution to the regular Markov
process. We build a representative model of fluctuations converging to
the unique stationary (equilibrium) distribution in the long time limit
with maximum entropy. We obtained different rates of convergence to the
equilibrium at fixed noise cutoff for two sets of data. This indicates
a strong influence of the data spatial resolution and mixing-polarity
fluctuations on the relaxation process. The analysis is applied to
observations of magnetic fields of the relatively quiet areas around an
active region carried out during the second flight of the Sunrise/IMaX
and quiet Sun areas at the disk center from the Helioseismic and
Magnetic Imager on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory satellite.
Title: Prospects of Solar Magnetometry—From Ground and in Space
Authors: Kleint, Lucia; Gandorfer, Achim
Bibcode: 2017SSRv..210..397K
Altcode: 2015SSRv..tmp..114K; 2015arXiv151003763K
In this review we present an overview of observing facilities for solar
research, which are planned or will come to operation in near future. We
concentrate on facilities, which harbor specific potential for solar
magnetometry. We describe the challenges and science goals of future
magnetic measurements, the status of magnetic field measurements at
different major solar observatories, and provide an outlook on possible
upgrades of future instrumentation.
Title: The Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope on-board Aditya-L1
Authors: Tripathi, Durgesh; Ramaprakash, A. N.; Khan, Aafaque;
Ghosh, Avyarthana; Chatterjee, Subhamoy; Banerjee, Dipankar; Chordia,
Pravin; Gandorfer, Achim; Krivova, Natalie; Nandy, Dibyendu; Rajarshi,
Chaitanya; Solanki, Sami K.
Bibcode: 2017CSci..113..616T
Altcode: 2022arXiv220407732T
The Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) is an instrument
onboard the Aditya-L1 mission of ISRO that will measure and monitor
the solar radiation emitted in the near-ultraviolet wavelength range
(200-400 nm). SUIT will simultaneously map the photosphere and the
chromosphere of the Sun using 11 filters sensitive to different
wavelengths and covering different heights in the solar atmosphere
and help us understand the processes involved in the transfer of
mass and energy from one layer to the other. SUIT will also allow us
to measure and monitor spatially resolved solar spectral irradiance
that governs the chemistry of oxygen and ozone in the stratosphere of
Earth's atmosphere. This is central to our understanding of the Sun
climate relationship.
Title: Erratum: Morphological Properties of
Slender CaII H Fibrils Observed by sunrise II (ApJS 229, 1, 6)
Authors: Gafeira, R.; Lagg, A.; Solanki, S. K.; Jafarzadeh, S.;
van Noort, M.; Barthol, P.; Blanco Rodríguez, J.; del Toro Iniesta,
J. C.; Gandorfer, A.; Gizon, L.; Hirzberger, J.; Knölker, M.; Orozco
Suárez, D.; Riethmüller, T. L.; Schmidt, W.
Bibcode: 2017ApJS..230...11G
Altcode:
No abstract at ADS
Title: Slender Ca II H Fibrils Mapping Magnetic Fields in the Low
Solar Chromosphere
Authors: Jafarzadeh, S.; Rutten, R. J.; Solanki, S. K.; Wiegelmann, T.;
Riethmüller, T. L.; van Noort, M.; Szydlarski, M.; Blanco Rodríguez,
J.; Barthol, P.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Gandorfer, A.; Gizon, L.;
Hirzberger, J.; Knölker, M.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Orozco Suárez,
D.; Schmidt, W.
Bibcode: 2017ApJS..229...11J
Altcode: 2016arXiv161003104J
A dense forest of slender bright fibrils near a small solar active
region is seen in high-quality narrowband Ca II H images from the SuFI
instrument onboard the Sunrise balloon-borne solar observatory. The
orientation of these slender Ca II H fibrils (SCF) overlaps with the
magnetic field configuration in the low solar chromosphere derived
by magnetostatic extrapolation of the photospheric field observed
with Sunrise/IMaX and SDO/HMI. In addition, many observed SCFs are
qualitatively aligned with small-scale loops computed from a novel
inversion approach based on best-fit numerical MHD simulation. Such
loops are organized in canopy-like arches over quiet areas that differ
in height depending on the field strength near their roots.
Title: Magneto-static Modeling from Sunrise/IMaX: Application to an
Active Region Observed with Sunrise II
Authors: Wiegelmann, T.; Neukirch, T.; Nickeler, D. H.; Solanki, S. K.;
Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.; Gizon, L.; Hirzberger, J.; Riethmüller,
T. L.; van Noort, M.; Blanco Rodríguez, J.; Del Toro Iniesta, J. C.;
Orozco Suárez, D.; Schmidt, W.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2017ApJS..229...18W
Altcode: 2017arXiv170101458N; 2017arXiv170101458W
Magneto-static models may overcome some of the issues facing force-free
magnetic field extrapolations. So far they have seen limited use
and have faced problems when applied to quiet-Sun data. Here we
present a first application to an active region. We use solar vector
magnetic field measurements gathered by the IMaX polarimeter during
the flight of the Sunrise balloon-borne solar observatory in 2013
June as boundary conditions for a magneto-static model of the higher
solar atmosphere above an active region. The IMaX data are embedded
in active region vector magnetograms observed with SDO/HMI. This work
continues our magneto-static extrapolation approach, which was applied
earlier to a quiet-Sun region observed with Sunrise I. In an active
region the signal-to-noise-ratio in the measured Stokes parameters
is considerably higher than in the quiet-Sun and consequently the
IMaX measurements of the horizontal photospheric magnetic field allow
us to specify the free parameters of the model in a special class of
linear magneto-static equilibria. The high spatial resolution of IMaX
(110-130 km, pixel size 40 km) enables us to model the non-force-free
layer between the photosphere and the mid-chromosphere vertically
by about 50 grid points. In our approach we can incorporate some
aspects of the mixed beta layer of photosphere and chromosphere, e.g.,
taking a finite Lorentz force into account, which was not possible with
lower-resolution photospheric measurements in the past. The linear model
does not, however, permit us to model intrinsic nonlinear structures
like strongly localized electric currents.
Title: The Second Flight of the Sunrise Balloon-borne Solar
Observatory: Overview of Instrument Updates, the Flight, the Data,
and First Results
Authors: Solanki, S. K.; Riethmüller, T. L.; Barthol, P.; Danilovic,
S.; Deutsch, W.; Doerr, H. -P.; Feller, A.; Gandorfer, A.; Germerott,
D.; Gizon, L.; Grauf, B.; Heerlein, K.; Hirzberger, J.; Kolleck, M.;
Lagg, A.; Meller, R.; Tomasch, G.; van Noort, M.; Blanco Rodríguez,
J.; Gasent Blesa, J. L.; Balaguer Jiménez, M.; Del Toro Iniesta,
J. C.; López Jiménez, A. C.; Orozco Suarez, D.; Berkefeld, T.;
Halbgewachs, C.; Schmidt, W.; Álvarez-Herrero, A.; Sabau-Graziati,
L.; Pérez Grande, I.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Card, G.; Centeno, R.;
Knölker, M.; Lecinski, A.
Bibcode: 2017ApJS..229....2S
Altcode: 2017arXiv170101555S
The Sunrise balloon-borne solar observatory, consisting of a 1 m
aperture telescope that provides a stabilized image to a UV filter
imager and an imaging vector polarimeter, carried out its second science
flight in 2013 June. It provided observations of parts of active regions
at high spatial resolution, including the first high-resolution images
in the Mg II k line. The obtained data are of very high quality, with
the best UV images reaching the diffraction limit of the telescope
at 3000 Å after Multi-Frame Blind Deconvolution reconstruction
accounting for phase-diversity information. Here a brief update is
given of the instruments and the data reduction techniques, which
includes an inversion of the polarimetric data. Mainly those aspects
that evolved compared with the first flight are described. A tabular
overview of the observations is given. In addition, an example time
series of a part of the emerging active region NOAA AR 11768 observed
relatively close to disk center is described and discussed in some
detail. The observations cover the pores in the trailing polarity of
the active region, as well as the polarity inversion line where flux
emergence was ongoing and a small flare-like brightening occurred in
the course of the time series. The pores are found to contain magnetic
field strengths ranging up to 2500 G, and while large pores are clearly
darker and cooler than the quiet Sun in all layers of the photosphere,
the temperature and brightness of small pores approach or even exceed
those of the quiet Sun in the upper photosphere.
Title: A Tale of Two Emergences: Sunrise II Observations of Emergence
Sites in a Solar Active Region
Authors: Centeno, R.; Blanco Rodríguez, J.; Del Toro Iniesta, J. C.;
Solanki, S. K.; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.; Gizon, L.; Hirzberger,
J.; Riethmüller, T. L.; van Noort, M.; Orozco Suárez, D.; Berkefeld,
T.; Schmidt, W.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2017ApJS..229....3C
Altcode: 2016arXiv161003531C
In 2013 June, the two scientific instruments on board the second Sunrise
mission witnessed, in detail, a small-scale magnetic flux emergence
event as part of the birth of an active region. The Imaging Magnetograph
Experiment (IMaX) recorded two small (∼ 5\prime\prime )
emerging flux patches in the polarized filtergrams of a photospheric Fe
I spectral line. Meanwhile, the Sunrise Filter Imager (SuFI) captured
the highly dynamic chromospheric response to the magnetic fields pushing
their way through the lower solar atmosphere. The serendipitous capture
of this event offers a closer look at the inner workings of active
region emergence sites. In particular, it reveals in meticulous detail
how the rising magnetic fields interact with the granulation as they
push through the Sun’s surface, dragging photospheric plasma in
their upward travel. The plasma that is burdening the rising field
slides along the field lines, creating fast downflowing channels at
the footpoints. The weight of this material anchors this field to the
surface at semi-regular spatial intervals, shaping it in an undulatory
fashion. Finally, magnetic reconnection enables the field to release
itself from its photospheric anchors, allowing it to continue its
voyage up to higher layers. This process releases energy that lights
up the arch-filament systems and heats the surrounding chromosphere.
Title: Photospheric Response to an Ellerman Bomb-like Event—An
Analogy of Sunrise/IMaX Observations and MHD Simulations
Authors: Danilovic, S.; Solanki, S. K.; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer,
A.; Gizon, L.; Hirzberger, J.; Riethmüller, T. L.; van Noort, M.;
Blanco Rodríguez, J.; Del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Orozco Suárez, D.;
Schmidt, W.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2017ApJS..229....5D
Altcode: 2016arXiv160903817D
Ellerman Bombs are signatures of magnetic reconnection, which is an
important physical process in the solar atmosphere. How and where they
occur is a subject of debate. In this paper, we analyze Sunrise/IMaX
data, along with 3D MHD simulations that aim to reproduce the exact
scenario proposed for the formation of these features. Although
the observed event seems to be more dynamic and violent than the
simulated one, simulations clearly confirm the basic scenario for the
production of EBs. The simulations also reveal the full complexity of
the underlying process. The simulated observations show that the Fe I
525.02 nm line gives no information on the height where reconnection
takes place. It can only give clues about the heating in the aftermath
of the reconnection. However, the information on the magnetic field
vector and velocity at this spatial resolution is extremely valuable
because it shows what numerical models miss and how they can be
improved.
Title: Transverse Oscillations in Slender Ca II H Fibrils Observed
with Sunrise/SuFI
Authors: Jafarzadeh, S.; Solanki, S. K.; Gafeira, R.; van Noort, M.;
Barthol, P.; Blanco Rodríguez, J.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Gandorfer,
A.; Gizon, L.; Hirzberger, J.; Knölker, M.; Orozco Suárez, D.;
Riethmüller, T. L.; Schmidt, W.
Bibcode: 2017ApJS..229....9J
Altcode: 2016arXiv161007449J
We present observations of transverse oscillations in slender Ca II
H fibrils (SCFs) in the lower solar chromosphere. We use a 1 hr long
time series of high- (spatial and temporal-) resolution seeing-free
observations in a 1.1 Å wide passband covering the line core of Ca
II H 3969 Å from the second flight of the Sunrise balloon-borne solar
observatory. The entire field of view, spanning the polarity inversion
line of an active region close to the solar disk center, is covered with
bright, thin, and very dynamic fine structures. Our analysis reveals
the prevalence of transverse waves in SCFs with median amplitudes and
periods on the order of 2.4 ± 0.8 km s-1 and 83 ± 29 s,
respectively (with standard deviations given as uncertainties). We
find that the transverse waves often propagate along (parts of) the
SCFs with median phase speeds of 9 ± 14 km s-1. While the
propagation is only in one direction along the axis in some of the
SCFs, propagating waves in both directions, as well as standing waves
are also observed. The transverse oscillations are likely Alfvénic
and are thought to be representative of magnetohydrodynamic kink
waves. The wave propagation suggests that the rapid high-frequency
transverse waves, often produced in the lower photosphere, can
penetrate into the chromosphere with an estimated energy flux of ≈15
kW m-2. Characteristics of these waves differ from those
reported for other fibrillar structures, which, however, were observed
mainly in the upper solar chromosphere.
Title: Kinematics of Magnetic Bright Features in the Solar Photosphere
Authors: Jafarzadeh, S.; Solanki, S. K.; Cameron, R. H.; Barthol, P.;
Blanco Rodríguez, J.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Gandorfer, A.; Gizon,
L.; Hirzberger, J.; Knölker, M.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Orozco Suárez,
D.; Riethmüller, T. L.; Schmidt, W.; van Noort, M.
Bibcode: 2017ApJS..229....8J
Altcode: 2016arXiv161007634J
Convective flows are known as the prime means of transporting magnetic
fields on the solar surface. Thus, small magnetic structures are good
tracers of turbulent flows. We study the migration and dispersal
of magnetic bright features (MBFs) in intergranular areas observed
at high spatial resolution with Sunrise/IMaX. We describe the flux
dispersal of individual MBFs as a diffusion process whose parameters are
computed for various areas in the quiet-Sun and the vicinity of active
regions from seeing-free data. We find that magnetic concentrations
are best described as random walkers close to network areas (diffusion
index, γ =1.0), travelers with constant speeds over a supergranule
(γ =1.9{--}2.0), and decelerating movers in the vicinity of flux
emergence and/or within active regions (γ =1.4{--}1.5). The three
types of regions host MBFs with mean diffusion coefficients of 130
km2 s-1, 80-90 km2 s-1,
and 25-70 km2 s-1, respectively. The MBFs in
these three types of regions are found to display a distinct kinematic
behavior at a confidence level in excess of 95%.
Title: Spectropolarimetric Evidence for a Siphon Flow along an
Emerging Magnetic Flux Tube
Authors: Requerey, Iker S.; Ruiz Cobo, B.; Del Toro Iniesta, J. C.;
Orozco Suárez, D.; Blanco Rodríguez, J.; Solanki, S. K.; Barthol,
P.; Gandorfer, A.; Gizon, L.; Hirzberger, J.; Riethmüller, T. L.;
van Noort, M.; Schmidt, W.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2017ApJS..229...15R
Altcode: 2016arXiv161106732R
We study the dynamics and topology of an emerging magnetic flux
concentration using high spatial resolution spectropolarimetric data
acquired with the Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment on board the sunrise
balloon-borne solar observatory. We obtain the full vector magnetic
field and the line of sight (LOS) velocity through inversions of
the Fe I line at 525.02 nm with the SPINOR code. The derived vector
magnetic field is used to trace magnetic field lines. Two magnetic flux
concentrations with different polarities and LOS velocities are found
to be connected by a group of arch-shaped magnetic field lines. The
positive polarity footpoint is weaker (1100 G) and displays an upflow,
while the negative polarity footpoint is stronger (2200 G) and shows
a downflow. This configuration is naturally interpreted as a siphon
flow along an arched magnetic flux tube.
Title: Morphological Properties of Slender Ca II H Fibrils Observed
by SUNRISE II
Authors: Gafeira, R.; Lagg, A.; Solanki, S. K.; Jafarzadeh, S.;
van Noort, M.; Barthol, P.; Blanco Rodríguez, J.; del Toro Iniesta,
J. C.; Gandorfer, A.; Gizon, L.; Hirzberger, J.; Knölker, M.; Orozco
Suárez, D.; Riethmüller, T. L.; Schmidt, W.
Bibcode: 2017ApJS..229....6G
Altcode: 2016arXiv161200319G
We use seeing-free high spatial resolution Ca II H data obtained by
the SUNRISE observatory to determine properties of slender fibrils
in the lower solar chromosphere. In this work we use intensity images
taken with the SuFI instrument in the Ca II H line during the second
scientific flight of the SUNRISE observatory to identify and track
elongated bright structures. After identification, we analyze theses
structures to extract their morphological properties. We identify
598 slender Ca II H fibrils (SCFs) with an average width of around
180 km, length between 500 and 4000 km, average lifetime of ≈400
s, and average curvature of 0.002 arcsec-1. The maximum
lifetime of the SCFs within our time series of 57 minutes is ≈2000
s. We discuss similarities and differences of the SCFs with other
small-scale, chromospheric structures such as spicules of type I and
II, or Ca II K fibrils.
Title: A New MHD-assisted Stokes Inversion Technique
Authors: Riethmüller, T. L.; Solanki, S. K.; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer,
A.; Gizon, L.; Hirzberger, J.; van Noort, M.; Blanco Rodríguez, J.;
Del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Orozco Suárez, D.; Schmidt, W.; Martínez
Pillet, V.; Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2017ApJS..229...16R
Altcode: 2016arXiv161105175R
We present a new method of Stokes inversion of spectropolarimetric
data and evaluate it by taking the example of a Sunrise/IMaX
observation. An archive of synthetic Stokes profiles is obtained
by the spectral synthesis of state-of-the-art magnetohydrodynamics
(MHD) simulations and a realistic degradation to the level of the
observed data. The definition of a merit function allows the archive
to be searched for the synthetic Stokes profiles that best match the
observed profiles. In contrast to traditional Stokes inversion codes,
which solve the Unno-Rachkovsky equations for the polarized radiative
transfer numerically and fit the Stokes profiles iteratively, the new
technique provides the full set of atmospheric parameters. This gives
us the ability to start an MHD simulation that takes the inversion
result as an initial condition. After a relaxation process of half an
hour solar time we obtain physically consistent MHD data sets with
a target similar to the observation. The new MHD simulation is used
to repeat the method in a second iteration, which further improves
the match between observation and simulation, resulting in a factor
of 2.2 lower mean {χ }2 value. One advantage of the new
technique is that it provides the physical parameters on a geometrical
height scale. It constitutes a first step toward inversions that give
results consistent with the MHD equations.
Title: Oscillations on Width and Intensity of Slender Ca II H Fibrils
from Sunrise/SuFI
Authors: Gafeira, R.; Jafarzadeh, S.; Solanki, S. K.; Lagg, A.;
van Noort, M.; Barthol, P.; Blanco Rodríguez, J.; del Toro Iniesta,
J. C.; Gandorfer, A.; Gizon, L.; Hirzberger, J.; Knölker, M.; Orozco
Suárez, D.; Riethmüller, T. L.; Schmidt, W.
Bibcode: 2017ApJS..229....7G
Altcode: 2017arXiv170102801G
We report the detection of oscillations in slender Ca II H fibrils
(SCFs) from high-resolution observations acquired with the Sunrise
balloon-borne solar observatory. The SCFs show obvious oscillations in
their intensity, but also their width. The oscillatory behaviors are
investigated at several positions along the axes of the SCFs. A large
majority of fibrils show signs of oscillations in intensity. Their
periods and phase speeds are analyzed using a wavelet analysis. The
width and intensity perturbations have overlapping distributions
of the wave period. The obtained distributions have median values
of the period of 32 ± 17 s and 36 ± 25 s, respectively. We
find that the fluctuations of both parameters propagate in
the SCFs with speeds of {11}-11+49 km
s-1 and {15}-15+34 km s-1,
respectively. Furthermore, the width and intensity oscillations have a
strong tendency to be either in anti-phase or, to a smaller extent, in
phase. This suggests that the oscillations of both parameters are caused
by the same wave mode and that the waves are likely propagating. Taking
all the evidence together, the most likely wave mode to explain all
measurements and criteria is the fast sausage mode.
Title: Solar Coronal Loops Associated with Small-scale Mixed Polarity
Surface Magnetic Fields
Authors: Chitta, L. P.; Peter, H.; Solanki, S. K.; Barthol, P.;
Gandorfer, A.; Gizon, L.; Hirzberger, J.; Riethmüller, T. L.; van
Noort, M.; Blanco Rodríguez, J.; Del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Orozco
Suárez, D.; Schmidt, W.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2017ApJS..229....4C
Altcode: 2016arXiv161007484C
How and where are coronal loops rooted in the solar lower
atmosphere? The details of the magnetic environment and its evolution
at the footpoints of coronal loops are crucial to understanding the
processes of mass and energy supply to the solar corona. To address
the above question, we use high-resolution line-of-sight magnetic
field data from the Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment instrument on the
Sunrise balloon-borne observatory and coronal observations from the
Atmospheric Imaging Assembly onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory
of an emerging active region. We find that the coronal loops are
often rooted at the locations with minor small-scale but persistent
opposite-polarity magnetic elements very close to the larger dominant
polarity. These opposite-polarity small-scale elements continually
interact with the dominant polarity underlying the coronal loop through
flux cancellation. At these locations we detect small inverse Y-shaped
jets in chromospheric Ca II H images obtained from the Sunrise Filter
Imager during the flux cancellation. Our results indicate that magnetic
flux cancellation and reconnection at the base of coronal loops due
to mixed polarity fields might be a crucial feature for the supply of
mass and energy into the corona.
Title: Moving Magnetic Features around a Pore
Authors: Kaithakkal, A. J.; Riethmüller, T. L.; Solanki, S. K.; Lagg,
A.; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.; Gizon, L.; Hirzberger, J.; vanNoort,
M.; Blanco Rodríguez, J.; Del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Orozco Suárez,
D.; Schmidt, W.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2017ApJS..229...13K
Altcode: 2016arXiv160905664K
Spectropolarimetric observations from Sunrise/IMaX, obtained in 2013
June, are used for a statistical analysis to determine the physical
properties of moving magnetic features (MMFs) observed near a pore. MMFs
of the same and opposite polarity, with respect to the pore, are found
to stream from its border at an average speed of 1.3 km s-1
and 1.2 km s-1, respectively, with mainly same-polarity MMFs
found further away from the pore. MMFs of both polarities are found to
harbor rather weak, inclined magnetic fields. Opposite-polarity MMFs
are blueshifted, whereas same-polarity MMFs do not show any preference
for up- or downflows. Most of the MMFs are found to be of sub-arcsecond
size and carry a mean flux of ∼1.2 × 1017 Mx.
Title: Helioseismology with Solar Orbiter
Authors: Löptien, Björn; Birch, Aaron C.; Gizon, Laurent; Schou,
Jesper; Appourchaux, Thierry; Blanco Rodríguez, Julián; Cally,
Paul S.; Dominguez-Tagle, Carlos; Gandorfer, Achim; Hill, Frank;
Hirzberger, Johann; Scherrer, Philip H.; Solanki, Sami K.
Bibcode: 2017hdsi.book..257L
Altcode:
No abstract at ADS
Title: Far side Helioseismology with Solar Orbiter
Authors: Appourchaux, T.; Birch, A.; Gizon, L. C.; Löptien, B.;
Schou, J.; Solanki, S. K.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Gandorfer, A.;
Hirzberger, J.; Alvarez-Herrero, A.; Woch, J. G.; Schmidt, W.
Bibcode: 2016AGUFMSH43A2554A
Altcode:
The Solar Orbiter mission, to be launched in October 2018, will
carry a suite of remote sensing and in-situ instruments, including
the Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (PHI). PHI will deliver
high-cadence images of the Sun in intensity and Doppler velocity
suitable for carrying out novel helioseismic studies. The orbit
of the Solar Orbiter spacecraft will reach a solar latitude up to
34 degrees by the end of the extended mission and thus will enable
the first local helioseismology studies of the polar regions. The
full range of Earth-Sun-spacecraft angles provided by the orbit will
enable helioseismology from two vantage points by combining PHI with
another instrument: stereoscopic helioseismology will allow the study
of the deep solar interior and a better understanding of the physics
of solar oscillations in both quiet Sun and sunspots. In this paper
we will review the helioseismic objectives achievable with PHI, and
will also give a short status report of the development of the Flight
Model of PHI.
Title: The Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope onboard Aditya-L1
Authors: Ghosh, Avyarthana; Chatterjee, Subhamoy; Khan, Aafaque R.;
Tripathi, Durgesh; Ramaprakash, A. N.; Banerjee, Dipankar; Chordia,
Pravin; Gandorfer, Achim M.; Krivova, Natalie; Nandy, Dibyendu;
Rajarshi, Chaitanya; Solanki, Sami K.; Sriram, S.
Bibcode: 2016SPIE.9905E..03G
Altcode:
The Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) is an instrument onboard
the Aditya-L1 spacecraft, the first dedicated solar mission of the
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), which will be put in a
halo orbit at the Sun-Earth Langrage point (L1). SUIT has an off-axis
Ritchey-Chrétien configuration with a combination of 11 narrow and
broad bandpass filters which will be used for full-disk solar imaging
in the Ultravoilet (UV) wavelength range 200-400 nm. It will provide
near simultaneous observations of lower and middle layers of the solar
atmosphere, namely the Photosphere and Chromosphere. These observations
will help to improve our understanding of coupling and dynamics of
various layers of the solar atmosphere, mechanisms responsible for
stability, dynamics and eruption of solar prominences and Coronal Mass
ejections, and possible causes of solar irradiance variability in the
Near and Middle UV regions, which is of central interest for assessing
the Sun's influence on climate.
Title: Helioseismology with Solar Orbiter
Authors: Löptien, Björn; Birch, Aaron C.; Gizon, Laurent; Schou,
Jesper; Appourchaux, Thierry; Blanco Rodríguez, Julián; Cally,
Paul S.; Dominguez-Tagle, Carlos; Gandorfer, Achim; Hill, Frank;
Hirzberger, Johann; Scherrer, Philip H.; Solanki, Sami K.
Bibcode: 2015SSRv..196..251L
Altcode: 2014arXiv1406.5435L; 2014SSRv..tmp...31L
The Solar Orbiter mission, to be launched in July 2017, will
carry a suite of remote sensing and in-situ instruments, including
the Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (PHI). PHI will deliver
high-cadence images of the Sun in intensity and Doppler velocity
suitable for carrying out novel helioseismic studies. The orbit of
the Solar Orbiter spacecraft will reach a solar latitude of up to
21∘ (up to 34∘ by the end of the extended
mission) and thus will enable the first local helioseismology studies of
the polar regions. Here we consider an array of science objectives to be
addressed by helioseismology within the baseline telemetry allocation
(51 Gbit per orbit, current baseline) and within the science observing
windows (baseline 3×10 days per orbit). A particularly important
objective is the measurement of large-scale flows at high latitudes
(rotation and meridional flow), which are largely unknown but play an
important role in flux transport dynamos. For both helioseismology
and feature tracking methods convection is a source of noise in
the measurement of longitudinally averaged large-scale flows, which
decreases as T -1/2 where T is the total duration of the
observations. Therefore, the detection of small amplitude signals (e.g.,
meridional circulation, flows in the deep solar interior) requires long
observation times. As an example, one hundred days of observations at
lower spatial resolution would provide a noise level of about three m/s
on the meridional flow at 80∘ latitude. Longer time-series
are also needed to study temporal variations with the solar cycle. The
full range of Earth-Sun-spacecraft angles provided by the orbit will
enable helioseismology from two vantage points by combining PHI with
another instrument: stereoscopic helioseismology will allow the study
of the deep solar interior and a better understanding of the physics
of solar oscillations in both quiet Sun and sunspots. We have used a
model of the PHI instrument to study its performance for helioseismology
applications. As input we used a 6 hr time-series of realistic solar
magneto-convection simulation (Stagger code) and the SPINOR radiative
transfer code to synthesize the observables. The simulated power
spectra of solar oscillations show that the instrument is suitable for
helioseismology. In particular, the specified point spread function,
image jitter, and photon noise are no obstacle to a successful mission.
Title: The Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager for Solar Orbiter:
SO/PHI
Authors: Solanki, Sami K.; del Toro Iniesta, Jose Carlos; Woch,
Joachim; Gandorfer, Achim; Hirzberger, Johann; Schmidt, Wolfgang;
Appourchaux, Thierry; Alvarez-Herrero, Alberto
Bibcode: 2015IAUS..305..108S
Altcode: 2015arXiv150203368S
The Solar Orbiter is the next solar physics mission of the European
Space Agency, ESA, in collaboration with NASA, with a launch planned in
2018. The spacecraft is designed to approach the Sun to within 0.28 AU
at perihelion of a highly eccentric orbit. The proximity with the Sun
will also allow its observation at uniformly high resolution at EUV and
visible wavelengths. Such observations are central for learning more
about the magnetic coupling of the solar atmosphere. At a later phase
in the mission the spacecraft will leave the ecliptic and study the
enigmatic poles of the Sun from a heliographic latitude of up to 33°.
Title: Comparison of solar photospheric bright points between Sunrise
observations and MHD simulations
Authors: Riethmüller, T. L.; Solanki, S. K.; Berdyugina, S. V.;
Schüssler, M.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Feller, A.; Gandorfer, A.;
Hirzberger, J.
Bibcode: 2014A&A...568A..13R
Altcode: 2014arXiv1406.1387R
Bright points (BPs) in the solar photosphere are thought to be the
radiative signatures (small-scale brightness enhancements) of magnetic
elements described by slender flux tubes or sheets located in the darker
intergranular lanes in the solar photosphere. They contribute to the
ultraviolet (UV) flux variations over the solar cycle and hence may
play a role in influencing the Earth's climate. Here we aim to obtain
a better insight into their properties by combining high-resolution
UV and spectro-polarimetric observations of BPs by the Sunrise
Observatory with 3D compressible radiation magnetohydrodynamical
(MHD) simulations. To this end, full spectral line syntheses are
performed with the MHD data and a careful degradation is applied
to take into account all relevant instrumental effects of the
observations. In a first step it is demonstrated that the selected
MHD simulations reproduce the measured distributions of intensity at
multiple wavelengths, line-of-sight velocity, spectral line width,
and polarization degree rather well. The simulated line width also
displays the correct mean, but a scatter that is too small. In
the second step, the properties of observed BPs are compared with
synthetic ones. Again, these are found to match relatively well,
except that the observations display a tail of large BPs with strong
polarization signals (most likely network elements) not found in the
simulations, possibly due to the small size of the simulation box. The
higher spatial resolution of the simulations has a significant effect,
leading to smaller and more numerous BPs. The observation that most BPs
are weakly polarized is explained mainly by the spatial degradation,
the stray light contamination, and the temperature sensitivity of the Fe
i line at 5250.2 Å. Finally, given that the MHD simulations are highly
consistent with the observations, we used the simulations to explore
the properties of BPs further. The Stokes V asymmetries increase with
the distance to the center of the mean BP in both observations and
simulations, consistent with the classical picture of a production
of the asymmetry in the canopy. This is the first time that this has
been found also in the internetwork. More or less vertical kilogauss
magnetic fields are found for 98% of the synthetic BPs underlining
that basically every BP is associated with kilogauss fields. At the
continuum formation height, the simulated BPs are on average 190 K
hotter than the mean quiet Sun, the mean BP field strength is found to
be 1750 G, and the mean inclination is 17°, supporting the physical
flux-tube paradigm to describe BPs. On average, the synthetic BPs
harbor downflows increasing with depth. The origin of these downflows
is not yet understood very well and needs further investigation.
Title: Comparison between Mg II k and Ca II H Images Recorded by
SUNRISE/SuFI
Authors: Danilovic, S.; Hirzberger, J.; Riethmüller, T. L.; Solanki,
S. K.; Barthol, P.; Berkefeld, T.; Gandorfer, A.; Gizon, L.; Knölker,
M.; Schmidt, W.; Blanco Rodríguez, J.; Del Toro Iniesta, J. C.
Bibcode: 2014ApJ...784...20D
Altcode:
We present a comparison of high-resolution images of the solar surface
taken in the Mg II k and Ca II H channels of the Filter Imager on the
balloon-borne solar observatory SUNRISE. The Mg and Ca lines are sampled
with 0.48 nm and 0.11 nm wide filters, respectively. The two channels
show remarkable qualitative and quantitative similarities in the quiet
Sun, in an active region plage and during a small flare. However, the Mg
filtergrams display 1.4-1.7 times higher intensity contrast and appear
more smeared and smoothed in the quiet Sun. In addition, the fibrils
in a plage are wider. Although the exposure time is 100 times longer
for Mg images, the evidence suggests that these differences cannot be
explained only with instrumental effects or the evolution of the solar
scene. The differences at least partially arise because of different
line-formation heights, the stronger response of Mg k emission peaks
to the higher temperatures, and the larger height range sampled by
the broad Mg filter used here. This is evidently manifested during
the flare when a surge in Mg evolves differently than in Ca.
Title: Migration of Ca II H bright points in the internetwork
Authors: Jafarzadeh, S.; Cameron, R. H.; Solanki, S. K.; Pietarila,
A.; Feller, A.; Lagg, A.; Gandorfer, A.
Bibcode: 2014A&A...563A.101J
Altcode: 2014arXiv1401.7522J
Context. The migration of magnetic bright point-like features (MBP)
in the lower solar atmosphere reflects the dispersal of magnetic
flux as well as the horizontal flows of the atmospheric layer they
are embedded in.
Aims: We analyse trajectories of the proper
motion of intrinsically magnetic, isolated internetwork Ca ii H MBPs
(mean lifetime 461 ± 9 s) to obtain their diffusivity behaviour.
Methods: We use seeing-free high spatial and temporal resolution
image sequences of quiet-Sun, disc-centre observations obtained in
the Ca ii H 3968 Å passband of the Sunrise Filter Imager (SuFI)
onboard the Sunrise balloon-borne solar observatory. Small MBPs in
the internetwork are automatically tracked. The trajectory of each
MBP is then calculated and described by a diffusion index (γ) and
a diffusion coefficient (D). We also explore the distribution of the
diffusion indices with the help of a Monte Carlo simulation.
Results: We find γ = 1.69 ± 0.08 and D = 257 ± 32 km2
s-1 averaged over all MBPs. Trajectories of most MBPs are
classified as super-diffusive, i.e. γ > 1, with the determined γ
being the largest obtained so far to our knowledge. A direct correlation
between D and timescale (τ) determined from trajectories of all MBPs is
also obtained. We discuss a simple scenario to explain the diffusivity
of the observed, relatively short-lived MBPs while they migrate within
a small area in a supergranule (i.e. an internetwork area). We show
that the scatter in the γ values obtained for individual MBPs is due
to their limited lifetimes.
Conclusions: The super-diffusive
MBPs can be described as random walkers (due to granular evolution and
intergranular turbulence) superposed on a large systematic (background)
velocity, caused by granular, mesogranular, and supergranular flows.
Title: First High-resolution Images of the Sun in the 2796 Å Mg II
k Line
Authors: Riethmüller, T. L.; Solanki, S. K.; Hirzberger, J.;
Danilovic, S.; Barthol, P.; Berkefeld, T.; Gandorfer, A.; Gizon, L.;
Knölker, M.; Schmidt, W.; Del Toro Iniesta, J. C.
Bibcode: 2013ApJ...776L..13R
Altcode: 2013arXiv1309.5213R
We present the first high-resolution solar images in the Mg II k 2796
Å line. The images, taken through a 4.8 Å broad interference filter,
were obtained during the second science flight of Sunrise in 2013 June
by the Sunrise Filter Imager (SuFI) instrument. The Mg II k images
display structures that look qualitatively very similar to images taken
in the core of Ca II H. The Mg II images exhibit reversed granulation
(or shock waves) in the internetwork regions of the quiet Sun, at
intensity contrasts that are similar to those found in Ca II H. Very
prominent in Mg II are bright points, both in the quiet Sun and in plage
regions, particularly near the disk center. These are much brighter than
at other wavelengths sampled at similar resolution. Furthermore, Mg II k
images also show fibril structures associated with plage regions. Again,
the fibrils are similar to those seen in Ca II H images, but tend to
be more pronounced, particularly in weak plage.
Title: Evolution of the Fine Structure of Magnetic Fields in the
Quiet Sun: Observations from Sunrise/IMaX and Extrapolations
Authors: Wiegelmann, T.; Solanki, S. K.; Borrero, J. M.; Peter,
H.; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Schmidt, W.;
Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2013SoPh..283..253W
Altcode:
Observations with the balloon-borne Sunrise/Imaging Magnetograph
eXperiment (IMaX) provide high spatial resolution (roughly 100 km at
disk center) measurements of the magnetic field in the photosphere of
the quiet Sun. To investigate the magnetic structure of the chromosphere
and corona, we extrapolate these photospheric measurements into
the upper solar atmosphere and analyze a 22-minute long time series
with a cadence of 33 seconds. Using the extrapolated magnetic-field
lines as tracer, we investigate temporal evolution of the magnetic
connectivity in the quiet Sun's atmosphere. The majority of magnetic
loops are asymmetric in the sense that the photospheric field strength
at the loop foot points is very different. We find that the magnetic
connectivity of the loops changes rapidly with a typical connection
recycling time of about 3±1 minutes in the upper solar atmosphere and
12±4 minutes in the photosphere. This is considerably shorter than
previously found. Nonetheless, our estimate of the energy released by
the associated magnetic-reconnection processes is not likely to be the
sole source for heating the chromosphere and corona in the quiet Sun.
Title: First Results from the SUNRISE Mission
Authors: Solanki, S. K.; Barthol, P.; Danilovic, S.; Feller, A.;
Gandorfer, A.; Hirzberger, J.; Jafarzadeh, S.; Lagg, A.; Riethmüller,
T. L.; Schüssler, M.; Wiegelmann, T.; Bonet, J. A.; González,
M. J. M.; Pillet, V. M.; Khomenko, E.; Yelles Chaouche, L.; Iniesta,
J. C. d. T.; Domingo, V.; Palacios, J.; Knölker, M.; González,
N. B.; Borrero, J. M.; Berkefeld, T.; Franz, M.; Roth, M.; Schmidt,
W.; Steiner, O.; Title, A. M.
Bibcode: 2012ASPC..455..143S
Altcode:
The SUNRISE balloon-borne solar observatory consists of a 1m aperture
Gregory telescope, a UV filter imager, an imaging vector polarimeter,
an image stabilization system, and further infrastructure. The first
science flight of SUNRISE yielded high-quality data that reveal the
structure, dynamics, and evolution of solar convection, oscillations,
and magnetic fields at a resolution of around 100 km in the quiet
Sun. Here we describe very briefly the mission and the first results
obtained from the SUNRISE data, which include a number of discoveries.
Title: Detection of Vortex Tubes in Solar Granulation from
Observations SUNRISE
Authors: Steiner, O.; Franz, M.; González, N. B.; Nutto, C.; Rezaei,
R.; Pillet, V. M.; Bonet, J. A.; Iniesta, J. C. d. T.; Domingo, V.;
Solanki, S. K.; Knölker, M.; Schmidt, W.; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.
Bibcode: 2012ASPC..455...35S
Altcode:
We investigated a time series of continuum intensity maps and
Dopplergrams of granulation in a very quiet solar region at the disk
center, recorded with the Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment (IMaX)
on board the balloon-borne solar observatory SUNRISE. We find that
granules frequently show substructure in the form of lanes composed of
a leading bright rim and a trailing dark edge, which move together
from the boundary of a granule into the granule itself. We find
strikingly similar events in synthesized intensity maps from an ab
initio numerical simulation of solar surface convection. We conclude
that these granular lanes are the visible signature of (horizontally
oriented) vortex tubes. The characteristic optical appearance of vortex
tubes at the solar surface is explained. This paper is a summary and
update of the results previously presented in Steiner et al. (2010).
Title: Supersonic Magnetic Flows in the Quiet Sun Observed with
SUNRISE/IMaX
Authors: Borrero, J. M.; Pillet, V. M.; Schlichenmaier, R.; Schmidt,
W.; Berkefeld, T.; Solanki, S. K.; Bonet, J. A.; Iniesta, J. C. d. T.;
Domingo, V.; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.
Bibcode: 2012ASPC..455..155B
Altcode: 2012arXiv1202.4354B
In this contribution we describe some recent observations of high-speed
magnetized flows in the quiet Sun granulation. These observations
were carried out with the Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment (IMaX)
onboard the stratospheric balloon SUNRISE, and possess an unprecedented
spatial resolution and temporal cadence. These flows were identified as
highly shifted circular polarization (Stokes V) signals. We estimate
the LOS velocity responsible for these shifts to be larger than 6 km
s-1, and therefore we refer to them as supersonic magnetic
flows. The average lifetime of the detected events is 81.3 s and
they occupy an average area of about 23 000 km2. Most of
the events occur within granular cells and correspond therefore to
upflows. However some others occur in intergranular lanes or bear no
clear relation to the convective velocity pattern. We analyze a number
of representative examples and discuss them in terms of magnetic loops,
reconnection events, and convective collapse.
Title: Solar magnetism eXplorer (SolmeX). Exploring the magnetic
field in the upper atmosphere of our closest star
Authors: Peter, Hardi; Abbo, L.; Andretta, V.; Auchère, F.; Bemporad,
A.; Berrilli, F.; Bommier, V.; Braukhane, A.; Casini, R.; Curdt,
W.; Davila, J.; Dittus, H.; Fineschi, S.; Fludra, A.; Gandorfer, A.;
Griffin, D.; Inhester, B.; Lagg, A.; Landi Degl'Innocenti, E.; Maiwald,
V.; Sainz, R. Manso; Martínez Pillet, V; Matthews, S.; Moses, D.;
Parenti, S.; Pietarila, A.; Quantius, D.; Raouafi, N. -E.; Raymond, J.;
Rochus, P.; Romberg, O.; Schlotterer, M.; Schühle, U.; Solanki, S.;
Spadaro, D.; Teriaca, L.; Tomczyk, S.; Trujillo Bueno, J.; Vial, J. -C.
Bibcode: 2012ExA....33..271P
Altcode: 2011arXiv1108.5304P; 2011ExA...tmp..134P
The magnetic field plays a pivotal role in many fields of
Astrophysics. This is especially true for the physics of the solar
atmosphere. Measuring the magnetic field in the upper solar atmosphere
is crucial to understand the nature of the underlying physical
processes that drive the violent dynamics of the solar corona—that
can also affect life on Earth. SolmeX, a fully equipped solar space
observatory for remote-sensing observations, will provide the first
comprehensive measurements of the strength and direction of the
magnetic field in the upper solar atmosphere. The mission consists
of two spacecraft, one carrying the instruments, and another one in
formation flight at a distance of about 200 m carrying the occulter to
provide an artificial total solar eclipse. This will ensure high-quality
coronagraphic observations above the solar limb. SolmeX integrates two
spectro-polarimetric coronagraphs for off-limb observations, one in
the EUV and one in the IR, and three instruments for observations on
the disk. The latter comprises one imaging polarimeter in the EUV for
coronal studies, a spectro-polarimeter in the EUV to investigate the low
corona, and an imaging spectro-polarimeter in the UV for chromospheric
studies. SOHO and other existing missions have investigated the emission
of the upper atmosphere in detail (not considering polarization),
and as this will be the case also for missions planned for the near
future. Therefore it is timely that SolmeX provides the final piece of
the observational quest by measuring the magnetic field in the upper
atmosphere through polarimetric observations.
Title: Solar Particle Acceleration Radiation and Kinetics (SPARK). A
mission to understand the nature of particle acceleration
Authors: Matthews, Sarah A.; Williams, David R.; Klein, Karl-Ludwig;
Kontar, Eduard P.; Smith, David M.; Lagg, Andreas; Krucker, Sam;
Hurford, Gordon J.; Vilmer, Nicole; MacKinnon, Alexander L.; Zharkova,
Valentina V.; Fletcher, Lyndsay; Hannah, Iain G.; Browning, Philippa
K.; Innes, Davina E.; Trottet, Gerard; Foullon, Clare; Nakariakov,
Valery M.; Green, Lucie M.; Lamoureux, Herve; Forsyth, Colin; Walton,
David M.; Mathioudakis, Mihalis; Gandorfer, Achim; Martinez-Pillet,
Valentin; Limousin, Olivier; Verwichte, Erwin; Dalla, Silvia; Mann,
Gottfried; Aurass, Henri; Neukirch, Thomas
Bibcode: 2012ExA....33..237M
Altcode: 2011ExA...tmp..124M
Energetic particles are critical components of plasma populations
found throughout the universe. In many cases particles are accelerated
to relativistic energies and represent a substantial fraction of
the total energy of the system, thus requiring extremely efficient
acceleration processes. The production of accelerated particles
also appears coupled to magnetic field evolution in astrophysical
plasmas through the turbulent magnetic fields produced by diffusive
shock acceleration. Particle acceleration is thus a key component
in helping to understand the origin and evolution of magnetic
structures in, e.g. galaxies. The proximity of the Sun and the range
of high-resolution diagnostics available within the solar atmosphere
offers unique opportunities to study the processes involved in particle
acceleration through the use of a combination of remote sensing
observations of the radiative signatures of accelerated particles, and
of their plasma and magnetic environment. The SPARK concept targets the
broad range of energy, spatial and temporal scales over which particle
acceleration occurs in the solar atmosphere, in order to determine how
and where energetic particles are accelerated. SPARK combines highly
complementary imaging and spectroscopic observations of radiation from
energetic electrons, protons and ions set in their plasma and magnetic
context. The payload comprises focusing-optics X-ray imaging covering
the range from 1 to 60 keV; indirect HXR imaging and spectroscopy
from 5 to 200 keV, γ-ray spectroscopic imaging with high-resolution
LaBr3 scintillators, and photometry and source localisation
at far-infrared wavelengths. The plasma environment of the regions
of acceleration and interaction will be probed using soft X-ray
imaging of the corona and vector magnetography of the photosphere
and chromosphere. SPARK is designed for solar research. However,
in addition it will be able to provide exciting new insights into the
origin of particle acceleration in other regimes, including terrestrial
gamma-ray flashes (TGF), the origin of γ-ray bursts, and the possible
existence of axions.
Title: Diffusivity of Isolated Internetwork Ca II H Bright Points
Observed by SuFI/SUNRISE
Authors: Jafarzadeh, S.; Solanki, S. K.; Cameron, R. H.; Feller, A.;
Pietarila, A.; Lagg, A.; Barthol, P.; Berkefeld, T.; Gandorfer, A.;
Knoelker, M.; Martinez Pillet, V.; Schmidt, W.; Title, A.
Bibcode: 2012decs.confE..99J
Altcode:
We analyze trajectories of the proper motion of intrinsically magnetic,
isolated internetwork Ca II H BPs (with mean lifetime of 461 sec) to
obtain their diffusivity behaviors. We use high spatial and temporal
resolution image sequences of quiet-Sun, disc-centre observations
obtained in the Ca II H 397 nm passband of the Sunrise Filter Imager
(SuFI) on board the SUNRISE balloon-borne solar observatory. In
order to avoid misidentification, the BPs are semi-manually selected
and then automatically tracked. The trajectory of each BP is then
calculated and its diffusion index is described by a power law
exponent, using which we classify the BPs' trajectories into sub-,
normal and super- diffusive. In addition, the corresponding diffusion
coefficients (D) based on the observed displacements are consequently
computed. We find a strong super-diffusivity at a height sampled by the
SuFI/SUNRISE Ca II H passband (i.e. a height corresponding roughly to
the temperature minimum). We find that 74% of the identified tiny BPs
are super-diffusive, 18% move randomly (i.e. their motion corresponds
to normal diffusion) and only 8% belong to the sub-diffusion regime. In
addition, we find that 53% of the super-diffusion regime (i.e. 39% of
all BPs) have the diffusivity index of 2 which are termed as "Ballistic
BPs". Finally, we explore the distribution of diffusion index with the
help of a simple simulation. The results suggest that the BPs are random
walkers superposed by a systematic (background) velocity in which the
magnitude of each component (and hence their ratio) depends on the time
and spatial scales. We further discuss a simple sketch to explain the
diffusivity of observed BPs while they migrate within a supergranule
(i.e. internetwork areas) or close to the network regions.
Title: The Frontier between Small-scale Bipoles and Ephemeral Regions
in the Solar Photosphere: Emergence and Decay of an Intermediate-scale
Bipole Observed with SUNRISE/IMaX
Authors: Guglielmino, S. L.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Bonet, J. A.;
del Toro Iniesta, J. Carlos; Bellot Rubio, L. R.; Solanki, S. K.;
Schmidt, W.; Gandorfer, A.; Barthol, P.; Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2012ApJ...745..160G
Altcode: 2011arXiv1110.1405G
We report on the photospheric evolution of an intermediate-scale (≈4
Mm footpoint separation) magnetic bipole, from emergence to decay,
observed in the quiet Sun at high spatial (0farcs3) and temporal (33 s)
resolution. The observations were acquired by the Imaging Magnetograph
Experiment imaging magnetograph during the first science flight of the
SUNRISE balloon-borne solar observatory. The bipole flux content is 6 ×
1017 Mx, representing a structure bridging the gap between
granular scale bipoles and the smaller ephemeral regions. Footpoints
separate at a speed of 3.5 km s-1 and reach a maximum
distance of 4.5 Mm before the field dissolves. The evolution of the
bipole is revealed to be very dynamic: we found a proper motion of
the bipole axis and detected a change of the azimuth angle of 90° in
300 s, which may indicate the presence of some writhe in the emerging
structure. The overall morphology and behavior are in agreement with
previous analyses of bipolar structures emerging at the granular scale,
but we also found several similarities with emerging flux structures
at larger scales. The flux growth rate is 2.6 × 1015 Mx
s-1, while the mean decay rate is one order of magnitude
smaller. We describe in some detail the decay phase of the bipole
footpoints that includes break up into smaller structures, and
interaction with preexisting fields leading to cancellation, but it
appears to be dominated by an as-yet unidentified diffusive process
that removes most of the flux with an exponential flux decay curve. The
diffusion constant (8 × 102 km2 s-1)
associated with this decay is similar to the values used to describe
the large-scale diffusion in flux transport models.
Title: Magnetic field emergence in mesogranular-sized exploding
granules observed with sunrise/IMaX data
Authors: Palacios, J.; Blanco Rodríguez, J.; Vargas Domínguez, S.;
Domingo, V.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Bonet, J. A.; Bellot Rubio, L. R.;
Del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Solanki, S. K.; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.;
Berkefeld, T.; Schmidt, W.; Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2012A&A...537A..21P
Altcode: 2011arXiv1110.4555P
We report on magnetic field emergences covering significant
areas of exploding granules. The balloon-borne mission Sunrise
provided high spatial and temporal resolution images of the solar
photosphere. Continuum images, longitudinal and transverse magnetic
field maps and Dopplergrams obtained by IMaX onboard Sunrise are
analyzed by local correlation traking (LCT), divergence calculation
and time slices, Stokes inversions and numerical simulations are also
employed. We characterize two mesogranular-scale exploding granules
where ~1018 Mx of magnetic flux emerges. The emergence
of weak unipolar longitudinal fields (~100 G) start with a single
visible magnetic polarity, occupying their respective granules' top
and following the granular splitting. After a while, mixed polarities
start appearing, concentrated in downflow lanes. The events last around
20 min. LCT analyses confirm mesogranular scale expansion, displaying
a similar pattern for all the physical properties, and divergence
centers match between all of them. We found a similar behaviour
with the emergence events in a numerical MHD simulation. Granule
expansion velocities are around 1 kms-1 while magnetic
patches expand at 0.65 kms-1. One of the analyzed events
evidences the emergence of a loop-like structure. Advection of
the emerging magnetic flux features is dominated by convective
motion resulting from the exploding granule due to the magnetic
field frozen in the granular plasma. Intensification of the
magnetic field occurs in the intergranular lanes, probably
because of being directed by the downflowing plasma. Movies
associated to Figs. 2-4 are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org
Title: The Sun at high resolution: first results from the Sunrise
mission
Authors: Solanki, S. K.; Barthol, P.; Danilovic, S.; Feller,
A.; Gandorfer, A.; Hirzberger, J.; Lagg, A.; Riethmüller, T. L.;
Schüssler, M.; Wiegelmann, T.; Bonet, J. A.; Pillet, V. Martínez;
Khomenko, E.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Domingo, V.; Palacios, J.;
Knölker, M.; González, N. Bello; Borrero, J. M.; Berkefeld, T.;
Franz, M.; Roth, M.; Schmidt, W.; Steiner, O.; Title, A. M.
Bibcode: 2011IAUS..273..226S
Altcode:
The Sunrise balloon-borne solar observatory consists of a 1m aperture
Gregory telescope, a UV filter imager, an imaging vector polarimeter,
an image stabilization system and further infrastructure. The first
science flight of Sunrise yielded high-quality data that reveal the
structure, dynamics and evolution of solar convection, oscillations
and magnetic fields at a resolution of around 100 km in the quiet
Sun. Here we describe very briefly the mission and the first results
obtained from the Sunrise data, which include a number of discoveries.
Title: Performance validation of phase diversity image reconstruction
techniques
Authors: Hirzberger, J.; Feller, A.; Riethmüller, T. L.; Gandorfer,
A.; Solanki, S. K.
Bibcode: 2011A&A...529A.132H
Altcode:
We present a performance study of a phase diversity (PD) image
reconstruction algorithm based on artificial solar images obtained
from MHD simulations and on seeing-free data obtained with the SuFI
instrument on the Sunrise balloon borne observatory. The artificial
data were altered by applying different levels of degradation with
synthesised wavefront errors and noise. The PD algorithm was modified
by changing the number of fitted polynomials, the shape of the pupil and
the applied noise filter. The obtained reconstructions are evaluated by
means of the resulting rms intensity contrast and by the conspicuousness
of appearing artifacts. The results show that PD is a robust method
which consistently recovers the initial unaffected image contents. The
efficiency of the reconstruction is, however, strongly dependent on the
number of used fitting polynomials and the noise level of the images. If
the maximum number of fitted polynomials is higher than 21, artifacts
have to be accepted and for noise levels higher than 10-3
the commonly used noise filtering techniques are not able to avoid
amplification of spurious structures.
Title: Unnoticed Magnetic Field Oscillations in the Very Quiet Sun
Revealed by SUNRISE/IMaX
Authors: Martínez González, M. J.; Asensio Ramos, A.; Manso Sainz,
R.; Khomenko, E.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Solanki, S. K.; López Ariste,
A.; Schmidt, W.; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.
Bibcode: 2011ApJ...730L..37M
Altcode: 2011arXiv1103.0145M
We present observational evidence for oscillations of magnetic flux
density in the quiet areas of the Sun. The majority of magnetic
fields on the solar surface have strengths of the order of or lower
than the equipartition field (300-500 G). This results in a myriad of
magnetic fields whose evolution is largely determined by the turbulent
plasma motions. When granules evolve they squash the magnetic field
lines together or pull them apart. Here, we report on the periodic
deformation of the shapes of features in circular polarization observed
at high resolution with SUNRISE. In particular, we note that the
area of patches with a constant magnetic flux oscillates with time,
which implies that the apparent magnetic field intensity oscillates
in antiphase. The periods associated with this oscillatory pattern
are compatible with the granular lifetime and change abruptly, which
suggests that these oscillations might not correspond to characteristic
oscillatory modes of magnetic structures, but to the forcing by granular
motions. In one particular case, we find three patches around the same
granule oscillating in phase, which means that the spatial coherence
of these oscillations can reach 1600 km. Interestingly, the same kind
of oscillatory phenomenon is also found in the upper photosphere.
Title: Mesogranulation and the Solar Surface Magnetic Field
Distribution
Authors: Yelles Chaouche, L.; Moreno-Insertis, F.; Martínez Pillet,
V.; Wiegelmann, T.; Bonet, J. A.; Knölker, M.; Bellot Rubio, L. R.;
del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.; Schmidt, W.;
Solanki, S. K.
Bibcode: 2011ApJ...727L..30Y
Altcode: 2010arXiv1012.4481Y
The relation of the solar surface magnetic field with mesogranular
cells is studied using high spatial (≈100 km) and temporal (≈30
s) resolution data obtained with the IMaX instrument on board
SUNRISE. First, mesogranular cells are identified using Lagrange
tracers (corks) based on horizontal velocity fields obtained through
local correlation tracking. After ≈20 minutes of integration, the
tracers delineate a sharp mesogranular network with lanes of width
below about 280 km. The preferential location of magnetic elements in
mesogranular cells is tested quantitatively. Roughly 85% of pixels with
magnetic field higher than 100 G are located in the near neighborhood
of mesogranular lanes. Magnetic flux is therefore concentrated in
mesogranular lanes rather than intergranular ones. Second, magnetic
field extrapolations are performed to obtain field lines anchored in
the observed flux elements. This analysis, therefore, is independent
of the horizontal flows determined in the first part. A probability
density function (PDF) is calculated for the distribution of distances
between the footpoints of individual magnetic field lines. The PDF has
an exponential shape at scales between 1 and 10 Mm, with a constant
characteristic decay distance, indicating the absence of preferred
convection scales in the mesogranular range. Our results support
the view that mesogranulation is not an intrinsic convective scale
(in the sense that it is not a primary energy-injection scale of solar
convection), but also give quantitative confirmation that, nevertheless,
the magnetic elements are preferentially found along mesogranular lanes.
Title: The Solar Orbiter Mission and its Polarimetric and Helioseismic
Imager (SO/PHI)
Authors: Gandorfer, Achim; Solanki, Sami K.; Woch, Joachim; Martínez
Pillet, Valentin; Álvarez Herrero, Alberto; Appourchaux, Thierry
Bibcode: 2011JPhCS.271a2086G
Altcode:
We briefly outline the scientific and instrumental aspects of ESA's
Solar Orbiter mission. Special emphasis is given to the Polarimetric
and Helioseismic Imager, the instrument with the highest relevance for
helioseismology applications, which will observe gas motions and the
vector magnetic field in the photosphere at high spatial and temporal
resolution.
Title: The Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment (IMaX) for the Sunrise
Balloon-Borne Solar Observatory
Authors: Martínez Pillet, V.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.;
Álvarez-Herrero, A.; Domingo, V.; Bonet, J. A.; González Fernández,
L.; López Jiménez, A.; Pastor, C.; Gasent Blesa, J. L.; Mellado, P.;
Piqueras, J.; Aparicio, B.; Balaguer, M.; Ballesteros, E.; Belenguer,
T.; Bellot Rubio, L. R.; Berkefeld, T.; Collados, M.; Deutsch, W.;
Feller, A.; Girela, F.; Grauf, B.; Heredero, R. L.; Herranz, M.;
Jerónimo, J. M.; Laguna, H.; Meller, R.; Menéndez, M.; Morales, R.;
Orozco Suárez, D.; Ramos, G.; Reina, M.; Ramos, J. L.; Rodríguez,
P.; Sánchez, A.; Uribe-Patarroyo, N.; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.;
Knoelker, M.; Schmidt, W.; Solanki, S. K.; Vargas Domínguez, S.
Bibcode: 2011SoPh..268...57M
Altcode: 2010SoPh..tmp..181M; 2010arXiv1009.1095M
The Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment (IMaX) is a spectropolarimeter
built by four institutions in Spain that flew on board the Sunrise
balloon-borne solar observatory in June 2009 for almost six days over
the Arctic Circle. As a polarimeter, IMaX uses fast polarization
modulation (based on the use of two liquid crystal retarders),
real-time image accumulation, and dual-beam polarimetry to reach
polarization sensitivities of 0.1%. As a spectrograph, the instrument
uses a LiNbO3 etalon in double pass and a narrow band
pre-filter to achieve a spectral resolution of 85 mÅ. IMaX uses the
high-Zeeman-sensitive line of Fe I at 5250.2 Å and observes all four
Stokes parameters at various points inside the spectral line. This
allows vector magnetograms, Dopplergrams, and intensity frames to be
produced that, after reconstruction, reach spatial resolutions in the
0.15 - 0.18 arcsec range over a 50×50 arcsec field of view. Time
cadences vary between 10 and 33 s, although the shortest one only
includes longitudinal polarimetry. The spectral line is sampled in
various ways depending on the applied observing mode, from just two
points inside the line to 11 of them. All observing modes include
one extra wavelength point in the nearby continuum. Gauss equivalent
sensitivities are 4 G for longitudinal fields and 80 G for transverse
fields per wavelength sample. The line-of-sight velocities are estimated
with statistical errors of the order of 5 - 40 m s−1. The
design, calibration, and integration phases of the instrument,
together with the implemented data reduction scheme, are described in
some detail.
Title: The Wave-Front Correction System for the Sunrise Balloon-Borne
Solar Observatory
Authors: Berkefeld, T.; Schmidt, W.; Soltau, D.; Bell, A.;
Doerr, H. P.; Feger, B.; Friedlein, R.; Gerber, K.; Heidecke, F.;
Kentischer, T.; v. d. Lühe, O.; Sigwarth, M.; Wälde, E.; Barthol,
P.; Deutsch, W.; Gandorfer, A.; Germerott, D.; Grauf, B.; Meller, R.;
Álvarez-Herrero, A.; Knölker, M.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Solanki,
S. K.; Title, A. M.
Bibcode: 2011SoPh..268..103B
Altcode: 2010SoPh..tmp..236B; 2010arXiv1009.3196B
This paper describes the wave-front correction system developed for
the Sunrise balloon telescope, and it provides information about its
in-flight performance. For the correction of low-order aberrations,
a Correlating Wave-Front Sensor (CWS) was used. It consisted of a
six-element Shack - Hartmann wave-front sensor (WFS), a fast tip-tilt
mirror for the compensation of image motion, and an active telescope
secondary mirror for focus correction. The CWS delivered a stabilized
image with a precision of 0.04 arcsec (rms), whenever the coarse
pointing was better than ± 45 arcsec peak-to-peak. The automatic
focus adjustment maintained a focus stability of 0.01 waves in the
focal plane of the CWS. During the 5.5 day flight, good image quality
and stability were achieved during 33 hours, containing 45 sequences,
which lasted between 10 and 45 min.
Title: The Sunrise Mission
Authors: Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.; Solanki, S. K.; Schüssler,
M.; Chares, B.; Curdt, W.; Deutsch, W.; Feller, A.; Germerott, D.;
Grauf, B.; Heerlein, K.; Hirzberger, J.; Kolleck, M.; Meller, R.;
Müller, R.; Riethmüller, T. L.; Tomasch, G.; Knölker, M.; Lites,
B. W.; Card, G.; Elmore, D.; Fox, J.; Lecinski, A.; Nelson, P.;
Summers, R.; Watt, A.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Bonet, J. A.; Schmidt,
W.; Berkefeld, T.; Title, A. M.; Domingo, V.; Gasent Blesa, J. L.;
del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; López Jiménez, A.; Álvarez-Herrero, A.;
Sabau-Graziati, L.; Widani, C.; Haberler, P.; Härtel, K.; Kampf,
D.; Levin, T.; Pérez Grande, I.; Sanz-Andrés, A.; Schmidt, E.
Bibcode: 2011SoPh..268....1B
Altcode: 2010arXiv1009.2689B; 2010SoPh..tmp..224B
The first science flight of the balloon-borne Sunrise telescope took
place in June 2009 from ESRANGE (near Kiruna/Sweden) to Somerset
Island in northern Canada. We describe the scientific aims and
mission concept of the project and give an overview and a description
of the various hardware components: the 1-m main telescope with its
postfocus science instruments (the UV filter imager SuFI and the imaging
vector magnetograph IMaX) and support instruments (image stabilizing
and light distribution system ISLiD and correlating wavefront sensor
CWS), the optomechanical support structure and the instrument mounting
concept, the gondola structure and the power, pointing, and telemetry
systems, and the general electronics architecture. We also explain
the optimization of the structural and thermal design of the complete
payload. The preparations for the science flight are described,
including AIV and ground calibration of the instruments. The course
of events during the science flight is outlined, up to the recovery
activities. Finally, the in-flight performance of the instrumentation
is discussed.
Title: The Filter Imager SuFI and the Image Stabilization and Light
Distribution System ISLiD of the Sunrise Balloon-Borne Observatory:
Instrument Description
Authors: Gandorfer, A.; Grauf, B.; Barthol, P.; Riethmüller, T. L.;
Solanki, S. K.; Chares, B.; Deutsch, W.; Ebert, S.; Feller, A.;
Germerott, D.; Heerlein, K.; Heinrichs, J.; Hirche, D.; Hirzberger,
J.; Kolleck, M.; Meller, R.; Müller, R.; Schäfer, R.; Tomasch,
G.; Knölker, M.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Bonet, J. A.; Schmidt, W.;
Berkefeld, T.; Feger, B.; Heidecke, F.; Soltau, D.; Tischenberg, A.;
Fischer, A.; Title, A.; Anwand, H.; Schmidt, E.
Bibcode: 2011SoPh..268...35G
Altcode: 2010SoPh..tmp..176G; 2010arXiv1009.1037G
We describe the design of the Sunrise Filter Imager (SuFI) and the
Image Stabilization and Light Distribution (ISLiD) unit onboard the
Sunrise balloon borne solar observatory. This contribution provides the
necessary information which is relevant to understand the instruments'
working principles, the relevant technical data, and the necessary
information about calibration issues directly related to the science
data.
Title: SUNRISE: Instrument, Mission, Data, and First Results
Authors: Solanki, S. K.; Barthol, P.; Danilovic, S.; Feller, A.;
Gandorfer, A.; Hirzberger, J.; Riethmüller, T. L.; Schüssler, M.;
Bonet, J. A.; Martínez Pillet, V.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Domingo,
V.; Palacios, J.; Knölker, M.; Bello González, N.; Berkefeld, T.;
Franz, M.; Schmidt, W.; Title, A. M.
Bibcode: 2010ApJ...723L.127S
Altcode: 2010arXiv1008.3460S
The SUNRISE balloon-borne solar observatory consists of a 1 m aperture
Gregory telescope, a UV filter imager, an imaging vector polarimeter,
an image stabilization system, and further infrastructure. The first
science flight of SUNRISE yielded high-quality data that revealed the
structure, dynamics, and evolution of solar convection, oscillations,
and magnetic fields at a resolution of around 100 km in the quiet
Sun. After a brief description of instruments and data, the first
qualitative results are presented. In contrast to earlier observations,
we clearly see granulation at 214 nm. Images in Ca II H display narrow,
short-lived dark intergranular lanes between the bright edges of
granules. The very small-scale, mixed-polarity internetwork fields
are found to be highly dynamic. A significant increase in detectable
magnetic flux is found after phase-diversity-related reconstruction
of polarization maps, indicating that the polarities are mixed right
down to the spatial resolution limit and probably beyond.
Title: Supersonic Magnetic Upflows in Granular Cells Observed with
SUNRISE/IMAX
Authors: Borrero, J. M.; Martínez-Pillet, V.; Schlichenmaier, R.;
Solanki, S. K.; Bonet, J. A.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Schmidt, W.;
Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.; Domingo, V.; Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2010ApJ...723L.144B
Altcode: 2010arXiv1009.1227B
Using the IMaX instrument on board the SUNRISE stratospheric balloon
telescope, we have detected extremely shifted polarization signals
around the Fe I 5250.217 Å spectral line within granules in the solar
photosphere. We interpret the velocities associated with these events
as corresponding to supersonic and magnetic upflows. In addition, they
are also related to the appearance of opposite polarities and highly
inclined magnetic fields. This suggests that they are produced by the
reconnection of emerging magnetic loops through granular upflows. The
events occupy an average area of 0.046 arcsec2 and last for
about 80 s, with larger events having longer lifetimes. These supersonic
events occur at a rate of 1.3 × 10-5 occurrences per second
per arcsec2.
Title: Detection of Vortex Tubes in Solar Granulation from
Observations with SUNRISE
Authors: Steiner, O.; Franz, M.; Bello González, N.; Nutto, Ch.;
Rezaei, R.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Bonet Navarro, J. A.; del Toro
Iniesta, J. C.; Domingo, V.; Solanki, S. K.; Knölker, M.; Schmidt,
W.; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.
Bibcode: 2010ApJ...723L.180S
Altcode: 2010arXiv1009.4723S
We have investigated a time series of continuum intensity maps and
corresponding Dopplergrams of granulation in a very quiet solar region
at the disk center, recorded with the Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment
(IMaX) on board the balloon-borne solar observatory SUNRISE. We
find that granules frequently show substructure in the form of lanes
composed of a leading bright rim and a trailing dark edge, which move
together from the boundary of a granule into the granule itself. We
find strikingly similar events in synthesized intensity maps from an
ab initio numerical simulation of solar surface convection. From cross
sections through the computational domain of the simulation, we conclude
that these granular lanes are the visible signature of (horizontally
oriented) vortex tubes. The characteristic optical appearance of vortex
tubes at the solar surface is explained. We propose that the observed
vortex tubes may represent only the large-scale end of a hierarchy of
vortex tubes existing near the solar surface.
Title: Where the Granular Flows Bend
Authors: Khomenko, E.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Solanki, S. K.; del Toro
Iniesta, J. C.; Gandorfer, A.; Bonet, J. A.; Domingo, V.; Schmidt,
W.; Barthol, P.; Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2010ApJ...723L.159K
Altcode: 2010arXiv1008.0517K
Based on IMaX/SUNRISE data, we report on a previously undetected
phenomenon in solar granulation. We show that in a very narrow region
separating granules and intergranular lanes, the spectral line width
of the Fe I 5250.2 Å line becomes extremely small. We offer an
explanation of this observation with the help of magneto-convection
simulations. These regions with extremely small line widths correspond
to the places where the granular flows bend from upflow in granules
to downflow in intergranular lanes. We show that the resolution and
image stability achieved by IMaX/SUNRISE are important requisites to
detect this interesting phenomenon.
Title: Bright Points in the Quiet Sun as Observed in the Visible
and Near-UV by the Balloon-borne Observatory SUNRISE
Authors: Riethmüller, T. L.; Solanki, S. K.; Martínez Pillet, V.;
Hirzberger, J.; Feller, A.; Bonet, J. A.; Bello González, N.; Franz,
M.; Schüssler, M.; Barthol, P.; Berkefeld, T.; del Toro Iniesta,
J. C.; Domingo, V.; Gandorfer, A.; Knölker, M.; Schmidt, W.
Bibcode: 2010ApJ...723L.169R
Altcode: 2010arXiv1009.1693R
Bright points (BPs) are manifestations of small magnetic elements
in the solar photosphere. Their brightness contrast not only gives
insight into the thermal state of the photosphere (and chromosphere) in
magnetic elements, but also plays an important role in modulating the
solar total and spectral irradiance. Here, we report on simultaneous
high-resolution imaging and spectropolarimetric observations of
BPs using SUNRISE balloon-borne observatory data of the quiet Sun
at the disk center. BP contrasts have been measured between 214 nm
and 525 nm, including the first measurements at wavelengths below
388 nm. The histograms of the BP peak brightness show a clear trend
toward broader contrast distributions and higher mean contrasts at
shorter wavelengths. At 214 nm, we observe a peak brightness of up to
five times the mean quiet-Sun value, the highest BP contrast so far
observed. All BPs are associated with a magnetic signal, although in
a number of cases it is surprisingly weak. Most of the BPs show only
weak downflows, the mean value being 240 m s-1, but some
display strong down- or upflows reaching a few km s-1.
Title: Transverse Component of the Magnetic Field in the Solar
Photosphere Observed by SUNRISE
Authors: Danilovic, S.; Beeck, B.; Pietarila, A.; Schüssler, M.;
Solanki, S. K.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Bonet, J. A.; del Toro Iniesta,
J. C.; Domingo, V.; Barthol, P.; Berkefeld, T.; Gandorfer, A.;
Knölker, M.; Schmidt, W.; Title, A. M.
Bibcode: 2010ApJ...723L.149D
Altcode: 2010arXiv1008.1535D
We present the first observations of the transverse component of
a photospheric magnetic field acquired by the imaging magnetograph
SUNRISE/IMaX. Using an automated detection method, we obtain statistical
properties of 4536 features with significant linear polarization
signal. We obtain a rate of occurrence of 7 × 10-4
s-1 arcsec-2, which is 1-2 orders of magnitude
larger than the values reported by previous studies. We show that
these features have no characteristic size or lifetime. They appear
preferentially at granule boundaries with most of them being caught
in downflow lanes at some point. Only a small percentage are entirely
and constantly embedded in upflows (16%) or downflows (8%).
Title: Detection of Large Acoustic Energy Flux in the Solar Atmosphere
Authors: Bello González, N.; Franz, M.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Bonet,
J. A.; Solanki, S. K.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Schmidt, W.; Gandorfer,
A.; Domingo, V.; Barthol, P.; Berkefeld, T.; Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2010ApJ...723L.134B
Altcode: 2010arXiv1009.4795B
We study the energy flux carried by acoustic waves excited by convective
motions at sub-photospheric levels. The analysis of high-resolution
spectropolarimetric data taken with IMaX/SUNRISE provides a total
energy flux of ~6400-7700 W m-2 at a height of ~250 km
in the 5.2-10 mHz range, i.e., at least twice the largest energy
flux found in previous works. Our estimate lies within a factor of
two of the energy flux needed to balance radiative losses from the
chromosphere according to the estimates of Anderson & Athay and
revives interest in acoustic waves for transporting energy to the
chromosphere. The acoustic flux is mainly found in the intergranular
lanes but also in small rapidly evolving granules and at the bright
borders, forming dark dots and lanes of splitting granules.
Title: Magnetic Loops in the Quiet Sun
Authors: Wiegelmann, T.; Solanki, S. K.; Borrero, J. M.; Martínez
Pillet, V.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Domingo, V.; Bonet, J. A.;
Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.; Knölker, M.; Schmidt, W.; Title, A. M.
Bibcode: 2010ApJ...723L.185W
Altcode: 2010arXiv1009.4715W
We investigate the fine structure of magnetic fields in the atmosphere
of the quiet Sun. We use photospheric magnetic field measurements from
SUNRISE/IMaX with unprecedented spatial resolution to extrapolate
the photospheric magnetic field into higher layers of the solar
atmosphere with the help of potential and force-free extrapolation
techniques. We find that most magnetic loops that reach into the
chromosphere or higher have one footpoint in relatively strong magnetic
field regions in the photosphere. Ninety-one percent of the magnetic
energy in the mid-chromosphere (at a height of 1 Mm) is in field
lines, whose stronger footpoint has a strength of more than 300 G,
i.e., above the equipartition field strength with convection. The
loops reaching into the chromosphere and corona are also found to be
asymmetric in the sense that the weaker footpoint has a strength B <
300 G and is located in the internetwork (IN). Such loops are expected
to be strongly dynamic and have short lifetimes, as dictated by the
properties of the IN fields.
Title: SUNRISE/IMaX Observations of Convectively Driven Vortex Flows
in the Sun
Authors: Bonet, J. A.; Márquez, I.; Sánchez Almeida, J.; Palacios,
J.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Solanki, S. K.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.;
Domingo, V.; Berkefeld, T.; Schmidt, W.; Gandorfer, A.; Barthol, P.;
Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2010ApJ...723L.139B
Altcode: 2010arXiv1009.1992B
We characterize the observational properties of the convectively driven
vortex flows recently discovered on the quiet Sun, using magnetograms,
Dopplergrams, and images obtained with the 1 m balloon-borne SUNRISE
telescope. By visual inspection of time series, we find some 3.1
× 10-3 vortices Mm-2 minute-1,
which is a factor of ~1.7 larger than previous estimates. The mean
duration of the individual events turns out to be 7.9 minutes, with
a standard deviation of 3.2 minutes. In addition, we find several
events appearing at the same locations along the duration of the time
series (31.6 minutes). Such recurrent vortices show up in the proper
motion flow field map averaged over the time series. The typical
vertical vorticities are lsim6 × 10-3 s-1,
which corresponds to a period of rotation of some 35 minutes. The
vortices show a preferred counterclockwise sense of rotation, which
we conjecture may have to do with the preferred vorticity impinged by
the solar differential rotation.
Title: Surface Waves in Solar Granulation Observed with SUNRISE
Authors: Roth, M.; Franz, M.; Bello González, N.; Martínez Pillet,
V.; Bonet, J. A.; Gandorfer, A.; Barthol, P.; Solanki, S. K.;
Berkefeld, T.; Schmidt, W.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Domingo, V.;
Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2010ApJ...723L.175R
Altcode: 2010arXiv1009.4790R
Solar oscillations are expected to be excited by turbulent flows in
the intergranular lanes near the solar surface. Time series recorded
by the IMaX instrument on board the SUNRISE observatory reveal solar
oscillations at high spatial resolution, which allow the study of
the properties of oscillations with short wavelengths. We analyze
two time series with synchronous recordings of Doppler velocity and
continuum intensity images with durations of 32 minutes and 23 minutes,
respectively, recorded close to the disk center of the Sun to study
the propagation and excitation of solar acoustic oscillations. In
the Doppler velocity data, both the standing acoustic waves and the
short-lived, high-degree running waves are visible. The standing
waves are visible as temporary enhancements of the amplitudes of the
large-scale velocity field due to the stochastic superposition of
the acoustic waves. We focus on the high-degree small-scale waves by
suitable filtering in the Fourier domain. Investigating the propagation
and excitation of f- and p 1-modes with wavenumbers k>1.4
Mm-1, we also find that exploding granules contribute to
the excitation of solar p-modes in addition to the contribution of
intergranular lanes.
Title: Fully Resolved Quiet-Sun Magnetic flux Tube Observed with
the SUNRISE/IMAX Instrument
Authors: Lagg, A.; Solanki, S. K.; Riethmüller, T. L.; Martínez
Pillet, V.; Schüssler, M.; Hirzberger, J.; Feller, A.; Borrero,
J. M.; Schmidt, W.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.; Bonet, J. A.; Barthol, P.;
Berkefeld, T.; Domingo, V.; Gandorfer, A.; Knölker, M.; Title, A. M.
Bibcode: 2010ApJ...723L.164L
Altcode: 2010arXiv1009.0996L
Until today, the small size of magnetic elements in quiet-Sun areas has
required the application of indirect methods, such as the line-ratio
technique or multi-component inversions, to infer their physical
properties. A consistent match to the observed Stokes profiles could
only be obtained by introducing a magnetic filling factor that specifies
the fraction of the observed pixel filled with magnetic field. Here,
we investigate the properties of a small magnetic patch in the quiet
Sun observed with the IMaX magnetograph on board the balloon-borne
telescope SUNRISE with unprecedented spatial resolution and low
instrumental stray light. We apply an inversion technique based on
the numerical solution of the radiative transfer equation to retrieve
the temperature stratification and the field strength in the magnetic
patch. The observations can be well reproduced with a one-component,
fully magnetized atmosphere with a field strength exceeding 1 kG and
a significantly enhanced temperature in the mid to upper photosphere
with respect to its surroundings, consistent with semi-empirical flux
tube models for plage regions. We therefore conclude that, within the
framework of a simple atmospheric model, the IMaX measurements resolve
the observed quiet-Sun flux tube.
Title: Quiet-sun Intensity Contrasts in the Near-ultraviolet as
Measured from SUNRISE
Authors: Hirzberger, J.; Feller, A.; Riethmüller, T. L.; Schüssler,
M.; Borrero, J. M.; Afram, N.; Unruh, Y. C.; Berdyugina, S. V.;
Gandorfer, A.; Solanki, S. K.; Barthol, P.; Bonet, J. A.; Martínez
Pillet, V.; Berkefeld, T.; Knölker, M.; Schmidt, W.; Title, A. M.
Bibcode: 2010ApJ...723L.154H
Altcode:
We present high-resolution images of the Sun in the near-ultraviolet
spectral range between 214 nm and 397 nm as obtained from the first
science flight of the 1 m SUNRISE balloon-borne solar telescope. The
quiet-Sun rms intensity contrasts found in this wavelength range are
among the highest values ever obtained for quiet-Sun solar surface
structures—up to 32.8% at a wavelength of 214 nm. We compare the
rms contrasts obtained from the observational data with theoretical
intensity contrasts obtained from numerical magnetohydrodynamic
simulations. For 388 nm and 312 nm the observations agree well with
the numerical simulations whereas at shorter wavelengths discrepancies
between observed and simulated contrasts remain.
Title: Quiet-Sun intensity contrasts in the near ultraviolet
Authors: Hirzberger, Johann; Feller, Alex; Riethmüller, Tino L.;
Schüssler, Manfred; Borrero, Juan M.; Afram, Nadine; Unruh, Yvonne C.;
Berdyugina, Svetlana V.; Gandorfer, Achim; Solanki, Sami K.; Barthol,
Peter; Bonet, Jose A.; Martínez Pillet, Valentin; Berkefeld, Thomas;
Knölker, Michael; Schmidt, Wolfgang; Title, Alan M.
Bibcode: 2010arXiv1009.1050H
Altcode:
We present high-resolution images of the Sun in the near ultraviolet
spectral range between 214 nm and 397 nm as obtained from the first
science flight of the 1-m Sunrise balloon-borne solar telescope. The
quiet-Sun rms intensity contrasts found in this wavelength range
are among the highest values ever obtained for quiet-Sun solar
surface structures - up to 32.8% at a wavelength of 214 nm. We
compare with theoretical intensity contrasts obtained from numerical
magneto-hydrodynamic simulations. For 388 nm and 312 nm the observations
agree well with the numerical simulations whereas at shorter wavelengths
discrepancies between observed and simulated contrasts remain.
Title: Flight control software for the wave-front sensor of SUNRISE
1m balloon telescope
Authors: Bell, Alexander; Barthol, Peter; Berkefeld, Thomas; Feger,
Bernhard; Gandorfer, Achim M.; Heidecke, Frank; Knoelker, Michael;
Martinez Pillet, Valentin; Schmidt, Wolfgang; Sigwarth, Michael;
Solanki, Sami K.; Soltau, Dirk; Title, Alan M.
Bibcode: 2010SPIE.7740E..03B
Altcode: 2010SPIE.7740E...2B
This paper describes the flight control software of the wave-front
correction system that flew on the 2009 science flight of the Sunrise
balloon telescope. The software discussed here allowed fully automated
operations of the wave-front sensor, communications with the adaptive
optics sub-system, the pointing system, the instrument control unit
and the main telescope controller. The software was developed using
modern object oriented analysis and design techniques, and consists
of roughly 13.000 lines of C++ code not counting code written for the
on-board communication layer. The software operated error free during
the 5.5 day flight.
Title: SUNRISE Impressions from a successful science flight
Authors: Schmidt, W.; Solanki, S. K.; Barthol, P.; Berkefeld, T.;
Gandorfer, A.; Knölker, M.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Schüssler, M.;
Title, A.
Bibcode: 2010AN....331..601S
Altcode:
SUNRISE is a balloon-borne telescope with an aperture of one meter. It
is equipped with a filter imager for the UV wavelength range between
214 nm and 400 nm (SUFI), and with a spectro-polarimeter that measures
the magnetic field of the photosphere using the Fe I line at 525.02
nm that has a Landé factor of 3. SUNRISE performed its first science
flight from 8 to 14 June 2009. It was launched at the Swedish ESRANGE
Space Center and cruised at an altitude of about 36 km and geographic
latitudes between 70 and 74 degrees to Somerset Island in northern
Canada. There, all data, the telescope and the gondola were successfully
recovered. During its flight, Sunrise achieved high pointing stability
during 33 hours, and recorded about 1.8 TB of science data. Already at
this early stage of data processing it is clear that SUNRISE recorded
UV images of the solar photosphere, and spectropolarimetric measurements
of the quiet Sun's magnetic field of unprecedented quality.
Title: Temperatures of small scale magnetic structures in deep solar
photospheric layers
Authors: Oklay, Nilda; Gandorfer, Achim; Lagg, Andreas; Solanki,
Sami K.; Bianda, Michele; Ramelli, Renzo
Bibcode: 2010cosp...38.2857O
Altcode: 2010cosp.meet.2857O
With current solar instrumentation, small scale magnetic
structures still remain unresolved. Nevertheless, it is possible
to retrieve information about these unresolved magnetic structures
via spectropolarimetry. For this reason, IRSOL (Istituto Ricerche
Solari Locarno) facility is used to obtain simultaneously recorded
spectra of Stokes I and Stokes V/I of CI (5380.3 A), FeI (5379.6 A,
5383.4 A) and TiII (5381.0 A) lines on an active region using the
ZIMPOL II (Zurich Imaging Polarimeter II) instrument. We used Stokes V
amplitude ratios technique to investigate temperatures of unresolved
magnetic features down to deep photospheric layers. Atmospheric
parameters are obtained from the inversions done with the SPINOR code
(Stokes-Profile-INversion-O-Routines). Then the results are compared
with the results from the realistic MHD simulations obtained from
MURaM code (MPS/University of Chicago radiative MHD). Comparisons of
the results from observations, inversions and numerical simulations
show a good agreement, which confirms the usage of this technique as
a temperature diagnostic tool.
Title: High resolution imaging and polarimetry with SUNRISE, a
balloon-borne stratospheric solar observatory
Authors: Barthol, Peter; Chares, Bernd; Deutsch, Werner; Feller, Alex;
Gandorfer, Achim; Grauf, Bianca; Hirzberger, Johann; Meller, Reinhard;
Riethmueller, Tino; Schuessler, Manfred; Solanki, Sami K.; Knoelker,
Michael; Martinez Pillet, Valentin; Schmidt, Wolfgang; Title, Alan
Bibcode: 2010cosp...38.4063B
Altcode: 2010cosp.meet.4063B
SUNRISE is an international collaboration for the development
and operation of a meter-class balloon-borne stratospheric solar
observatory. Prime science goal is the study of structure and dynamics
of the magnetic field in the solar atmosphere and the interaction of
the magnetic field with convective plasma flows. These processes are
studied by high resolution imaging in the UV and polarimetry at visible
wavelengths. The instrument has been successfully launched on June 8,
2009 from ESRANGE, Kiruna, Northern Sweden. During the more than 5
days flight about 1.5 TByte of scientific data were collected. The
paper gives an overview of the instrument and mission, examples of
the scientific output will also be presented. SUNRISE is a joint
project of the Max-Planck-Institut fuer Sonnensystemforschung (MPS),
Katlenburg-Lindau, with the Kiepenheuer-Institut fuer Sonnenphysik
(KIS), Freiburg, the High-Altitude Observatory (HAO), Boulder, the
Lockheed-Martin Solar and Astrophysics Lab. (LMSAL), Palo Alto, and
the Spanish IMaX consortium.
Title: The Ultraviolet Filter Imager (SuFI) onboard the Sunrise
balloon-borne solar observatory: Instrument description and first
results
Authors: Gandorfer, Achim; Barthol, Peter; Feller, Alex; Grauf,
Bianca; Hirzberger, Johann; Riethmueller, Tino; Solanki, Sami K.;
Berkefeld, Thomas; Knoelker, Michael; Martinez Pillet, Valentin;
Schmidt, Wolfgang; Title, Alan
Bibcode: 2010cosp...38.4064G
Altcode: 2010cosp.meet.4064G
We describe the design of the near UV filter imager SuFi onboard
Sunrise, which was successfully flown in the stratosphere in June
2009. During its five days flight SuFI captured the highest contrast
images of solar granulation ever. SuFI is a diffraction limited filter
imager with an effective focal length of 121m, working in 5 distinct
wavelength bands between 210nm and 397nm. It is based on a two mirror
modified Schwarzschild microscope, which is integral part of the central
Image stabilization and light Distribution unit (ISLiD) of Sunrise,
which acts as the reimaging optics between the 1m telescope and the
science instruments. The key technical features of the instrument are
presented under the view of the specific demands of balloon-borne
optical systems. First results obtained with the instrument are
presented to demonstrate the capabilities of the instrument.
Title: UV intensity distributions of the quiet Sun observed with
Sunrise
Authors: Hirzberger, Johann; Feller, A.; Riethmueller, T.; Borrero,
J. M.; Schüssler, M.; Barthol, P.; Berkefeld, T.; Gandorfer, A.;
Knoelker, M.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Schmidt, W.; Solanki, S.; Title, A.
Bibcode: 2010cosp...38.1735H
Altcode: 2010cosp.meet.1735H
High resolution solar images in the near UV have been obtained with
the Solar UV Filtergraph (SUFI) onboard the Sunrise balloon borne
observatory, amongst others in wavelength regions not accessible
from the ground. We present intensity distributions of the quiet
Sun at different heliocentric angles, from disk center to the solar
limb. These results, obtained in spectral windows at 214 nm, 313 nm
(OH band), 388 nm (CN band) and 396.7 nm (CaIIH), represent an important
validation of numerical models of the solar photosphere and are, thus,
fundamental ingredients for our understanding of the thermal processes
in the solar surface region.
Title: Relation between the Sunrise photospheric magnetic field and
the Ca II H bright features
Authors: Jafarzadeh, Shahin; Hirzberger, J.; Feller, A.; Lagg, A.;
Solanki, S. K.; Pietarila, A.; Danilovic, S.; Riethmueller, T.;
Barthol, P.; Berkefeld, T.; Gandorfer, A.; Knülker, M.; Martínez
Pillet, V.; Schmidt, W.; Schüssler, M.; Title, A.
Bibcode: 2010cosp...38.2856J
Altcode: 2010cosp.meet.2856J
Recent observations from the Sunrise balloon-borne solar telescope
have enabled us to reach an unprecedented high spatial resolution
on the solar surface with the near-ultraviolet photo-spheric and
chromospheric images as well as the magnetograms. We use these high
resolution observations to investigate the structure of the solar
upper photosphere and lower chromosphere as well as their temporal
evolutions. We study the relation between the inter-granular Ca II
397 nm bright structures in images obtained by the Sunrise Filter
Imager (SuFI) and their corresponding photospheric vector magnetic
field computed from the Imaging Magnetogram eXperiment (IMaX)
observations. The targets under study are in a quiet Sun region and
close to disc-centre.
Title: Discriminant analysis of solar bright points and
faculae. I. Classification method and center-to-limb distribution
Authors: Kobel, P.; Hirzberger, J.; Solanki, S. K.; Gandorfer, A.;
Zakharov, V.
Bibcode: 2009A&A...502..303K
Altcode: 2010arXiv1001.5143K
Context: While photospheric magnetic elements appear mainly as
Bright Points (BPs) at the disk center and as faculae near the limb,
high-resolution images reveal the coexistence of BPs and faculae over a
range of heliocentric angles. This is not explained by a “hot wall”
effect through vertical flux tubes, and suggests that the transition
from BPs to faculae needs to be quantitatively investigated.
Aims:
To achieve this, we made the first recorded attempt to discriminate
BPs and faculae, using a statistical classification approach based
on Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). This paper gives a detailed
description of our method, and shows its application on high-resolution
images of active regions to retrieve a center-to-limb distribution of
BPs and faculae.
Methods: Bright “magnetic” features were
detected at various disk positions by a segmentation algorithm using
simultaneous G-band and continuum information. By using a selected
sample of those features to represent BPs and faculae, suitable
photometric parameters were identified for their discrimination. We
then carried out LDA to find a unique discriminant variable, defined
as the linear combination of the parameters that best separates the
BPs and faculae samples. By choosing an adequate threshold on that
variable, the segmented features were finally classified as BPs and
faculae at all the disk positions.
Results: We thus obtained
a Center-to-Limb Variation (CLV) of the relative number of BPs and
faculae, revealing the predominance of faculae at all disk positions
except close to disk center (μ ≥ 0.9).
Conclusions: Although
the present dataset suffers from limited statistics, our results are
consistent with other observations of BPs and faculae at various disk
positions. The retrieved CLV indicates that at high resolution, faculae
are an essential constituent of active regions all across the solar
disk. We speculate that the faculae near disk center as well as the BPs
away from disk center are associated with inclined fields. Figures
11-14 are only available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org
Title: Center to Limb Distribution of Bright Points and Faculae:
First Results of an Automated Detection Algorithm
Authors: Kobel, P.; Hirzberger, J.; Zakharov, V.; Gandorfer, A.;
Solanki, S. K.
Bibcode: 2009ASPC..405..211K
Altcode:
Center to limb variations (CLV) of photospheric Bright Points (BPs)
and faculae are important to understand the fundamental relationship
between these magnetic features. In this context, we present a
statistical study of the center to limb distribution of BPs and faculae
in active regions. Magnetic brightenings were detected at various disk
positions by an automated segmentation algorithm based on joint G-band
and continuum information. They were then classified as BPs or faculae
according to a linear discriminant analysis, which allowed to determine
the relative fraction of the two classes at each disk position.
Title: Spectropolarimetric Investigations of the Deep Photospheric
Layers of Solar Magnetic Structures
Authors: Oklay, N.; Gandorfer, A.; Solanki, S. K.; Bianda, M.;
Ramelli, R.
Bibcode: 2009ASPC..405..233O
Altcode:
Solar surface magnetism manifests itself in a variety of structures
with sizes often comparable or even below our spatial resolution
capabilities. Nevertheless, sub-resolution information about
the intrinsic atmospheric structure can be obtained via indirect
techniques. We use state-of-the-art spectropolarimetric observations
in carefully selected photospheric lines which include C~I~(5380.3~Å)
as well as strong lines of Fe~I, Ti~I covering also the deep layers of
the photosphere and obtain ratios of their Stokes V amplitudes. From
there we deduce that the temperature within magnetic features is higher
at locations of smaller magnetic flux.
Title: Brightness, distribution, and evolution of sunspot umbral dots
Authors: Riethmüller, T. L.; Solanki, S. K.; Zakharov, V.;
Gandorfer, A.
Bibcode: 2008A&A...492..233R
Altcode: 2008arXiv0812.0477R
Context: Umbral Dots (UDs) are thought to be manifestations
of magnetoconvection in sunspot umbrae. Recent advances in their
theoretical description point to the need for a thorough study of their
properties and evolution based on data with the highest currently
achievable resolution.
Aims: Our UD analysis aims to provide
parameters such as lifetimes, diameters, horizontal velocities, and
peak intensities, as well as the evolution of selected parameters.
Methods: We present a 106-min TiO (705.7 nm) time series of high
spatial and temporal resolution that contains thousands of UDs in
the umbra of a mature sunspot in the active region NOAA 10667 at μ =
0.95. The data were acquired with the 1-m Swedish Solar Telescope (SST)
on La Palma. With the help of a multilevel tracking (MLT) algorithm the
sizes, brightnesses, and trajectories of 12 836 umbral dots were found
and extensively analyzed. The MLT allows UDs with very low contrast to
be reliably identified.
Results: Inside the umbra we determine a
UD filling factor of 11%. The histogram of UD lifetimes is monotonic,
i.e. a UD does not have a typical lifetime. Three quarters of the UDs
lived for less than 150 s and showed no or little motion. The histogram
of the UD diameters exhibits a maximum at 225 km, i.e. most of the
UDs are spatially resolved. UDs display a typical horizontal velocity
of 420 m s-1 and a typical peak intensity of 51% of the
mean intensity of the quiet photosphere, making them on average 20%
brighter than the local umbral background. Almost all mobile UDs (large
birth-death distance) were born close to the umbra-penumbra boundary,
move towards the umbral center, and are brighter than average. Notably
bright and mobile UDs were also observed along a prominent UD chain,
both ends of which are located at the umbra-penumbra boundary. Their
motion started primarily at either of the ends of the chain, continued
along the chain, and ended near the chain's center. We observed the
splitting and merging of UDs and the temporal succession of both. For
the first time the evolution of brightness, size, and horizontal speed
of a typical UD could be determined in a statistically significant
way. Considerable differences between the evolution of central and
peripheral UDs are found, which point to a difference in origin.
Title: Spectropolarimetric Investigations of the Deep Photospheric
Layers of Magnetic Elements
Authors: Oklay, N.; Gandorfer, A.; Solanki, S. K.
Bibcode: 2008ESPM...12.2.49O
Altcode:
We observed simultaneously Stokes I and Stokes V/I profiles of Fe I
(5379.574Å), C I(5380.332Å), Ti II(5381.021Å) and Fe I(5383.369Å)
using the ZIMPOL II spectropolarimeter at the IRSOL (Istituto Ricerche
Solari Locarno) facility. This set of spectral lines covers not only
the mid-photosphere but also the deep photospheric layers, where
the temperature sensitive C I line is formed. We analyzed ratios
and asymmetries of their Stokes V amplitudes and areas. Further,
the spectral profiles were analyzed using the SPINOR inversion code
(Frutiger et al. 2000) to constrain the temperature structure of
the magnetic elements down to deep photospheric layers. In this way,
our understanding of the lowest photospheric layers of solar magnetic
elements can be tested.
Title: Discriminant Analysis of Bright Points and Faculae:
Center-to-Limb Distribution, Contrast and Morphology
Authors: Kobel, P.; Hirzberger, J.; Gandorfer, A.; Solanki, S. K.;
Zakharov, V.
Bibcode: 2008ESPM...12.2.60K
Altcode:
High-resolution images of the solar photosphere reveal an intriguing
mixture of Brights Points (BPs) and faculae at several disk positions,
which is not explained by the conventional "hot wall'' model. Together
with quantitative discrepancies between observations and simulations
of faculae, it stresses that the fundamental relationship between BPs
and faculae is not yet clear: How are BPs and faculae distributed on
the solar disk? How do the photometric properties of BPs and faculae
differ and vary with disk position? To tackle these issues, a
necessary step is to sort the BPs and faculae at various disk positions,
in order to treat them separately. We present here the first attempt
to discriminate BPs and faculae, using a statistical classification
approach based on Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). This has never
been done so far, presumably due to the lack of known automated methods
to distinguish such features, and to the difficulty to obtain a coherent
dataset of high-resolution images recorded in the same conditions. We
applied our method to high-resolution G-band and continuum images
of active regions recorded at the Swedish Solar Telescope, covering
several disk positions where the transition from BPs to faculae
is expected. This allowed us to retrieve a first estimate of
the center-to-limb variation of the relative distribution of both
species. The center-to-limb distribution of BPs and faculae reveals
the predominance of faculae at all disk positions except close to disk
center. We argue that these ubiquitous faculae could be the transient
signatures of swaying flux tubes with a wide range of inclination
angles. Moreover, we statistically compared the G-band and continuum
contrast of BPs and faculae, and characterized their morphology. Both
the G-band and continuum contrast of BPs and faculae are found to
similarly increase from center to limb. But when comparing G-band
to continuum, BPs and faculae exhibit slightly different behaviours,
which are related to radiative transfer processes. By orienting the
features in local coordinate frames corresponding to the principal axes
of their contrast moment of inertia, we could retrieve characteristic
G-band contrast profiles exhibiting the typical predicted asymmetry
for faculae. Finally, our BPs and faculae were found to have very
similar morphological properties. Although our study is essentially
descriptive and based on purely photometric information, we hope that it
will provide novel useful constraints for future BPs/faculae MHD models.
Title: SUNRISE: High resolution UV/VIS observations of the sun from
the stratosphere
Authors: Sunrise Team; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A. M.; Solanki,
S. K.; Knölker, M.; Martinez Pillet, V.; Schmidt, W.; Title, A. M.;
SUNRISE Team
Bibcode: 2008AdSpR..42...70S
Altcode:
SUNRISE is an international project for the development, construction
and operation of a balloon-borne solar telescope with an aperture
of 1 m, working in the UV/VIS spectral domain. The main scientific
goal of SUNRISE is to understand the structure and dynamics of the
magnetic field in the atmosphere of the Sun. SUNRISE will provide
near diffraction-limited images of the photosphere and chromosphere
with an unprecedented resolution down to 35 km on the solar surface
at wavelengths around 220 nm. Active in-flight alignment and image
stabilization techniques are used. The focal-plane instrumentation
consists of a polarization sensitive spectrograph, a Fabry Perot
filter magnetograph and a phase-diverse filter imager working in
the near UV. The first stratospheric long-duration balloon flight
of SUNRISE is planned in summer 2009 from the Swedish ESRANGE
station. SUNRISE is a joint project of the German Max-Planck-Institut
für Sonnensystemforschung (MPS), Katlenburg-Lindau, with the
Kiepenheuer-Institut für Sonnenphysik (KIS), Freiburg, Germany, the
High-Altitude Observatory (HAO), Boulder, USA, the Lockheed-Martin
Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory (LMSAL), Palo Alto, USA, and the
Spanish IMaX consortium. This paper will give an overview about the
mission and a description of its scientific and technological aspects.
Title: The intensity contrast of solar granulation: comparing Hinode
SP results with MHD simulations
Authors: Danilovic, S.; Gandorfer, A.; Lagg, A.; Schüssler, M.;
Solanki, S. K.; Vögler, A.; Katsukawa, Y.; Tsuneta, S.
Bibcode: 2008A&A...484L..17D
Altcode: 2008arXiv0804.4230D
Context: The contrast of granulation is an important quantity
characterizing solar surface convection.
Aims: We compare the
intensity contrast at 630 nm, observed using the Spectro-Polarimeter
(SP) aboard the Hinode satellite, with the 3D radiative MHD simulations
of Vögler & Schüssler (2007, A&A, 465, L43).
Methods:
A synthetic image from the simulation is degraded using a theoretical
point-spread function of the optical system, and by considering other
important effects.
Results: The telescope aperture and the
obscuration by the secondary mirror and its attachment spider, reduce
the simulated contrast from 14.4% to 8.5%. A slight effective defocus
of the instrument brings the simulated contrast down to 7.5%, close to
the observed value of 7.0%.
Conclusions: A proper consideration
of the effects of the optical system and a slight defocus, lead to
sufficient degradation of the synthetic image from the MHD simulation,
such that the contrast reaches almost the observed value. The remaining
small discrepancy can be ascribed to straylight and slight imperfections
of the instrument, which are difficult to model. Hence, Hinode SP data
are consistent with a granulation contrast which is predicted by 3D
radiation MHD simulations.
Title: SUNRISE: High resolution UV/VIS observations of the Sun from
the stratosphere
Authors: Gandorfer, A. M.; Solanki, S. K.; Barthol, P.; Martínez
Pillet, V.; Schmidt, W.; Title, A. M.; Knölker, M.
Bibcode: 2007msfa.conf...69G
Altcode:
SUNRISE is an international project for the development, construction,
and operation of a balloon-borne solar telescope with an aperture
of 1 m, working in the UV/VIS spectral domain. The main scientific
goal of SUNRISE is to understand the structure and dynamics of the
magnetic field in the atmosphere of the Sun. SUNRISE will provide
near diffraction-limited images of the photosphere and chromosphere
with an unpredecented resolution down to 35 km on the solar surface at
wavelengths around 220 nm. The focal-plane instrumentation consists of a
polarization sensitive spectrograph, a Fabry-Perot filter magnetograph,
and a phase-diverse filter imager working in the near UV. The first
stratospheric long-duration balloon flight of SUNRISE is planned in
summer 2009 from the Swedish ESRANGE station. SUNRISE is a joint project
of the German Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung (MPS),
Katlenburg-Lindau, with the Kiepenheuer-Institut für Sonnenphysik
(KIS), Freiburg, Germany, the High-Altitude Observatory (HAO), Boulder,
USA, the Lockheed-Martin Solar and Astrophysics Lab. (LMSAL), Palo
Alto, USA, and the Spanish IMaX consortium. In this paper we will
present a brief description of the scientific and technological aspects
of SUNRISE.
Title: A comparative study of the contrast of solar magnetic elements
in CN and CH
Authors: Zakharov, V.; Gandorfer, A.; Solanki, S. K.; Löfdahl, M.
Bibcode: 2007A&A...461..695Z
Altcode:
No abstract at ADS
Title: High-resolution CN spectroscopy of small-scale solar magnetic
features
Authors: Zakharov, V. V.; Gandorfer, A.; Solanki, S. K.
Bibcode: 2007msfa.conf..161Z
Altcode:
High-resolution spectroscopic observations of small-scale magnetic
elements in the solar photosphere were carried out in the spectral
region 387.5388.4 nm with the 1-m Swedish Solar Telescope (SST). This
part of the spectrum covers not only the violet CN band-head, but also
contains some lines of the CH molecule. The analysis of the line-core
intensity contrasts of the CN and CH lines in bright points (BPs)
yielded that on average the BPs appear brighter, thus providing a higher
rms contrast, in the CN than in the CH lines in the same spectral band.
Title: Polarimetry of the Second Solar Spectrum in the UVB
Authors: Gandorfer, A.; Gisler, D.
Bibcode: 2006ASPC..358..225G
Altcode:
We report on our attempts to measure the Second Solar Spectrum in
the UVB region between 305 nm and 317 nm. Below 310 nm the increasing
absorption due to atmospheric ozone leads to a dramatic drop of the
photon flux, which renders high precision spectro-polarimetry more and
more difficult. We present preliminary data and discuss the disturbing
influence of different error sources like stray light and dark signal
uncertainties, in order to derive confidence levels for our data.
Title: Supersonic Downflows in the Vicinity of a Solar Pore
Authors: Lagg, A.; Woch, J.; Solanki, S. K.; Gandorfer, A.
Bibcode: 2006ASPC..358..437L
Altcode:
At the footpoints of magnetic arcades spanning over a site of flux
emergence we observe strong redshifts in the He I triplet at 1083
nm. These redshifts are associated with downflow speeds of up to
40 km s-1. Within the spatial resolution of our data (1
arcsec-2 arcsec) obtained with the Tenerife Infrared Polarimeter at
the VTT we find an almost unshifted atmospheric component coexisting
with the redshifted component. We were able to retrieve the magnetic
field configuration in both the unshifted and the redshifted component
simultaneously and infer an uncombed, fibril-like structure of the
upper chromosphere. The supersonic downflow speeds are interpreted as
a consequence of a significantly reduced pressure scale height above
the pore, where the magnetic arcades are rooted. A temporal series of
the fast downflow region reveals that the supersonic flow is maintained
for more than one hour. Making use of the increased spatial resolution
of the new TIP2 instrument we are working on reducing the upper limit
on the size of the fibril-like flux channels in the upper chromosphere.
Title: High-Resolution CN Spectroscopy of Small-Scale Solar Magnetic
Features
Authors: Zakharov, V. V.; Gandorfer, A.; Solanki, S. K.
Bibcode: 2006IAUJD...3E..87Z
Altcode:
High-resolution spectroscopic observations of the Sun have been
carried out with the TRIPPEL spectrograph installed at the new 1-m
Swedish Solar Telescope (SST) using realtime AO correction. A detailed
spectroscopic analysis of individual photospheric bright points (BP)
and faculae-like structures simultaneously in two spectral domains,
i.e 387.588<λ<388.473 nm (violet CN band) and in a blue spectral
band at 436.1<λ<436.9 nm, containing absorption lines of CH,
obtained at the disc center and near the limb is presented. The
estimated spatial resolution of the obtained spectra is around
0.25 arcsec while the spectral resolving power is around 130.000
in the first domain, and 76.000 in the second spectral region,
respectivlely. The first spectral band covers absorption lines of
both, CH and CN molecules, as well as many atomic lines. This enabled
us to make a quantitative comparison of their absorption and Doppler
shifts in the different photospheric features. The absorption lines
of the CN molecule and many atoms are depressed in a BP's interior
with respect to those in the quiet Sun. Our quantitative comparison
of the relative line depression of CH lines with respect to CN lines
showed that the latter have weaker absorption by a factor of 1.28 at
the disc centre and 1.32 near the limb. The CN line-core intensity,
at the disc centre, has higher BP contrast than the contrast in the
CH line-core by a factor of 1.9, and the ratio of these contrasts
is decreasing with increasing continuum intensity of the BPs. This
trend is similar to that obtained from previous simultaneous G-band
and violet CN-band imaging observations. Measurements of contrasts and
rms contrasts of line-core, integrated and local continuum intensities
are provided. Analysis of Doppler shifts and line broadening of an
Fe I line at 387.777 nm revealed an increase of the FWHM in the BP's
interior and in dark intergranular lanes and a decrease with increasing
intensity of the granules. The first results of a direct comparison
of observed CN spectra with those simulated in MHD models in different
photospheric features is presented.
Title: Solar Coronal Magnetic Field Mapper
Authors: Solanki, S. K.; Raouafi, N. -E.; Gandorfer, A.; Schühle,
U.; Lagg, A.
Bibcode: 2006ESASP.617E.160S
Altcode: 2006soho...17E.160S
No abstract at ADS
Title: SUNRISE: high resolution UV/VIS observations of the Sun from
the stratosphere
Authors: Gandorfer, A. M.; Solanki, S. K.; Barthol, P.; Lites, B. W.;
Martínez Pillet, V.; Schmidt, W.; Soltau, D.; Title, A. M.
Bibcode: 2006SPIE.6267E..0SG
Altcode: 2006SPIE.6267E..25G
SUNRISE is an international project for the development, construction,
and operation of a balloon-borne solar telescope with an aperture
of 1 m, working in the UV/VIS spectral domain. The main scientific
goal of SUNRISE is to understand the structure and dynamics of the
magnetic field in the atmosphere of the Sun. SUNRISE will provide
near diffraction-limited images of the photosphere and chromosphere
with an unpredecented resolution down to 35 km on the solar surface at
wavelengths around 220 nm. The focal-plane instrumentation consists of a
polarization sensitive spectrograph, a Fabry-Perot filter magnetograph,
and a phase-diverse filter imager working in the near UV. The first
stratospheric long-duration balloon flight of SUNRISE is planned
in Summer 2009 from the swedish ESRANGE station. SUNRISE is a joint
project of the german Max-Planck-Institut fur Sonnensystemforschung
(MPS), Katlenburg-Lindau, with the Kiepenheuer-Institut fur Sonnenphysik
(KIS), Freiburg, Germany, the High-Altitude Observatory (HAO), Boulder,
USA, the Lockheed-Martin Solar and Astrophysics Lab. (LMSAL), Palo Alto,
USA, and the spanish IMaX consortium. In this paper we will present
an actual update on the mission and give a brief description of its
scientific and technological aspects.
Title: The EPICS project for the European Extremely Large Telescope:
outcome of the Planet Finder concept study for OWL
Authors: Vérinaud, C.; Hubin, N.; Kasper, M.; Antichi, J.; Baudoz,
P.; Beuzit, J. -L.; Boccaletti, A.; Chalabaev, A.; Dohlen, K.;
Fedrigo, E.; Correia Da Silva, C.; Feldt, M.; Fusco, T.; Gandorfer,
A.; Gratton, R.; Kuntschner, H.; Kerber, F.; Lenzen, R.; Martinez,
P.; Le Coarer, E.; Longmore, A.; Mouillet, D.; Navarro, R.; Paillet,
J.; Rabou, P.; Rahoui, F.; Selsis, F.; Schmid, H. M.; Soummer, R.;
Stam, D.; Thalmann, C.; Tinbergen, J.; Turatto, M.; Yaitskova, N.
Bibcode: 2006SPIE.6272E..0MV
Altcode: 2006SPIE.6272E..19V
The Exo-Planets Imaging Camera and Spectrograph (EPICS), is the Planet
Finder Instrument concept for the European Extremely Large Telescope
(ELT). The study made in the frame of the OWL 100-m telescope concept
is being up-dated in direct relation with the re-baselining activities
of the European Extremely Large Telescope.
Title: SUNRISE: high-resolution UV/VIS observations of the Sun from
the stratosphere
Authors: Solanki, S. K.; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.; Schüssler, M.;
Lites, B. W.; Martinez Pillet, V.; Schmidt, W.; Title, A. M.
Bibcode: 2006cosp...36.2416S
Altcode: 2006cosp.meet.2416S
SUNRISE is a balloon-borne solar telescope with an aperture of 1m
working in the UV VIS optical domain The main scientific goal of
SUNRISE is to study the structure and dynamics of the magnetic field
in the atmosphere of the Sun at high spatial resolution SUNRISE will
provide diffraction-limited images of the photosphere and chromosphere
with an unprecedented resolution down to 35km at wavelengths around
220nm Focal-plane instruments are a UV filter imager a Fabry-Perot
filter magnetograph and a spectrograph polarimeter Stratospheric
long-duration balloon flights of SUNRISE over the North Atlantic
and or Antarctica are planned SUNRISE is a joint project of the
Max-Planck-Institut fuer Sonnensystemforschung MPS Katlenburg-Lindau
with the Kiepenheuer-Institut fuer Sonnenphysik KIS Freiburg the
High-Altitude Observatory HAO Boulder the Lockheed-Martin Solar and
Astrophysics Lab LMSAL Palo Alto and the spanish IMaX consortium The
presentation will give an overview about the mission and a description
of the instrumentation now at the beginning of the hardware construction
phase
Title: The EPICS project: Exoplanets detection with OWL
Authors: Verinaud, C.; Hubin, N.; Kasper, M.; Antichi, J.; Baudoz,
P.; Beuzit, J. -L.; Boccaletti, A.; Chalabaev, A.; Dohlen, K.;
Fedrigo, E.; da Silva, C. Correia; Feldt, M.; Fusco, T.; Gandorfer,
A.; Gratton, R.; Kuntschner, H.; Kerber, F.; Le Louarn, M.; Lenzen,
R.; Le Coarer, E.; Longmore, A.; Mouillet, D.; Navarro, R.; Paillet,
J.; Rabou, P.; Rahoui, F.; Selsis, F.; Schmid, H. M.; Soummer, R.;
Stam, D.; Thalmann, C.; Tinbergen, J.; Turatto, M.; Yaitskova, N.
Bibcode: 2006dies.conf..507V
Altcode: 2006IAUCo.200..507V
This paper presents the status of the EPICS project, an Earth-like
Planets Imaging Camera Spectrograph for OWL. We present the
Top-Level-Requirements of the instrument and we describe the baseline
of the Adaptive Optics system with optimized wave-front sensor. The
expected performance in rejection of starlight in the near infrared
and in the visible is given. The instruments concepts for detection
and characterization of exo-planets will be briefly described. The
Signal-to-Noise ratio estimation shows that Earth-like planets can be
detected up to 20 pc in a reasonable amount of time. The extremely
challenging requirements in terms of static residual errors and
differential aberrations are discussed.
Title: What can we learn about the Sun from observations in the
near ultraviolet?
Authors: Gandorfer, Achim
Bibcode: 2006msu..conf..187G
Altcode:
No abstract at ADS
Title: Uv Polarimetry of the Second Solar Spectrum
Authors: Gandorfer, A.
Bibcode: 2005ESASP.596E...5G
Altcode: 2005ccmf.confE...5G
No abstract at ADS
Title: A comparative study of the contrast of solar magnetic elements
in CN and CH
Authors: Zakharov, V.; Gandorfer, A.; Solanki, S. K.; Löfdahl, M.
Bibcode: 2005A&A...437L..43Z
Altcode:
Photospheric bright points were investigated in three different
wavelength bands using interference filters centered at 436.5 nm
(continuum), 430.5 nm (Fraunhofer's G-band dominated by absorption due
to CH), and 388.7 nm (absorption band of CN). Such bright points serve
as proxies of small-scale solar magnetic elements. Near diffraction
limited imaging was achieved by real-time frame selection and
subsequent joint phase diverse speckle reconstruction. Comparison of
the filtergrams of NOAA0670 taken in CH and CN shows that the contrast
of bright points is on average 1.4 times higher in CN than in
G-band, which is in good quantitative agreement with the predictions
of Berdyugina et al. (2003, A&A, 412, 513) and Rutten et al. (2001,
ASP Conf. Ser., 236, 445).
Title: The Second Solar Spectrum: A high spectral resolution
polarimetric survey of scattering polarization at the solar limb in
graphical representation. Volume III: 3160 Å to 3915 Å
Authors: Gandorfer, Achim
Bibcode: 2005sss..book.....G
Altcode:
Progress in instrumentation and observational techniques brought
a wealth of new information about the Sun in recent years. High
precision imaging polarimeters allowed astrophysicists to unveil
a hidden face of the Sun: the spectral richness of the scattering
polarization at the extreme solar limb, which has been called the
"Second Solar Spectrum". It provides complementary information on
the physical structure of the solar atmosphere in addition to the
Fraunhofer spectrum of the solar irradiance. The third volume
of the Atlas of the "Second Solar Spectrum" gives a complete overview
on the scattering polarization structures in the wavelength interval
between 3160 to 3915 Angstroem with unprecedented spectral resolution
and polarimetric accuracy. Many of the spectral structures have been
observed for the first time and remain to be understood in terms of
solar physics as well as atomic physics. The data are presented in
graphical form to provide a reference catalogue for solar researchers
working in the field. It is intended as a standard reference manual
for future observations in selected regions as well as a data source
for theoretical studies on polarized radiative transfer in stellar
atmospheres. The Atlas is a unique source of information not
only for professional astronomers but also for scientists working in
spectroscopy and related topics.
Title: SUNRISE: high-resolution UV/VIS observations of the Sun from
the stratosphere
Authors: Gandorfer, Achim M.; Solanki, Sami K.; Schüssler, Manfred;
Curdt, Werner; Lites, Bruce W.; Martínez Pillet, Valentin; Schmidt,
Wolfgang; Title, Alan M.
Bibcode: 2004SPIE.5489..732G
Altcode:
SUNRISE is a balloon-borne solar telescope with an aperture of 1m,
working in the UV/VIS optical domain. The main scientific goal
of SUNRISE is to understand the structure and dynamics of the
magnetic field in the atmosphere of the Sun. SUNRISE will provide
diffraction-limited images of the photosphere and chromosphere with
an unpredecented resolution down to 35km at wavelengths around
220nm. Focal-plane instruments are a spectrograph/polarimeter,
a Fabry-Perot filter magnetograph, and a filter imager. The first
stratospheric long-duration balloon flight of SUNRISE over Antarctica
is planned in winter 2006/2007. SUNRISE is a joint project of the
Max-Planck-Institut fur Sonnensystemforschung (MPS), Katlenburg-Lindau,
with the Kiepenheuer-Institut für Sonnenphysik (KIS), Freiburg, the
High-Altitude Observatory (HAO), Boulder, the Lockheed-Martin Solar and
Astrophysics Lab. (LMSAL), Palo Alto, and the Instituto de Astrofisica
de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife. In this paper we will present an
overview on the mission and give a description of the instrumentation,
now, at the beginning of the hardware construction phase.
Title: Solar polarimetry in the near UV with the Zurich Imaging
Polarimeter ZIMPOL II
Authors: Gandorfer, A. M.; Steiner, H. P. Povel P.; Aebersold, F.;
Egger, U.; Feller, A.; Gisler, D.; Hagenbuch, S.; Stenflo, J. O.
Bibcode: 2004A&A...422..703G
Altcode:
We describe an imaging polarimeter for high sensitivity measurements
of solar polarisation signals in the wavelength range from 300 nm to
1 μm. At higher wavelengths the system is limited by the wavelength
cut-off of the silicon CCD sensor used. To the blue the limitation
arises from the atmospheric cut-off around 310 nm. The complete system
is a modified version of the Zurich Imaging Polarimeter ZIMPOL II
which has been equipped with a special CCD sensor. The CCD combines
for the first time a so-called open electrode structure with on-chip
demodulation. The concept as well as the detailed design of the
instrument are presented. Examples of observations are shown and
interpreted in order to experimentally evaluate the performance of
the system. All appendices are only available in electronic form
at http://www.edpsciences.org
Title: Solar constraints on new couplings between electromagnetism
and gravity
Authors: Solanki, S. K.; Preuss, O.; Haugan, M. P.; Gandorfer, A.;
Povel, H. P.; Steiner, P.; Stucki, K.; Bernasconi, P. N.; Soltau, D.
Bibcode: 2004PhRvD..69f2001S
Altcode: 2004gr.qc.....2055S
The unification of quantum field theory and general relativity is a
fundamental goal of modern physics. In many cases, theoretical efforts
to achieve this goal introduce auxiliary gravitational fields, ones
in addition to the familiar symmetric second-rank tensor potential
of general relativity, and lead to nonmetric theories because of
direct couplings between these auxiliary fields and matter. Here,
we consider an example of a metric-affine gauge theory of gravity in
which torsion couples nonminimally to the electromagnetic field. This
coupling causes a phase difference to accumulate between different
polarization states of light as they propagate through the metric-affine
gravitational field. Solar spectropolarimetric observations are reported
and used to set strong constraints on the relevant coupling constant k:
k2<(2.5 km)2.
Title: Temporal evolution of chromospheric downflows
Authors: Lagg, Andreas; Woch, J.; Krupp, N.; Gandorfer, A.; Solanki,
S. K.
Bibcode: 2004IAUS..223..279L
Altcode: 2005IAUS..223..279L
At the footpoints of loops spanning a site of flux emergence, earlier
investigated in the papers by Solanki et al. (2003) and Lagg et
al. (2004), we find large redshifts in the He 1083 nm line coexisting
with an almost unshifted component. The speed associated with these
redshifts reaches values as high as 40 km/s. We interpret these
downflows in the context of several models: the free-fall downflow of
matter along vertical field lines (Schmidt et al. 2000), the redshift
by downward propagating acoustic waves (Hansteen 1993) and the motion
of condensation regions to either side of loop footpoints (Müller et
al. 2003). We present the temporal evolution of these redshifts and
reconstruct the magnetic field vector in these regions for both the
redshifted and the unshifted atmospheric component.
Title: SUNRISE: Balloon-borne High-Resolution Observation of the Sun
Authors: Solanki, S. K.; Curdt, W.; Gandorfer, A.; Schüssler,
M.; Lites, B. W.; Martinez Pillet, V.; Schmidt, W.; Title, A. M.;
Sunrise Team
Bibcode: 2003ANS...324..113S
Altcode: 2003ANS...324..P20S
No abstract at ADS
Title: SUNRISE: a balloon-borne telescope for high resolution solar
observations in the visible and UV
Authors: Solanki, Sami K.; Gandorfer, Achim M.; Schuessler, Manfred;
Curdt, W.; Lites, Bruce W.; Martinez-Pillet, Valentin; Schmidt,
Wolfgang; Title, Alan M.
Bibcode: 2003SPIE.4853..129S
Altcode:
Sunrise is a light-weight solar telescope with a 1 m aperture for
spectro-polarimetric observations of the solar atmosphere. The telescope
is planned to be operated during a series of long-duration balloon
flights in order to obtain time series of spectra and images at the
diffraction-limit and to study the UV spectral region down to ~200 nm,
which is not accessible from the ground. The central aim of Sunrise
is to understand the structure and dynamics of the magnetic field in
the solar atmosphere. Through its interaction with the convective flow
field, the magnetic field in the solar photosphere develops intense
field concentrations on scales below 100 km, which are crucial for the
dynamics and energetics of the whole solar atmosphere. In addition,
Sunrise aims to provide information on the structure and dynamics
of the solar chromosphere and on the physics of solar irradiance
changes. Sunrise is a joint project of the Max-Planck-Institut fuer
Aeronomie (MPAe), Katlenburg-Lindau, with the Kiepenheuer-Institut fuer
Sonnenphysik (KIS), Freiburg, the High-Altitude Observatory (HAO),
Boulder, the Lockheed-Martin Solar and Astrophysics Lab. (LMSAL),
Palo Alto, and the Instituto de Astrofi sica de Canarias, La Laguna,
Tenerife. In addition, there are close contacts with associated
scientists from a variety of institutes.
Title: Characterization of polarising beamsplitters by ray tracing
Authors: Bluemchen, Thomas; Gandorfer, Achim M.
Bibcode: 2003SPIE.4843..492B
Altcode:
Four different designs for a polarising beamsplitter (BS) are
compared under the aspect of their suitability for high resolution
solar spectropolarimetry. The four designs are: A solution based
on a Savart-plate, two air-spaced Wollaston prisms, and a glass
beamsplitter cube with polarisation sensitive dielectric coating,
and a single Wollaston prism inside a focal reducer. Using ray-tracing
algorithms these beamsplitters are characterised with the help of spot
diagrams for the two light paths of orthogonal polarisation. It is
shown that with the current spectrographs employed in solar research,
the differential optical aberrations introduced by the beamsplitter are
negligible, thanks to the slow F/#-ratio of existing solar telescopes
and the limited field of view of currently used array detectors. It
will, however, be demonstrated that with the new generation of
large solar telescopes care must be exercised on the design of the
beamsplitter. This will be shown using an example spectrograph, as
could be used in a new 1.5 m class solar telescope.
Title: Achromatic liquid crystal polarisation modulator
Authors: Gisler, Daniel; Feller, Alex; Gandorfer, Achim M.
Bibcode: 2003SPIE.4843...45G
Altcode:
The design of an achromatic polarisation modulator is presented. The
modulator is based on a combination of three electrically switchable
non-achromatic ferroelectric liquid crystal retarders. The design
follows the idea by Pancharatnam who first introduced suitable
achromatic combinations of crystal retarders. We combined three
ferroelectric liquid crystal retarders to create an electrically
switchable achromatic halfwave plate which can be used in the spectral
range from 400 nm to 750 nm. Different designs are theoretically
modeled and compared under the aspects of their individual response to
temperature fluctuations and useful wavelength range. First results
of laboratory tests are presented to experimentally evaluate the
feasibility of the concept.
Title: Imaging vector polarimetry at the 10-5 level in
the visible and near ultraviolent part of the solar spectrum
Authors: Gandorfer, Achim M.
Bibcode: 2003SPIE.4843...89G
Altcode:
New highly sensitive polarimetric instruments and observational
techniques allow to observe weak polarization signals in the visible
and near ultraviolet part of the solar spectrum. Many of these signals
are caused by scattering processes in the upper photosphere and lower
chromosphere and thus reflect the thermodynamics of these layers. Also
magnetic fields lead to polarization via the Zeeman effect or alter
scattering polarization via the Hanle effect. The observation of both
effects requires highest polarimetric sensitivity in combination with
very high spectral resolution. In the following the instrumental and
observational concepts are described. Special emphasis will be given
to the Zurich Imaging Polarimeter II, which is now sensitive to the
near ultraviolet part of the solar spectrum down to the atmospheric
cut-off around 300 nm thanks to the use of a special CCD sensor,
which for the first time combines so-called 'open electrod structure'
with fast on-chip demodulation in the kHz regime.
Title: Search for Impact Polarization in Hα Flares
Authors: Bianda, M.; Stenflo, J. O.; Gandorfer, A.; Gisler, D.;
Küveler, G.
Bibcode: 2003ASPC..307..487B
Altcode:
No abstract at ADS
Title: Magnetic Elements Near the Solar Limb: Inversions Based on
a Flux-tube Model
Authors: Frutiger, C.; Solanki, S. K.; Gandorfer, A.
Bibcode: 2003ASPC..307..344F
Altcode:
No abstract at ADS
Title: High sensitivity polarimetry
Authors: Gandorfer, A. M.
Bibcode: 2003AN....324..318G
Altcode:
Over the last decade spectro-polarimetry evolved to ever higher
sensitivity levels. New techniques and instruments allow us to
address weak polarization signals, which are caused by scattering
in the solar atmosphere. In this paper a review on the development
of spectro-polarimetric investigations of scattering physics and its
coupling to the solar magnetic field will be given. Starting from a
technical point of view it will be demonstrated how our understanding
of scattering phenomena and their role in solar physics in general has
reached its current state. An outlook on future spectro-polarimetry
with new large solar telescopes concludes this review.
Title: Polarimetry in the Near UV Part of the Solar Spectrum with
ZIMPOL II
Authors: Gandorfer, A. M.
Bibcode: 2003ASPC..307...35G
Altcode:
No abstract at ADS
Title: Enigmatic Magnetic Field Effects in the Scattering Polarization
of the Ca I 4227 Å Line
Authors: Bianda, M.; Stenflo, J. O.; Gandorfer, A.; Gisler, D.
Bibcode: 2003ASPC..286...61B
Altcode: 2003ctmf.conf...61B
No abstract at ADS
Title: The Second Solar Spectrum in the Ultraviolet
Authors: Gandorfer, A. M.
Bibcode: 2003ASPC..307..399G
Altcode:
No abstract at ADS
Title: Instrumentation for optical magnetometry
Authors: Gandorfer, Achim M.
Bibcode: 2002ESASP.505...19G
Altcode: 2002solm.conf...19G; 2002IAUCo.188...19G
A review of existing polarimetric techniques is given. Different optical
devices are shortly characterised under the aspect of their suitability
for solar polarimetry. Error sources in polarimetric measurements are
discussed as well as possibilities to avoid or minimise infiltrations
of systematic errors into the observations. Instrumental techniques as
well as off-line data analyses techniques are reviewed. Using existing
polarimeters as potential technological presteps to future instruments
for ground and space based polarimetry we will try to identify error
sources and technological risks, but also to look for promising
attempts to solve new challenges in order to stay competitive with
the new demands that high spatial resolution will pose to polarimetry.
Title: Spatial mapping of the Hanle and Zeeman effects on the Sun
Authors: Stenflo, J. O.; Gandorfer, A.; Holzreuter, R.; Gisler, D.;
Keller, C. U.; Bianda, M.
Bibcode: 2002A&A...389..314S
Altcode:
Spatial mapping of the Hanle and Zeeman effects on the Sun has been done
for the first time, through Stokes vector imaging with a narrow-band
(0.2 Å) universal filter. It is shown how the polarization signatures
of the Hanle and Zeeman effects can be cleanly distinguished from each
other by comparing the Stokes images recorded at different, specially
selected wavelengths within the Na I D2-D1
line system. Examples of the polarization signatures of sunspots,
faculae, the supergranulation network, and large-scale canopy fields
are shown. The most striking result of our observations is that the
scattering polarization has an extremely intermittent structure rather
than being a simple function of limb distance. These intermittent
scattering polarization signals are cospatial with the facular
and supergranulation network seen both in intensity and circular
polarization. The observed pattern can be explained in terms of magnetic
enhancement of the scattering polarization in the network and/or Hanle
depolarization of the scattering polarization outside the network. Since
however no magnetic fields are seen in circular polarization outside the
network, the relative absence of linear scattering polarization there
may be explained by Hanle depolarization only if the volume filling,
depolarizing magnetic field has mixed polarities on a subarcsec scale
that is not resolved.
Title: Molecular line scattering and magnetic field effects:
Resolution of an enigma
Authors: Berdyugina, S. V.; Stenflo, J. O.; Gandorfer, A.
Bibcode: 2002A&A...388.1062B
Altcode:
The linearly polarized solar spectrum that is produced by coherent
scattering processes (also called ``the second solar spectrum'') is full
of polarizing features due to molecular transitions, in particular from
MgH and C2. Their greatly different behavior in comparison
with the observed polarization from atomic transitions has presented
us with a new enigma: While the scattering polarization in atomic lines
is very sensitive to magnetic fields via the Hanle effect and therefore
exhibits polarization signatures that vary both spatially and with the
solar cycle, the molecular polarization appears to be immune to the
influence of magnetic fields. To clarify these issues we here develop
a theoretical foundation for polarized molecular scattering, which
can serve as a general tool for interpretations of the structures in
the second solar spectrum. Intrinsic polarizabilities, line strengths,
and effective Landé factors for the different transitions of the P,
Q, and R branches of MgH and C2 are calculated. While the
intrinsic polarizabilities remain significant, the effective Landé
factors are close to zero for the majority of the lines, in contrast
to the behavior of atomic lines. This resolves the enigma and indicates
how the molecular lines may serve as immutable reference lines against
which the atomic lines can be gauged when trying to determine long-term,
solar-cycle variations of the magnetic fields via the Hanle effect.
Title: The Second Solar Spectrum: A high spectral resolution
polarimetric survey of scattering polarization at the solar limb in
graphical representation. Volume II: 3910 Å to 4630 Å
Authors: Gandorfer, Achim
Bibcode: 2002sss..book.....G
Altcode:
Progress in instrumentation and observational techniques brought
a wealth of new information about the Sun in recent years. High
precision imaging polarimeters allowed astrophysicists to unveil
a hidden face of the Sun: the spectral richness of the scattering
polarization at the extreme solar limb, which has been called the
"Second Solar Spectrum". It provides complementary information on
the physical structure of the solar atmosphere in addition to the
Fraunhofer spectrum of the solar irradiance. The second volume
of the Atlas of the "Second Solar Spectrum" gives a complete overview
on the scattering polarization structures in the wavelength interval
between 3910 to 4630 Angstroem with unprecedented spectral resolution
and polarimetric accuracy. Many of the spectral structures have been
observed for the first time and remain to be understood in terms of
solar physics as well as atomic physics. The data are presented in
graphical form to provide a reference catalogue for solar researchers
working in the field. It is intended as a standard reference manual
for future observations in selected regions as well as a data source
for theoretical studies on polarized radiative transfer in stellar
atmospheres. The Atlas is a unique source of information not
only for professional astronomers but also for scientists working in
spectroscopy and related topics.
Title: Observations of Weak Polarisation Signals from the Sun
Authors: Gandorfer, Achim
Bibcode: 2002RvMA...15..113G
Altcode:
No abstract at ADS
Title: Measuring weak polarization
Authors: Gandorfer, Achim M.
Bibcode: 2001ESASP.493..223G
Altcode: 2001sefs.work..223G
No abstract at ADS
Title: Influence of magnetic fields on the coherence effects in the
Na I D1 and D2 lines
Authors: Stenflo, J. O.; Gandorfer, A.; Wenzler, T.; Keller, C. U.
Bibcode: 2001A&A...367.1033S
Altcode:
To clarify the physical nature of the enigmatic scattering
polarization in the Na i D1 and D2 line cores
we have explored their behavior with full Stokes vector polarimetry
in regions with varying degree of magnetic activity near the solar
limb. These observations represent the first time that ZIMPOL II,
the second generation of our CCD based imaging polarimeter systems,
has been used for a scientific program. With ZIMPOL II the four Stokes
images can be demodulated and recorded with a single CCD sensor such
that the resulting images of the fractional polarization Q/I, U/I,
and V/I are entirely free from spurious features due to seeing or
flat-field effects. The polarization in the cores of the lines, in
particular in D2, exhibits dramatic and unexpected spatial
variations in both Q/I and U/I, including polarization self-reversals
of the D2 Q/I core peak. As the fluctuations in the Q,
U, and V parameters appear to be relatively uncorrelated, we have
parametrized the profiles and made scatter plots of the extracted
parameters. Comparison with synthetic scatter plots based on different
theoretical models suggests that the polarization signals in the cores
of the D2 and D1 lines have different physical
origins: While the D1 core is likely to be governed by
ground-state atomic polarization, the D2 core is dominated by
the alignment of the excited state and by effects of partial frequency
redistribution.
Title: High precision polarimetry of the Sun
Authors: Gandorfer, Achim
Bibcode: 2001PhDT.......200G
Altcode:
No abstract at ADS
Title: A High Resolution Atlas of the Second Solar Spectrum
Authors: Gandorfer, A. M.
Bibcode: 2001ASPC..236..109G
Altcode: 2001aspt.conf..109G
No abstract at ADS
Title: Center-to-limb variation of the enigmatic Na bt I D_1 and
D_2 polarization profiles
Authors: Stenflo, J. O.; Gandorfer, A.; Keller, C. U.
Bibcode: 2000A&A...355..781S
Altcode:
The remarkable polarization structure of the Na i D_1 and D_2 lines
that is due to coherent scattering has remained an enigma, since it has
not yet been possible to find an explanation that is consistent with
both current understanding of quantum mechanics and the astrophysical
properties of the Sun's atmosphere. To guide future theoretical efforts
we have here explored the detailed center-to-limb variation of the
linearly polarized profiles in non-magnetic regions. In particular we
find that the unexplained narrow polarization peaks in the Doppler
cores of the two lines become even more pronounced with respect to
the relative profile shape as we move away from the limb towards the
center of the solar disk.
Title: Anomalous polarization effects due to coherent scattering on
the Sun
Authors: Stenflo, J. O.; Keller, C. U.; Gandorfer, A.
Bibcode: 2000A&A...355..789S
Altcode:
The richly structured linearly polarized spectrum that is produced
by coherent scattering in the Sun's atmosphere contains a number of
spectral features for which no explanation has been found within the
standard scattering theory. According to this quantum-mechanical
framework, the intrinsic polarizability of a given line should be
determined by the total angular momentum quantum numbers of the
atomic levels involved in the scattering transition (which may be
resonant or fluorescent). Well defined polarization peaks have been
observed in many lines, which according to these theoretical concepts
should be intrinsically unpolarizable. A possible explanation for
these anomalous spectral structures could be that the initial ground
state of the scattering transition becomes polarized by an optical
pumping process. However, such an explanation is contradicted by
other observations, since it seems to require that much of the solar
atmosphere must be filled with extremely weak magnetic fields (<~
10 mG). We have searched through the whole visible solar spectrum
for lines with the quantum numbers that should normally make them
unpolarizable, and have carried out a systematic observing program
for the most prominent of these lines. Here we report on the observed
properties of the polarized line profiles of these lines and explain
in what respect their behaviors are anomalous and cannot be understood
within current conceptual frameworks.
Title: The Second Solar Spectrum: A high spectral resolution
polarimetric survey of scattering polarization at the solar limb in
graphical representation. Volume I: 4625 Å to 6995 Å
Authors: Gandorfer, Achim
Bibcode: 2000sss..book.....G
Altcode: 2000prat.conf...43P
Progress in instrumentation and observational techniques brought
a wealth of new information about the Sun in recent years. High
precision imaging polarimeters allowed astrophysicists to unveil
a hidden face of the Sun: the spectral richness of the scattering
polarization at the extreme solar limb, which has been called the
"Second Solar Spectrum". It provides complementary information on the
physical structure of the solar atmosphere in addition to the Fraunhofer
spectrum of the solar irradiance. The Atlas of the "Second Solar
Spectrum" gives a complete overview on the scattering polarization
structures in the wavelength interval between 4625 to 6995 Angstroem
with unprecedented spectral resolution and polarimetric accuracy. Many
of the spectral structures have been observed for the first time and
remain to be understood in terms of solar physics as well as atomic
physics. The data are presented in graphical form to provide a
reference catalogue for solar researchers working in the field. It
is intended as a standard reference manual for future observations in
selected regions as well as a data source for theoretical studies on
polarized radiative transfer in stellar atmospheres. The Atlas is
a unique source of information not only for professional astronomers but
also for scientists working in spectroscopy and related topics. www.vdf.ethz.ch/info/2764.html
Title: First results from ZIMPOL II
Authors: Gandorfer, A. M.
Bibcode: 1999ASSL..243..297G
Altcode: 1999sopo.conf..297G
No abstract at ADS
Title: Differential Hanle effect and the spatial variation of
turbulent magnetic fields on the Sun
Authors: Stenflo, J. O.; Keller, C. U.; Gandorfer, A.
Bibcode: 1998A&A...329..319S
Altcode:
While diagnostic techniques based on the ordinary Zeeman effect
(e.g. magnetograms) are almost ``blind'' to a turbulent magnetic field
with mixed magnetic polarities within the spatial resolution element,
the Hanle effect is sensitive to this domain of solar magnetism. We
present observational evidence that the turbulent magnetic field that
fills the 99\ts%\ of the volume between the kG flux tubes in quiet
solar regions does not have a unique field-strength distribution,
but the rms turbulent field strength can vary by an order of magnitude
from one solar location to the next. The varying Hanle depolarization
in combinations of spectral lines with different sensitivities to the
Hanle effect is conspicuously evident from direct visual inspection
of the spectra. To quantify these variations we have extracted the
polarization amplitudes for a selection of spectral lines observed in 8
different solar regions with different turbulent field strengths, and
then applied an inversion technique to find the field strengths and
calibrate the selected lines. The inversion gives stable solutions
for the turbulent field strengths, in the range 4--40\ts G, but
the field-strength scale is presently very uncertain. The inversion
exercise has helped to expose a number of problem areas which need to be
attended to before the differential Hanle effect can become a standard,
reliable diagnostic tool. One major problem is the extraction of the
line polarization when the contributions from the line and continuum
are of the same order of magnitude, which is the usual case. For
exploratory purposes we have applied a heuristic, statistical approach
to deal with this problem here.
Title: First observations with a new imaging polarimeter
Authors: Gandorfer, A. M.; Povel, H. P.
Bibcode: 1997A&A...328..381G
Altcode:
We present first observations of solar polarization with a new imaging
polarimetry system that simultaneously records three Stokes components,
I, Q, V or I, U, V, in a single CCD. This instrument is an intermediate
version on the way to ZIMPOL II (Zurich Imaging Stokes Polarimeter II),
which will record all four Stokes parameters (Stenflo et al. 1992). The
principle of operation is based on a piezoelastic polarization modulator
in combination with a special CCD sensor equipped with a microlens
array and a mask. This sensor is used as a synchronous demodulator. The
theoretical performance of the instrument is discussed. Laboratory
tests as well as initial solar observations at two different solar
telescopes are presented and analysed to experimentally evaluate the
performance. The polarimetric accuracy is better than 10(-4) , a noise
level of 2x 10(-5) has been achieved; the polarimetric efficiency is
in agreement with theory.