Paper
14 February 2003 Imaging polarimetry at the 10-5 level in the optical and near-UV part of the solar spectrum
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Abstract
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.
© (2003) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Achim M. Gandorfer "Imaging polarimetry at the 10-5 level in the optical and near-UV part of the solar spectrum", Proc. SPIE 4843, Polarimetry in Astronomy, (14 February 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.458612
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KEYWORDS
Polarization

Polarimetry

Modulation

Charge-coupled devices

Modulators

CCD image sensors

Scattering

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