Stokes polarimeter for mid-IR solar magnetic field measurements

George H. McCabe; Donald E. Jennings; Drake Deming; Pedro Sada; Thomas Moran

doi:10.1117/12.458667

14 February 2003 Stokes polarimeter for mid-IR solar magnetic field measurements

George H. McCabe, Donald E. Jennings, Drake Deming, Pedro Sada, Thomas Moran

Proceedings Volume 4843, Polarimetry in Astronomy; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.458667
Event: Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 2002, Waikoloa, Hawai'i, United States

Abstract

A motorized rotating wave plate polarization analyzer has been built for modulating solar light as input to the Celeste high-resolution cryogenic grating spectrometer to record full Stokes parameter maps at 12 microns wavelength of areas around sunspot and plage regions. The instrument system was used at the McMath-Pierce (1.5 m aperture, f/54) solar telescope at Kitt Peak, where single position slit spectra are spatially 120 arc-sec long, with a double sampled spectral resolution of 0.036 cm^-1. Stepper motor driven limb guiders and synchronized action of polarization wheels are under the control of the Celeste data system computer, allowing unattended programmable scanning with 2-3 arc-sec steps for several hours. The results are spatial maps of magnetic field strength and direction, strength measured directly to the level of a few hundred gauss, with a time resolution of approx. 5 minutes per slit position. In this presentation we describe the Mid-IR Stokes polarimetry instrument system, design and performance, and discuss plans for future development.

Citation Download Citation

George H. McCabe, Donald E. Jennings, Drake Deming, Pedro Sada, and Thomas Moran "Stokes polarimeter for mid-IR solar magnetic field measurements", Proc. SPIE 4843, Polarimetry in Astronomy, (14 February 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.458667

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