Near-Infrared Study of Solar Magnetism

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AST 0206359PI LinThere are direct and practical reasons for studying the Sun owing to its obvious relationship to climate and for the effects of solar activity on earth, such as the interruption of radio communications when we are bathed in particles from solar flares. Solar magnetism is key to understanding both global and local phenomena in the atmospheric layers of the Sun. This project will develop new infrared instrumentation capable of high spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution of solar magnetic features from the photosphere to the corona. At the solar surface they will study the generation and maintenance mechanisms for sunspots and small scale photospheric magnetic fields. In the atmosphere of the Sun, they will investigate coronal magnetic fields, filaments, and solar prominences. The observations will be used to construct magnetic field models for the photospheric features from which comparisons with theory may be made. In addition, an education and public outreach program, particularly to be used by science teachers, will be carried out to raise public awareness of solar research in Hawaii.***