Spectropolarimetry of Chromospheric Magnetic and Velocity Structure Above Active Regions

Abstract

Active regions often host large-scale gas flows in the chromosphere presumably directed along curved magnetic field lines. Spectropolarimetric observations of these flows are critical to understanding the nature and evolution of their anchoring magnetic structure. We discuss recent work with the Facility Infrared Spectropolarimeter (FIRS) located at the Dunn Solar Telescope in New Mexico to achieve high resolution imaging-spectropolarimetry of the Fe I lines at 630 nm, the Si I line at 1082.7 nm, and the He I triplet at 1083 nm. We present maps of the photospheric and chromospheric magnetic field vector above a sunspot as well as discuss characteristics of surrounding chromospheric flow structures.