Circular polarization of the CA II H and K lines in solar quiet and active regions

Abstract

A representative set of profiles is presented for the Ca II H resonace line in Stokes V and I, for the quiet sun, plages, sunspot umbrae, and a flare, as well as one example of the Ca II K line in a sunspot penumbra. The degree of polarization is highest in the spots and zero in the quiet sun, within error limits. The V profile asymmetries are, however, highest in the flare. The spectra of the Ca II K line are used to obtain a linear relation between V(lambda) and -dI/d(lambda) and a value for B(parallel) of 820 + or - 40 G using the weak-field approximation.