Morphology and dynamics of the low solar chromosphere

Abstract

The Interferometric Bidimensional Spectrometer (IBIS) installed at the Dunn Solar Telescope of the NSO/SP is used to investigate the morphology and dynamics of the lower chromosphere and the virtually non-magnetic fluctosphere below. The study addresses in particular the structure of magnetic elements that extend into these layers. We choose different quiet-Sun regions inside and outside the coronal holes. In inter-network regions with no significant magnetic flux contributions above the detection limit of IBIS, we find intensity structures with the characteristics of a shock wave pattern. The magnetic flux elements in the network are long lived and seem to resemble the spatially extended counterparts to the underlying photospheric magnetic elements. We suggest a modification to common methods to derive the line-of-sight magnetic field strength and explain some of the difficulties in deriving the magnetic field vector from observations of the fluctosphere. © 2009. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.