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The Diffraction Limited Spectro-Polarimeter: a new instrument for high-resolution solar polarimetry
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2004
Year
EngineeringOptic DesignHigh-resolution Solar PolarimetryOptical TestingSpace OpticAstronomical Coordinate SystemNew InstrumentModulator SystemOptical PropertiesCalibrationNational Solar ObservatoryInstrumentationOptical SystemsNew Solar PolarimeterPhotometryRadiometryOptoelectronicsAdaptive OpticSpectroscopyApplied PhysicsPhotometry (Optics)Optical EngineeringOptical System Analysis
The National Solar Observatory in collaboration with the High-Altitude Observatory is developing a new solar polarimeter, the Diffraction Limited Spectro-Polarimeter. In conjunction with a new high-order adaptive optics system at the NSO Dunn Solar Telescope, the DLSP design facilitates very high angular resolution observations of solar vector magnetic fields. This project is being carried out in two phases. As a follow-on to the successful completion of the first phase, the ongoing DLSP Phase II implements a high QE CCD camera system, a ferro-electric liquid crystal modulator, and a new opto-mechanical system for polarization calibration. This paper documents in detail the development of the modulator system and its performance, and presents preliminary results from an engineering run carried out in combination with the new NSO high-order AO system.