THEMIS telescope building

Dr Nicolas Labrosse and PhD student Peter Levens are leading an international team which has been awarded 20 days of observing time with THEMIS as part of the SOLARNET Transnational Access and Service Programme.

These observations will be part of a larger observing campaign in coordination with other instruments, including more ground-based observatories (Solar Tower of Observatoire de Meudon, Fuxian Solar Observatory) and satellites (SDO, Hinode, IRIS).

The objective is the measurement of magnetic fields in prominences and tornadoes, exploiting the excellent spectro-polarimetric capabilities of THEMIS in the He D3 line to infer the magnetic field vector. These phenomena represent unique examples of the small-scale coupling between magnetic field and plasma in environments with distinct dynamical behaviour. As such they represent key case studies for deepening our understanding of the Sun.

Peter Levens is pointing the telescope on an attractive target.

Some pictures of their trip can be found here.