Abstract
The infrared solar spectrum contains a wealth of physical data about our Sun, and is explored using modern detectors and technology with new ground-based solar telescopes. The scientific motivation behind exploring these wavelengths is presented, along with a brief look at the rich history of observations here. Several avenues of solar physics research exploiting and benefiting from observations at infrared wavelengths from roughly 1000 nm to 12 400 nm are discussed, and the instrument and detector technology driving this research is briefly summarized. Finally, goals for future work at infrared wavelengths are presented in conjunction with ground and space-based observations.
Highlights
The infrared solar spectrum contains a wealth of physical data about our Sun, and is explored using modern detectors and technology with new ground-based solar telescopes
The goal of this review is to clearly show how we can attack those outstanding questions in solar physics by looking through the window provided by the infrared spectrum
The fundamental CO absorption lines near 4666 nm have been observed from the ground at the McMath–Pierce Solar Facility (McM-P) telescope (Hall et al, 1972), and have been seen in space data taken during the NASA Space Shuttle ATMOS mission (Farmer and Norton, 1989b)
Summary
“Why does anyone still observe the Sun using visible wavelengths of light?” a colleague recently asked of me. While this nomenclature is often used, it is not strictly defined for the three regions of Near-IR, Mid-IR, and Far-IR, and one should expect to see the terms used only loosely especially in fields outside of astronomy. Studies of the Sun at longer wavelengths have been reviewed by Deming et al (1991b) and new exciting results continue to be made, especially by Kaufmann et al (2013); but these wavelengths will be left for future discussion Within this smaller wavelength range, it is useful to consider both atmospheric transmission and detectors again. The quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) cameras offer a new and inexpensive route for measuring infrared photons, and are currently being tested at the NSO McMath–Pierce Solar Facility (McM-P)
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