Radiative diagnostics in the solar photosphere and chromosphere

TL;DR

This paper reviews techniques for studying the Sun's atmosphere, focusing on how polarized light reveals magnetic fields, and discusses recent results from chromospheric inversions.

Contribution

It provides an overview of radiative transfer, inversion methods, and recent findings in chromospheric magnetic field diagnostics.

Findings

Overview of polarized radiative transfer theory

Discussion of inversion techniques for magnetic field inference

Presentation of recent chromospheric inversion results

Abstract

Magnetic fields on the surface of the Sun and stars in general imprint or modify the polarization state of the electromagnetic radiation that is leaving from the star. The inference of solar/stellar magnetic fields is performed by detecting, studying and modeling polarized light from the target star. In this review we present an overview of techniques that are used to study the atmosphere of the Sun, and particularly those that allow to infer magnetic fields. We have combined a small selection of theory on polarized radiative transfer, inversion techniques and we discuss a number of results from chromospheric inversions.