CORONAGRAPHY FROM THE GROUND: CURRENT AND FUTURE OBSERVATIONS

Abstract:

Ground-based coronagraphs provided the first observations of the ethereal corona outside of a total solar eclipse in 1931. Invented by Bernard Lyot, coronagraphs enabled long time-series images and movies of the emission line corona. Advances in technology have led to more sophisticated coronagraphs capable of observing polarized light from spectral lines and the coronal continuum. These observations, coupled with advances in our understanding of resonance scattering-induced polarization, have greatly facilitated our knowledge of coronal physics and explosive events such as Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). While space-based coronagraphs provide spectacular observations of the extended corona, ground-based coronagraphs continue to contribute important, unique and complementary inner coronal observations at a fraction of the cost of a space-based mission. We discuss current ground-based solar coronagraphs, observations and data products and highlight future instruments and network capabilities and benefits.