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Development of a Precise Polarization Modulator for UV Spectropolarimetry

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Abstract

We developed a polarization modulation unit (PMU) to rotate a waveplate continuously in order to observe solar magnetic fields by spectropolarimetry. The non-uniformity of the PMU rotation may cause errors in the measurement of the degree of linear polarization (scale error) and its angle (crosstalk between Stokes-\(Q\) and -\(U\)), although it does not cause an artificial linear polarization signal (spurious polarization). We rotated a waveplate with the PMU to obtain a polarization modulation curve and estimated the scale error and crosstalk caused by the rotation non-uniformity. The estimated scale error and crosstalk were \({<}\, 0.01~\%\) for both. This PMU will be used as a waveplate motor for the Chromospheric Lyman-Alpha SpectroPolarimeter (CLASP) rocket experiment. We confirm that the PMU performs and functions sufficiently well for CLASP.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank H. Hara at the National Astronomical Obsevatory of Japan, S. Obara and K. Watanabe at JAXA, and S. Imada at Nagoya University for the development of the PMU-ROT. We also thank S. Hirata, M. Matsumoto and A. Urayama at the Mitsubishi Precision Co., Ltd for the development of both of the PMU-ROT and PMU-DRV, and the Techno-Craft Co. for the development of the PMU-DRV. The PMU-ROT is developed with support by the JAXA strategic research and a development grant to the JAXA SOLAR-C working group. The CLASP sounding rocket experiment is founded by NASA, CNES, JAXA, and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) through a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S) (Grant Number 25220703, PI: S. Tsuneta). The development of CLASP in Japan was also supported by the basic research program of the Institute of Space and Astronomical Science (ISAS), internal research funding of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), and JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers 24340040, 23340052, and 24740134. The authors also acknowledge N. Okada at the Advanced Technology Center of NAOJ for his support in preparation of the experimental jigs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-5210, Japan

    S. Ishikawa, T. Shimizu & S. Tsuneta

  2. National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo, 181-8588, Japan

    S. Ishikawa, R. Kano, T. Bando, R. Ishikawa & G. Giono

  3. Mitsubishi Precision Co., Ltd., Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan

    S. Nakayama & T. Tajima

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  1. S. Ishikawa
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  2. T. Shimizu
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  3. R. Kano
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  4. T. Bando
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  5. R. Ishikawa
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  6. G. Giono
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  7. S. Tsuneta
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  8. S. Nakayama
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  9. T. Tajima
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Correspondence to S. Ishikawa.

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Ishikawa, S., Shimizu, T., Kano, R. et al. Development of a Precise Polarization Modulator for UV Spectropolarimetry. Sol Phys 290, 3081–3088 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-015-0774-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-015-0774-0

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