Much of ground-based stellar astronomy and the magnetic field
information that drives our understanding of stellar atmospheres
and their variability depend on sensitive polarimetric
measurements. Detailed solar atmosphere models, constrained
by sensitive spectropolarimetry, are now being extended to 2-
and 3-dimensions.
For the last 15 years, the stellar and solar astronomy communities
have benefited from the five previous “Solar Polarization
Workshop” meetings where experts in theoretical quantum
scattering, atmospheric modeling, and sensitive instrument
technology were brought together to link and generalize our
fundamental understanding of polarization and magnetic fields.
The solar astronomy community is about to enter a new era with
the construction of the first large aperture telescope optimized
for polarimetry (the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope, or
ATST).
In June 2010, about 100 scientists and students met near the
future site of the ATST on Maui to focus attention on advancing
the science and technology that will accelerate our understanding
of the Sun’s and other stars’ atmospheres. This volume
captures the output of the sixth Solar Polarization Workshop in
pedagogic reviews and detailed new results from this rapidly expanding field.