Space and ground-based observations of the solar atmosphere

We here apply for funds to observe, analyze and understand the very fine substructure of magnetic features like pores, sunspots and areas where magnetic flux emergence is occurring. The solar magnetic field is generated in the tachocline (the transition region between the radiative interior and the convective zone) by a dynamo process. The produced field emerges into the convection zone, erupts through the photosphere and into the outer solar atmospheric layers. This magnetic field is responsible for eve ry activity episode that can be seen over the solar surface and above. Norway, and in particular the Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics (ITA), plays an important role in several projects in which the study of the solar magnetic field is vital: In the development and maintenance of the database for the Japanese Hinode satellite, as well as in providing daily data downlinks from the KSat's station in Svalbard. Hinode is a collaboration between the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), NASA and t he European Space Agency (ESA). The solar group at ITA is heavily involved in the recently launched NASA's SDO satellite and the upcoming IRIS spacecraft. In this last case ITA has played a fundamental role in the design, development and approval of the m ission by NASA. At the same time, ITA has the right to 40 observing days per year at the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope (SST), which produces unique ground-based high-resolution observations. The described proposal will benefit from and provide benefits to I TA's (and thus Norway's) participation in these premium facilities. In particular we would like to focus on very high spatial resolution observations of photospheric fine substructures like light bridges, umbral dots and regions of supersonic downflows in pores. We will also analyze the coupling between the photosphere and the chromosphere during magnetic flux emergence processes.