Ground-based solar observational campaigns to strengthen Hinode and IRIS science

It is common wisdom that space-based astronomical observatories open new windows on the universe. The Hinode satellite opened a new window on the Sun by putting an optical telescope into the seeing-free environment of outer space. Hinode's solar telescope has sufficiently large aperture (0.5 m) to resolve small-scale magnetic structures on the solar surface. The Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) will open a new window on the Sun by employing a UV spectrograph that achieves sufficient temporal a nd spatial resolution to resolve fundamental processes in the solar chromosphere, transition region and corona. The primary goal of IRIS is to understand how the solar atmosphere is energized. Crucial for achieving that goal are coordinated observations with other observing platforms, in space and on the ground. The CRisp Imaging SpectroPolarimeter (CRISP) at the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope (SST) is recognized by the IRIS science team as the prime instrument that can be utilized from the ground. CRISP is a narrow-band tunable filter instrument that provides a unique combination of high spatial, spectral and temporal resolution and is arguably one of the most powerful instruments for observing the solar photo- and chromosphere. We have extensive experien ce with SST observations, and have developed post-processing methods to achieve diffraction limited observing at high temporal cadence over a large field of view. We desire to further strengthen our observing capabilities by applying for funding to hire a post.doc and to upgrade central parts of our computing infrastructure needed for data post-processing. With additional manpower and upgraded computational resources and our excellent track record of successful SST operations, we will be able to take th e lead in the ground-based observation segment of Hinode and IRIS science exploration.