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.