Magnetic field, emphasizing the chromosphere

The line-of-sight component of the solar magnetic field processed to emphasize the chromosphere. Dark features indicate a field directed away from the observer, light features one coming toward the observer. Note the large-scale diffuse areas near the limb, showing extended regions of horizontally oriented magnetic fields in the chromospheric component. A new reduction algorithm will show these fields more clearly. This work continues as part of the Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun (SOLIS) project, whose progress was described in the September 2004 NOAO Newsletter (currently only available in PDF format).