Optical Polarimeters For Solar Research

A variety of physical processes and conditions in the solar at-mosphere produce polarized light, a useful diagnostic tool. We describe the instruments and techniques used to measure this polarization and indicate the solar physical processes illuminated by these measure-ments. Included are descriptions of instruments for broadband observa-tions of Thomson scattering in the solar corona; for observations of resonance polarization in prominence and coronal emission lines; and for narrowband, spectrally resolved polarimetry in Fraunhofer lines formed in the photosphere and chromosphere.