The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) Cryogenic Near-Infrared Spectro-Polarimeter

• Published in: Solar physics Vol. 298; no. 1; p. 5
• Main Authors: Fehlmann, André, Kuhn, Jeffrey R., Schad, Thomas A., Scholl, Isabelle F., Williams, Rebecca, Agdinaoay, Rodell, Berst, D. Christopher, Craig, Simon C., Giebink, Cynthia, Goodrich, Bret, Hnat, Kirby, James, Don, Lockhart, Charles, Mickey, Donald L., Oswald, Daniel, Puentes, Myles M., Schickling, Richard, de Vanssay, Jean-Benoit, Warmbier, Eric A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Astronomy; Astrophysics and Astroparticles; Atmospheric Sciences; Corona; Design; Fabrication; Infrared spectra; Magnetic fields; Near infrared radiation; Observatories; Optics; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Polarimeters; Polarimetry; Sensors; Solar corona; Solar physics; Space Exploration and Astronautics; Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics; Spectrum analysis; Telescopes; The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST); Instrumentation and data management
• ISSN: 0038-0938; 1573-093X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11207-022-02098-y

The Cryogenic Near-Infrared Spectro-Polarimeter ( Cryo -NIRSP) is a combination slit-based spectrograph and context-imaging instrument designed and built for the National Science Foundation’s Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST). It is optimized for polarimetric observations of spectral band-passes between 1 and 5 microns, which makes it uniquely suited for polarimetric observations of the solar corona, while also enabling access to other important infrared diagnostics such as the CO fundamental band at 4.6 microns. Integration, testing, and commissioning occurred between 2019 and 2020, and it is now conducting science experiments as part of DKIST early operations. In this article, we discuss its science mission, the requirements driving the design, its fabrication and installation, current capabilities, and the first science data.