We present the first observations of the transverse component of photospheric magnetic field acquired by the imaging magnetograph Sunrise/IMaX. Using an automated detection method, we obtain statistical properties of 4536 features with significant linear polarization signal. We obtain a rate of occurrence of 7 · 10 −4 s −1 arcsec −2 , which is 1 − 2 orders of magnitude larger than values reported by previous studies. We show that these features have no characteristic size or lifetime. They appear preferentially at granule boundaries with most of them being caught in downflow lanes at some point. Only a small percentage are entirely and constantly embedded in upflows (16%) or downflows (8%).

Aims. We aim to improve our picture of the low chromosphere in the quiet-Sun internetwork by investigating the intensity, horizontal velocity, size and lifetime variations of small bright points (BPs; diameter smaller than 0.3 arcsec) observed in the Ca ii H 3968 Å passband along with their magnetic field parameters, derived from photospheric magnetograms. Methods. Several high-quality time series of disc-centre, quiet-Sun observations from the Sunrise balloon-borne solar telescope, with spatial resolution of around 100 km on the solar surface, have been analysed to study the dynamics of BPs observed in the Ca ii H passband and their dependence on the photospheric vector magnetogram signal.Results. Parameters such as horizontal velocity, diameter, intensity and lifetime histograms of the isolated internetwork and magnetic Ca ii H BPs were determined. Mean values were found to be 2.2 km s −1 , 0.2 arcsec (≈150 km), 1.48 I Ca and 673 s, respectively. Interestingly, the brightness and the horizontal velocity of BPs are anti-correlated. Large excursions (pulses) in horizontal velocity, up to 15 km s −1 , are present in the trajectories of most BPs. These could excite kink waves travelling into the chromosphere and possibly the corona, which we estimate to carry an energy flux of 310 W m −2 , sufficient to heat the upper layers, although only marginally. Conclusions. The stable observing conditions of Sunrise and our technique for identifying and tracking BPs have allowed us to determine reliable parameters of these features in the internetwork. Thus we find, e.g., that they are considerably longer lived than previously thought. The large velocities are also reliable, and may excite kink waves. Although these wave are (marginally) energetic enough to heat the quiet corona, we expect a large additional contribution from larger magnetic elements populating the network and partly also the internetwork.

Context. Except for the Ca ii resonance lines, fibrils are ubiquitously present in most high-resolution observations of chromospheric lines.Aims. We show that fibrils are also a prevailing feature in Ca ii K, provided the spatial-resolution is sufficiently high. Methods. We present high spatial resolution observations of an active region in the Ca ii K line from the Swedish Solar Telescope.Through a comparison between photospheric intensity and magnetic field data, we study the connection between bright chromospheric fibrils and photospheric structures. Additionally, using Fourier analysis we study how the fibrils are linked to the observed dynamics. Results. We find that very narrow, bright fibrils are a prevailing feature over large portions of the observed field. We also find a clear connection between the fibril footpoints and photospheric magnetic features. We show that the fibrils play two distinct roles in the observed dynamics: depending on their location they can act as a canopy suppressing oscillations or they can channel low-frequency oscillations into the chromosphere.Conclusions. The Ca ii K fibrils share many characteristics with fibrils observed in other chromospheric lines, but some features, such as the very small widths, are unique to these observations.

The Spectro-Polarimeter for Infrared and Optical Regions (SPINOR) is a new spectropolarimeter that will serve as a facility instrument for the Dunn Solar Telescope at the National Solar Observatory. This instrument is capable of achromatic polarimetry over a very broad range of wavelengths, from 430 to 1600 nm, allowing for the simultaneous observation of several visible and infrared spectral regions with full Stokes polarimetry. Another key feature of the design is its flexibility to observe virtually any combination of spectral lines, limited only by practical considerations (e.g., the number of detectors available, space on the optical bench, etc.).