Dkist unveils the serpentine topology of quiet Sun magnetism in the photosphere

We recorded observations in a wavelength range that includes the magnetically sensitive Fe i 6301.5/6302.5 angstrom doublet. With an estimated spatial resolution of 0.'' 08, this represents the highest spatial resolution full-vector spectropolarimetric observations ever obtained of the quiet Sun.

We identified 53 small-scale magnetic elements, including 47 magnetic loops and four unipolar magnetic patches, with linear and circular polarization detected in all of them. Of particular interest is a magnetic element in which the polarity of the magnetic vector appears to change three times in only 400 km and which has linear polarization signals throughout. We find complex Stokes V profiles at the polarity inversion lines of magnetic loops and discover degenerate solutions, as we are unable to conclusively determine whether these arise due to gradients in the atmospheric parameters or smearing of opposite-polarity signals.