Fredagskollokvium:Chromospheric and Transition Region dynamics

NASA's Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) has opened a new window on the solar chromosphere and transition region. Detailed analysis of the first season of observations has provided a number of new insights, for example the prevalence of torsional motions and jets, presence of small-scale loops at transition region temperature and low-altitude hot explosions. However, further quantification of the overall impact of these phenomena poses a formidable challenge. Observationally, this is further complicated by the fundamental limitation posed by the one-dimensional spectrograph slit when probing processes that are highly dynamic on short time scales and are spatially coupled over a relatively large area. In this talk, I will discuss the key contribution from context observations for the interpretation of IRIS observations. For example, coordinated observations with the Swedish Solar Telescope provide high resolution (spatially, temporally and spectrally) imaging and polarimetry of the photosphere and chromosphere over a wide area around the IRIS slit.