Polarization sensitivity of the SUMER instrument on SOHO.

The Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) instrument on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) satellite is sensitive to the state of linear polarization of the incident radiation primarily owing to two optical elements, the holographic grating and the wavelength scan mirror. The large angle of incidence of light striking the scan mirror, which varies from roughly 73.3 degrees to 81.6 degrees (with respect to the mirror normal), causes the mirror to act as a linear polarizer. Similarly, the spectrometer grating operates at incidence angles between 16.7 degrees and 35.0 degrees , adding to the polarization effect at some wavelengths. Measurement and characterization of this polarization sensitivity as a function of wavelength were performed with the engineering model optics (scan mirror and grating) and synchrotron radiation, which is nearly 100% linearly polarized, from the Super Anneau de Collisions d'Orsay (SUPERACO) positron storage ring in Orsay. The polarization sensitivity or modulation factor of the SUMER instrument was found to be between 0.4 and 0.6, depending on the wavelength and the angle of incidence of light striking the scan mirror; this agrees with the calculated polarization properties based on the measured optical constants for the silicon carbide mirror and grating.