A new universal spectropolarimeter is developed on the Domeless Solar Telescope (DST) at the Hida Observatory to realize precise spectropolarimetric observations in a wide range of wavelengths in visible and near infrared. The system aims to open a new window of plasma diagnostics by using Zeeman effect, Hanle effect, Stark effect and impact polarization for measuring the chromospheric magnetic fields, electric fields and unisotropically accelerated particles in the solar atmosphere.

The new system consists of a 60 cm aperture vacuum telescope, a high dispersion vacuum spectrograph, polarization modulator/analyser composed of a rotating waveplate and a Wallaston prism located after the entrance slit of the spectrograph, and a fast and large format CCD camera. Spectral images in both orthogonal polarizations are taken simultaneously with a frame rate of ∼20 Hz while the waveplate rotates continuously in a rate of 1 rev./sec. Thus a high signal to noise ratio can be achieved in a short time. To calibrate the instrumental polarization of the telescope a remotely controllable turret accommodating linear polarizers is attached at the entrance window of the telescope to induce a well known polarization into the telescope. A Muellar matrix model of the telescope to correct the obtained data is under examination.