Infrared spectropolarimetry of a C-class solar flare footpoint plasma -- I. Spectral features and forward modelling
We performed high-spatial resolution spectropolarimetric observations of active region NOAA 13363 during a C-class flare with the Gregor Infrared Spectrograph (GRIS) on 16 July 2023. We examine the coupling between the photosphere and the chromosphere, studying the polarimetric signals during a period that encompasses the decaying phase of a C-class flare and the appearance of a new C-class flare at the same location. We focus on the analysis of various spectral lines. In particular, we study the Si I 10827 Å, Ca I 10833.4 Å, Na I 10834.9 Å, and Ca I 10838.9 Å photospheric lines, as well as the He I 10830 Å triplet. GRIS data revealed the presence of flare-related red- and blueshifted spectral line components, reaching Doppler velocities up to 90 km/s, and complex Si I profiles where the He i spectral line contribution is blueshifted. In contrast, the photospheric Ca i and Na i transitions remained unchanged, indicating that the flare did not modify the physical conditions of the lower photosphere. We combined that information with simultaneous imaging in the Ca ii H line and TiO band with the improved High-resolution Fast Imager (HiFI+), finding that the flare emission did not affect the inverse granulation or nearby plage, in agreement with the results from GRIS. We also complement the previous studies with a forward modelling computation, concluding that the He I spectral line emission reflects a complex response of the flaring chromosphere. Radiative excitation from coronal EUV irradiation, energy deposition by flare-accelerated electrons, and dynamic field-aligned plasma flows likely act together to produce the observed supersonic downflows and upflows. We plan to expand these findings through inversions of the He I 10830 Å triplet signals in the future.