Vis sammendrag
This dissertation focuses on forward modeling, using state-of-theart 3D radiative magnetohydrodynamic simulations combined with modern non-LTE radiative transfer codes to synthesize spectral lines and analyze their formation. The focus lies on investigating the formation and diagnostic potential of the hydrogen Balmer line Hε in the solar atmosphere, particularly in the context of small-scale energetic phenomena such as Ellerman bombs, UV bursts, and smallscale flares. A deeper understanding of the formation of Hε will help to understand a newly identified phenomenon called quiet Sun Ellerman bombs. Additionally, a modern, in-depth study of the formation of Hε has not yet been performed. By combining state-of-the-art Bifrost 3D radiative magnetohydrodynamic simulations, representing quiet Sun conditions and reproducing small-scale energetic phenomena in combination with the RH1.5D and MULTI3D radiative transfer codes, synthetic spectra were generated to investigate the response of Hε under various solar conditions. We address three core research questions, explored in three papers: 1. How is the Hε spectral line formed under quiet Sun conditions and for different solar features? 2. How can the multi-level source function be calculated, and what role does interlocking play in the line source function? 3. How does Hε respond to small-scale energetic events, such as Ellerman bombs, UV bursts, and small-scale flares? Answering these questions will assist the solar physics community to interpret Hε observations, and also clarify line formation in multi-level atoms, particularly through a deeper understanding of the multi-level source function. Our findings demonstrate that Hε, despite being an unobtrusive spectral line in the solar spectrum, can serve as a valuable diagnostic tool for analyzing and, more importantly, detecting small-scale energetic phenomena. In particular, Hε’s pronounced sensitivity to temperature enhancements in the lower solar atmosphere makes it exceptionally wellsuited for detecting weak heating events in quiet Sun regions, such as quiet Sun Ellerman bombs. This work also underscores the advantages of Hε over other Balmer series lines, such as Hα, in identifying weak energetic events. Unlike Hα or Hβ the line core of Hε is largely unaffected by the solar chromosphere, making it a promising candidate for measuring velocities in the lower chromosphere near the temperature minimum. This dissertation contributes to the field of solar physics by improving the understanding of hydrogen line formation in the solar atmosphere and validating the potential of Hε for upcoming solar missions, such as the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope or the planned European Solar Telescope. Additionally, it provides a detailed investigation of the multi-level source function, a subject rarely addressed in the literature, which will support the interpretation of non-LTE line formation in both solar and stellar atmospheres. The findings especially contribute to the interpretation of high-resolution Hε observations, advancing the exploration of the Sun’s dynamic magnetic processes, and enabling further investigations of a new phenomenon called quiet Sun Ellerman bombs.