Spectropolarimetry at high spatial and spectral resolution is a basic tool to
characterize the magnetic properties of the solar atmosphere. We introduce the
KIS/IAA Visible Imaging Polarimeter (VIP), a new post-focus instrument that
upgrades the TESOS spectrometer at the German VTT into a full vector
polarimeter. VIP is a collaboration between the KIS and the IAA. We describe
the optical setup of VIP, the data acquisition procedure, and the calibration
of the spectropolarimetric measurements. We show examples of data taken between
2005 and 2008 to illustrate the potential of the instrument. VIP is capable of
measuring the four Stokes profiles of spectral lines in the range from 420 to
700 nm with a spatial resolution better than 0.5". Lines can be sampled at 40
wavelength positions in 60 s, achieving a noise level of about 2 x 10E-3 with
exposure times of 300 ms and pixel sizes of 0.17" x 0.17" (2 x 2 binning). The
polarization modulation is stable over periods of a few days, ensuring high
polarimetric accuracy. The excellent spectral resolution of TESOS allows the
use of sophisticated data analysis techniques such as Stokes inversions. One of
the first scientific results of VIP presented here is that the ribbon-like
magnetic structures of the network are associated with a distinct pattern of
net circular polarization away from disk center. VIP performs
spectropolarimetric measurements of solar magnetic fields at a spatial
resolution that is only slightly worse than that of the Hinode
spectropolarimeter, while providing a 2D field field of view and the
possibility to observe up to four spectral regions sequentially with high
cadence. VIP can be used as a stand-alone instrument or in combination with
other spectropolarimeters and imaging systems of the VTT for extended
wavelength coverage.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysics v2:
figures updated with improved qualit
