Study of magnetic notions in the solar photosphere and their implications for heating the solar atmosphere

This progress report covers the first year of NASA Grant NAGw-2545, a study of magnetic structure in the solar photosphere and chromosphere. We have made significant progress in three areas: (1) analysis of vorticity in photospheric convection, which probably affects solar atmospheric heating through the stresses it imposes on photospheric magnetic fields; (2) modelling of the horizontal motions of magnetic footpoints in the solar photosphere using an assumed relation between brightness and vertical motion as well as continuity of flow; and (3) observations and analysis of infrared CO lines formed near the solar temperature minimum, whose structure and dynamics also yield important clues to the nature of heating of the upper atmosphere. Each of these areas are summarized in this report, with copies of those papers prepared or published this year included.