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Scientific objectives and capabilities of the Coronal Solar Magnetism Observatory
Author(s) -
Tomczyk S.,
Landi E.,
Burkepile J. T.,
Casini R.,
DeLuca E. E.,
Fan Y.,
Gibson S. E.,
Lin H.,
McIntosh S. W.,
Solomon S. C.,
Toma G.,
Wijn A. G.,
Zhang J.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9402
pISSN - 2169-9380
DOI - 10.1002/2016ja022871
Subject(s) - coronal mass ejection , corona (planetary geology) , coronagraph , physics , nanoflares , coronal radiative losses , photosphere , atmosphere (unit) , solar observatory , solar prominence , chromosphere , magnetism , coronal hole , astronomy , coronal loop , solar cycle , solar wind , plasma , astrobiology , magnetic field , meteorology , exoplanet , planet , quantum mechanics , venus , spectral line
Magnetic influences increase in importance in the solar atmosphere from the photosphere out into the corona, yet our ability to routinely measure magnetic fields in the outer solar atmosphere is lacking. We describe the scientific objectives and capabilities of the COronal Solar Magnetism Observatory (COSMO), a proposed synoptic facility designed to measure magnetic fields and plasma properties in the large‐scale solar atmosphere. COSMO comprises a suite of three instruments chosen to enable the study of the solar atmosphere as a coupled system: (1) a coronagraph with a 1.5 m aperture to measure the magnetic field, temperature, density, and dynamics of the corona; (2) an instrument for diagnostics of chromospheric and prominence magnetic fields and plasma properties; and (3) a white light K‐coronagraph to measure the density structure and dynamics of the corona and coronal mass ejections. COSMO will provide a unique combination of magnetic field, density, temperature, and velocity observations in the corona and chromosphere that have the potential to transform our understanding of fundamental physical processes in the solar atmosphere and their role in the origins of solar variability and space weather.