Abstract

Measurement of magnetic fields in the corona is arguably the most important observable required for advances in our understanding of the emergence of magnetic flux into the solar atmosphere and the processes responsible for the production of solar activity, coronal heating and coronal dynamics. W... Show moreMeasurement of magnetic fields in the corona is arguably the most important observable required for advances in our understanding of the emergence of magnetic flux into the solar atmosphere and the processes responsible for the production of solar activity, coronal heating and coronal dynamics. We discuss plans for the COronal Solar Magnetic Observatory (COSMO), which is a proposed ground-based suite of instruments designed to routinely study coronal magnetic fields and their environment. The core of the facility includes a meter-class coronagraph with instrumentation dedicated to measuring the coronal magnetic field using the polarization of forbidden emission lines in the infrared. Supporting instruments focus on prominence magnetometry and the dynamics of the electron-scattered corona (K-corona) and chromosphere. In addition to acquiring routine synoptic observations of coronal magnetic fields, the COSMO project will include the establishment of a community-based user advisory panel to accept observational campaigns submitted by members of the scientific community at-large. COSMO will enhance the value of existing and new observatories on the ground (SOLIS, ATST, FASR) and in space (SOHO, TRACE, GOES, Solar-B, STEREO and SDO) by providing unique and crucial observations of the global coronal magnetic field and its evolution and dynamics. Show less