Authors: Tomczyk, S. (HAO/NCAR), Gibson, S. (HAO/NCAR), Deluca, E. (SAO/Harvard), Landi, E. (U. Mich), Lin, H., (U. Hawaii), Zhang, J. (GMU), Martinez Pillet, V. (NSO), Burkepile, J. (HAO/NCAR), deWijn, A.. (HAO/NCAR), Gilbert, H. (HAO/NCAR)

 COSMO is a proposed synoptic facility designed to measure magnetic fields and plasma properties in the large-scale solar atmosphere. Measurements of coronal and chromospheric magnetic fields are arguably the most important observables required for advancing our understanding of the processes responsible for coronal heating, coronal dynamics and the generation of space weather that affects communications, GPS systems, spaceflight, and power transmission.

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.