spase://CNES/Instrument/CDPP-AMDA/Solar_Orbiter/MAG

The magnetometer is a unique instrument on Solar Orbiter in that it provides essential
information about both the largest scale structures in space around the Sun, as well as the
smallest scale kinetic processes in the plasma. Indeed, the magnetic field plays a central role in
plasma dynamics since charged particles generally travel along the magnetic field, making it
the route from the Sun into space. The accurate measurement of the local magnetic field is
therefore central to the scientific success of Solar Orbiter. Magnetometer data are expected to
lead to significant advances in our understanding of how the Sun’s magnetic field links into
space and evolves over the solar cycle; how particles are accelerated and propagate around the
solar system, including to the Earth; and how the corona and solar wind are heated and
accelerated, among many others.

The MAG team science objectives include:

• How does the Sun’s magnetic field link into space?
• How does the heliospheric magnetic field disconnect from the Sun?
• How does the Sun’s magnetic field change over time?
• How is the heliospheric current sheet related to coronal structure?
• What is the role of ICMEs in the Sun’s magnetic cycle?
• What is the origin of the slow speed solar wind?
• What drives the evolution of the solar wind distribution?
• What are the origins of waves, turbulence and small scale structures?
• How is turbulent energy dissipated?
• What are the properties of near-Sun shocks and the fluctuations around them?
• What is the structure of plasma turbulence and how does it evolve?
• How do large and small scale structures modulate particle fluxes?

In order to achieve these objectives, the magnetometer will measure the magnetic field
continuously with sufficient cadence and precision to quantify fluid-scale phenomena
throughout the mission and, in burst mode, with sufficient cadence and precision to study ion
kinetic phenomena.

Low latency data are generated at a very low cadence compared to normal magnetometer data
and are intended for rapid, broad characterisation of solar wind conditions at the spacecraft
location.