The Solar Close Observations and Proximity Experiments (SCOPE) mission

TL;DR

The SCOPE mission aims to send a spacecraft close to the Sun to directly measure the coronal magnetic field, study solar eruptions, coronal heating, and solar wind acceleration through in situ and high-resolution observations.

Contribution

This paper introduces the SCOPE mission concept, detailing its innovative approach to directly measure the solar magnetic field and investigate key solar phenomena at unprecedented proximity.

Findings

Design of a spacecraft to approach within 5 R_sun of the Sun

Proposed measurements of nano-flares and magnetic fields at small scales

Plan to observe the solar wind acceleration and magnetic reconnection processes

Abstract

The Solar Close Observations and Proximity Experiments (SCOPE) mission will send a spacecraft into the solar atmosphere at a low altitude of just 5 R_sun from the solar center. It aims to elucidate the mechanisms behind solar eruptions and coronal heating, and to directly measure the coronal magnetic field. The mission will perform in situ measurements of the current sheet between coronal mass ejections and their associated solar flares, and energetic particles produced by either reconnection or fast-mode shocks driven by coronal mass ejections. This will help to resolve the nature of reconnections in current sheets, and energetic particle acceleration regions. To investigate coronal heating, the mission will observe nano-flares on scales smaller than 70 km in the solar corona and regions smaller than 40 km in the photosphere, where magnetohydrodynamic waves originate. To study solar wind acceleration mechanisms, the mission will also track the process of ion charge-state freezing in the solar wind. A key achievement will be the observation of the coronal magnetic field at unprecedented proximity to the solar photosphere. The polar regions will also be observed at close range, and the inner edge of the solar system dust disk may be identified for the first time. This work presents the detailed background, science, and mission concept of SCOPE and discusses how we aim to address the questions mentioned above.