The chromosphere is the mysterious interface where the solar temperature inexplicably rises from 4,000 degrees to tens thousand degrees. It is a highly dynamic and violent environment. EST is specifically optimized to measure the elusive magnetic fields in this layer, which holds the key to the chromospheric and coronal heating problem.

Key Objectives:

Spicules and fibrils: Analyze the dynamics of jet-like features that inject mass and energy into the corona.

Solve the temperature inversion: Explain why the solar atmosphere gets hotter further away from the internal heat source (the core).

Map chromospheric fields: Provide reliable measurements of the magnetic field vector in the chromosphere, a persistent challenging task.