The chromosphere is the mysterious interface where the solar temperature inexplicably rises from 6,000 degrees to millions of 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 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 heat source (the core).

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