Compact Magnetographs for Space Weather Forecasting

The magnetic field emerging through the surface of the sun is the driver of all space weather. Full knowledge of the global distribution of the field is therefore critical to improving our understanding of space weather events and to develop predictive capabilities. Observations of magnetic flux on the visible solar surface is currently acquired by a variety of solar magnetographs on earth and in geospace. These observations have been used to estimate flare productivity and drive heliospheric models — but they only accurately cover a quarter of the solar surface. We present concepts for the next generation of compact, space-based magnetographs that can be deployed at geocentric orbit, at the L1, 4 and 5 Lagrange points and elsewhere to provide nearly full coverage of the solar surface. The deployment of such an observing network would significantly improve our understanding of the heliospheric system which, in turn, could increase the reliability, accuracy and lead-time of space weather forecasts when combined with models of the heliosphere, magnetosphere and ionosphere.