| Abstract |
TRACE is a solar mission of NASA/GSFC within the SMEX (Small Explorer) program. The objective is to study the three-dimensional magnetic structures of the sun - which emerge through the visible surface of the sun, the photosphere, and to define both the geometry and dynamics of the upper solar atmosphere - the transition region and corona. TRACE is the name of the prime instrument (as well as of the mission), which is mounted onto a SMEX spacecraft designed and built by GSFC. TRACE is the first US solar research satellite since the Solar Maximum Mission (launch of SMM Feb. 14, 1980).
TRACE explores the magnetic field in the solar atmosphere by studying:
• the 3-dimensional field structure
• its temporal evolution in response to photospheric flows
• the time-dependent coronal fine structure
• the coronal and transition region thermal topology.
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