Abstract.A far-ultraviolet and extreme-ultraviolet (FUV, EUV) spectral atlas of the Sun between 670Å and 1609Å in the first order of diffraction has been derived from observations obtained with the SUMER (Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation) spectrograph on the spacecraft SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory). The atlas contains spectra of the average quiet Sun, a coronal hole and a sunspot on the disk. Different physical parameters prevalent in the bright network (BN) and in the cell interior (CI) -contributing in a distinct manner to the average quiet-Sun emission -have their imprint on the BN/CI ratio, which is also shown for almost the entire spectral range. With a few exceptions, all major lines are given with their identifications and wavelengths. Lines that appear in second order are superimposed on the first order spectra. These lines are clearly marked in the atlas. The spectra include emissions from atoms and ions in the temperature range 6 × 10 3 K to 2 × 10 6 K, i.e., continua and emission lines emitted from the lower chromosphere to the corona. This spectral atlas, with its broad wavelength coverage, provides a rich source of new diagnostic tools to study the physical parameters in the chromosphere, the transition region and the corona. In particular, the wavelength range below 1100Å as observed by SUMER represents a significant improvement over the spectra produced in the past. In view of the manifold appearance and temporal variation of the solar atmosphere, it is obvious that our atlas can only be a -hopefully typical -snapshot. Brief descriptions of the data reduction and calibration procedures are given. The spectral radiances are determined with a relative uncertainty of 0.15 to 0.30 (1σ) and the wavelength scale is accurate to typically 10 mÅ. The atlas is also available in a machine readable form.

Aims. Solar Orbiter, the first mission of ESA’s Cosmic Vision 2015–2025 programme and a mission of international collaboration between ESA and NASA, will explore the Sun and heliosphere from close up and out of the ecliptic plane. It was launched on 10 February 2020 04:03 UTC from Cape Canaveral and aims to address key questions of solar and heliospheric physics pertaining to how the Sun creates and controls the Heliosphere, and why solar activity changes with time. To answer these, the mission carries six remote-sensing instruments to observe the Sun and the solar corona, and four in-situ instruments to measure the solar wind, energetic particles, and electromagnetic fields. In this paper, we describe the science objectives of the mission, and how these will be addressed by the joint observations of the instruments onboard. Methods. The paper first summarises the mission-level science objectives, followed by an overview of the spacecraft and payload. We report the observables and performance figures of each instrument, as well as the trajectory design. This is followed by a summary of the science operations concept. The paper concludes with a more detailed description of the science objectives. Results. Solar Orbiter will combine in-situ measurements in the heliosphere with high-resolution remote-sensing observations of the Sun to address fundamental questions of solar and heliospheric physics. The performance of the Solar Orbiter payload meets the requirements derived from the mission’s science objectives. Its science return will be augmented further by coordinated observations with other space missions and ground-based observatories.

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Context. The heating of the solar corona by small heating events requires an increasing number of such events at progressively smaller scales, with the bulk of the heating occurring at scales that are currently unresolved. Aims. The goal of this work is to study the smallest brightening events observed in the extreme-UV quiet Sun. Methods. We used commissioning data taken by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) on board the recently launched Solar Orbiter mission. On 30 May 2020, the EUI was situated at 0.556 AU from the Sun. Its High Resolution EUV telescope (HRI EUV , 17.4 nm passband) reached an exceptionally high two-pixel spatial resolution of 400 km. The size and duration of small-scale structures was determined by the HRI EUV data, while their height was estimated from triangulation with simultaneous images from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission. This is the first stereoscopy of small-scale brightenings at high resolution. Results. We observed small localised brightenings, also known as 'campfires', in a quiet Sun region with length scales between 400 km and 4000 km and durations between 10 sec and 200 sec. The smallest and weakest of these HRI EUV brightenings have not been previously observed. Simultaneous observations from the EUI High-resolution Lyman-α telescope (HRI Lya ) do not show localised brightening events, but the locations of the HRI EUV events clearly correspond to the chromospheric network. Comparisons with simultaneous AIA images shows that most events can also be identified in the 17.1 nm, 19.3 nm, 21.1 nm, and 30.4 nm pass-bands of AIA, although they appear weaker and blurred. Our differential emission measure (DEM) analysis indicated coronal temperatures peaking at log T ≈ 6.1 − 6.15. We determined the height for a few of these campfires to be between 1000 and 5000 km above the photosphere. Conclusions. We find that 'campfires' are mostly coronal in nature and rooted in the magnetic flux concentrations of the chromospheric network. We interpret these events as a new extension to the flare-microflare-nanoflare family. Given their low height, the EUI 'campfires' could stand as a new element of the fine structure of the transition region-low corona, that is, as apexes of small-scale loops that undergo internal heating all the way up to coronal temperatures.