Magnetic fields affect the evolution of structure in the Universe and drive solar and stellar activity which is a key to life’s origin and survival. However, our understanding of how cosmic magnetic fields form and evolve is currently very limited. Our close-up look at the Sun has enabled the creation of approximate dynamo models (which took us 100 years), but none yet predict the level of magnetic activity of the Sun or any other star. Therefore, major progress requires the understanding of solar, stellar and galactic magnetism in general and that in turn requires a population study. These population studies are now being thought about or some attempts are underway. The current 4–12 m class telescopes eventually provide the targets for future ELT magnetic-field observations of more complex and distant objects, even of the early Universe, and of more exotic objects like habitable extraterrestrial planets.
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Strassmeier, K.G., Ilyin, I.V. (2009). The E-ELT: A Chance to Measure Cosmic Magnetic Fields. In: Moorwood, A. (eds) Science with the VLT in the ELT Era. Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9190-2_43
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