READ THE FULL ARTICLE: SAMM-E_SPIE2026
In June 2022, the first prototype of the SAMM (Solar Activity Magnetic Monitor) telescope was installed on the roof of the INAF-Monte Mario Astronomical Observatory in Rome, Italy, to test its capabilities for space weather observations. SAMM was designed to measure magnetic fields and Doppler velocities along the line of sight in the solar atmosphere at high cadence and two different heights, determined by the formation layers of the solar absorption lines corresponding to the resonance lines of the chemical elements used in the MOF (Magneto-Optical Filters). The use of potassium (K) and sodium (Na) in the MOF filters positions the sensitive layers at approximately 300 km in height (solar photosphere) and 600 km in height (solar chromosphere), respectively. This capability to measure the monitored quantities at different heights enables, for the first time, the 3D reconstruction of their fields, providing additional parameters to feed into forecast models. Building on the experience with the first prototype, an enhanced version of the SAMM telescope, SAMM-E, has been designed and built to overcome the limitations of its predecessor and provide a stable, reliable, and calibrated data source for space weather models. In particular its capability to acquire real time solar magnetic field and Doppler velocity maps at high cadence makes it a unique instrument to identify precursors of solar CMEs and flares and so to provide valuable data for forecasting the energetics events starting on the Sun. Here, we present the characteristics of the new instrument, its first-light images and discuss its planned use in the SAMM-NET network, a network of three coordinated nodes, co-funded by the Italian Ministry of Defence.