Anticipated scientific return of the Advanced Solar Observatory

The scientific importance of the Advanced Solar Observatory (ASO) is discussed with emphasis on its soft X-ray, XUV, and EUV facilities. The principal achievement expected from the ASO's SXR/XUV and EUV telescope is a greatly improved resolution of the magnetic structure and activity in the transition region and corona. Observations from these facilities, combined with complementary observations of the photosphere and chromosphere from Solar Optical Telescope and of the higher corona from the Pinhole/Occulter Facility, are expectecd to yield significant advances in all major areas of solar physics concerning the causes and effects of solar magnetic fields. 24 references