Scientific Drivers for Direct Observations of the Sun's Polar Regions

The Sun's poles are unexplored and enigmatic regions, which represent a new frontier in solar physics. Polar observations of Jupiter and Saturn have demonstrated that polar regions of rapidly rotating gaseous bodies can prove to be unique and complex, often characterized by completely unexpected flow patterns. Along with stunning views, recent observations of these newly explored zones provided critical insight into the understanding of these planets. While currently available observations of the Sun offer glimpses of the Sun's poles from the ecliptic plane, these observations are poorly resolved and suffer from significant noise in the data. Photospheric magnetic field observations in these regions are expected to be further distorted due to an inclination of the magnetic field, which is unknown and thus cannot be properly accounted for. I will discuss some of the major scientific drivers for direct observations of the Sun from a polar vantage point with a particular emphasis on the Sun's polar magnetic fields and flows. I will also discuss why a future out-of-the ecliptic solar mission with a polar vantage point is essential to advancing our understanding of the Sun by providing a complete global perspective of the Sun.