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Title:
Recent Observations of Plasma and Alfvénic Wave Energy Injection at the Base of the Fast Solar Wind
Authors:
McIntosh, Scott W.
Affiliation:
AA(High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research)
Publication:
Space Science Reviews, Volume 172, Issue 1-4, pp. 69-87 (SSRv Homepage)
Publication Date:
11/2012
Origin:
SPRINGER
Keywords:
Corona, Chromosphere, Coronal hole, Solar wind
Abstract Copyright:
(c) 2012: Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
DOI:
10.1007/s11214-012-9889-x
Bibliographic Code:
2012SSRv..172...69M

Abstract

We take stock of recent observations that identify the episodic plasma heating and injection of Alfvénic energy at the base of fast solar wind (in coronal holes). The plasma heating is associated with the occurrence of chromospheric spicules that leave the lower solar atmosphere at speeds of order 100 km/s, the hotter coronal counterpart of the spicule emits radiation characteristic of root heating that rapidly reaches temperatures of the order of 1 MK. Furthermore, the same spicules and their coronal counterparts ("Propagating Coronal Disturbances"; PCD) exhibit large amplitude, high speed, Alfvénic (transverse) motion of sufficient energy content to accelerate the material to high speeds. We propose that these (disjointed) heating and accelerating components form a one-two punch to supply, and then accelerate, the fast solar wind. We consider some compositional constraints on this concept, extend the premise to the slow solar wind, and identify future avenues of exploration.
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