Cranmer, S. R. 2012, "Understanding the Origins of the Solar Wind," SHINE 2012 Workshop, Wailea, Hawaii, June 25-29, 2012 (Invited Talk). [For the Powerpoint slides and accompanying movies, see this directory.]

ABSTRACT:

The last decade has seen significant progress toward identifying and characterizing the processes that heat the corona and accelerate the solar wind. Much of this progress has come about because new measurements are diminishing the traditional gap between solar physics (i.e., near-Sun astronomy) and interplanetary space physics. These two communities are becoming increasingly aware of the value of each other's data and theoretical insights. This presentation will give an overview of some of the ways that connections between the Sun and the heliosphere are leading to new answers to old questions. First, I will summarize the state of ongoing debate between competing theoretical camps that advocate either waves/turbulence or magnetic reconnection as the primary drivers of coronal heating in open flux tubes. In some areas, traditional observational diagnostics of MHD plasma properties may not be sufficient to distinguish between these competing paradigms. Thus, this presentation will also describe why it is wise to confront the truly microscopic (nonlinear, non-Maxwellian, collisionless) nature of the relevant particles and fields. Theories and measurements that "zoom in" to this level of kinetic detail have the greatest potential for improving our understanding of the origins of solar wind acceleration. This is the natural realm of coronagraphic spectroscopy, so if I have time I may also emphasize the need for stringent stray light controls in instruments that observe above the solar limb.