The source regions of the solar wind revealed by UV/EUV spectroscopic observations

Abstract

The heating of the solar corona and the origin and acceleration of the solar wind are among the important unsolved problems of space plasma and solar physics. During the SOHO era, coronal holes as source regions of the fast solar wind have been investigated by using UV/EUV spectroscopic data observed with high-resolution spectrometers. At the base of the coronal hole, a detailed picture concerning the origin of the fast solar wind was first obtained by SUMER observations. For example, the Dopplergram deduced from the line profile of Ne VIII and other transition-region lines showed strong evidence that the wind originates in the chromospheric network and starts flowing out of the corona in magnetic funnels. Solar wind mass is suggested to be supplied through supergranule-scale magnetoconvection in the chromosphere and transition region. However, the spectral lines used in these studies are mainly obtained in the transition region and the behaviours of the nascent solar wind at higher temperatures have not yet been understood. Recent spectroscopic and imaging observations with instruments on Hinode and SDO provide further information about the coronal holes seen in EUV lines formed in the solar corona. Some interesting results, e.g., ubiquitous episodic outflow (jets) and enhanced emission in the blue wing of coronal line profiles, are found from the new observations. The purpose of this presentation is to review recent research progress on solar-wind source regions revealed by UV/EUV spectroscopic and imaging observations. Such observational studies and further interpretations of the data may provide crucial constraints and implications for future studies on both observations and theoretical models concerning coronal heating and acceleration of the nascent solar wind.