Minor ions in the solar wind |
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Authors: | Peter Bochsler |
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Institution: | (1) Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space, Morse Hall, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA;(2) Present address: Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland |
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Abstract: | Ions heavier than 4He are treated as “minors” in the solar wind. This is justified for many applications since minor ions have no significant
influence on the dynamics of the interplanetary plasma. However, minor ions carry information on many aspects of the formation,
on the acceleration and on the transfer of solar plasma from the corona into the interplanetary space. This review concentrates
on various aspects of minor ions as diagnostic tracers. The elemental abundance patterns of the solar wind are shaped in the
chromosphere and in the lower transition region by processes, which are not fully understood at this moment. Despite this
lack of detailed understanding, observed abundance patterns have been classified and are now commonly used to characterize
the sources, and to trace back solar-wind flows to their origins in the solar atmosphere. Furthermore, the solar wind is the
most important source of information for solar isotopic abundances and for solar abundances of volatile elements. In order
to fully exploit this information, a comprehensive understanding of elemental and isotopic fractionation processes is required.
We provide observational clues to distinguish different processes at work. |
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Keywords: | Solar Wind Sun Composition |
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