Source of the Solar Wind?Plasma streams away from the solar surface at the edges of active regions and may contibrute a 1/4 of the solar wind's total material.
Using EIS as a Speed CameraHinode's EIS instrument reveals that the outflowing streams of plasma from the edges of active regions can reach speeds of over 100 km/s.
Outflowing Plasma is DistinctOutflows at the edges of active regions have low density and radience, which are opposite to similar temperature plasma in the active region.
Outflow Driver 1: Magnetic ReconnectionReconnection at the edges of active regions will produce plamsa jets and chromospheric evaporation, which are both types of outflows.
Baker et al., Astrophys. J., submitted, 2009.
Outflow Driver 2: Active Region ExpansionExpanding active regions can compress neighbouring field, generating forces in the latter that can accelerate plasma upwards as outflows.
Murray et al., Solar Physics, submitted, 2009.
Outflow Driver 3: Coronal CirculationOutflows may rise along funnels of open magnetic field and sink back to the solar surface along the closed loops of the active regions.
