Electric Fields and Currents of the Sun and Solar Wind
ORAL
Abstract
A simple model of solar electric fields explains the solar wind energetics and coronal "heating", invoking only thermo-electric and photo-electric forces. In the (collisional) solar interior, thermal electron pressure \textit{necessarily} generates a radial electric field, integrating to a surface field eE$_{\mathrm{th}}$(R$_{\mathrm{s}})\cong $1.4eV/Mm, comparable to the proton weight m$_{\mathrm{p}}$g$=$2.8eV/Mm. In the (less collisional) plasma "sheath" of the photosphere and corona, the outward photon flux $\Gamma _{\mathrm{\gamma }}=$60.MW/m$^{\mathrm{2}}$ causes additional electron displacement, giving eE$_{\mathrm{\gamma }}$(r) $= \quad \sigma _{\mathrm{\gamma e}} \quad \Gamma_{\mathrm{\gamma }}$ /c. Here, the main uncertainty is the photon cross-section $\sigma_{\mathrm{\gamma e}}$ for electrons \textit{correlated} with protons: H-minus and "rydberg" hydrogen states have $\sigma _{\mathrm{\gamma e}}\cong $0.5x10\textasciicircum -20m$^{\mathrm{2}}$, whereas \textit{isolated} electrons have Thompson cross-section $\sigma_{\mathrm{\gamma e}}\cong $0.7x10\textasciicircum -28m$^{\mathrm{2}}$. An average cross-section $\sigma_{\mathrm{\gamma e}}\cong $3x10\textasciicircum -24m$^{\mathrm{2}}$ can generate the observed solar wind, as "collisional runaway" protons accelerate out of the 2.keV gravity well and up to 1.3 keV kinetic energy within several R$_{\mathrm{s}}$. This coherent proton/electron flow will glow as the K-Corona, obviating the traditional T$=$100eV hydrostatic models. Fluctuating 3D electric fields and charge currents will arise from convective surface granulation ("roiling") and from "current pinch" propagation dynamics, generating the observed \textit{fluctuating} magnetic fields. Some characteristics of solar wind currents can be ascertained from the extensive databases of satellite magnetic field measurements.
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Authors
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Charles Driscoll
University of California, San Diego