Electric Fields and Electric Jets of the Sun and Solar Wind

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 generates a radial electric field eE ~ m_pg/2. In the (less collisional) photospheric plasma "sheath", the outward photon energy flux Γ_ε gives eE = σ_γe Γ_ε /c. Here, the photon-electron cross-section σ_γe varies widely with density and temperature: The minimum (Thompson) cross-section is ~0.7 barn, but correlated 2- or 3-body “rydberg” states (and H-) have σ_γe ~ 10^8 barn. Here, a modelled σ_γe ~3x10^4 barn generates the observed solar wind: “collisional runaway” protons are accelerated out of the -2.keV gravity well and up to +1.3 keV within several Rs, accompanied by neutralizing electrons. Spatial variations will be caused by the solar surface convective cells, with runaway generation more prevalent in the cold downflow edges. Morever, plasma “pinch” dynamics may concentrate the edge acceleration into smaller “jets” (e.g. ~10.km), consistent with the “campfires” imaged by Solar Orbiter. This proton/electron flow will glow as the K-Corona, obviating the traditional T=200eV “hydrostatic un-charged electron gas” models. NNP.ucsd.edu/Solar.