ACCELERATION OF THE HIGH-SPEED SOLAR-WIND

A theory is developed for the high speed solar wind based on a simple dissipation length characterization of wave heating of the coronal plasma close to the Sun. It is shown that solutions with the correct particle and energy fluxes and with a realistic magnetic field, match the requirements on the density at the base of the corona provided the dissipation length is relatively small (similar to 0.25 - 0.5 solar radii). The significant features of these solutions are that the acceleration is rapid, with the sonic point at about 2 solar radii, and the maximum proton temperatures are high, namely 8 - 10 x 10(6) K, which could be consistent with some recent observations. Such efficient dissipation requires any Alfven waves responsible to have frequencies in the range 0.01 Hz - 10 kHz. This has implications for the nature of the plasma and energy source in the chromospheric network.