Recent developments in theory of solar wind

Current problems and developments in the theory of the large‐scale expansion of the solar corona are reviewed. The outstanding question is whether the energy supply to the quiet corona is mainly thermal conduction outward from a region of active heating at its base or mainly wage propagation outward from the base. It is suggested that the question can be settled only when the properties of the wind can be sampled over a wide range of radial distance from the sun, from far inside the orbit of earth to well beyond. It has been suggested that hydromagnetic waves may drive the expansion of the active corona by direct transfer of momentum as well as energy.