How does the corona produce the solar wind?

The solar wind is produced by the continuous expansion of the solar corona, the Sun's outermost atmosphere. This region consists of a superhot, low-density plasma that reaches temperatures of approximately two million kelvins.1

Because the corona is extremely hot, its constituent particles—primarily protons and electrons—are accelerated to velocities sufficient to overcome the Sun's gravitational pull. While the Sun's gravity can hold this hot material near the surface, the gravitational force weakens significantly with distance, allowing the gas to flow outward into the interplanetary medium.23

This outflow occurs primarily where the Sun's magnetic field lines are "open," creating regions known as coronal holes. In areas where magnetic fields are strong and closed, the coronal material is trapped and cannot escape. The resulting solar wind then travels through the solar system, carrying magnetic field lines with it in a spiral pattern.3