Understanding the formation and evolution of the solar wind and heliosphere is still a priority in the Solar and Heliospheric communities. The 1D sampling of the in-situ instruments, the lack of in-situ measurements sufficiently close to the Sun, and the indirect measurements of the plasma and magnetic field of the solar atmosphere all contribute to the complexity of the problem to be solved. Significant progress can be made with improved diagnostics based on the physical link and evolution between what measured in-situ and its source regions on the Sun.
The plasma composition is considered a good tracer for the plasma propagation in the heliosphere. The main objective of this project is to provide solid diagnostics for linking the in-situ and remote sensing charge-state and elemental composition measurements. The aim is to review what is known today and identify which analysis and modelling elements are needed to move forward. The problem will be tackled through its different faces: solar and in-situ data analysis, modeling the large scale corona and heliosphere, investigating physical process of composition fractionation in various plasma conditions and its eventual release into the solar wind, and revising atomic physics calculations to be used for inferring plasma composition including out-of-equilibrium conditions. Our results will be of great benefit for the upcoming Solar Orbiter mission and Parker Probe Plus.

Research domains: Solar and Heliospheric Physics