Do we understand why the Corona is hot?

The two images below show the structural difference in the regions with a constant temperature in the photosphere, left, and the corona, right.

Until now it has not been possible to determine exactly how the outer part of the solar atmosphere (the corona) is heated, but we have several clues as to which mechanisms may be involved in the process. Below are a number of important questions that have helped us to make qualified guess' as to which mechanism may be responsible.

• Why is this question interesting at all?

• Where does the energy come from?

• How does the energy get up into the corona?

• Which mechanisms are capable of releasing the energy into the corona?

• In what ways can we model heating mechanisms using physics?

We, Aaron and Klaus, hope that you have got an idea about how computer modeling can help us understand complicated problems. I your answer is no, then we have not been successful in this attempt to do so....