The nature of solar polar rays

We use time series observations from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory and Yohkoh spacecraft to study solar polar rays. Contrary to our expectati ons, we find that the rays are associated with active regions on the Sun an d are not features of the polar coronal holes. They are extended, hot plasm a structures formed in the active regions and projected onto the plane of t he sky above the polar coronal holes. We present new observations and simpl e projection models Chat match long-lived polar ray structures seen in limb synoptic maps. Individual projection patterns last fur at least five solar rotations.