Solar neutrinos

Within the last decade solar neutrino physics has evolved into a field of r elevance not only for probing our understanding of stellar physics, but als o for investigating and pinpointing intrinsic neutrino properties, most imp ortantly neutrino masses and mixing angles. To date, results from six diffe rent and partly complementary experiments have been acquired. Taken togethe r, these experimental data provide evidence for neutrino oscillations, i.e. neutrino masses and mixing, and thus physics beyond the standard model of electroweak interactions. Several new experiments currently being planned o r constructed will commence operation within the next few years. They will provide additional complementary data and allow-together with the already r unning detectors-performance of a full solar neutrino spectroscopy in both the charged-current and the neutral-current detection mode. Performing a th orough comparison of the spectral shape observed on Earth and the neutrino spectrum expected from solar model computations will be essential for furth er pinpointing neutrino masses and mixing parameters. This article, after g iving a short introduction to the field, reviews the current status of sola r neutrino physics and gives an outlook on the potential which the upcoming experiments offer for further progress.