Scott W. McIntosh

We take a look at the scientific fallout from one of the first discoveries made by the Hinode mission - the so-called "Type-II" spicule - a short-lived, tall, slender feature that both rapidly moves upward, fades, and undergoes Alfvénic motion at the same time. In the intervening years we have attempted to establish a connection between these episodic chromospheric events and the emission line spectra of the transition region and coronal plasmas. Those studies indicate that the material in the Type-II spicules can reach temperatures in excess of 2MK and is injected into the corona (or solar wind) at speeds often in excess of 100km/s, but the spectroscopic signature is VERY subtle. The launch of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) in 2010 offered an opportunity to study the detailed evolution of Type-II spicules. Combining Hinode observations of the chromosphere with the high spatial resolution, sensitivity, and cadence SDO images of the transition region and corona offered us a fantastic opportunity to study the relentless energy and mass supply to the outer solar atmosphere. After discussing the join Hinode/SDO observations and their impact, we will look forward to the the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). IRIS is a next-generation mission designed to help us investigate the process, or processes, responsible for driving the ubiquitous Type-II spicules in the magnetized regions of the lower atmosphere.