A parameter study is designed and carried out to illustrate the physical effects that can be studied through analysis and interpretation of coronal minor ion spectral line observations. It is shown that minor ion line width, together with the coronal Ly&agr; line width and coronal white light observations, can yield important information concerning the transport and dissipation of energy carried outward from the coronal base by hydromagnetic waves. Although it is difficult to infer minor ion velocities through the Doppler dimming technique, the application of this technique using both radiatively and collisionally excited lines can provide constraints on the acceleration of coronal minor ions. It is concluded tha the observation of coronal minor ion spectral lines represents an important component of a concerted observational approach to the solar wind acceleration problem. It must be emphasized, however, that the measurement of line widths is the most important coronal minor ion observation to obtain. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1987