Aspects of the solar tachocline

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

46

Sun: Interior, Rotation, Oscillations

Scientific paper

The splitting of the frequencies of p-mode multiplets enables information to be gained about the internal rotation of the sun. Such data have revealed a transition at the base of the convection zone from differential rotation similar to that observed at the surface to almost solid-body rotation in the radiative interior. This transition region, known as the tachocline, has been found to be relatively narrow and centred below the base of the convection zone. In this paper, the evolution of the transition region is investigated numerically. Without a large anisotropic viscosity, the depth to which it would spread in one solar age, under the assumption of a constant prescribed differential rotation at the base of the convection zone, is found to be greater than its extent as inferred from helioseismology. In the second part of the paper a highly anisotropic turbulent viscosity with a large horizontal component, as suggested by Spiegel & Zahn (\cite{ZAH92}), is assumed. In this case, a steady tachocline is formed in which the advection of angular momentum balances the Reynolds stresses. The horizontal component of turbulent viscosity required to match the thickness of the tachocline to that obtained by helioseismology is estimated to be 5x 10(5}{cm}({2}{s}^{-1)) . The transport of helium is studied in this case and is found to yield a sound-speed increase similar to that required by helioseismology.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Aspects of the solar tachocline does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Aspects of the solar tachocline, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Aspects of the solar tachocline will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1682894

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.