SOUND-SPEED INVERSION OF THE SUN USING A NONLOCAL STATISTICAL CONVECTION THEORY

Journal Article · Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/759/1/L14· OSTI ID:22078463

Chunguang, Zhang; Licai, Deng ^[1]; Darun, Xiong ^[2]; Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jorgen ^[3]

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1. Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China)
2. Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008 (China)
3. Stellar Astrophysics Centre, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 120, DK-8000 Aarhus C (Denmark)

Helioseismic inversions reveal a major discrepancy in sound speed between the Sun and the standard solar model just below the base of the solar convection zone. We demonstrate that this discrepancy is caused by the inherent shortcomings of the local mixing-length theory adopted in the standard solar model. Using a self-consistent nonlocal convection theory, we construct an envelope model of the Sun for sound-speed inversion. Our solar model has a very smooth transition from the convective envelope to the radiative interior, and the convective energy flux changes sign crossing the boundaries of the convection zone. It shows evident improvement over the standard solar model, with a significant reduction in the discrepancy in sound speed between the Sun and local convection models.

• OSTI ID: 22078463
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 759, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2041-8205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
CONVECTION
SOUND WAVES
STAR MODELS
SUN
VELOCITY