Simulation of large-scale flows at the solar surface

Journal Article · Sun Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/167976· OSTI ID:5019202

Simon, G W; Weiss, N O ^[1]

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1. National Solar Observatory, Sunspot, NM (USA) Cambridge Univ. (England)

A simple analytic axisymmetric function is used to represent the radial outflow associated with an isolated convection plume at the solar surface. The vertical velocity can be deduced from the continuity equation. A regular cellular pattern of convection can be created by superposing a number of such sources. The function is applied to the large-scale horizontal motions observed by the Solar Optical Universal Polarimeter (SOUP) instrument on Spacelab 2. The flow pattern visible in three different regions covered by the SOUP observations is simulated. In each case a superposition of the plume functions mimics the observed mesogranular and supergranular motions well. The model flows are used to compute the motion of passive test particles (corks) which accumulate in a network that outlines mesogranular cells. Detailed comparisons suggest that magnetic flux tubes are affected more by outflow from sources at the centers of mesogranules than by flow into sinks within the network. 34 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5019202
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal; (USA) Vol. 345; ISSN ASJOA; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANALYTIC FUNCTIONS
ATMOSPHERES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONVECTION
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUID FLOW
FLUID MECHANICS
FUNCTIONS
GAS FLOW
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDRODYNAMICS
MAGNETIC FLUX
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MASS TRANSFER
MECHANICS
PLUMES
POLARIMETERS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR ATMOSPHERE
SOLAR GRANULATION
VELOCITY