Simulating plumes and sinks observed at the solar surface

Technical Report · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6550778

Simon, G W; Weiss, N O

Simple model of a convection plume is described with radial outflow by an analytic axisymmetric source function. It is possible to create an arbitrary pattern of cellular convection by superposing a number of sources, which may have different sizes and strengths. This method is used to simulate the large-scale horizontal flow patterns observed with the SOUP instrument on Spacelab 2. The model of superposed plumes mimics the observed motions remarkably well, especially if one include sinks in addition to sources. Passing test particles (corks) moving according to the modelled velocity field accumulate in a network pattern that coincides with the magnetic structure observed simultaneously with the SOUP observations.

• Research Organization: Air Force Geophysics Lab., Hanscom AFB, MA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6550778
• Report Number(s): AD-A-223994/5/XAB; GL-TR--90-0155
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATMOSPHERES
CONVECTION
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUID FLOW
FUNCTIONS
GAS FLOW
HEAT TRANSFER
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
PARTICLES
SIMULATION
SOLAR ATMOSPHERE