Search

Sunspots and active regions observed on the solar surface are widely believed to be manifestations of compact predominantly toroidal magnetic field structures ("flux tubes") that emerge by magnetic buoyancy from the deeper interior of the Sun. Much work has examined the evolution of such magnetic structures, typically considering them as idealized isolated magnetic entities and not as more realistic magnetic concentrations in a volume-filling background magnetic field. Here, we report results that explore the buoyant rise dynamics of magnetic concentrations in a volume-filling field in the full three dimensions. Earlier 2.5D work in this series established the remarkable fact that the twist orientation of a flux concentration relative to the background field affected its likelihood to rise and emerge, regardless of whether the buoyant rise took place in the absence or presence of convection. The contrasting dynamics between structures with differing orientations lead to a selection mechanism that reproduces characteristics of the "solar hemispheric helicity rule(s)" observations strikingly well. Here, we show that this two-dimensional selection mechanism persists in the face of the added complexity of three-dimensional dynamics. Arching of the magnetic structure in the third dimension, as might be expected in the solar application, is introduced. The role of tension force leading to this selection mechanism is elucidated and subtle differences that arise due to the three-dimensional geometry are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager/Solar Dynamics Observatory data, we search for a relationship between kinetic helicity and magnetic helicity in solar active regions (ARs) using a sample of 62 ARs from 2010 May to 2015 May. The sample includes 32 mature ARs and 30 emerging ARs. We calculate kinetic helicity in the interior in the depth range from 0.6 to 11.6 Mm, magnetic helicity in the corona, helicity flux across the photosphere, and the magnetic twist and magnetic writhe of the ARs at the photosphere. From these data, relationships are found between magnetic helicity, helicity flux, and magnetic twist. However, magnetic writhe appears not to be related to the other magnetic quantities. No relationship is found between the kinetic helicity and any magnetic quantity. In particular, no relationship is found between the kinetic helicity and any of the following: magnetic helicity, magnetic helicity flux, magnetic twist, or magnetic writhe. These results suggest that (1) the magnetic helicity in the corona above ARs is mainly derived from the magnetic twist, and (2) the flow dynamics in the region from 0.6 to 11.6 Mm below the photosphere is not the primary source for the generation of magnetic helicity in ARs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The angular distance of the solar flares to the projective point of the center of the solar disk on the solar spherical surface has been studied by the heliographical or helioprojective coordinates, during the periods 1975–2021 for GOES events and 2002–2021 for RHESSI events, hereafter “distance.” It gives a specific distribution curvature. It has also been noted that when using the number of solar flare events in each satellite, GOES or RHESSI, or even using the sum of the flux (class) or importance parameter, it obtains the same result, which is that the shape of the distribution curve remains in its shape without any significant change. In addition, it has been shown that the distribution curve contains a specific number of peaks. These peaks have a specific distance from the center of the solar disk that is very similar to the projection of the solar interior layers on the solar disk. For this reason, the names of these four main peaks have been given as follows: (1) the core circle (0–15°): it is a projection of the solar core onto the solar disk, (2) radiative ring (15–45°), and (3) the convection ring (45–55°). The limb ring is 80–90°. This result makes us wonder why the number of events in the middle of the solar disk is few, and also small at the solar limb, while many in the other parts in the solar disk. This suggests that we need to understand the sun better than before, and it also suggests that solar flares are connected to each other through the solar interior layers, the extent of which may reach the convection zone or perhaps beyond that, or the opacity of the convection zone may be less than the currently estimated value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have used solar oscillation frequencies and frequency splittings obtained over solar cycles 23 and 24 to investigate whether the base of the solar convection zone shows any departure from spherical symmetry. We used the even-order splitting coefficients, a 2– a 8, and estimated the contributions from each one separately. The average asphericity over the two solar cycles was determined using frequencies and splittings obtained with a 9216-day time series. We find that evidence of asphericity is, at best, marginal: the a 2 component is consistent with no asphericity, the a 4 and a 6 components yield results at a level a little greater than 1 σ, while the a 8 component shows a signature below 1 σ. The combined results indicate that the time average of the departure from the spherically symmetric position of the base of the convection zone is ≲0.0001 R ⊙. We have also used helioseismic data obtained from time series of lengths of 360, 576, 1152, and 2304 days in order to examine the consistency of the results and evaluate whether there is any time variation. We find that the evidence for time variation is statistically marginal in all cases, except for the a 6 component, for which tests consistently yield p -values of less than 0.05. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The angular distance of the solar flares to the projective point of the center of the solar disk on the solar spherical surface has been studied by the heliographical or helioprojective coordinates, during the periods 1975–2021 for GOES events and 2002–2021 for RHESSI events, hereafter “distance.” It gives a specific distribution curvature. It has also been noted that when using the number of solar flare events in each satellite, GOES or RHESSI, or even using the sum of the flux (class) or importance parameter, it obtains the same result, which is that the shape of the distribution curve remains in its shape without any significant change. In addition, it has been shown that the distribution curve contains a specific number of peaks. These peaks have a specific distance from the center of the solar disk that is very similar to the projection of the solar interior layers on the solar disk. For this reason, the names of these four main peaks have been given as follows: (1) the core circle (0–15°): it is a projection of the solar core onto the solar disk, (2) radiative ring (15–45°), and (3) the convection ring (45–55°). The limb ring is 80–90°. This result makes us wonder why the number of events in the middle of the solar disk is few, and also small at the solar limb, while many in the other parts in the solar disk. This suggests that we need to understand the sun better than before, and it also suggests that solar flares are connected to each other through the solar interior layers, the extent of which may reach the convection zone or perhaps beyond that, or the opacity of the convection zone may be less than the currently estimated value.

We studied the temporal evolution of quasi-biennial oscillations (QBOs) using acoustic mode oscillation frequencies from the Global Oscillation Network Group. The data used here span more than 25 yr, covering solar cycles 23 and 24 and the ascending phase of cycle 25. The analysis reveals that QBO-like signals are present in both the cycles, but with different periods. The dominant QBO period in cycle 23 is found to be about 2 yr, while it is about 3 yr in cycle 24. Furthermore, the quasi-biennial oscillatory signals are present only during the ascending and high-activity phases of cycle 23 and quickly weaken around 2005, during the declining phase. In comparison, the QBO signals are present throughout cycle 24, starting from 2009 to 2017. We also explored the depth dependence in QBO signals and obtained a close agreement at all depths, except in the near-surface shear layer. A detailed analysis of the near-surface shear layer suggests that the source region of QBOs is probably within a few thousand kilometers just below the surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an analytical model that unifies many of the inertial waves that have been recently observed on the surface of the Sun, as well as many other modes that have been theoretically predicted—but have yet to be observed—into a single family of mixed inertial modes . By mixed, we mean that the prograde- and retrograde-propagating members of this family have different restoring forces and hence different behavior. Thermal Rossby waves exist as prograde-propagating waves, while the high-frequency retrograde (HFR) wave is one example of a member of the retrograde branch. This family of mixed modes has fully 3D motions that satisfy the anelastic form of the continuity condition. As such, the horizontal velocity is both vortical and divergent with the later flow component associated with a dynamically important radial velocity. The modes are differentiated by the number of nodes in latitude, with the lowest latitudinal order corresponding to the traditional thermal Rossby wave of Busse, the first latitudinal overtone to the mixed mode of Bekki et al., and the second overtone to the HFR wave discovered by Hanson et al. There also exist infinitely more modes of higher latitudinal order whose frequencies increase as the order increases. These higher overtones may correspond to many of the inertial modes that have been recently identified by numerical eigenmode solvers.

Using time–distance local helioseismology flow maps within 1 Mm of the solar photosphere, we detect inflows toward activity belts that contribute to solar-cycle scale variations in the near-surface meridional flow. These inflows stretch out as far as 30° away from the active region centroids. If active region neighborhoods are excluded, the solar-cycle-scale variation in the background meridional flow diminishes to below 2 m s−1, but still shows systematic variations in the absence of active regions between sunspot cycles 24 and 25. We therefore propose that the near-surface meridional flow is a three-component flow made up of a constant baseline flow profile that can be derived from quiet-Sun regions, variations due to inflows around active regions, and solar-cycle-scale variation of about 2 m s−1. Torsional oscillation, on the other hand, is found to be a global phenomenon, i.e., exclusion of active region neighborhoods does not significantly affect its magnitude or phase. This nonvariation in torsional oscillation with distance away from active regions and the three-component breakdown of the near-surface meridional flow serve as vital constraints for solar dynamo models and surface flux-transport simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of magnetic flux from the deep convection zone plays an important role in solar magnetism, such as the generation of active regions and triggering of various eruptive phenomena, including jets, flares, and coronal mass ejections. To investigate the effects of magnetic twist on flux emergence, we performed numerical simulations of flux tube emergence using the radiative magnetohydrodynamic code R2D2 and conducted a systematic survey on the initial twist. Specifically, we varied the twist of the initial tube both positively and negatively from zero to twice the critical value for kink instability. As a result, regardless of the initial twist, the flux tube was lifted by the convective upflow and reached the photosphere to create sunspots. However, when the twist was too weak, the photospheric flux was quickly diffused and not retained long as coherent sunspots. The degree of magnetic twist measured in the photosphere conserved the original twist relatively well and was comparable to actual solar observations. Even in the untwisted case, a finite amount of magnetic helicity was injected into the upper atmosphere because the background turbulence added helicity. However, when the initial twist exceeded the critical value for kink instability, the magnetic helicity normalized by the total magnetic flux was found to be unreasonably larger than the observations, indicating that the kink instability of the emerging flux tube may not be a likely scenario for the formation of flare-productive active regions.

Solar differential rotation exhibits a prominent feature: its cyclic variations over the solar cycle, referred to as zonal flows or torsional oscillations, are observed throughout the convection zone. Given the challenge of measuring magnetic fields in subsurface layers, understanding deep torsional oscillations becomes pivotal in deciphering the underlying solar dynamo mechanism. In this study, we address the critical question of identifying specific signatures within helioseismic frequency-splitting data associated with the torsional oscillations. To achieve this, a comprehensive forward modeling approach is employed to simulate the helioseismic data for a dynamo model that, to some extent, reproduces solar-cycle variations of magnetic fields and flows. We provide a comprehensive derivation of the forward modeling process utilizing generalized spherical harmonics, as it involves intricate algebraic computations. All estimated frequency-splitting coefficients from the model display an 11 yr periodicity. Using the simulated splitting coefficients and realistic noise, we show that it is possible to identify the dynamo wave signal present in the solar zonal flow from the tachocline to the solar surface. By analyzing observed data, we find similar dynamo wave patterns in the observational data from the Michelson Doppler Imager, Helioseismic Magnetic Imager, and Global Oscillation Network Group. This validates the earlier detection of dynamo waves and holds potential implications for the solar dynamo theory models.

We have carried out inversions of travel times as measured by Gizon et al. to infer the internal profile of the solar meridional circulation (MC). A linear inverse problem has been solved by the regularized least-squares method with a constraint that the angular momentum (AM) transport by MC should be equatorward (HK21-type constraint). Our motivation for using this constraint is based on the result by Hotta & Kusano (hereafter HK21), where the solar equator-fast rotation was reproduced successfully without any manipulation. The inversion result indicates that the MC profile is a double-cell structure if the so-called HK21 regime, in which AM transported by MC sustains the equator-fast rotation, correctly describes the physics inside the solar convective zone. The sum of the squared residuals computed with the inferred double-cell MC profile is comparable to that computed with the single-cell MC profile obtained when we exclude the HK21-type constraint, showing that both profiles can explain the data more or less at the same level. However, we also find that adding the HK21-type constraint degrades the resolution of the averaging kernels. Although it is difficult for us to determine the large-scale morphology of the solar MC at the moment, our attempt highlights the relevance of investigating the solar MC profile from both theoretical and observational perspectives.

Using Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager/Solar Dynamics Observatory data, we search for a relationship between kinetic helicity and magnetic helicity in solar active regions (ARs) using a sample of 62 ARs from 2010 May to 2015 May. The sample includes 32 mature ARs and 30 emerging ARs. We calculate kinetic helicity in the interior in the depth range from 0.6 to 11.6 Mm, magnetic helicity in the corona, helicity flux across the photosphere, and the magnetic twist and magnetic writhe of the ARs at the photosphere. From these data, relationships are found between magnetic helicity, helicity flux, and magnetic twist. However, magnetic writhe appears not to be related to the other magnetic quantities. No relationship is found between the kinetic helicity and any magnetic quantity. In particular, no relationship is found between the kinetic helicity and any of the following: magnetic helicity, magnetic helicity flux, magnetic twist, or magnetic writhe. These results suggest that (1) the magnetic helicity in the corona above ARs is mainly derived from the magnetic twist, and (2) the flow dynamics in the region from 0.6 to 11.6 Mm below the photosphere is not the primary source for the generation of magnetic helicity in ARs.

Sunspots and active regions observed on the solar surface are widely believed to be manifestations of compact predominantly toroidal magnetic field structures (“flux tubes”) that emerge by magnetic buoyancy from the deeper interior of the Sun. Much work has examined the evolution of such magnetic structures, typically considering them as idealized isolated magnetic entities and not as more realistic magnetic concentrations in a volume-filling background magnetic field. Here, we report results that explore the buoyant rise dynamics of magnetic concentrations in a volume-filling field in the full three dimensions. Earlier 2.5D work in this series established the remarkable fact that the twist orientation of a flux concentration relative to the background field affected its likelihood to rise and emerge, regardless of whether the buoyant rise took place in the absence or presence of convection. The contrasting dynamics between structures with differing orientations lead to a selection mechanism that reproduces characteristics of the “solar hemispheric helicity rule(s)” observations strikingly well. Here, we show that this two-dimensional selection mechanism persists in the face of the added complexity of three-dimensional dynamics. Arching of the magnetic structure in the third dimension, as might be expected in the solar application, is introduced. The role of tension force leading to this selection mechanism is elucidated and subtle differences that arise due to the three-dimensional geometry are discussed.

The ratio of metal abundance to hydrogen abundance of the solar photosphere, ( Z / X ) _s , has been revised several times. Standard solar models, based on these revised solar abundances, are in disagreement with seismically inferred results. Recently, Magg et al. introduced a new value for ( Z / X ) _s , which is still under debate in the community. The solar abundance problem or solar modeling problem remains a topic of ongoing debate. We constructed rotating solar models in accordance with various abundance scales where the effects of convection overshoot and enhanced diffusion were included. Among these models, those utilizing Magg’s abundance scale exhibit superior sound speed and density profiles compared to models using other abundance scales. Additionally, they reproduce the observed frequency separation ratios r _02 and r _13 . These models also match the seismically inferred surface helium abundance and convection zone depth within the 1 σ level. Furthermore, the calculated neutrino fluxes from these models agree with detected ones at the level of 1 σ . We found that neutrino fluxes and density profile are influenced by nuclear reactions, allowing us to use the combination of detected neutrino fluxes and seismically inferred density for diagnosing astrophysical S -factors. This diagnostic approach shows that S _11 may be underestimated by 2%, while S _33 may be overestimated by about 3% in previous determinations. The S -factors favored by updated neutrino fluxes and helioseismic results can lead to significant improvements in solar models.

The gradient of rotation in the near-surface shear layer (NSSL) of the Sun provides valuable insights into the dynamics associated with the solar activity cycle and the dynamo. Results obtained with global oscillation mode splittings lack resolution near the surface, prompting the use of the local helioseismic ring-diagram method. While the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager ring-analysis pipeline has been used previously for analyzing this layer, default pipeline parameters limit the accuracy of the near-surface gradients. To address these challenges, we fitted the flow parameters to power spectra averaged over one-year periods at each location, followed by additional averaging over 12 yr. We find that the NSSL can be divided into three fairly distinct regions: a deeper, larger region with a small shear, steepening toward the surface; a narrow middle layer with a strong shear, with a gradient approximately 3 times larger; and a layer very close to the surface, where the logarithmic gradient is close to zero but becomes steeper again toward the surface. The middle layer appears to be centered at 3 Mm, but the poor resolution in these layers implies that it is potentially located closer to the surface, around 1.5 Mm deep. While our analysis primarily focused on regions along the central meridian, we also investigated systematic errors at longitudes off the center. The east–west antisymmetric component of the gradient reveals a layer of substantial differences between the east and west longitude of around 1.7 Mm, and the amplitude of the differences increases with the longitude.

Recently discovered inertial waves, observed on the solar surface, likely extend to the deeper layers of the Sun. Utilizing helioseismic techniques, we explore these motions, allowing us to discern inertial mode eigenfunctions in both radial and latitudinal orientations. We analyze 8 yr of space-based observations (2010–2017) taken by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on board the Solar Dynamic Observatory using normal mode coupling. Couplings between the same and different-degree acoustic modes and different frequency bins are measured in order to capture the various length scales of the inertial modes. We detect inertial modes at high latitude with azimuthal order t = 1 and frequency ∼ −80 nHz, measured in a corotating frame with a rotation frequency of 453.1 nHz. This mode is present in the entire convection zone. The presence of Rossby modes may be seen down to a depth of ∼0.83 R _⊙ , and the Rossby signal is indistinguishable from noise below that depth for high azimuthal order. We find that the amplitudes of these modes increase with depth down to around 0.92 R _⊙ and decrease below that depth. We find that the latitudinal eigenfunctions of Rossby modes deviate from sectoral spherical harmonics if we use a similar approach as adopted in earlier studies. We find that spatial leakage and even pure noise in the measurements of nonsectoral components can also explain the abovementioned characteristics of the latitudinal eigenfunctions. This realization underscores the necessity for careful interpretation when considering the latitudinal eigenfunctions of Rossby modes. Exploring the depth-dependent characteristics of these modes will enable us to capture interior dynamics distinctly, separate from p-mode seismology.

Recent observations of Rossby waves and other more exotic forms of inertial oscillations in the Sun’s convection zone have kindled the hope that such waves might be used as a seismic probe of the Sun's interior. Here, we present a 3D numerical simulation in spherical geometry that models the Sun’s convection zone and upper radiative interior. This model features a wide variety of inertial oscillations, including both sectoral and tesseral equatorial Rossby waves, retrograde mixed inertial modes, prograde thermal Rossby waves, the recently observed high-frequency retrograde (HFR) vorticity modes, and what may be latitudinal overtones of these HFR modes. With this model, we demonstrate that sectoral and tesseral Rossby waves are ubiquitous within the radiative interior as well as within the convection zone. We suggest that there are two different Rossby-wave families in this simulation that live in different wave cavities: one in the radiative interior and one in the convection zone. Finally, we suggest that many of the retrograde inertial waves that appear in the convection zone, including the HFR modes, are in fact all related, being latitudinal overtones that are mixed modes with the prograde thermal Rossby waves.

The propagation of meridional circulation below the base of the convection zone (CZ) of low-mass stars may play a crucial role in the transport of angular momentum and also significantly contribute to the transport of chemical species and magnetic fields within their stable radiative zone (RZ). We systematically study these large-scale mean flows by performing three-dimensional global numerical simulations in a spherical shell that consists of a convective region overlying a stably stratified region. We find that the meridional flows can penetrate distances as large as ∼0.21 r _o (where r _o is the outer radius) below the base of the CZ, provided that the Eddington–Sweet timescale t _ES is much shorter than the viscous timescale t _ν , as measured by the parameter $\sigma ={({t}_{\mathrm{ES}}/{t}_{\nu })}^{1/2}$ . In the solar-like regime, where σ ≲ 1 in the upper RZ, we find that the angular momentum transport in the deep RZ is determined primarily by the action of the Coriolis force on meridional flows. In contrast, in models run in the σ > 1 regime, the meridional flows become weaker and the viscous effects dominate. We find that the penetration lengthscale δ _MC of these mean flows when σ ≲ 1 is proportional to σ ^−0.22 . Our findings may provide a better understanding of the role of the meridional flows in the dynamics of the solar interior and inform future numerical studies that are focused on capturing solar-like dynamics self-consistently.

We have used solar oscillation frequencies and frequency splittings obtained over solar cycles 23 and 24 to investigate whether the base of the solar convection zone shows any departure from spherical symmetry. We used the even-order splitting coefficients, a _2 – a _8 , and estimated the contributions from each one separately. The average asphericity over the two solar cycles was determined using frequencies and splittings obtained with a 9216-day time series. We find that evidence of asphericity is, at best , marginal: the a _2 component is consistent with no asphericity, the a _4 and a _6 components yield results at a level a little greater than 1 σ , while the a _8 component shows a signature below 1 σ . The combined results indicate that the time average of the departure from the spherically symmetric position of the base of the convection zone is ≲0.0001 R _⊙ . We have also used helioseismic data obtained from time series of lengths of 360, 576, 1152, and 2304 days in order to examine the consistency of the results and evaluate whether there is any time variation. We find that the evidence for time variation is statistically marginal in all cases, except for the a _6 component, for which tests consistently yield p -values of less than 0.05.

We investigate the spatiotemporal evolution of high-degree acoustic-mode frequencies of the Sun and surface magnetic activity over the course of multiple solar cycles, to improve our understanding of the connection between the solar interior and atmosphere. We focus on high-degree p -modes due to their ability to characterize conditions in the shear layer just below the solar surface, and analyze 22 yr of oscillation frequencies obtained from the Global Oscillation Network Group. Considering 10.7 cm radio flux measurements, the sunspot number, and the local magnetic activity index as solar-activity proxies, we find strong correlation between the mode frequencies and each activity index. We further investigate the hemispheric asymmetry associated with oscillation frequencies and magnetic activity proxies, and find that both were dominant in the southern hemisphere during the descending phase of cycle 23, while in cycle 24 these quantities fluctuated between northern and southern hemispheres. Analyzing the frequencies at different latitudes with the progression of solar cycles, we observe that the variations at midlatitudes were dominant in the southern hemisphere during the maximum-activity period of cycle 24, but the values overlap as the cycle advances toward the minimum phase. The mode frequencies at the beginning of cycle 25 are found to be dominant in the southern hemisphere following the pattern of magnetic activity. The analysis provides added evidence that the variability in oscillation frequencies is caused by both strong and weak magnetic fields.

We recently presented the first 3D numerical simulation of the solar interior for which tachocline confinement was achieved by a dynamo-generated magnetic field. In this follow-up study, we analyze the degree of confinement as the magnetic field strength changes (controlled by varying the magnetic Prandtl number) in a coupled radiative zone (RZ) and convection zone (CZ) system. We broadly find three solution regimes, corresponding to weak, medium, and strong dynamo magnetic field strengths. In the weak-field regime, the large-scale magnetic field is mostly axisymmetric with regular, periodic polarity reversals (reminiscent of the observed solar cycle) but fails to create a confined tachocline. In the strong-field regime, the large-scale field is mostly nonaxisymmetric with irregular, quasi-periodic polarity reversals and creates a confined tachocline. In the medium-field regime, the large-scale field resembles a strong-field dynamo for extended intervals but intermittently weakens to allow temporary epochs of strong differential rotation. In all regimes, the amplitude of poloidal field strength in the RZ is very well explained by skin-depth arguments, wherein the oscillating field that gives rise to the skin depth (in the medium- and strong-field cases) is a nonaxisymmetric field structure at the base of the CZ that rotates with respect to the RZ. These simulations suggest a new picture of solar tachocline confinement by the dynamo, in which nonaxisymmetric, very long-lived (effectively permanent) field structures rotating with respect to the RZ play the primary role, instead of the regularly reversing axisymmetric field associated with the 22 yr cycle.

Meridional circulation regulates the Sun’s interior dynamics and magnetism. While it is well accepted that meridional flows are poleward at the Sun’s surface, helioseismic observations have yet to provide a definitive answer for the depth at which those flows return to the equator, or the number of circulation cells in depth. Here, we explore the observability of multiple circulation cells stacked in radius. Specifically, we examine the seismic signature of several meridional flow profiles by convolving time–distance averaging kernels with mean flows obtained from a suite of 3D hydrodynamic simulations. At mid and high latitudes, we find that weak flow structures in the deep convection zone can be obscured by signals from the much stronger surface flows. This contamination of 1–2 m s ^−1 is caused by extended side lobes in the averaging kernels, which produce a spurious equatorward signal with flow speeds that are 1 order of magnitude stronger than the original flow speeds in the simulations. At low latitudes, the flows in the deep layers of the simulations are stronger (>2 m s ^−1 ) and multiple cells across the convection zone can produce a sufficiently strong signal to survive the convolution process. Now that meridional flows can be measured over two decades of data, the uncertainties arising from convective noise have fallen to a level where they are comparable in magnitude to the systematic biases caused by nonlocal features in the averaging kernels. Hence, these systematic errors are beginning to influence current helioseismic deductions and need broader consideration.

We present evidence of hitherto undiscovered global-scale oscillations in the near-surface shear layer of the Sun. These oscillations are seen as large-scale variations of radial shear in both the zonal and meridional flows relative to their mean values. The variations cover all or most of a visible hemisphere, and reverse with a timescale on the order of a solar rotation. A large annual variation in the meridional shear anomaly is understandable in terms of the tilt of the rotation axis, but the rapid oscillations of the shear anomalies in both zonal and the meridional directions appear to be modulated in a more complex, not-quite-annual way, although the latter are also strongly modulated by the projected rotational axis angle. Small-scale anomalies in the neighborhood of active regions lend support to their solar origin and physical interpretation. These results were obtained by analyzing ring-diagram fits of low-order modes in high-resolution Doppler data from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on the Solar Dynamics Observatory.

We study the radial gradient of the solar rotation rate in the near-surface shear layer (NSSL) from about .950 R⊙ to the solar surface and its variation during Solar Cycles 23 and 24 with ring-diagram analysis applied to Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) Dopplergrams. The average radial gradient is ∂ log Ω/∂ log r = − 1.0 ± .1 at .990 R⊙ in agreement with previous studies. The average radial gradient is ∂ log Ω/∂ log r = − .11 ± .01 at the base of the NSSL at .950R⊙, while it is steeper than −1 closer to the surface between .990R⊙ and .997R⊙. The average radial gradient is rather flat within ±40° latitude from about .970 R⊙ to the solar surface. The radial gradient of the solar rotation rate varies with the solar cycle. At locations of high magnetic activity, the radial gradient is more negative than average from about .970 R⊙ to .990 R⊙, while in quiet regions the radial gradient is less negative than average at these depths. Close to the surface at .997 R⊙, this relationship appears to be reversed. Prominent features of the solar-cycle variation of large-scale flows, such as poleward branches or precursor flows, are not obviously present. The variation of the radial gradient thus more likely indicates the presence or absence of magnetic flux above a certain threshold. The temporal variations derived from the different HMI and GONG data sets agree within one error bar at most depths and latitudes, while their amplitudes might be different.

Solar meridional circulation is an axisymmetric flow system, extending from the equator to the poles (∼ 20 m/s at the surface, ≈ 1% of the mean solar rotation rate), plunging inwards and subsequently completing the circuit in the interior through an equatorward return flow and a radially outward flow back up to the surface. This article reviews the profound role that meridional circulation plays in maintaining global dynamics and regulating large-scale solar magnetism. Because it is relatively weak in comparison to differential rotation (∼ 300 m/s, ≈ 7% of the mean solar rotation rate) and owing to numerous systematical errors, accurate surface measurements were only first made in 1978 and initial inferences of interior meridional circulation were obtained using helioseismology two decades later. However, systematical biases have made it very challenging to reliably recover flow in the deep interior. Despite numerous advances that have served to improve the accuracy of inferences, the location of the return flow and the full extent of the circulation are still open problems. This article follows the historical developments and summarises contemporary advances that have led to modern inferences of surface and interior meridional flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The internal solar structure predicted by the standard solar model disagrees with the helioseismic observations even by utilizing the most updated physical inputs, such as the opacity and element abundances. By increasing the Rosseland mean, the decade-old open problem of the missing opacity can be resolved. Herein, we propose that the continuum electrons in the radiative processes lose phases and coherence as matter waves, giving rise to a phenomenon of transient spatial localization. It not only enhances the continuum opacity but also increases the line widths of the bound-bound transitions. We demonstrate our theoretical formulation by investigating the opacity of solar mixtures in the interior. The Rosseland mean demonstrates an increase of 10%–26% in the range of 0.3R⊙–0.75R⊙. The results are compared with the recent experimental data and the existing theoretical models. Our findings provide novel clues to the open problem of the missing opacity in the solar interior and new insight on the radiative opacity in the hot dense-plasma regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the temporal evolution of quasi-biennial oscillations (QBOs) using acoustic mode oscillation frequencies from the Global Oscillation Network Group. The data used here span more than 25 yr, covering solar cycles 23 and 24 and the ascending phase of cycle 25. The analysis reveals that QBO-like signals are present in both the cycles, but with different periods. The dominant QBO period in cycle 23 is found to be about 2 yr, while it is about 3 yr in cycle 24. Furthermore, the quasi-biennial oscillatory signals are present only during the ascending and high-activity phases of cycle 23 and quickly weaken around 2005, during the declining phase. In comparison, the QBO signals are present throughout cycle 24, starting from 2009 to 2017. We also explored the depth dependence in QBO signals and obtained a close agreement at all depths, except in the near-surface shear layer. A detailed analysis of the near-surface shear layer suggests that the source region of QBOs is probably within a few thousand kilometers just below the surface.

Mapping the large-scale subsurface plasma flow profile within the Sun has been attempted using various methods for several decades. One such flow in particular is the meridional circulation, for which numerous studies have been published. However, such studies often show disagreement in structure. In an effort to constrain the flow profile from the data, a Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo framework has been developed to take advantage of the advances in computing power that allow for the efficient exploration of high-dimensional parameter spaces. This study utilizes helioseismic travel-time difference data covering a span of 21 years and a parameterized model of the meridional circulation to find the most likely flow profiles. Tests were carried out on artificial data to determine the ability of this method to recover expected solar-like flow profiles, as well as a few extreme cases. We find that this method is capable of recovering the input flows of both single- and double-cell flow structures. Some inversion results indicate potential differences in meridional circulation between the two solar cycles in terms of both magnitude and morphology, in particular in the mid-convection zone. Of these, the most likely solutions show that solar cycle 23 has a large single-celled profile, while cycle 24 shows weaker flows in general and hints toward a double-celled structure.

Previous studies analyzing the evanescent nature of acoustic waves in the lower solar atmosphere, up to 300 km above the photosphere, have shown an unexpected phase shift of an order of 1 s between different heights. Those studies investigated the spectral line Fe i λ 6173.3, commonly used for helioseismic measurements. Such phase shifts can contribute to a misinterpretation of the measured travel times in local helioseismology, complicating inferences of, e.g., the deep meridional flow. In this study, we carry out phase shift computations using a simulated, fully radiative, and convective atmosphere from which the Fe i λ 6173.3 line is synthesized. The resulting phase shifts as functions of frequency across multiple heights show nonzero values in evanescent waves, similar to what was found in observational data. Comparing the Doppler velocities estimated from the synthesized absorption line with the true velocities directly obtained from the simulated plasma motions, we find substantial differences in phase shifts between the two. This leads us to hypothesize that the nonadiabaticity of the solar atmosphere yields extra phase shift contributions to Doppler velocities. Finally, computing phase differences for different viewing angles reveals a systematic center-to-limb variation, similar to what is present in observations. Overall, this study helps to improve our understanding of the physical cause of the helioseismic center-to-limb effect.

The observed solar oscillation spectrum is influenced by internal perturbations such as flows and structural asphericities. These features induce splitting of characteristic frequencies and distort the resonant-mode eigenfunctions. Global axisymmertric flow—differential rotation—is a very prominent perturbation. Tightly constrained rotation profiles as a function of latitude and radius are products of established helioseismic pipelines that use observed Dopplergrams to generate frequency-splitting measurements at high precision. However, the inference of rotation using frequency splittings does not consider the effect of mode coupling. This approximation worsens for modes with high angular degrees, as they become increasingly proximal in frequency. Since modes with high angular degrees probe the near-surface layers of the Sun, inversions considering coupled modes could potentially lead to more accurate estimates of rotation very close to the surface. In order to investigate if this is indeed the case, we perform inversions for solar differential rotation, considering coupling of modes for angular degrees 160 ≤ ℓ ≤ 300 in the surface gravity f -branch and first-overtone p modes. In keeping with the character of mode coupling, we carry out a nonlinear inversion using an eigenvalue solver. Differences in inverted profiles for frequency-splitting measurements from MDI and HMI are compared and discussed. We find that the corrections to the near-surface differential rotation profile, when accounting for mode-coupling effects, are smaller than 0.003 nHz and hence are insignificant. These minuscule corrections are found to be correlated with the solar cycle. We also present corrections to even-order splitting coefficients, which could consequently impact inversions for structure and magnetic fields.

The Sun provides a critical benchmark for the general study of stellar structure and evolution. Also, knowledge about the internal properties of the Sun is important for the understanding of solar atmospheric phenomena, including the solar magnetic cycle. Here I provide a brief overview of the theory of stellar structure and evolution, including the physical processes and parameters that are involved. This is followed by a discussion of solar evolution, extending from the birth to the latest stages. As a background for the interpretation of observations related to the solar interior I provide a rather extensive analysis of the sensitivity of solar models to the assumptions underlying their calculation. I then discuss the detailed information about the solar interior that has become available through helioseismic investigations and the detection of solar neutrinos, with further constraints provided by the observed abundances of the lightest elements. Revisions in the determination of the solar surface abundances have led to increased discrepancies, discussed in some detail, between the observational inferences and solar models. I finally briefly address the relation of the Sun to other similar stars and the prospects for asteroseismic investigations of stellar structure and evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some experiments seem to yield strong evidence of variability of beta-decay rates, but other experiments may show little or no such evidence. Some recent experiments help clarify the situation. In particular, a certain oscillation appears in neutrino measurements made at the Super-Kamiokande Neutrino Observatory and in radon beta-decay measurements made at the Geological Survey of Israel, with identical frequency (9.43 years−1), amplitude and phase, strengthening the case for an influence of neutrinos on beta decays. A review of current experimental information leads us to suggest that 1) beta-decay rates do not change, but 2) the angular distribution of decay products may be anisotropic, and 3) the angular distribution of decay products may be influenced by the ambient neutrino flux. It appears that experiments at standards laboratories tend to be insensitive to direction, and this may be the reason that they tend not to exhibit evidence of variability.

Abstract We report a petrography, mineral chemistry, oxygen and chromium isotopic study of Grove Mountains (GRV) 020043 together with a subset of other acapulcoites and lodranites. GRV 020043 is a petrologic type 4 chondrite, with chondrules of diverse types and sizes, and is composed of low-Ca pyroxene (40 vol.%), olivine (24 vol.%), diopside (8 vol.%), plagioclase (10 vol.%), Fe-Ni metal (kamacite and taenite), troilite and some accessory minerals (chromite and apatite). The olivine in GRV 020043 has an average fayalite content (Fa) of 10.7 mol.% with the low-Ca pyroxene having an average ferrosilite content (Fs) of 10.8 mol.%. The whole rock oxygen isotopic composition of GRV 020043 is +3.226 ± 0.267‰, +0.797 ± 0.131‰, and −0.927 ± 0.017‰ for δ18O, δ17O, and Δ17O, respectively, with a bulk chromium isotopic compositions of ε54Cr = −0.48 ± 0.10. These characteristics of GRV 020043 are different from all established or ungrouped chondrites but agree with those of the acapulcoite-lodranite clan. We therefore suggest that GRV 020043 represents the chondritic precursor of acapulcoite-lodranite parent body. The similarity of bulk oxygen and chromium isotopic compositions among GRV 020043, Acapulco, Northwest Africa (NWA) 468 (metal-rich lodranite), NWA 8118 (lodranite), NWA 8287 (acapulcoite), and NWA 8422 (lodranite) indicates that they originated from a common oxygen and chromium reservoir in the protoplanetary disk or may have derived from a parent body with a differentiated multilayer structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore new opportunities for solar physics that could be realized by future missions providing sustained observations from vantage points away from the Sun-Earth line. These include observations from the far side of the Sun, at high latitudes including over the solar poles, or from near-quadrature angles relative to the Earth (e.g., the Sun-Earth L4 and L5 Lagrangian points). Such observations fill known holes in our scientific understanding of the three-dimensional, time-evolving Sun and heliosphere, and have the potential to open new frontiers through discoveries enabled by novel viewpoints.

Eleven-year Schwabe cycle in solar activity is not yet fully understood despite of its almost two century discovery. It is generally interpreted as owing to some sort of magnetic dynamo operating below or inside the convection zone. The magnetic field strength in the dynamo layer may determine the importance of the tachocline in the model which is responsible for the cyclic magnetic field, but the direct measurement is not possible. On the other hand, solar activity also displays short term variations over time scale of months (Rieger-type periodicity), which significantly depend on solar activity level: stronger cycles (or more active hemisphere in each cycle) generally show shorter periodicity and vice versa. The periodicity is probably connected to Rossby-type waves in the dynamo layer, therefore alongside with wave dispersion relations it might be used to estimate the dynamo magnetic field strength. We performed the wavelet analysis of hemispheric sunspot areas during solar cycles 13–24 and corresponding hemispheric values of Rieger-type periodicity are found in each cycle. Two different Rossby-type waves could lead to observed periodicities: spherical fast magneto-Rossby waves and equatorial Poincare-Rossby waves. The dispersion relation of spherical fast magneto-Rossby waves gives the estimated field strength of >40 kG in stronger cycles (or in more active hemisphere) and 20 kG and

Context. Type II Cepheids (T2Cs) are radially pulsating variables that trace old stellar populations and provide distance estimates through their period-luminosity (PL) relation. Aims. We trace the structure of old stellar population in the Galactic bulge using new distance estimates and kinematic properties of T2Cs. Methods. We present new near-infrared photometry of T2Cs in the bulge from the VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea survey (VVV). We provide the largest sample (894 stars) of T2Cs with JHKs observations that have accurate periods from the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) catalog. Our analysis makes use of the Ks-band time-series observations to estimate mean magnitudes and individual distances by means of the PL relation. To constrain the kinematic properties of our targets, we complement our analysis with proper motions based on both the VVV and Gaia Data Release 2. Results. We derive an empirical Ks-band PL relation that depends on Galactic longitude and latitude: Ks0 = (10.66 ± 0.02) − (2.21 ± 0.03)·(log P−1.2)−(0.020±0.003)·l+(0.050±0.008)·|b| mag; individual extinction corrections are based on a 3D reddening map. Our targets display a centrally concentrated distribution, with solid evidence of ellipsoidal symmetry – similar to the RR Lyræ ellipsoid – and a few halo outliers up to ≳100 kpc. We obtain a distance from the Galactic center of R0 = 8.46 ± 0.03(stat.) ± 0.11(syst.) kpc. We also find evidence that the bulge T2Cs belong to a kinematically hot population, as the tangential velocity components (συl∗ = 104.2 ± 3.0kms−1 and συb = 96.8 ± 5.5kms−1) agree within 1.2σ. Moreover, the difference between absolute and relative proper motion is in good agreement with the proper motion of Sgr A✻ from VLBA measures. Conclusions. We conclude that bulge T2Cs display an ellipsoidal spatial distribution and have kinematics similar to RR Lyræ stars, which are other tracers of the old, low-mass stellar population. T2Cs also provide an estimate of R0 that agrees excellently well with the literature, taking account of the reddening law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observations have shown that massive star-forming clumps are present in the internal structure of high-redshift galaxies. One way to study these clumps in detail with a higher spatial resolution is by exploiting the power of strong gravitational lensing which stretches images on the sky. In this work, we present an analysis of the clumpy galaxy A68-HLS115 at z = 1.5858, located behind the cluster Abell 68, but strongly lensed by a cluster galaxy member. Resolved observations with SINFONI/VLT in the near-infrared (NIR) show Hα, Hβ, [NII], and [OIII] emission lines. Combined with images covering the B band to the far-infrared (FIR) and CO(2–1) observations, this makes this galaxy one of the only sources for which such multi-band observations are available and for which it is possible to study the properties of resolved star-forming clumps and to perform a detailed analysis of the integrated properties, kinematics, and metallicity. We obtain a stability of υrot/σ0 = 2.73 by modeling the kinematics, which means that the galaxy is dominated by rotation, but this ratio also indicates that the disk is marginally stable. We find a high intrinsic velocity dispersion of 80 ± 10 km s−1 that could be explained by the high gas fraction of fgas = 0.75 ± 0.15 observed in this galaxy. This high fgas and the observed sSFR of 3.12 Gyr−1 suggest that the disk turbulence and instabilities are mostly regulated by incoming gas (available gas reservoir for star formation). The direct measure of the Toomre stability criterion of Qcrit = 0.70 could also indicate the presence of a quasi-stable thick disk. Finally, we identify three clumps in the Hα map which have similar velocity dispersions, metallicities, and seem to be embedded in the rotating disk. These three clumps contribute together to ∼40% on the SFRHα of the galaxy and show a star formation rate density about ∼100 times higher than HII regions in the local Universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Employing the standard solar interior model as input we construct a dynamically-consistent nonlinear dynamo model that takes into account the detailed description of the Λ - effect, turbulent pumping, magnetic helicity balance, and magnetic feedback on the differential rotation and meridional circulation. The background mean-field hydrodynamic model of the solar convection zone accounts the solar-like angular velocity profile and the double-cell meridional circulation. We investigate an impact of the nonlinear magnetic field generation effects on the long-term variability and properties of the magnetic cycle. The nonlinear dynamo solutions are studied in the wide interval of the α effect parameter from a slightly subcritical to supercritical values. It is found that the magnetic cycle period decreases with the increasing cycle's magnitude. The periodic long-term variations of the magnetic cycle are excited in case of the overcritical α effect. These variations result from the hemispheric magnetic helicity exchange. It depends on the magnetic diffusivity parameter and the magnetic helicity production rate. The large-scale magnetic activity modifies the distribution of the differential rotation and meridional circulation inside convection zone. It is found that the magnetic feedback on the global flow affects the properties of the long-term magnetic cycles. We confront our findings with solar and stellar magnetic activity observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]