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A new code for stellar evolution, named CESAM, has been constructed at Nice by P. Morel. Standard solar models have been computed using this code. Their global characteristics, predicted capture rates of neutrinos for the chlorine and gallium experiments and their seismological properties are given and compared to the observational constraints. The emphasis is put on the effect of the recent opacities of Livermore for different mixtures, corresponding to recent abundances determination, on the neutrino predictions and the solar oscillations.

Models of Procyon A satisfying the actual observational constraints, particularly the asteroseismic ones, are discussed. The oscillations of these models were computed and analysed. We looked for seismic signatures of the evolutionary status of Procyon A. We show that the behavior of the small frequency spacings, particularly allows us to distinguish between main sequence and post-main sequence models, all satisfying the observational constraints on mass, effective temperature, radius, and surface metallicity of Procyon A. We also introduce a new seismic evolution criterion, , based on the comparison of the low and high frequency parts of the power spectrum. The comparison of the seismic properties of the models with the available asteroseismic observations does not allow us to definitely decide on the stage of evolution of Procyon A. Much more accurate frequencies must be obtained especially in the low-frequency domain to distinguish between the models.

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 432, pp. 225-233, http://dx.doi.org./10.1051/0004-6361:20041387; International audience; Results on the effects of microscopic diffusion on the modeling and oscillations of solar-like stars are discussed. Comparisons between models with and without microscopic diffusion, subjected to observational constraints, namely effective temperature, luminosity, surface metallicity and mass derived from photometry, spectroscopy and astrometry, are presented. We point out and discuss a signature of microscopic diffusion on the oscillation frequencies.

The mode identification and fitting of solar oscillations provide an observational tool to derive the physical properties of the Sun’s interior. What has been devised for helioseismology can now be used for future asteroseismology ground-based instruments and space missions, such as the High-Accuracy Radial Velocity Planetary Searcher (HARPS) and Convection, Rotation and Planetary Transits (COROT). In the coming decade, numerous stars will be observed for which new tools will be needed. For instance, it is very likely that g and p modes will be detected, rendering the identification difficult. In addition, modes having both characteristics, known as mixed modes, are also likely to be detected in evolved stars; these latter modes are crucial for the understanding of the internal structure of the stars as they propagate deeply inside the stars, unlike the p modes. Unfortunately, the mixing will not only occur physically but also in the frequency domain: mixed modes will appear very close to stochastically excited p modes. In this paper, we have devised a new technique for detecting long-lived modes (mixed or g modes) embedded in a common p-mode spectrum. The technique has been validated using Monte Carlo simulations. In the framework of the hare-and-hound exercise of COROT, this technique has been applied to synthetic time series of the evolved solar-like star HD 57006. The results show that we can detect most of the mixed modes embedded by the hare. We also discuss the impact of how the long-lived modes are excited on the detection level. The technique described here can be applied to stars with a mass greater than 1.2 M� ,h a ving evolved possibly beyond the terminal-age main sequence, such as Procyon. Ke yw ords: methods: statistical ‐ stars: oscillations.

Main Sequence (MS) stars are by far the most numerous class in the Universe. They are often somewhat neglected as they are relatively quiet objects (but exceptions exist), though they bear testimony of the past and future of our Sun. An important characteristic of the MS stars, particularly the solar-type ones, is that they host the large majority of the known extrasolar planets. Moreover, at the bottom of the MS, the red M dwarfs pave the way to understanding the physics of brown dwarfs and giant planets. We have measured very precise angular diameters from recent VINCI/VLTI interferometric observations of a number of MS stars in the K band, with spectral types between A1V and M5.5V. They already cover a wide range of effective temperatures and radii. Combined with precise Hipparcos parallaxes, photometry, spectroscopy as well as the asteroseismic information available for some of these stars, the angular diameters put strong constraints on the detailed models of these stars, and therefore on the physical processes at play.

International audience; We report the angular diameter measurement obtained with the VINCI/VLTI instrument on the nearby star Procyon A (alpha CMi A, F5IV-V), at a relative precision of ± 0.9%. We obtain a uniform disk angular diameter in the K band of thetaUD = 5.376±0.047 mas and a limb darkened value of thetaLD = 5.448±0.053 mas. Together with the HIPPARCOS parallax, this gives a linear diameter of 2.048±0.025 D&sun;. We use this result in combination with spectroscopic, photometric and asteroseismic constraints to model this star with the CESAM code. One set of modeling parameters that reproduces the observations within their error bars are an age of 2314 Myr, an initial helium mass fraction Y_i=0.301 and an initial mass ratio of heavy elements to hydrogen (Z/X)i=0.0314. We also computed the adiabatic oscillation spectrum of our model of Procyon A, giving a mean large frequency separation of /line{Deltanu0}≈ 54.7 muHz. This value is in agreement with the seismic observations by Martic et al. (\cite{martic}, \cite{martic01}). The interferometric diameter and the asteroseismic large frequency spacing together suggest a mass closer to 1.4 M&sun; than to 1.5 M&sun;. We conclude that Procyon is currently ending its life on the main sequence, as its luminosity class indicates.

Using the oscillation frequencies of alpha Cen A recently discovered by Bouchy & Carrier, the available astrometric, photometric and spectroscopic data, we tried to improve the calibration of the visual binary system alpha Cen. With the revisited masses of Pourbaix et al. (2002) we do not succeed to obtain a solution satisfying all the seismic observational constraints. Relaxing the constraints on the masses, we have found an age t_alpha Cen=4850+-500 Myr, an initial helium mass fraction Y_i = 0.300+-0.008, and an initial metallicity (Z/X)_i=0.0459+-0.0019, with M_A=1.100+-0.006M_o and M_B=0.907+-0.006M_o for alpha Cen A&B.

With over 5 years of GOLF data having some 90% continuity, a new attempt has been made to search for possible solarg modes. Statistical methods are used, based on the minimum of assumptions regarding the solar physics; namely that mode line-widths are small compared with the inverse of the observing time, and that modes are sought in the frequency interval 150 to 400Hz. A number of simulations are carried out in order to understand the expected behaviour of a system consisting principally of a solar noise continuum overlaid with some weak sharp resonances. The method adopted is based on the FFT analysis of a time series with zero-padding by a factor of 5. One prominent resonance at 284.666Hz coincides with a previous tentative assignment as one member of an n = 1, l = 1, p-mode multiplet. Components of two multiplets, previously tentatively identified as possibleg-mode candidates from the GOLF data in 1998, continue to be found, although their statistical significance is shown to be insucient, within the present assumption regarding the nature of the signal. An upper limit to the amplitude of anyg mode present is calculated using two dierent statistical approaches, according to either the assumed absence (H0 hypothesis) or the assumed presence (H1 hypothesis) of a signal. The former yields a slightly lower limit of around 6 mm/s.

We have revisited the calibration of the visual binary system Zeta Herculis with the goal to give the seismological properties of the G0 IV sub-giant Zeta Her A. We have used the most recent physical and observational data. For the age we have obtained 3387 Myr, for the masses respectively 1.45 and 0.98 solar mass, for the initial helium mass fraction 0.243, for the initial mass ratio of heavy elements to hydrogen 0.0269 and for the mixing-length parameters respectively 0.92 and 0.90 using the Canuto & Mazitelli (1991, 1992) convection theory. Our results do not exclude that Zeta Her A is itself a binary sub-system; the mass of the hypothetical unseen companion would be smaller than 0.05 solar mass. The adiabatic oscillation spectrum of Zeta Her A is found to be a complicated superposition of acoustic and gravity modes; some of them have a dual character. This greatly complicates the classification of the non-radial modes. The echelle diagram used by the observers to extract the frequencies will work for ell=0, 2, 3. The large difference is found to be of the order of 42 mu Hz, in agreement with the Martic et al. (2001) seismic observations., 12 pages, A&A in press

Three helioseismic instruments on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory have observed the Sun almost continuously since early 1996. This has led to detailed study of the biases induced by the instruments that measure intensity or Doppler velocity variation. Photospheric turbulence hardly influences the tiny signature of conditions in the energy-generating core in the low-order modes, which are therefore very informative. We use sound-speed and density profiles inferred from GOLF and MDI data including these modes, together with recent improvements to stellar model computations, to build a spherically symmetric seismically adjusted model in agreement with the observations. The model is in hydrostatic and thermal balance and produces the present observed luminosity. In constructing the model, we adopt the best physics available, although we adjust some fundamental ingredients, well within the commonly estimated errors, such as the p-p reaction rate (+1%) and the heavy-element abundance (+3.5%); we also examine the sensitivity of the density profile to the nuclear reaction rates. Then, we deduce the corresponding emitted neutrino fluxes and consequently demonstrate that it is unlikely that the deficit of the neutrino fluxes measured on Earth can be explained by a spherically symmetric classical model without neutrino flavor transitions. Finally, we discuss the limitations of our results and future developments.

Observations made by the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) and Variability of solar IRradiance and Gravity Oscillations (VIRGO) on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) and by the ground-based Birmingham Solar Oscillations Network (BiSON) and Global Oscillations Network Group (GONG) have been used in a concerted effort to search for solar gravity oscillations. All spectra are dominated by solar noise in the frequency region from 100 to 1000 μHz, where g-modes are expected to be found. Several methods have been used in an effort to extract any g-mode signal present. These include (1) the correlation of data—both full-disk and imaged (with different spatial-mask properties)—collected over different time intervals from the same instrument, (2) the correlation of near-contemporaneous data from different instruments, and (3) the extraction—through the application of complex filtering techniques—of the coherent part of data collected at different heights in the solar atmosphere. The detection limit is set by the loss of coherence caused by the temporal evolution and the motion (e.g., rotation) of superficial structures. Although we cannot identify any g-mode signature, we have nevertheless set a firm upper limit to the amplitudes of the modes: at 200 μHz, they are below 10 mm s-1 in velocity, and below 0.5 parts per million in intensity. The velocity limit corresponds very approximately to a peak-to-peak vertical displacement of δR/R☉ = 2.3 × 10-8 at the solar surface. These levels which are much lower than prior claims, are consistent with theoretical predictions.

First results from the 4-6 months observations of the VIRGO experiment (Variability of solar IRradiance and Gravity Oscillations) on the ESA/NASA Mission SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) are reported. The time series are evaluated in terms of solar irradiance variability, solar background noise characteristics and p-mode oscillations. The solar irradiance is modulated by the passage of active regions across the disk, but not all of the modulation is straightforwardly explained in terms of sunspot flux blocking and facular enhancement. The observed p-mode frequencies are more-or-less in agreement with earlier measurements, but it is interesting to note that systematic differences seem to exist between the observations in different colours. There is also evidence that magnetic activity plays a significant role in the dynamics of the oscillations beyond its modulation of the resonant frequencies. Moreover, by comparing the amplitudes of different components of p-mode multiplets, each of which are influenced differently by spatial inhomogeneity, we have found that activity enhances excitation.

The scientific objective of the VIRGO experiment (Variability of solar IRradiance and Gravity Oscillations) is to determine the characteristics of pressure and internal gravity oscillations by observing irradiance and radiance variations, to measure the solar total and spectral irradiance and to quantify their variability over periods of days to the duration of the mission. With these data helioseismological methods can be used to probe the solar interior. Certain characteristics of convection and its interaction with magnetic fields, related to, for example, activity, will be studied from the results of the irradiance monitoring and from the comparison of amplitudes and phases of the oscillations as manifest in brightness from VIRGO, in velocity from GOLF, and in both velocity and continuum intensity from SOI/MDI. The VIRGO experiment contains two different active-cavity radiometers for monitoring the solar ‘constant’, two three-channel sunphotometers (SPM) for the measurement of the spectral irradiance at 402, 500 and 862 nm, and a low-resolution imager (LOI) with 12 pixels, for the measurement of the radiance distribution over the solar disk at 500 um. In this paper the scientific objectives of VIRGO are presented, the instruments and the data acquisition and control system are described in detail, and their measured performance is given.

We have analyzed data from a multi-site campaign to observe oscillations in the F5 star Procyon. The data consist of high-precision velocities that we obtained over more than three weeks with eleven telescopes. A new method for adjusting the data weights allows us to suppress the sidelobes in the power spectrum. Stacking the power spectrum in a so-called echelle diagram reveals two clear ridges that we identify with even and odd values of the angular degree (l=0 and 2, and l=1 and 3, respectively). We interpret a strong, narrow peak at 446 muHz that lies close to the l=1 ridge as a mode with mixed character. We show that the frequencies of the ridge centroids and their separations are useful diagnostics for asteroseismology. In particular, variations in the large separation appear to indicate a glitch in the sound-speed profile at an acoustic depth of about 1000 s. We list frequencies for 55 modes extracted from the data spanning 20 radial orders, a range comparable to the best solar data, which will provide valuable constraints for theoretical models. A preliminary comparison with published models shows that the offset between observed and calculated frequencies for the radial modes is very different for Procyon than for the Sun and other cool stars. We find the mean lifetime of the modes in Procyon to be 1.29 +0.55/-0.49 days, which is significantly shorter than the 2-4 days seen in the Sun., Comment: accepted for publication in ApJ

International audience; By applying the theory of slowly rotating stars to the Sun, the solar quadrupole and octopole moments J2 and J4 were computed using a solar model obtained from CESAM stellar evolution code (Morel, 1997) combined with a recent model of solar differential rotation deduced from helioseismology (Corbard et al., 2002). This model takes into account a near-surface radial gradient of rotation which was inferred and quantified from MDI f-mode observations by Corbard and Thompson (2002). The effect of this observational near-surface gradient on the theoretical values of the surface parameters J2, J4 is investigated. The results show that the octopole moment J4 is much more sensitive than the quadrupole moment J2 to the subsurface radial gradient of rotation.

Some results are given on the properties of the second-order asymptotic expression of the periods of low-degree gravity modes and on their rotational splitting. These could be of some help for the detection of these modes in the signal.

A new value of the ratio of the heavy elements content to hydrogen abundance Z/X has been recently estimated in the solar atmosphere. We present the consequences of this result on the solar standard model and we examine the sensitivity to Z/X of the solar neutrinos flux predictions and of the oscillation frequencies.

4 pages, 3 figures.-- Supporting Online Material: Text, Fig. S1, Table S1 and References, available at: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/322/5901/558/DC1, Oscillations of the Sun have been used to understand its interior structure. The extension of similar studies to more distant stars has raised many difficulties despite the strong efforts of the international community over the past decades. The CoRoT (Convection Rotation and Planetary Transits) satellite, launched in December 2006, has now measured oscillations and the stellar granulation signature in three main sequence stars that are noticeably hotter than the sun. The oscillation amplitudes are about 1.5 times as large as those in the Sun; the stellar granulation is up to three times as high. The stellar amplitudes are about 25% below the theoretic values, providing a measurement of the nonadiabaticity of the process ruling the oscillations in the outer layers of the stars.

We have carried out a multi-site campaign to measure oscillations in the F5 star Procyon A. We obtained high-precision velocity observations over more than three weeks with eleven telescopes, with almost continuous coverage for the central ten days. This represents the most extensive campaign so far organized on any solar-type oscillator. We describe in detail the methods we used for processing and combining the data. These involved calculating weights for the velocity time series from the measurement uncertainties and adjusting them in order to minimize the noise level of the combined data. The time series of velocities for Procyon shows the clear signature of oscillations, with a plateau of excess power that is centred at 0.9 mHz and is broader than has been seen for other stars. The mean amplitude of the radial modes is 38.1 +/- 1.3 cm/s (2.0 times solar), which is consistent with previous detections from the ground and by the WIRE spacecraft, and also with the upper limit set by the MOST spacecraft. The variation of the amplitude during the observing campaign allows us to estimate the mode lifetime to be 1.5 d (+1.9/-0.8 d). We also find a slow variation in the radial velocity of Procyon, with good agreement between different telescopes. These variations are remarkably similar to those seen in the Sun, and we interpret them as being due to rotational modulation from active regions on the stellar surface. The variations appear to have a period of about 10 days, which presumably equals the stellar rotation period or, perhaps, half of it. The amount of power in these slow variations indicates that the fractional area of Procyon covered by active regions is slightly higher than for the Sun., accepted for publication in ApJ. Minor change to Fig 11

Helioseismology requires solar models computed with great accuracy. Results of investigations about the incidence in ZAMS models of one solar mass of the numerical errors arising from the interpolation of opacity tables and from the integration of the atmosphere are reported.

The asymptotic properties of the gravity modes of solar models with a mixed core have been investigated. In this model, the Brunt-Vaissala frequency has a strong enhancement in the region of variable chemical composition at the boundary of the mixed core, giving rise to a non-equidistant spectrum of gravity modes periods. An asymptotic expression for the periods is derived, which relates the main feature of the departure from period equidistance to the stratification of the model. Qualitative agreement with the numerical periods of the model is obtained.

Procyon A is a bright F5IV star in a binary system. Although the distance, mass and angular diameter of this star are all known with high precision, the exact evolutionary state is still unclear. Evolutionary tracks with different ages and different mass fractions of hydrogen in the core pass, within the errors, through the observed position of Procyon A in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. For more than 15 years several different groups have studied the solar-like oscillations in Procyon A to determine its evolutionary state. Although several studies independently detected power excess in the periodogram, there is no agreement on the actual oscillation frequencies yet. This is probably due to either insufficient high-quality data (i.e., aliasing) or due to intrinsic properties of the star (i.e., short mode lifetimes). Now a spectroscopic multi-site campaign using 10 telescopes world-wide (minimizing aliasing effects) with a total time span of nearly 4 weeks (increase the frequency resolution) is performed to identify frequencies in this star and finally determine its properties and evolutionary state., 7 pages, 4 figures to be published in the proceedings of HELAS II International Conference: Helioseismology, Asteroseismology and MHD Connections published in the Journal of Physics: Conference Series. High resolution colour figures can be provided on request

Context. The most recent determination of the solar chemical composition, using a time-dependent, 3D hydrodynamical model of the solar atmosphere, exhibits a significant decrease of C, N, O abundances compared to their previous values. Solar models that use these new abundances are not consistent with helioseismological determinations of the sound speed profile, the surface helium abundance and the convection zone depth. Aims. We investigate the effect of changes of solar abundances on low degree p-mode and g-mode characteristics which are strong constraints of the solar core. We consider particularly the increase of neon abundance in the new solar mixture in order to reduce the discrepancy between models using new abundances and helioseismology. Methods. The observational determinations of solar frequencies from the GOLF instrument are used to test solar models computed with different chemical compositions. We consider in particular the normalized small frequency spacings in the low degree p-mode frequency range. Results. Low-degree small frequency spacings are very sensitive to changes in the heavy-element abundances, notably neon. We show that by considering all the seismic constraints, including the small frequency spacings, a rather large increase of neon abundance by about (0.5 +/- 0.05)dex can be a good solution to the discrepancy between solar models that use new abundances and low degree helioseismology, subject to adjusting slightly the solar age and the highest abundances. We also show that the change in solar abundances, notably neon, considerably affects g-mode frequencies, with relative frequency differences between the old and the new models higher than 1.5%, 6 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics on 11/04/2007

This paper is focused on the search for low-amplitude solar gravity modes between 150 and 400 � Hz, corresponding to low-degree, low-order modes. It presents results based on an original strategy that looks for multiplets instead of single peaks, taking into consideration our knowledge of the solar interior from acoustic modes. Five years of quasi-continuous measurements collected with the helioseismic GOLF experiment aboard the SOHO spacecraft are analyzed. We use different power spectrum estimators and calculate confidence levels for the most significant peaks. This approach allows us to look for signals with velocities down to 2 mm s � 1 ,n ot far from the limit of existing instruments aboard SOHO, amplitudes that have never been investigated up to now. We apply the method to series of 1290 days, beginning in 1996 April, near the solar cycle minimum. An automatic detection algorithm lists those peaks and multiplets that have a probability of more than 90% of not being pure noise. The detected patterns are then followed in time, considering also series of 1768 and 2034 days, partly covering the solar cycle maximum. In the analyzed frequency range, the probability of detection of the multiplets does not increase with time as for very long lifetime modes. This is partly due to the observational conditions after 1998 October and the degradation of these observational conditions near the solar maximum, since these modes have a ‘‘mixed’’ character and probably behave as acoustic modes. Several structures retain our attention because of the presence of persistent peaks along the whole time span. These features may support the idea of an increase of the rotation in the inner core. There are good arguments for thinking that complementary observations up to the solar activity minimum in 2007 will be decisive for drawing conclusions on the presence or absence of gravity modes detected aboard the SOHO satellite.

We compare the first direct angular diameter measurements obtained on our closest stellar neighbour, Alpha Centauri, to recent model diameters constrained by asteroseismic observations. Using the VINCI instrument installed at ESO's VLT Interferometer (VLTI), the angular diameters of the two main components of the system, Alpha Cen A and B, were measured with a relative precision of 0.2% and 0.6%, respectively. Particular care has been taken in the calibration of these measurements, considering that VINCI is estimating the fringe visibility using a broadband K filter. We obtain uniform disk angular diameters for Alpha Cen A and B of UD[A] = 8.314 +/- 0.016 mas and UD[B] = 5.856 +/- 0.027 mas, and limb darkened angular diameters of LD[A] = 8.511 +/- 0.020 mas and LD[B] = 6.001 +/- 0.034 mas. Combining these values with the parallax from Soderhjelm (1999), we derive linear diameters of D[A] = 1.224 +/- 0.003 Dsun and D[B] = 0.863 +/- 0.005 Dsun. These values are compatible with the masses published by Thevenin et al.(2002) for both stars., Comment: 12 pages, submitted to A&A

Penetrative convection is expected below stellar convection sones, where it should achieve a nearly adiabatic stratification. A theoretical prediction of the penetration depth has been recently made by Zahn (1991) which includes an arbitrary parameter ζ depending on the properties of the convective motions. We use the helioseismological constraints to calibrate the value of this parameter.

From models of the Sun atmosphere obtained with ATLAS 9 (Kurucz 1992) it appears that the diffusion limit of the transfer equation becomes valid only at depths larger than TR ~ 10. Even with physics as consistent as possible one restores the atmosphere with an accuracy not better than ~ 40%, but with small consequences on solar calibrated models. Despite the eigenmodes have turning points located in the atmosphere, the study of the oscillations reveals differences less than 2μHz when the atmosphere is restored with various assumptions.

Solar models have been computed using the code CESAM constructed at Nice (Morel, 1992), and the new opacities of Livermore for different mixtures. Their global characteristics, predicted capture rates of neutrinos for the chlorine and gallium experiments and their seismological properties are given.

A large number of acoustic frequencies have already been detected, leading to a “seismic” model of the Sun rather close to the actual standard solar models. The core however is not yet well constrained by these observations and frequencies of low degree, low frequency modes which penetrate deeply into the solar core are needed. We present here a study on the sensitivity of low degree low frequency (50 – 900 μHz) modes to the structure of the solar interior, in order to help their detection and identification in the low frequency spectrum observed by SoHO experiments like VIRGO and GOLF. The frequencies of p and g modes have been computed for a set of solar models with updated physics (Morel et al., 1997). We analyze their sensitivity to solar parameters like age and metallicity, and to various physical processes, like convective core overshoot and mass loss during the beginning of solar evolution

After 8 months of nearly continuous measurements the GOLF instrument, aboard SOHO, has detected acoustic mode frequencies of more than 100 modes, extending from 1.4 mHz to 4.9 mHz. In this paper, we compare these results with the test available predictions coming from solar models. To verify the quality of the data, we examine the asymptotic seismic parameters; this confirms the improvements achieved in solar models during the last decade. Using the GOLF set of frequencies for l = 0, 1, 2, 3 combined with the LOWL second year data set for l > 3, we then cany out inversions to infer properties of the solar core. This largely confirms the previous results down to around 0.1 R, while there remain differences, even closer to the centre, where the present study shows an externe sensitivity of the inversion results to the values of the frequencies. We finally consider physical processes which may influence directly or indirectly the solar core structure.

First results from the VIRGO experiment (Variability of solar IRradiance and Gravity Oscillations) on the ESA/NASA Mission SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) are reported. The observations started mid-January 1996 for the radiometers and sunphotometers and near the end of March for the luminosity oscillation imager. The performance of all the instruments is very good, and the time series of the first 4–6 months are evaluated in terms of solar irradiance variability, solar background noise characteristics and p-mode oscillations. The solar irradiance is modulated by the passage of active regions across the disk, but not all of the modulation is straightforwardly explained in terms of sunspot flux blocking and facular enhancement. Helioseismic inversions of the observed p-mode frequencies are more-or-less in agreement with the latest standard solar models. The comparison of VIRGO results with earlier ones shows evidence that magnetic activity plays a significant role in the dynamics of the oscillations beyond its modulation of the resonant frequencies. Moreover, by comparing the amplitudes of different components of p-mode multiplets, each of which are influenced differently by spatial inhomogeneity, we have found that activity enhances excitation.

Splitting of the sun's global oscillation frequencies by large-scale flows can be used to investigate how rotation varies with radius and latitude within the solar interior. The nearly uninterrupted observations by the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) yield oscillation power spectra with high duty cycles and high signal-to-noise ratios. Frequency splittings derived from GONG observations confirm that the variation of rotation rate with latitude seen at the surface carries through much of the convection zone, at the base of which is an adjustment layer leading to latitudinally independent rotation at greater depths. A distinctive shear layer just below the surface is discernible at low to mid-latitudes.

As a result of an error at the Press, the second panel of Figure 9 was repeated twice in the top row of the printed, black-andwhite version of this figure, and the first panel was omitted. This error appears in the print edition and the PDF and postscript (PS) versions available with the electronic edition of the journal, although the panels of the color figure displayed in the electronic article itself are correct. Please see below for the corrected print version of Figure 9. The Press sincerely regrets the error.

The asymptotic properties of the gravity modes of solar models with a mixed core have been investigated. Such models have been constructed by Gavryusev and Gavryuseva (1984) to explain the low value of the observed neutrino flux (Cleveland, Davis, and Rowly, 1984). The strong enhancement of the Brunt-Vaissala frequency in the region of variable chemical composition at the boundary of the mixed core gives rise to a nonequidistant spectrum of gravity mode periods (Figure 1), contrary to the case of ‘standard’ models. These models do not satisfy the helioseismological constraints given by the p-modes. However, the peculiar behavior of the numerically computed periods of the gravity modes is interesting to analyze, in view of observational detection in solar and stellar spectra.

Asymptotic properties of low degree gravity modes and their relation to the stratification of the model through the Brunt-Väissälä frequency are discussed for a solar type model and for a 10 M⊙ model. For the solar model, taking into account the quasiadiabaticity of the solar convection zone, it is shown that two global constraints on the deep interior of the solar model can be derived from a set of g-modes periods in the observed range. However modes with large periods, i.e. larger than those up to now observed, are required to obtain informations on the stratification just below the convection zone. For the 10 M⊙ model, the preliminary results show that the existence of a layer with a large mean molecular weight gradient destroys the equidistance of the periods of gravity modes of a given degree and that some informations on the properties of this layer can be obtained from the analysis of the g-modes periods.

Asymptotic properties of low degree gravity modes and their relation to the stratification of the model through the Brunt-Vaissala frequency are discussed for a solar type model and for a 10 M ⊙ model. For the solar model, taking into account the quasi-adiabaticity of the solar convection zone, it is shown that two global constraints on the deep interior of the solar model can be derived from a set of g-modes periods in the observed range. However modes with large periods, i.e. larger than those up to now observed, are required to obtain informations on the stratification just below the convection zone. For the 10 M ⊙ model, the preliminary results show that the existence of a layer with a large mean molecular weight gradient destroys the equidistance of the periods of gravity modes of a given degree and that some informations on the properties of this layer can be obtained from the analysis of the g-modes periods.

International audience; About one year after the end of the first observational run and six months after the first CoRoT data delivery, we comment the data exploitation progress for different types of stars. We consider first results to illustrate how these data of unprecedented quality shed a new light on the field of stellar seismology.

Data from the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) project and other helioseismic experiments provide a test for models of stellar interiors and for the thermodynamic and radiative properties, on which the models depend, of matter under the extreme conditions found in the sun. Current models are in agreement with the helioseismic inferences, which suggests, for example, that the disagreement between the predicted and observed fluxes of neutrinos from the sun is not caused by errors in the models. However, the GONG data reveal subtle errors in the models, such as an excess in sound speed just beneath the convection zone. These discrepancies indicate effects that have so far not been correctly accounted for; for example, it is plausible that the sound-speed differences reflect weak mixing in stellar interiors, of potential importance to the overall evolution of stars and ultimately to estimates of the age of the galaxy based on stellar evolution calculations.

A solar model which includes the plausible presence of a mild mixing in the solar inner radiative zone is presented. The mixing is supposed to result from the hydrodynamical instabilities which may occur in a differentially rotating medium leading then to turbulent diffusion. The model includes up-to-date input physics and takes into account the inhibition of the turbulent motions, due to molecular weight gradients (i.e. for Mr/M⊙ < 0.5). The properties of the model are compared to the standard model properties and to observational results: this turbulent diffusion mixing (TDM) improves the results on surface abundances of the light elements (7Li, 3He) and does not reduce the solar neutrino flux relative to the standard model. Moreover preliminary results show that this TDM weakly modifies the oscillation frequencies.

This work presents a study of the internal rotation of the Sun, from the core up to surface layers, as inferred from helioseismic observations. The Sun is at the moment the only star for which one can learn about its internal dynamics from observations. This represents a test for the theories of angular momentum evolution and thus for all the physical process involved in these theories.I present first the theoretical aspects that allow us to make the link between the observation of the global oscillations of the Sun and its internal rotation. Then I give the principal inverse methods used to infer the rotation from the observations and the tools for the interpretation of the results. I use in this work several ground based observations or spatial data coming from instruments on board SoHO launched in 1995. I develop a new regularized least square code that insure the regularity of the solution in the core and that allow surfaces constraints to be taken into account. The analysis of various observations by means of this code shows a quasi solid rotation in the radiative interior anda latitudinal dependent rotation in the convection zone. The shear layer named tachocline between these two regimes and the core rotation require specific treatments.For the study of the tachocline, I develop a non linear method that can preserve the high rotational gradients that occur in this zone. This approach, used for the first time in helioseismic context, leads to a thin tachocline located beneath the convection zone and thus represents a constraint for the theoretical studies of this zone.Finally, the results reached from various data do not allow to conclude de nitively concerning the deepest layers but show that the current observations are in good agreement with a rigid rotation from the base of the tachocline down to 0.2 solar radius., Ce travail est une étude de la rotation interne du Soleil, depuis le coeur jusqu'à la surface, par l'interprétation des observations héliosismiques a l'aide de techniques d'inversion. Le Soleil est à l'heure actuelle la seule étoile dont on peut déterminer de manière précise la rotation interne ce qui constitue un test pour les théories d'évolution du moment angulaire et donc des nombreux processus physiques entrant en jeu dans ces théories.Je présente tout d'abord les aspects théoriques permettant de relier la rotation interne du Soleil aux observations de la structure ne du spectre de ses oscillations globales puis je détaille les différentes approches du problème inverse consistant à déduire la rotation de ces observations. Plusieurs ensembles de mesures récentes provenant d'observations réalisées au sol ou à bord du satellite SoHO lance en 1995 sont utilisés. Je développe un code d'inversion original base sur une méthode de moindres carrés régularisée qui assure la régularité de la solution au centre et permet l'introduction de contraintes de surface. L'analyse des différentes observations à l'aide de ce codeet dans le cadre de collaborations internationales révèle une rotation rigide dans l'intérieur radiatif et une rotation différentielle en latitude dans la zone convective. La zone de transition entre les deux régimes de rotation nommée tachocline ainsi que la rotation du coeur font l'objet d'une analyse spécifique.Pour l'étude de la tachocline, j'ai adapte une méthode non linéaire qui permet de préserver les forts gradients de rotation caractérisant cette zone. Cette approche, utilisée pour la première fois dans le cadre de l'héliosismologie, conduit a une tachocline très étroite située sous la zone convective ce qui constitue une contrainte pour les modèles théoriques de cette zone.Finalement, les résultats obtenus a partir de différentes données ne permettent pas de conclure définitivement sur la rotation des couches les plus internes mais montrent que les observations actuelles sont compatibles avec une rotation rigide sous la tachocline s'étendant jusqu'à 0.2 rayon solaire.