2012/10/04 by C. S. Baldner, Charles S. Baldner, Jesper Schou +1 · 2 citations
Computer Science · Energy · Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics #Atmospheric sciences #Convection #Convection zone #Flow (mathematics) #Helioseismology #Mathematical analysis #Mathematics #Mechanics #Meridional flow #Observable #Oscillation (cell signaling) #Photovoltaic System Optimization Techniques #Physics #Quantum mechanics #Sign (mathematics) #Solar Radiation and Photovoltaics #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics #Zonal and meridional #astro-ph.SR
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/2041-8205/760/1/l1
Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters
arxiv created 2012/10/04 · openalex publication_date 2012/10/26 · arxiv updated 2015/06/11 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Many helioseismic measurements suffer from substantial systematic errors. A particularly frustrating one is that time–distance measurements suffer from a large center to limb effect which looks very similar to the finite light travel time, except that the magnitude depends on the observable used and can have the opposite sign. This has frustrated attempts to determine the deep meridional flow in the solar convection zone, with Zhao et al. applying an ad hoc correction with little physical basis to correct the data. In this Letter, we propose that part of this effect can be explained by the highly asymmetrical nature of the solar granulation which results in what appears to the oscillation modes as a net radial flow, thereby imparting a phase shift on the modes as a function of observing height and thus heliocentric angle.