A model of the solar convection zone

✍ Scribed by H. C. Spruit

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1974
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 745 KB
• Volume: 34
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0038-0938
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00153665

✦ Synopsis

A model of the convection zone is presented which matches an empirical model atmosphere (HSRA) and an interior model. A mixing length formalism containing four adjustable parameters is used. Thermodynamical considerations provide limits on two of these parameters. The average temperature-pressure relation depends on two or three combinations of the four parameters. Observational information on the structure of the outermost layers of the convection zone, and the value of the solar radius limit the range of possible parameter combinations. It is shown that in spite of the remaining freedom of choice of the parameters, the mean temperature-pressure relation is fixed well by these data.

The reality of a small density inversion in the HSRA model is investigated. The discrepancy between the present model and a solar model by Mullan (1971) is discussed briefly.