Open AccessA study of possible temporal and latitudinal variations in the properties of the solar tachocline
Author(s) -
Basu Sarbani,
Antia H. M.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2001.04364.x
Subject(s) - tachocline , physics , convection zone , astrophysics , helioseismology , declination , radiation zone , convection , variation (astronomy) , solar rotation , oscillation (cell signaling) , solar physics , mechanics , magnetic field , stars , quantum mechanics , biology , genetics
Temporal variations of the structure and the rotation rate of the solar tachocline region are studied using helioseismic data from the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) and the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) obtained during the period 1995–2000. We do not find any significant temporal variation in the depth of the convection zone, the position of the tachocline or the extent of overshoot below the convection zone. No systematic variation in any other properties of the tachocline, like width, etc., is found either. The possibility of periodic variations in these properties is also investigated. Time‐averaged results show that the tachocline is prolate with a variation of about 0.02 R ⊙ in its position. Neither the depth of the convection zone nor the extent of overshoot shows any significant variation with latitude.