10,000 Standard Solar Models: A Monte Carlo Simulation

We have evolved 10,000 solar models using 21 input parameters that arerandomly drawn for each model from separate probability distributions for everyparameter. We use the results of these models to determine the theoreticaluncertainties in the predicted surface helium abundance, the profile of thesound speed versus radius, the profile of the density versus radius, the depthof the solar convective zone, the eight principal solar neutrino fluxes, andthe fractions of nuclear reactions that occur in the CNO cycle or in the threebranches of the p-p chains. We also determine the correlation coefficients ofthe neutrino fluxes for use in analysis of solar neutrino oscillations. Ourcalculations include the most accurate available input parameters, includingradiative opacity, equation of state, and nuclear cross sections. Weincorporate both the recently determined heavy element abundances recommendedby Asplund, Grevesse & Sauval (2005) and the older (higher) heavy elementabundances recommended by Grevesse & Sauval (1998). We present best-estimatesof many characteristics of the standard solar model for both sets ofrecommended heavy element compositions.Comment: ** John N. Bahcall passed away on August 17, 2005. Manuscript has 60 pages including 10 figure