Observation and modeling of the solar-cycle variation of the meridional flow

Laurent Gizon, Matthias Rempel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We present independent observations of the solar-cycle variation of flows near the solar surface and at a depth of about 60 Mm, in the latitude range ±45°. We show that the time-varying components of the meridional flow at these two depths have opposite sign, whereas the time-varying components of the zonal flow are in phase. This is in agreement with previous results. We then investigate whether the observations are consistent with a theoretical model of solar-cycle-dependent meridional circulation based on a flux-transport dynamo combined with a geostrophic flow caused by increased radiative loss in the active region belt (the only existing quantitative model). We find that the model and the data are in qualitative agreement, although the amplitude of the solar-cycle variation of the meridional flow at 60 Mm is underestimated by the model.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)241-250
Number of pages10
JournalSolar Physics
Volume251
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2008

Keywords

  • Active regions
  • Helioseismology: Observations
  • Interior: Convective zone
  • Magnetic fields: Models
  • Oscillations: Solar
  • Solar cycle: Models
  • Solar cycle: Observations
  • Supergranulation
  • Velocity fields: Interior

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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