On the Behavior of the Angular Velocity in the Lower Part of the Solar Convection Zone
Abstract
The solar angular velocity is expanded in Legendre polynomials. The meridional motions are restricted to one or two cells per hemisphere, and an approximation to the azimuthal equation of motion is integrated with respect to r with the help of the boundary condition at r = Rc, the lower boundary of the solar convection zone (SCZ). The Reynolds stresses appearing in the equation are estimated for the lower SCZ, and approximate expressions are derived for the turbulent viscosity coefficients (which are due to the influence of the mean flow on the turbulent velocities). It is shown that the assumption of isotropic viscosity is always open to criticism. An order-of-magnitude estimate of the different terms in the E(r) and E(theta) equations suggests that the Reynolds and viscous stresses are important only near the boundaries of the SCZ. Away from the boundaries, in the Taylor-Proudman region, the suggested balance is between Coriolis forces, pressure gradients, and buoyancy forces.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- March 1989
- DOI:
- 10.1086/167214
- Bibcode:
- 1989ApJ...338..509D
- Keywords:
-
- Angular Velocity;
- Solar Interior;
- Solar Rotation;
- Solar Velocity;
- Convection;
- Equations Of Motion;
- Legendre Functions;
- Viscosity;
- Solar Physics;
- SUN: INTERIOR;
- SUN: ROTATION