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Internal rotation of the Sun

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Abstract

The frequency difference between prograde and retrograde sectoral solar oscillations is analysed to determine the rotation rate of the solar interior, assuming no latitudinal dependence. Much of the solar interior rotates slightly less rapidly than the surface, while the innermost part apparently rotates more rapidly. The resulting solar gravitational quadrupole moment is J2 = (1.7±0.4) × 10−7 and provides a negligible contribution to current planetary tests of Einstein's theory of general relativity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, 20771, USA

    T. L. Duvall Jr

  2. N. Copernicus Astronomical Centre, ul. Bartycka 18, 00–716, Warszawa, Poland

    W. A. Dziembowski

  3. Arizona Research Laboratories and Department of Physics, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 85721, USA

    P. R. Goode

  4. Institute of Astronomy, and Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0HA, UK

    D. O. Gough

  5. National Solar Observatory, Tucson, Arizona, 85726, USA

    J. W. Harvey & J. W. Leibacher

Authors
  1. T. L. Duvall Jr
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  2. W. A. Dziembowski
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  3. P. R. Goode
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  4. D. O. Gough
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  5. J. W. Harvey
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  6. J. W. Leibacher
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Duvall, T., Dziembowski, W., Goode, P. et al. Internal rotation of the Sun. Nature 310, 22–25 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/310022a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/310022a0

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