Abstract
The assumptions of standard solar evolution theory are mentioned briefly, and the principle conclusions drawn from them are described. The result is a rationalization of the present luminosity and radius of the Sun. Because there is some uncertainty about the interior composition of the Sun, a range of models is apparently acceptable.
To decide which model is the most accurate, other more sensitive comparisons with observations must be made. Recent measurements of frequencies of dynamical oscillations are particularly valuable in this respect. The most accurate observations are of the five-minute oscillations, which suggest that the solar composition is not atypical of other stars of the same age as the Sun.
The theory predicts that the solar luminosity has risen steadily from about 70% of its current value during the last 4.7 × 109 yr. Superposed on this there might have been variations on shorter timescales. Variations lasting about 107 yr and occurring at intervals of 108 yr have been suggested as being the cause of terrestrial ice ages. Moreover, there may be other variations, associated with instabilities arising from the coupling between the convection zone and the radiative interior, that occur on a timescale of 105 yr and which also have climatic consequences. These issues are quite uncertain.
We do know that the Sun varies magnetically with a period of about 22 yr, and that this oscillation is modulated irregularly on a timescale of centuries. This appears to be a phenomenon associated with the convection zone and its immediate neighbourhood, though control from a more deeply-seated mechanism is not out of the question. There is a small luminosity variation associated with this cycle, and the way by which this might come about is discussed in terms of certain theories of the solar dynamo.
Finally, there must be small surface flux variations associated with the dynamical oscillations mentioned above. Though the total luminosity variations are extremely small, the flux in any specific direction, and in particular that of the earth, may be measurable.
Keywords
- Solar Cycle
- Convection Zone
- Sunspot Cycle
- Solar Model
- Dynamical Oscillation
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
Proceedings of the 14th ESLAB Symposium on Physics of Solar Variations, 16–19 September 1980, Scheveningen, The Netherlands.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bahcall, J. N.: 1979, Space Sci. Rev. 24, 227.
Bahcall, J. N., Huebner, W. F., Lubow, S. H., Magee Jr, N. H., Merts, A. L., Parker, P. D., Rozsnya, B., Ulrich, R. K., and Argo, M. F.: 1980, Phys. Rev. Letters 45, 945.
Barnes, J. A., Sargent III, H. H., and Tyron, P. V.: 1980, in J. A. Eddy, R. O. Pepin, and R. B. Merrill (eds.), Proc. Conference on the Ancient Sun, Pergamon, London, p. 159.
Bell, P. R.: 1981, in S. Sofia (ed.), Proc. Workshop on Solar Constant Variations, NASA, Greenbelt, in press.
Berthomieu, G., Cooper, A. J., Gough, D. O., Osaki, Y., Provost, J., and Rocca, A.: 1980, in H. A. Hill and W. A. Dziembowski (eds.), Nonradial and Nonlinear Stellar Pulsation, Springer, Heidelberg, p. 307.
Christensen-Dalgaard, J. and Gough, D. O.: 1980, Nature 288, 544.
Claverie, A., Isaak, G. R., McLeod, C. P., van der Raay, H. B., and Roca-Cortes, T.: 1979, Nature 282, 591.
Cowling, T. G.: 1953, in G. P. Kuiper (ed.), The Sun, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, p. 565.
Davis, Jr, R.: 1978, in G. Friedlander (ed.), Proc. Informal Conf. on Status and Future of Solar Neutrino Research, Brookhaven Nat. Lab. 50879, Upton Vol. 1, p. 1.
Dearborn, D. S. P. and Blake, J. B.: 1980, Astrophys. J. 237, 616.
Dearborn, D. S. P. and Newman, M. J.: 1978, Science 201, 150.
Deubner, F.-L.: 1975, Astron. Astrophys. 44, 371.
Deubner, F.-L., Ulrich, R. K., and Rhodes, Jr, E. J.: 1979, Astron. Astrophys. 72, 177.
Dicke, R. H.: 1978, Nature 276, 676.
Dicke, R. H.: 1979a, New Scientist 83, 12.
Dicke, R. H.: 1979b, Nature 280, 24.
Drobyshevski, E. M. and Yuferev, V. S.: 1974, J. Fluid Mech. 65, 33.
Eddy, J. A. and Boornazian, A. A.: 1979, Bull. Am. Astron. Soc. 11, 437.
Epstein, S. and Yapp, C. J.: 1976, Earth Planet. Sci. Letters 30, 252.
Fossat, E., Grec, G., and Pomerantz, M: 1981, Solar Phys. 74, 59 (this volume).
Gough, D. O.: 1978, in J. Rösch (ed.), Pleins feux sur la physique solaire, CNRS, Paris, p. 81.
Gough, D. O.: 1980, in H. A. Hill and W. A. Dziembowski (eds.), Nonradial and Nonlinear Stellar Pulsation, Springer, Heidelberg, p. 273.
Gough, D. O.: 1981, in S. Sofia (ed.), Proc. Workshop on Solar Constant Variations, NASA, Greenbelt, in press.
Grec, G., Fossat, E., and Pomerantz, M.: 1980, Nature 288, 541.
Joss, P. C: 1974, Astrophys. J. 191, 771.
Lubow, S., Rhodes, Jr, E. J., and Ulrich, R. K.: 1980, in H. A. Hill and W. A. Dziembowski (eds.), Nonradial and Nonlinear Stellar Pulsation, Springer, Heidelberg, p. 300.
Mitchell, Jr, J. M., Stockton, C. W., and Meko, D. M.: 1979, in B. M. McCormac and T. A. Seliga, (eds.), Solar-Terrestrial Influences on Weather and Climate, D. Reidel Publ. Co., Dordrecht, Holland, p. 125.
Newkirk, Jr, G.: 1980, J. A. Eddy, R. O. Pepin, and R. B. Merrill (eds.), Proc. Conference on the Ancient Sun, Pergamon, London, p. 293.
Parker, E. N.: 1979, Cosmical Magnetic Fields, Clarendon, Oxford.
Reines, F., Sobel, H., and Pasier, B. E.: 1980, Phys. Rev. Letters, 45, 1307.
Ross, J. E. and Aller, L. H.: 1976, Science 191, 1223.
Rosenwald, R. D. and Hill, H. A.: 1980, in H. A. Hill and W. A. Dziembowski (eds.), Nonradial and Nonlinear Stellar Pulsation, Springer, Heidelberg, p. 404.
Shapiro, I.I.: 1980, Science 208, 51.
Sofia, S., O’Keefe, J., and Lesh, J. R.: 1979, Science 204, 1306.
Sofia, S., Dunham, D. W., and Fiala, A. D.: 1980, in J. A. Eddy, R. O. Pepin, and R.B. Merrill (eds.), Proc. Conference on the Ancient Sun, Pergamon, London, p. 147.
Spiegel, E. A. and Weiss, N. O.: 1980, Nature 287, 616.
Stix, M: 1981, Solar Phys. 74, 79 (this volume).
Waldmeier, M.: 1961, The Sunspot-Activity in the Years 1610-1960, Schulthess, Zürich.
Weiss, N. O. 1966, Proc. Roy. Soc. A293, 310.
Wittmann, A.: 1980, Solar Phys. 66, 223.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1981 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this paper
Cite this paper
Gough, D.O. (1981). Solar Interior Structure and Luminosity Variations. In: Domingo, V. (eds) Physics of Solar Variations. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-9633-1_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-9633-1_4
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-9635-5
Online ISBN: 978-94-010-9633-1
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive