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Sunspots: Theory and Observations pp 345–367Cite as

Sunspot Seismology: The Interaction of a Sunspot with Solar P-Modes

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Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASIC,volume 375))

Abstract

This article surveys developments in “sunspot seismology” from the decade following the original suggestion of Thomas et al (1982) that observations of solar acoustic oscillations in and about sunspots could be used to probe the internal structure of the sunspot with depth. Both the theoretical and observational components of sunspot seismology are considered at length, but considerably less is said about the presently ill-defined “inverse problem” for sunspot seismology. Much of our present understanding of the interaction of acoustic oscillations with magnetic flux tubes has been developed through careful consideration of idealized but instructive examples. A large part of this review is accordingly devoted to a discussion of these important sunspot seismology paradigms. Undoubtedly the highlight of the last ten years of research is the observational program carried out by Braun, Duvall and La Bonte (1987,1988,1990) demonstrating (i) that the interaction of p-modes with sunspots is sufficiently robust to be measured, and moreover, (ii) that sunspots appear to absorb up to 50% of the acoustic energy flux that is incident upon them.

The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, Colorado, 80307, USA

    T. J. Bogdan

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  1. T. J. Bogdan
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Physics and Astronomy and C.E.K. Mees Observatory, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA

    John H. Thomas

  2. Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

    Nigel O. Weiss

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© 1992 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Bogdan, T.J. (1992). Sunspot Seismology: The Interaction of a Sunspot with Solar P-Modes. In: Thomas, J.H., Weiss, N.O. (eds) Sunspots: Theory and Observations. NATO ASI Series, vol 375. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2769-1_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2769-1_15

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  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5229-0

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