Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Discrete cellular scales of solar convection

  • Published:
Solar Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The theoretical power spectrum of velocity fields and flux fluctuations at the solar photosphere is calculated using a quasi-nonlinear framework of superposition of unstable convective eigenmodes excited in the solar convection zone. It is demonstrated that this power spectrum exhibits at least three distinct peaks corresponding to granulation, mesogranulation and supergranulation. The vertical velocity and the brightness fluctuation at the solar surface are found to be correlated. The theoretical framework can be adopted for application to other types of stars in order to predict the dominant length scales in the power spectrum of convection in these stars.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alexander, D. R.: 1975,Astrophys. J. Suppl. 29, 363.

    Google Scholar 

  • Antia, H. M.: 1979,J. Comp. Phys. 30, 283.

    Google Scholar 

  • Antia, H. M. and Pandey, S. K.: 1989,Astrophys. J. 341, 1097.

    Google Scholar 

  • Antia, H. M., Chitre, S. M., and Narasimha, D.: 1983,Monthly Notices Roy. Astron. Soc. 204, 865.

    Google Scholar 

  • Antia, H. M., Chitre, S. M., and Narasimha, D.: 1984,Astrophys. J. 282, 574.

    Google Scholar 

  • Antia, H. M., Chitre, S. M., and Pandey, S. K.: 1981,Solar Phys. 70, 67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beckers, J. M.: 1968,Solar Phys. 5, 309.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beckers, J. M.: 1981, in S. Jordan (ed.),The Sun as a Star, NASA SP-450, p. 11.

  • Beckers, J. M. and Canfield, R. C.: 1976, in R. Cayrel and M. Steinberg (eds.),Physique des mouvements dans les atmosphöres stellaires, Colloques Internationaux du C.N.R.S., No. 250, p. 207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Böhm, K. H.: 1963,Astrophys. J. 137, 881.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bogart, R. S. Gierasch, P. J., and Macauslan, J. M.: 1980,Astrophys. J. 236, 285.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bumba, V.: 1970,Solar Phys. 14, 80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chan, K. L. and Sofia, S.: 1986,Astrophys. J. 307, 222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chou, D.-Y., LaBonte, B. J., Braun, D. C., and Duvall, T. L.: 1991,Astrophys. J. 372, 314.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cox, A. N. and Tabor, J. E.: 1976,Astrophys. J. Suppl. 31, 271.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen-Dalsgaard, J. and Frandsen, S.: 1983,Solar Phys. 82, 469.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deubner, F.-L.: 1989,Astron. Astrophys. 216, 259.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ginet, G. P. and Simon, G. W.: 1992,Astrophys. J. 386, 359.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giovanelli, R. G.: 1980,Solar Phys. 67, 211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gough, D. O. and Weiss, N. O.: 1976,Monthly Notices Roy. Astron. Soc. 176, 589.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart, A. B.: 1956,Monthly Notices Roy. Astron. Soc. 116, 38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart, M. H.: 1973,Astrophys. J. 184, 587.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, F., Deubner, F.-L., Isaak, G.: 1991, in A. N. Cox, W. C. Livingston, and M. S. Matthews (eds.),Solar Interior and Atmosphere, University of Arizona Press, Tucson, p. 329.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howard, R.: 1971,Solar Phys. 16, 21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howard, R. and LaBonte, B. J.: 1980,Astrophys. J. 239, 738.

    Google Scholar 

  • Musman, S. and Rust, D. M.: 1970,Solar Phys. 13, 261.

    Google Scholar 

  • Narasimha, D. and Antia, H. M.: 1982,Astrophys. J. 262, 358.

    Google Scholar 

  • November, L. J. and Simon, G. W.: 1988,Astrophys. J. 333, 427.

    Google Scholar 

  • November, L. J., Toomre, J., Gebbie, K. B., and Simon, G. W.: 1981,Astrophys. J. 245, L123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roudier, T., Muller, R., Mein, P., Vigneau, J., Malherbe, J. M., and Espagnet, O.: 1991,Astron. Astrophys. 248, 245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schröter, E. H.: 1985,Solar Phys. 100, 141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaviv, G. and Chitre, S. M.: 1968,Monthly Notices Roy. Astron. Soc. 140, 61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon, G. W. and Leighton, R. B.: 1964,Astrophys. J. 140, 1120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon, G. W. and Weiss, N. O.: 1968,Z. Astrophys. 69, 435.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein, R. F. and Nordlund, Å.: 1989,Astrophys. J. 342, L95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Title, A. M., Tarbell, T. D., Simon, G. W. and the SOUP Team: 1986,Adv. Space Res. 6, No. 8, 253.

    Google Scholar 

  • Unno, W. and Spiegel, E. A.: 1966,Publ. Astron. Soc. Japan 18, 85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vernazza, J. E., Avrett, E. H., and Loeser, R.: 1976,Astrophys. J. Suppl. 30, 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, H. and Zirin, H.: 1989,Solar Phys. 120, 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Worden, S. P. and Simon, G. W.: 1976,Solar Phys. 46, 73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zahn, J.-P.: 1987, in E. H. Schröter and Schüssler (eds.),Solar and Stellar Physics, p. 55.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, 400 005, Bombay, India

    H. M. Antia & S. M. Chitre

Authors
  1. H. M. Antia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. M. Chitre
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Antia, H.M., Chitre, S.M. Discrete cellular scales of solar convection. Sol Phys 145, 227–239 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00690653

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00690653

Keywords

Search

Navigation