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Solar Convection: What it is & How to Calculate it. Bob Stein
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The Sun is Dynamic, Convection is the Driver Transports Energy Transports Angular Momentum Generates Magnetic Fields by Dynamo Excites Acoustic and Magnetic Waves
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The Solar Surface Hot gas rises (floats up) -> Brighter Cool gas sinks (pulled down by gravity) -> Darker ~ 1000 km Convection (boiling water)
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The Solar Surface
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The Solar Surface Convection Sunspots: Magnetic fields, Cooler -> Darker
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Observed as Doppler Shift at the solar surface
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Magnetic Field
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The Sun in X-Rays
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The Solar Wind
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Models & Observations SIMULATION Calculate Observables OBSERVATIONS Disagree improve physics Agree investigate causes
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Comparison Simulations vs. Observations Images Intensity distribution Spectrum Line profiles Magnetic Field distribution Resonant Oscillations
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Emergent Intensity
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Intensity Histogram
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Line Profiles Average Profile Iron: Majority species Equilibrium populations Heavy-> small Doppler width Weak lines
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Field Distribution simulationobserved Both simulated and observed distributions are stretched exponentials.
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P-Mode Excitation Triangles = simulation, Squares = observations (l=0-3) Excitation decreases both at low and high frequencies
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Causes: convection
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Convection is Driven by Radiative Cooling at Surface: Fluid Radiates away its Energy & Entropy -> Denser -> pulled down by Gravity Z S E Q
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Stratified convective flow: diverging upflows, turbulent downflows Velocity arrows, temperature fluctuation image (red hot, blue cool)
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Stein & Nordlund, ApJL 1989
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Downflows: cell size increases with depth
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Vorticity: Downdrafts are Turbulent
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Turbulent downdraft
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Never See Hot Gas
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Causes: Oscillations
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Simulation Modes
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Oscillations Excited by Turbulent Pressure & Entropy Fluctuations Entropy Fluctuations
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Peak Excitation ~ 5 minutes
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Turbulent Pressure > Entropy Fluctuations
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Oscillations Excited close to Surface
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Causes: Magnetic Field
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Magnetic Field Reorganization
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Exponential Distribution
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Magnetic Field Lines
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Methodology
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Equations: Conservation of Mass Conservation of Momentum Conservation of Energy Induction
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E P p y, V y, B y P z, V z, B z ExEx EyEy EzEz Variables Staggered in Space Center: i,j,k Faces: i-1/2,j-1/2,k-1/2
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Spatial Derivatives: 6 th order Finite Difference
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Time Advance: 3 rd order Runge-Kutta n=1-3
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Characteristic Boundary Conditions Unique Conservative Equations Non-unique Wave-like Equations
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Characteristic Equations
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Characteristic Boundary Conditions Boundary Conditions on OUTGOING characteristics is the Characteristic Equations evaluated using one-sided derivatives For INCOMING characteristics the normal derivatives in the characteristic directions must be evaluated using the physics boundary conditions.
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For (non-magnetic) Gas
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The End
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