The Seismic Structure of the Sun

Gough1, Kosovichev, Toomre

  • 1D. O. Gough, J. R. Elliott, and T. Sekii are with the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, CB3 0HA, UK. A. G. Kosovichev and P. R. Giles are with HEPL, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. J. Toomre is at JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA. E. Anderson, J. W. Harvey, F. Hill, and J. W. Leibacher are at the National Solar Observatory, Tucson, AZ, USA. H. M. Antia and S. M. Chitre are at the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research, Bombay, India. S. Basu and J. Christensen-Dalsgaard are at the Theoretical Astrophysics Centre, Aarhus University, Denmark. B. Chaboyer is at the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, Toronto, Canada. W. A. Dziembowski is at the Copernicus Astronomical Center, Warsaw, Poland. A. Eff-Darwich is at the Instituto Astrofisico de Canarias, Tenerife, Canary Islands. P. R. Goode is at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA. J. A. Guzik is at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA. M. J. P. F. G. Monteiro is at the University of Oporto, Postugal. O. Richard and S. Vauclair are at the Observatoire Midi-Pyrenees, Toulouse, France. H. Shibahashi and M. Takata are in the Department of Astronomy, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. M. J. Thompson and S. V. Vorontsov are at Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London, London, UK.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|May 31, 1996
PubMed
Summary

Helioseismology data show the sun's internal structure aligns with standard models, but with smoother sound-speed variations near the core. This suggests potential inaccuracies in solar models regarding chemical composition or internal motion.

Related Concept Videos

Tidal Forces01:06

Tidal Forces

The origin of Earth's ocean tides has been a subject of continuous investigation for over 2000 years. However, the work of Newton is considered to be the beginning of the proper understanding of the phenomenon. Ocean tides are the result of gravitational tidal forces. These same tidal forces are present in any astronomical body; they are responsible for the internal heat that creates the volcanic activity on Io, one of Jupiter's moons, and the breakup of stars that get too close to black holes.
General Structure of a Vertebra01:30

General Structure of a Vertebra

A typical vertebra, with the exception of the sacrum and coccyx, consists of a body, a vertebral arch, and seven different projections termed processes. The anterior portion of the vertebrae, the body, supports about half the body’s weight. The vertebral bodies progressively increase in size and thickness from the cervical region to the lumbar region of the vertebral column. The intervertebral discs present between the bodies of adjacent vertebrae firmly unites them, forming a continuous column.
Bending Moment Diagram01:30

Bending Moment Diagram

A bending moment diagram is a graphical representation of the bending moments experienced by a beam under load along the beam length. It is an essential tool for engineers and designers to analyze structures and ensure they can withstand applied forces. The steps to create the bending moment diagram for a beam are listed below.
Determine reactive forces and couple moments: Calculate all the reactive forces and couple moments acting on the beam. In certain cases, when the beam is inclined at an...
Indeterminate Structure01:18

Indeterminate Structure

Indeterminate structures refer to structures where internal forces and reactions cannot be determined using only the equations of static equilibrium.  Indeterminate structures have more unknown forces and reaction forces than equations of static equilibrium that can be used to determine them. Indeterminate structures are often used in engineering to create complex, efficient, and aesthetically pleasing structures. There are various types of indeterminate structures used in engineering and some...
Stability of structures01:14

Stability of structures

In mechanical engineering, the stability of systems under various forces is critical for designing durable and efficient structures. One fundamental way to explore these concepts is by analyzing systems like two rods connected at a pivot point, O, with a torsional spring of spring constant k at the pivot point. This system is similar in appearance to a scissor jack used to change tires on a car. In this case, the arms of the linkage (equivalent to the rods in this system) are entirely vertical,...
Types of Building Separation Joints01:23

Types of Building Separation Joints

Building separation joints divide large or complex building structures into smaller, discrete units that can move independently. These joints are categorized into three types: volume-change joints, settlement joints, and seismic separation joints.
Volume-change joints address the effects of expansion and contraction due to temperature and moisture variations. They are strategically placed at discontinuities in a building's mass where cracking is most likely and are spaced about 150 to 200 feet...