Abstract
The presence of a magnetic field both deep within the Sun and in its atmosphere raises the question of the field's influence on the p- and g-modes of oscillation and the implications for helioseismology. Observations1,2 of p-modes, in particular, have permitted a theoretical determination3 of the sound speed within the solar interior, thus providing a seismological probe of the Sun's depths. Magnetic fields within the Sun are likely to be too weak to significantly affect this determination of the sound speed. Nonetheless, magnetic fields may modify the oscillation frequencies in a distinctive fashion, thereby raising the possibility of placing limits on interior field strengths through frequency measurements4. Recently, Woodard and Noyes5 have reported a slight but systematic decrease in frequencies of low-degree p-modes from 1980 to 1984. Here we argue that the frequencies of both p- and g-modes are modified by a magnetic field. In particular, we attribute the decrease in p-mode frequencies to a magnetic field within the solar interior evolving over the solar cycle. Field strengths at the base of the convection zone of at least 5×105 G are required.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Duvall, T. L. Jr Nature 300, 242–243 (1982).
Duvall, T. L. Jr & Harvey, J. W. Nature 302, 24–27 (1983).
Christensen-Dalsgaard, J., Duvall, T. L. Jr, Gough, D. O., Harvey, J. W. & Rhodes, E. J. Jr Nature 315, 378–382 (1985).
Dziembowski, W. & Goode, P. R. Nature 305, 39–42 (1983).
Woodard, M. F. & Noyes, R. W. Nature 318, 449–450 (1985).
Zwaan, C. in The Sun as a Star (ed. Jordan, S.) Ch. 6 (NASA SP-450, 1981).
Spruit, H. C. & Roberts, B. Nature 304, 401–406 (1983).
Moffatt, H. K. Magnetic Field Generation in Electrically Conducting Fluids (Cambridge University Press, 1978).
Parker, E. N. Cosmical Magnetic Fields (Clarendon, Oxford, 1979).
Parker, E. N. Astrophys. J. 198, 205–209 (1975).
Spiegel, E. A. & Weiss, N. O. Nature 287, 616–617 (1980).
Galloway, D. J. & Weiss, N. O. Astrophys. J. 243, 945–953 (1981).
Van Ballegooijen, A. Astr. Astrophys. 106, 43–52; 113, 99–112 (1982).
Schüssler, M. in Solar and Stellar Magnetic Fields: Origins and Coronal Effects (ed. Stenflo, J. O.) 213–236 (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1983).
Parker, E. N. Astrophys. J. 286, 666–676; 677–679 (1984).
Dicke, R. H. Astrophys. J. 228, 898–902 (1979).
Bogdan, T. J. & Zweibel, E. G. Astrophys. J. 298, 867–875 (1985).
Zweibel, E. G. & Bogdan, T. J. Astrophys. J. (in the press).
Nye, A. & Thomas, J. H. Astrophys. J. 204, 573–581 (1976).
Adam, J. A. Sol. Phys. 52, 293–307 (1977).
Goedbloed, J. P. Physica 12D, 107–132 (1984).
Roberts, B. in Solar System Magnetic Felds (ed. Priest, E. R.) Ch 3 (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1985).
Spiegel, E. A. & Unno, W. Publ. astr. Soc. Jap. 14, 28–32 (1962).
Christensen-Dalsgaard, J. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 190, 765–791 (1980).
Lee, M. A. & Roberts, B. Astrophys. J. 301, 430–439 (1986).
Spruit, H. C. Sol. Phys. 34, 277–290 (1974).
Deubner, F.-L. & Gough, D. A. Rev. Astr. Astrophys. 22, 593–619 (1984).
Christensen-Dalsgaard, J. in Theoretical Problems in Stellar Stability and Oscillations (eds Gabriel, M., Noels, A.) 155–207 (Institut d'Astrophysique, Liege, 1984).
Christensen-Dalsgaard, J., Gough, D. & Toomre, J. Science 229, 923–931 (1985).
Leibacher, J. W., Noyes, R. W., Toomre, J. & Ulrich, R. K. Scient. Am. 253, 48–57 (1985).
Gough, D. Sol. Phys. 100, 65–99 (1985).
Lamb, H. Hydrodynamics (Cambridge University Press, 1932).
Carroll, B. W. et al. Astrophys. J. 305, 767–783 (1986).
Elsworth, Y. P. et al., in Helioseismology, IAU Colloq. 123 (Aarhus, Denmark, July 1986, preprint).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Roberts, B., Campbell, W. Magnetic field corrections to solar oscillation frequencies. Nature 323, 603–605 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1038/323603a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/323603a0
This article is cited by
-
Solar Magnetic Atmospheric Effects on Global Helioseismic Oscillations
Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy (2015)
-
A Comparison Between Global Proxies of the Sun’s Magnetic Activity Cycle: Inferences from Helioseismology
Solar Physics (2015)
-
The Sun’s Interior Structure and Dynamics, and the Solar Cycle
Space Science Reviews (2014)
-
Effects of Magnetic Fields in the Solar Atmosphere on Global Oscillations
Space Science Reviews (2011)
-
The Solar Dynamo
Space Science Reviews (2009)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
