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Variation of low-order acoustic solar oscillations over the solar cycle

Nature volume 345, pages 322–324 (1990)Cite this article

Abstract

GLOBAL acoustic oscillation modes of the Sun were discovered eleven years ago1. The possibility of temporal variations in the oscillation frequencies was suggested by fluctuations in the flux of solar neutrinos2, and would also be implied by changes in the size of the solar cavity or in the speed of sound within the Sun. Our group has studied solar oscillations for many years1,3; over the past decade, a network of three stations deployed at sites that can permit 24-h data collection has provided p-mode (acoustic) spectra of very high quality. Here we present evidence that the frequencies of the lowest-order (l≤2) modes have varied over the period of observation (1977–88) in a manner that is correlated with solar activity (as measured by sunspot number). The frequency variation has a peak-to-peak amplitude of 0.46±0.06μHz, and could reflect variations in the solar dimensions or in the sound speed in the Sun, which might in turn be due to changes in solar temperature and/or magnetic field.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Physics and Space Research, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK

    Y. Elsworth, R. Howe, G. R. Isaak & C. P. McLeod

  2. Department of Applied Physics, Sheffield Polytechnic, Sheffield, S1 1WB, UK

    R. New

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  3. G. R. Isaak
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  4. C. P. McLeod
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Elsworth, Y., Howe, R., Isaak, G. et al. Variation of low-order acoustic solar oscillations over the solar cycle. Nature 345, 322–324 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1038/345322a0

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