Our Sun. I. The Standard Model: Successes and Failures

The results of computing a number of standard solar models are reported. A presolar helium content of Y = 0.278 is obtained, and a Cl-37 capture rate of 7.7 SNUs, consistently several times the observed rate of 2.1 SNUs, is determined. Thus, the solar neutrino problem remains. The solar Z value is determined primarily by the observed Z/X ratio and is affected very little by differences in solar models. Even large changes in the low-temperature molecular opacities have no effect on Y, nor even on conditions at the base of the convective envelope. Large molecular opacities do cause a large increase in the mixing-length parameter alpha but do not cause the convective envelope to reach deeper. The temperature remains too low for lithium burning, and there is no surface lithium depletion; thus, the lithium problem of the standard solar model remains.