The Consequences Of Active-region Inflows On The Large-scale Dispersal Of Magnetic Field Across The Solar Surface.
Abstract
Helioseismic analysis of near-surface modes recently revealed horizontal flows near the solar surface towards regions with enhanced magnetic activity. The magnitude of these flows appears to increase with the magnetic flux contained within them. Such flows help to confine magnetic flux to the activity belt and perhaps even to theactive regions within which the field emerges, and will likely slow the random-walk dispersal of the field. We report on experiments witha surface flux dispersal model to study the consequences of such inflows towards strong-flux regions. We constrain the flow magnitudeby comparing results of a flux assimilation model to solar observations over six-month intervals throughout the last solar cycle. The best-fit model is then used to quantify the effects of these flows on the Sun's global dipole and quadrupole fields on time scales of multiple centuries.
- Publication:
-
AAS/Solar Physics Division Meeting #37
- Pub Date:
- June 2006
- Bibcode:
- 2006SPD....37.0716S