Accounting for the Solar Acoustic and Luminosity Variations from the Deep Convection Zone

Abstract

Recent helioseismic observations (Duvall et al.) have demonstrated how new data analysis techniques can determine local changes in the acoustic properties beneath the photosphere. The recent results provide compelling evidence of a latitudinal sound speed variation. Using results from numerical simulations, we show here how this acoustic variation has the correct form and amplitude needed to account for the previously observed solar photometric changes. In this picture, both the acoustic and irradiance changes may be caused by magnetically induced entropy fluctuations near the base of the solar convection zone.