Early Solar Mass Loss, Element Diffusion, and Solar Oscillation Frequencies

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (42) References (51) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Early Solar Mass Loss, Element Diffusion, and Solar Oscillation Frequencies Guzik, Joyce A. ; Cox, Arthur N. Abstract Swenson & Faulkner and Boothroyd, Sackmann, & Fowler investigated the possibility that early mainsequence mass loss via a stronger early solar wind could be responsible for the observed solar lithium and beryllium depletion. This depletion requires a total mass loss of ∼0.1 Msun, nearly independent of the mass loss timescale. We calculate the evolution and oscillation frequencies of solar models including diffusion of helium and other elements, with such early solar mass loss. We show that extreme mass loss of 1 Msun is easily ruled out by the low-degree p-modes that probe the solar center and sense the steeper molecular weight gradient produced by the early phase of more rapid hydrogen burning. The effects on central structure are much smaller for models with an initial mass of 1.1 Msun, and exponentially decreasing mass-loss rate with e-folding timescale 0.45 Gyr. While such mass loss slightly worsens the agreement between observed and calculated low-degree modes, the observational uncertainties of several tenths of a microhertz weaken this conclusion. Surprisingly, the intermediate-degree modes with much smaller observational uncertainties that probe the convection zone bottom prove to be the key to discriminating between models: The early mass-loss phase decreases the total amount of helium and heavier elements diffused from the convection zone, and the extent of the diffusion-produced composition gradient just below the convection zone. These changes in the solar composition result in a marked deterioration in the agreement with observed frequencies for the intermediate degree modes. Mass loss on a timescale substantially longer than 0.2 Gyr appears to be incompatible with observed solar oscillation frequencies. It is significant that this discrimination between models with and without mass loss is possible only when element diffusion is incorporated in the modeling. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: August 1995 DOI: 10.1086/176019 Bibcode: 1995ApJ...448..905G Keywords: SUN: ABUNDANCES; SUN: EVOLUTION; SUN: INTERIOR; SUN: OSCILLATIONS; SUN: SOLAR WIND full text sources ADS |