Prospects for the Detection of the Deep Solar Meridional Circulation

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the feasibility of detecting the Sun's deep meridional circulation using helioseismic methods, concluding that current data may be insufficient for such detection within a single solar cycle.

Contribution

It provides an analysis of noise levels and signal estimates for helioseismic detection of deep solar flows, highlighting limitations in current observational capabilities.

Findings

Detection of deep meridional flow is challenging with current data.

Signal-to-noise ratio is too low for reliable detection within less than a solar cycle.

Helioseismic methods may require longer data spans or improved techniques.

Abstract

We perform helioseismic holography to assess the noise in p-mode travel-time shifts which would form the basis of inferences of large-scale flows throughout the solar convection zone. We also derive the expected travel times from a parameterized return (equatorward) flow component of the meridional circulation at the base of the convection zone from forward models under the assumption of the ray and Born approximations. From estimates of the signal-to-noise ratio for measurements focused near the base of the convection zone, we conclude that the helioseismic detection of the deep meridional flow including the return component may not be possible using data spanning an interval less than a solar cycle.