On the Interaction of Internal Gravity Waves with Magnetic Field II. Convective Forcing

TL;DR

This study uses numerical simulations to explore how internal gravity waves interact with magnetic fields in the Sun's interior, revealing complex behaviors including wave reflection and flow alterations influenced by magnetic field strength and diffusivities.

Contribution

It provides the first self-consistent simulation of IGW interaction with magnetic fields in the Sun's interior, incorporating convective forcing and realistic parameters.

Findings

Waves are reflected by magnetic fields depending on field strength.

Wave reflection can enhance mean flows in the magnetic region.

Complex behaviors emerge beyond simple models.

Abstract

We present results from numerical simulations of the interaction of internal gravity waves (IGW) with magnetic fields in the radiative interior of the Sun. In this second paper, the waves are forced self-consistently by an overlying convection zone and a toroidal magnetic field is imposed in the stably stratified layer just underneath convection zone. Consistent with the results of previous analytic and simple numerical calculations, we find a strong wave-field interaction, in which waves are reflected in the field region. The wave-field interaction and wave reflection depend on the field strength as well as adopted values of the diffusivities. In some cases wave reflection leads to an increased mean flow in the field region. In addition to reproducing some of the features of our simpler models, we find additional complex behaviour in these more complete and realistic calculations.