Leptocline as a Shallow Substructure of Near-Surface Shear Layer in 3D Radiative Hydrodynamic Simulations

TL;DR

This study uses 3D radiative hydrodynamic simulations to identify a shallow substructure called the leptocline within the Near-Surface Shear Layer of the Sun, which influences solar rotation and flows.

Contribution

It introduces the leptocline as a new substructure in the NSSL, linking it to ionization zones and observed solar flow profiles.

Findings

Identification of a 10-Mm deep leptocline in simulations.

The leptocline's properties align with helioseismic observations.

The leptocline is associated with ionization zones and anisotropic flows.

Abstract

Understanding effects driven by rotation in the solar convection zone is essential for many problems related to solar activity, such as the formation of differential rotation, meridional circulation, and others. We analyze realistic 3D radiative hydrodynamics simulations of solar subsurface dynamics in the presence of rotation in a local domain 80 Mm wide and 25 Mm deep, located at 30 degrees latitude. The simulation results reveal the development of a shallow 10-Mm deep substructure of the Near-Surface Shear Layer (NSSL), characterized by a strong radial rotational gradient and self-organized meridional flows. This shallow layer ("leptocline") is located in the hydrogen ionization zone associated with enhanced anisotropic overshooting-type flows into a less unstable layer between the H and HeII ionization zones. We discuss current observational evidence of the presence of the leptocline and show that the radial variations of the differential rotation and meridional flow profiles obtained from the simulations in this layer qualitatively agree with helioseismic observations.