Test of Nonextensive Statistical Mechanics by Solar Sound Speeds

TL;DR

This study tests nonextensive statistical mechanics using helioseismological data, finding evidence that the nonextensive parameter q significantly differs from unity within the solar interior.

Contribution

It provides the first experimental lower limit for the nonextensive parameter q inside the sun based on solar sound speed measurements.

Findings

Lower limit of (1-q) ≥ 0.1902 inside the sun

(1-q) ≈ 0.4 in the outer layers from 0.75R_sun to 0.95R_sun

Supports nonextensive statistical mechanics as applicable to solar physics

Abstract

To check the validity of the theory of nonextensive statistical mechanics, we have investigated the nonextensive degree of the solar interior and have tried to find the experimental evidence by helioseismological measurements that q is different from unity. We are able to derive a parameter for providing a lower limit to the nonextensive degree inside the sun that can be uniquely determined by the solar sound speeds measured by helioseismology. After calculating the parameter by using the solar sound speeds, we get the lower limit of(1-q)not less than 0.1902 for all solar radii between 0.15R(sun) and 0.95R(sun) and (1-q)approximately equal to 0.4 for the out layers extending from 0.75R(sun)to 0.95R(sun).Thus, the result that the nonextensive parameter q is significantly different from unity has received the support by the experiment measurements for the solar sound speeds in the helioseismology.